In 1913, Thomas G. Moses wrote,
“Sheehan and Beck dropped in with ‘Bohemian Girl.’ In other words, the two were
in town with the production when they made a point of visiting Sosman &
Landis about another project. The Sheehan English Opera Co. production of “The
Bohemian Girl” was on tour of 1913.
Image published in the “Monroe Star News,” 18 March 1913, page 3.Advertisement in the “Sheboygen Press,” 5 May 1913, page 6.
Interestingly, Sheehan initially
performed with Henry W. Savage’s Grand Opera Company. Moses worked for Savage,
designing many of his American Opera productions in New York, just prior to
moving establishing the Moses & Hamilton Studio. The two would have met
while each worked for Savage.
In 1913, Edward M. Beck was the
General Director of Sheehan and Beck, with Sheehan starring in the lead roles. At
the time, Sheehan was called “America’s Greatest Tenor.”
“The Bohemian Girl” was billed
as “the most brilliant musical event of the season,” and toured with
“60-trained Choral Voices” and “20-Special Grand Opera Orchestra” (Sheboygan
Press, Wisconsin, 5 May 1913, page 6). Other performed by the company on the
tour were “The Love Tales of Hoffman,” “Il Trovatore,” “Martha,” and “Chimes of
Normandy.”
One Sheehan-Beck production that
toured in 1913 was “Salome.” “Salome” was a second Sheehan-Beck production with
scenery by Sosman & Landis. Of the
production, Moses wrote, “We turned out a big production of ‘Salome’ for
Sheehan and Beck – some very effective scenes.
A good portion of the contract price never saw our office – one bad
feature about shows that don’t go.” This was always the gamble. “Shows that
don’t go” didn’t always pay their bills. At the scenic studio, a non-payment on
a single project could not financially jeopardize a company, so there had to be
dozens of projects occurring simultaneously to cover shortfalls.
In 1913, Sheehan and Beck also
produced “The Girl From Mumms,” starring Miss Olive Vail, a comedienne who
starred in the original Chicago productions of “A Modern Eve,” “A Stubborn
Cinderella,” “The Girl Question” and “Miss Nobody from Starland.” “The Girl
from Mumms” was advertised as “a Parisian musical novelty,” featuring sixteen
musical hits. Based on the book by J. A. Lacy, the lyrics and music were by
Fred A. Bohnhorst. Of the production, the “Calgary Herald” reported “Scenically
and electrically, nothing has been left undone to make ‘The Girl From Mumms’
the most beautiful musical spectacle of the season”(8 Oct. 1913, page 7).
Advertisement in 4The Girl the “Santa Ana Register,” 20 Nov 1913, page 2.Advertisement from the “Post Crescent,” 11 Sept. 1913, page 8.
An interesting article in the
“Post-Crescent” goes into great detail about the costume designer for the
production (Appleton, Wisconsin, 13 Sept 1913, page 6). It seems that Beck
traveled to Paris in 1912 and met Mme. McGregor-Hull, a modiste in Paris whose
creations were “the talk of the theatrical colony there.” The article reports,
“Struck at once by with the originality of the woman and her genius for
creating fashion instead of following it, Mr. Beck made her a proposition to
manufacture the costumes for “ THE GIRL
FROM MUMMS.” Of the scenic elements, advertisements promised, “scenically an
environment of beauty;” that was it. No mention of scenic artist or studio.
Chang is in the winds.
At this time, many newspaper
articles shift focus from describing painted scenery and scenic effects in
detail to costumes and lighting effects. I find this fascinating, as previous mentions
of those who manufacture scenic illusion are no longer included in many reviews.
There may still be a general description of the setting, but the names,
backgrounds and experience of most scenic artists cease as being included to
provide credibility to the production.
In their stead are the names of costumers and lighting designers.
The story of creating three-dimensional stage elements replaces the story of creating two-dimensional ones. There are many other factors to consider when examining this shift: increased realism/naturalism on stage, the emergence of the modern scenic designer, electrical effects and lighting innovations, the increased popularity of moving pictures, and much more. Regardless, there is a definitive shift in how the press presents the production elements to the public in 1913.
