Drawn to History
One of the last studio discoveries was a number of jumbo charcoal sticks, some used, and some new. An entire box or bag must have dropped into this crack and I saved and every recovered shard. These jumbo sticks were used to draw out the composition for every drop.
In 1929, Moses wrote, “Started my painting on the McAlester job by drawing in the Barins Anti-Chamber…”
Charcoal markings were also found on the backsides of drops too. In scenic studios, they marked the size of drops and their eventual location as they were transferred from the sewing room to the paint studio. Charcoal also listed the subject of specific stock scenes.
I envisioned the beautiful display that could display these artifacts and provide artistic provenance for the collection at the Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center. This was going to be billed as the Thomas Gibbs Moses collection, a Scottish Rite Mason and nationally recognized scenic artist.
We had the primer that formed the basis of the painting, the charcoal sticks that were used to draw the composition, and a detail brush that was used to apply the dry pigment. Furthermore there was the artist’s sweater and Scottish Rite paint cap AND his writings from the diary. I envisioned a lovely display for all to see, one that would draw international audiences. The careful handling of both the scenery and artifacts would be stunning. Restored drops were almost indistinguishable from new ones. It would be like walking into a Scottish Rite theatre during 1924 – but with all of the modern conveniences. Could it get any better than this?
I anticipated the looks of the visitors on the opening day of the Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center. We had just enough time to transport the collection back to Minnesota, restore a few scenes, and hang them for the June 24, 2016 opening! It was going to happen and this was the perfect collection for a heritage center.
I looked to the long-term goal. The restoration of this collection could be a wonderful training ground for students across the state of Minnesota. This was an opportunity to share knowledge about both dry pigment painting and restoration techniques. This might revitalize a trade that was on the verge of extinction.
To be continued…
