Thomas G. Moses left for Portland and the Marquam Theatre job on January 8, 1890. Ed Loitz and Howard Tuttle were there on the job to help him paint the scenery for Marquam’s Teatre.
The story is best is left for Moses’ own words as part of 1890 is summed up in a blur of entries. Here is one:
”Found Loitz had got everything in good shape, and we went to work and soon made a showing. One day just after I had finished laying in some foliage borders, and I was smeared from head to foot, face awfully dirty, a party of young folks came up on the paint bridge. They asked me a dozen questions. One of the ladies asked me, “What are they going to have for the drop curtain?” I answered that “It had been left to me to paint whatever I thought best.” They all looked at my dirty face and wondered what kind of curtain I would paint. Then she said,” I hope you will paint one as nice as the one in the New California Theatre in San Francisco.” I said to her that I was pleased to hear she liked that curtain, for I painted it. She was very much surprised and said, “So you are Mr. Moses!” We should be honored in having you paint our new theatre scenery.” She then introduced me to her friends. She seemed to know all about my work. Rather hard to connect me with a successful curtain. They all called several times after that. I managed to look more presentable when they called. I met her again in San Diego years after that at the Hotel Florence and she related to Fisher how she had met me and was astonished that an artist so “be-smudged” as I was could paint such beautiful pictures. Overalls don’t always make a man, they only help to keep the tailor and laundry bills down to normal.”
This is just one of the stories in Moses’ typed manuscript, but there was something about the statement “overalls don’t always make the man” that struck a cord with me. I have worn my old paint overalls for years and recently received the comment, “Oh, how sweet, you are still wearing overalls!” I was a bit shocked. Then I thought about her statement as it wasn’t intended as a slight. They are seldom in stores now, even at thrift stores, and yet they remain a staple of my painting wardrobe. When my few remaining pairs finally wear out, I will certainly have a problem. Overalls, coveralls, or bibs – whatever you chose to call them- keep the laundry bills down, especially when using dry pigment.
To be continued…