Asbestos curtain design by John Z. Wood for the Twin City Scenic Co., now part of the Performing Arts Archives, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities.
In 1913, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “Miles asbestos curtain in Cleveland, which I did, hangs badly and big dents kill my picture. As it is a woven wire asbestos there is no remedy – they should never be folded, always rolled.” There were many different ways to construct a fire curtain for the theatre, with a wire substrate being one.
Asbestos curtain design by John Z. Wood for the Twin City Scenic Co., now part of the Performing Arts Archives, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities.
The demand for asbestos curtains dramatically increased after the 1903 Iroquois Theatre tragedy. As theaters implemented additional steps for fire prevention, asbestos curtain orders increased for at Sosman & Landis. There were a variety of ways to manufacture and install fire curtains as the time, but only one way to ship – rolled. All asbestos curtains demanded careful handling to avoid damaging a painted scene. In 1909, an article in the “Democrat and Chronicle” commented on the installation of a Sosman & Landis asbestos curtain at the Temple Theatre in Rochester, New York: “The asbestos, or fire curtain, will be the first to be placed so as to avoid wrinkling and the beautiful drop curtain will be the last thing” (25 October 1909, page 10).
Colored photograph in sales catalogue. Asbestos curtain design by the Twin City Scenic Co., now part of the Performing Arts Archives, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities.
Today, we hear asbestos and cringe, with many people
demanding its removal, regardless of how beautiful. In 1913, reading the word
“asbestos” on a drop curtain meant safety.
So what is this dangerous substance that caused once comfort
and now causes concern? Asbestos.com (sponsored by the Mesothelioma Center)
notes, “Asbestos is a group of six naturally occurring fibrous minerals
composed of thin, needle-like fibers. Exposure to asbestos causes several
cancers and diseases, including mesothelioma and asbestosis. Although asbestos
strengthens and fireproofs materials, it is banned in many countries. Asbestos
is not banned in the United States.” The main problem is that when asbestos
fibers are inhaled or ingested, the mineral fibers can become trapped in the
body. Trapped asbestos fibers can cause inflammation, scarring and genetic
damage to the bodies cells.
In 1913, however, asbestos was considered a common and
useful product. There were even asbestos pockets in men’s suits, allowing them
to tuck away burning cigarettes. Nearly all of the asbestos mined in the United
States came from Vermont and Virginia, although a little came from Wyoming. The
finest asbestos was considered to be from the Grand Canyon of Colorado and
Arizona. In 1913, asbestos was advertised
as “the most important fire-proofing material known” and was in great demand
for commercial and home use (Lead Daily Call, Lead, South Dakota, 14 Oct. 1913,
page 3). The “Lead Daily Call” reported, “Its fibrous structure adapts it to a
wide range of applications, from woven fabrics such as theatre curtains and
articles of clothing to various forms of asbestos shingles, stucco, plaster,
“lumber,” and other building materials that render structures thoroughly
fireproof. Its lightness, strength, durability, and insulating property against
heat and electricity give it special advantages for structural uses in cars and
electric motor subways…The most common use of asbestos paper, millboard, pipe
covering, and lagging to enclose heat pipes, furnaces, and locomotives in order
to prevent loss of heat by radiation. As a non-conductor of heat it may be used
not only in the preparation of fire proof safes and vaults, but also cold
storage and cooling structures. Houses made of asbestos materials or coated
with asbestos throughout are not only warmer in winter, but cooler in summer.
In recent years, asbestos has been used successfully as a filler in high grade
paints. The finest asbestos thread yet spun carried a small percentage of
cotton and runs over 2 miles to the pound.”
Here is one article that put it all in perspective for
me. On October 25, 1913, the “Ottumwa Tri-Weekly Courier” published “Just a Few
Helpful Uses for Asbestos About the House” (Ottumwa, Iowa, page 4). It is well
worth reading for historical context.
“In your list of household conveniences have you included
a sheet or two of asbestos.
You’d be really surprised to known how valuable this is
about the house. There are thousands of uses to which it may be put to save
work and worry.
You see, asbestos is such a splendid non-conductor of
heat that it equalizes and lessens considerable heat, thus preventing things
from burning when it is intercepted. In addition to this it is non-combustible,
which still further adds to its desirability as a household accessory.
In the kitchen, the laundry, the dining room, the
bathroom – practically in every room in the house it may be used.
The housekeeper as cook can lay a sheet of asbestos over
the gas burner and plate a kettle of jam upon it. The heat will be so modified
as to lessen the opportunity for the scorching of the food. If the bread in the
oven is in danger of burning black upon the bottom, the cook can slip a sheet
of asbestos beneath the pan. If the heat is too intense above the loaf the
protector is laid over it. The modern fireless cooker, designed to hold to heat
within a box, may be lined with sheets of asbestos to resist the escape of heat
from the enclosed buckets of hot food.
Baking day does not monopolize the asbestos, for Tuesday
sees an asbestos iron rest to protect the cover of the ironing board from
scorching. An ingenious housekeeper covered a large pan with asbestos, attached
a handle to what had been the bottom and inverted it over the irons being
heated upon the gas stove. The result was that less gas was required, for all
of its heat was conserved for the irons and not wasted in heating the kitchen
The style of flat irons with removable handles, depends for its special
efficiency upon asbestos linings for the detachable outer shell.
The housekeeper may place around asbestos mats upon the
dining table under hot serving dishes to protect the polished table top beneath
from being marred by heat. Better still, she can buy or make a large sheet of
asbestos to lay beneath the table cloth. These can be purchased made to order
to fit the table exactly. There cost is several dollars, varying with the size
and with the quality of binding and covering. Sheet asbestos can be had cheaply
at the hardware stores, and a clever and economical housekeeper can contrive a
non-conducting silence cloth for herself.
As a matter of fire protection asbestos is invaluable.
Tacked to the ceiling above the furnace, it guards the floor above from
overheating or igniting should the furnace become defective. Where coal heating
stoves and ranges are used and must be set near a wall it is best to have an
asbestos covered board set behind them. When a stovepipe passes through a
ceiling to warm a bedroom above (a common thing in old-fashioned houses) a
sheeting of asbestos should encircle it whenever it would touch combustible
surfaces.
If you have a hot furnace the plumber will probably paste
one thin layer of asbestos around the pipes to conserve their heat. A thick
layer or two separate layers will prevent heat wasting even more efficiently.
One thrifty householder, who is chary of all unnecessary expense, pasted
asbestos thickly all over the outside of his furnace proper. He had never seen
this done before, yet tried the experiment, and reports enthusiastically that
the saving in his coal bills of one year made it worthwhile. Formerly he had
been wasting heat upon the cellar air. A man who followed his example had the
asbestos bound to the furnace cylinder with wire hoops instead of paste.”
To sum up the fondness for asbestos in 1913, many newspapers
included the following quote that year: “All the world’s a stage, but it lacks
an asbestos curtain.”
Asbestos curtain design now part of the Performing Arts Archives, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities.Asbestos curtain design by the Great Western Stage Equipment Co.., now part of the Performing Arts Archives, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities.Asbestos curtain design bythe Twin City Scenic Co., now part of the Performing Arts Archives, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities.Asbestos curtain design by the Twin City Scenic Co., now part of the Performing Arts Archives, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities.Asbestos curtain design by the Twin City Scenic Co., now part of the Performing Arts Archives, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities.Asbestos curtain design by the Twin City Scenic Co., now part of the Performing Arts Archives, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities.Asbestos curtain design by the Twin City Scenic Co., now part of the Performing Arts Archives, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities.
In 1913, Thomas G. Moses wrote,
“Started a lot of work for McVicker’s Theatre – that was in June. I did all the exterior drops.”
The venue had changed hands
again, and Moses created a set of scenery for the new lessees of the new “McVicker’s
Vaudeville Theatre.” The well-known Chicago establishment had just become a
combination house. McVicker’s Theater, located on West Madison Street, near
State, was once considered the oldest playhouse in Chicago.
From the “Chicago Tribune,” 27 Aug 1913, page 8.
On May 10, 1913, “The Lancaster
Intelligencer” reported,
“OLD THEATRE IN FILM RANKS
Chicago’s Fire-Baptized
McVickers Sold for $500,000.
McVicker’s Theatre, Chicago’s
historic playhouse, which has passed through five fires, including the great
fire of 1871, and which has been rebuilt or remodeled after each fire, passed
from the ‘legitimate’ on Thursday when it was sold to a moving picture firm for
$500,000.”
The Jones, Linick & Schaefer
circuit began leasing McVicker’s Theatre in 1913, presenting “popularly priced”
vaudeville acts along with motion pictures. The ticket prices were 10,15 and 25
cents, an affordable option when compared with legitimate theater and you could
stay as long as you wanted from 1p.m. to 11p.m. (Post-Crescent, Appleton,
Wisconsin, 9 May 1913, page 7).
From the “Inter Ocean,” 14 Sept 1913, page 32.
The firm’s partners were Aaron
J. Jones, Adolph Linick and Peter J. Schaefer, They first established their firm
in 1899, leasing Keebler & Co., a store on Clark Street just south of
Madison Street, and establishing a penny arcade. As their operation grew,
Jones, Linick & Schaefer became primarily interested in entertainment,
running amusement parks and theaters. They eventually managed the Orpheum Theatre
on State Street, opposite of the Palmer House (Chicago Tribune, 5 Jan. 1913). By
1913, the firm operated eight Chicago theaters.
On April 29, 1913, the “Chicago
Tribune” announced, “All arrangements for the acquisition [of McVicker’s and
the Colonial] have been made…The Jones, Linick & Schaefer people will open
a vaudeville booking agency of their own on Thursday in offices in the Orpheum
Theatre building in State street, in preparation for the increased business.
They have been booking from the Western Vaudeville Managers’ association” (page
3).
From the “Chicago Tribune,” 1 Aug 1913, page 12.
On May 22, 1913, the “Washington Herald” reported, “Jones, Linick & Schaefer, Chicago’s new theatrical triumvirate, who practically dominate the popular vaudeville and moving picture field in the Windy City, have just signed a contract with the Kinemacolor Company of America to install the original nature-colored features of the vaudeville bills at the Colonial and McVicker’s Theatres, their latest acquisitions…Both are located in the heart of “The Loop,” and their cosmopolitan patronage demands the best and latest novelties. Kinemacolor scored such popular success at the Willard, Wilson, and other theaters of their circuit that Jones, Linick & Schaefer decided to make it a permanent feature of their vaudeville bills. In this they were following the example of F. F. Proctor, William Fix, Oswald Stoll, and other leading showmen of America and England” (page 11).
“Moving Picture World” published
an article about Jones, Linick & Schaefer, commenting that moving pictures were
replacing all other vaudeville at the Willard Theatre by 1914. The article, “Picture Programs Supplant Vaudeville in the
Willard” noted, “Vaudeville has been withdrawn from another of the Jones,
Linick & Schaefer houses – the Willard, at Fifty-first street and Calumet
avenue. The Willard was closed Sunday night, Jan. 18 to make the necessary
changes for straight picture programs. A $10,000 organ will be installed. It
will be reopened Monday, Jan. 26. ‘There is no significance in this change,
‘said Mr. Linick. ‘Our patrons in that neighborhood prefer moving pictures to
vaudeville, and we’re trying to give then what they want. The price will be ten
cents, as against the ten-twenty-thirty we charged for vaudeville. Our downtown
houses, the Orpheum, La Salle, Colonial and McVickers will go along just as
they have been” (Sat. January 14, 1914, page 551).
Moses would also deliver scenery
to the Colonial Theatre, also managed by Jones, Linick and Schaefer. In 1913, Moses wrote, “ “A good, big contract
for the Colonial, city– a very complete set.” The addition of “city” means that
it was a complete city setting for the theater, a perfect setting for many
vaudeville acts.
In 1913, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “On the 20th of
May, I completed in less than eight hours, a dark wood drop, 24×40, without any
help. That is something I never
accomplished before – that much in that time.
Sosman was pleased with it. I
didn’t wait for anything to dry – worked in the wet.” We can get some sense of
Moses’ woodland composition for the stage at the time. Many of his landscapes still hang in in
Scottish Rite theaters across the country, including his 1912 setting for the
Santa Fe Scottish Rite that Jo Whaley photographed for our book “The Santa Fe
Scottish Rite Temple: Freemasonry, Architecture and Theatre” (Museum of New
Mexico Press, 2018).
Scenic art by Thomas G. Moses for the Santa Fe Scottish Rite Theatre, 1912. Photograph by Jo Whaley.
Moses was 57 years old in 1913, with almost four decades of
experience as a scenic artist behind him. His specialty remained landscapes,
particularly picturesque woodland scenes with babbling brooks or small
waterfalls running through the composition. He was very good and very fast by
this point in his career.
Moses’ reputation was built on his speed, a skill set that
he remained proud of until his passing. He was certainly a workhorse and asset
to any project, or studio. As a young scenic artist he wrote, “I was full of
ambition and hustle. If I had been
endowed with a like amount of ability I would have set the world on fire… The
others were able to draw more, because they were better in the artistic end,
but I had it over them when it came to speed.”
In the end, it was a scenic artist’s speed that turned a
profit at any studio. It was speed that initially secured Moses a position Sosman
& Landis, and speed that elevated him to the position as Sosman’s
right-hand man. Moses’ innate drive resulted in the rapid production of painted
settings at Sosman & Landis throughout his duration there, amassing large
profits for the stakeholders. This is one of the reasons that Sosman pleaded
with Moses to return to the studio in 1904 and supervise all design, painting,
construction and installation from that point on; his drive would ensure
success. Moses left his growing business in New York City (Moses &
Hamilton) and returned to Sosman & Landis’ main studio in Chicago.
In the end, Moses expected all of his colleagues to work at his
same rapid pace. I completely understand where he is coming from as I also
expect that of my fellow artists too. Moses’ impatience with slower co-workers is
very apparent throughout his memoirs.
For example, in 1907, he commented on the speed of fellow scenic artist
Ansel Cook who was the shop manager at Sosman & Landis’ annex studio on
19th street. Moses wrote, “We opened our annex studio at 19 W. 20th Street in
July, and Ansel Cook went there as a manager…He did some very good work but was
a long time doing it, which, of course, didn’t pay us.” Moses divided his time
between Sosman & Landis’ main and annex studios that year and after one
extended absence wrote, “Took charge of the 20th Street Studio on my
return weeks. Cook did $750.00 of work
in three weeks. My first three amounted to $3,500.00, some difference. I
hustled while he talked art and what the firm ought to do to get business.” In
Moses’ eyes, anyone that didn’t “hustle” couldn’t pull his full weight at the studio.
I too have built a reputation based on quick turn around
times and high productivity. Much has to do with my individual drive and incentive;
the other reason is that I don’t like stopping for breaks or slowing down. I hate sitting still and frequently forgo
breaks or meals maintain my pace and productivity. I often don’t want to stop
until the end of the day. For me it is difficult to watch any co-worker puddle
around or stop mid-way in a project to take a fifteen-minute break.
I have also noticed that one slow person can drop the overall
productivity in any shop, reducing any group speed to match that of the slowest
worker. So, I sympathize with Moses, sharing his views of those who did not
“hustle.” Any supervisor of a shop looks
for an excuse to drop the dead weight, which Moses touched upon in 1913 when
commenting on a Union strike.
Moses wrote, “The Union called a strike because Sosman
refused to sign a new scale of wages. I
prevailed upon Sosman to sign as I disliked any labor trouble. It only results in being obliged to weed out
some of the non-producers.” Weed out
some non-producers. That says a lot and may have been Sosman’s main goal.
Sosman was also known for his speed, as were most of the top scenic artists of
the day. An artist working at a snail’s pace gouged the profit margin of any
project.
Moses also touches upon an interesting perspective regarding
union strikes; providing an opportunity for a company to “weed out the non-producers.”
As the vice-president of the company and supervisor of all Sosman & Landis
activities, Moses was on the front line, not Sosman. Regardless of Moses’ desire
to make peace with the staff, Sosman still controlled the administrative end of
the business and held a tight fist on wages. In 1913, Moses was in charge of all design,
construction, painting and installation at the main studio and annex studio in
Chicago, but not the wages.
If the strike ended poorly, Moses was the one who would have
to continue supervising a group of disgruntled workers, realizing the potential
problems if a significant number of the scenic artists were to leave “en
masse.” Moses would have been left holding the bag and scrambling for their replacements,
all the while understanding the deep-seeded sentiment of his fellow artists. He was really caught in the middle during
1913, and his fear of a group of journeymen artists leaving the studio would
happen seven years later. In 1920, six scenic artists left the Sosman &
Landis studio to form Service Studios. This would have caused more than a
ripple in the shop, especially is a large project was in the studio at the
time. The former Sosman & Landis employees even marketed black and white
photographs depicting Sosman & Landis designs as their own, carefully
compiled in sales books. This is really the beginning of the end for Sosman
& Landis. The shift in demand for
painted scenery, the rise of the modern designer, the pressure of the union,
and the desires of stock holders are just a few factors that are all at odds
during this time. Sure, business will
keep pouring in, but the challenges will continue to gain ground and suddenly
seem insurmountable after Sosman’s death in 1915.
In 1913,
Thomas G. Moses wrote, “We had a road show called ‘The Bulgarian
Romance.’ Rather a good opportunity for effects.”
The play was reported to be a version of the first act of
“The Balkan Princess.” Both “The Balkan Princess” and “The Bulgarian Romance”
starred the same leading lady, Julia Gifford, a vaudeville actress who later
married Bob Fitzsimmons. The “Edmonton Journal” reported, “The one-act musical
comedy was written especially for the ex-champion’s wife [Mrs. Bob
Fitzsimmons], and after rehearsing in Chicago the company started for Edmonton,
which is the first on the circuit” (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, 19 May 1913,
page 2).
Advertisement for “A Bulgarian Romance,” in “The Vancouver Sun,” 28 July 1913, page 8
Fitzsimmons was formerly known to vaudeville and musical
comedy fame as Julia May Gifford. The show was described as “Light, airy and
witty, with well defined plot, with characters attired in the gay gowns of the
‘Near East’ and with graceful nymphs of dancing girls and well trained mail
chorus…Pleasing and wholesome with plenty of adventure and fun, and with music
of exquisite sweetness throughout, this operetta easily leads anything which
has appeared at this popular theatre since it opened to the Eugene [Oregon]
public” (The Eugene Guard, 14 July 1913, page 6).
The show ran approximately 50 minutes in lengths and was
billed with other vaudeville acts. In Salt Lake City, acts that accompanied “The
Bulgarian Romance,” included the Velde Trio and their trained dogs, Leonard and
Drake, Lopez and Lopez, Edith Haney and company, and Courtney and Jeanette”
(The Salt Lake Tribune, 21 Sept 1913, page 46).
“The Eugene Guard” described the play on 14 July 1913:
“The plot tells of a defiant prince, who reuses to yield to
the invitation of a match making king, who wants the prince to meet and love
his daughter. The princess appears incog. at a music hall, which the prince
frequents, and wins his heart. When he makes love to her and is really smitten,
she divulges her identity, and having in the meantime fallen in love with him
herself, she accepts both his apology and proposal of marriage and the result
that they ‘live happily ever after’” (page 6).
The show toured with a company of “fourteen splendid singing
and dancing girls” “The San Francisco Examiner, 21 July 1913, page 5). The
leading man was N. E. Dano, who “first won his laurels in Vienna and they
showed with even brighter luster under the critical glare of the footlights of
Paris, where critics bestowed unstinted praise” (The Eugene Guard, 14 July
1913, page 6).
Advertisement for “A Bulgarian Romance” with Sosman & Landis scenery in the background, from the “Eugene Guard,” Eugene, Oregon, 14 July 1913, page 6
Of scenery produced by Sosman & Landis, newspaper
articles reported, “The stage setting is elaborate, artistic and beautiful”
(The Eugene Guard, 14 July 1913, page 6). When the show toured Minnesota, the Bemidji “Pioneer”
reported, “There is one great scene, that of a Bulgarian café and during the action
of the beautiful musical skit there are six sweet musical numbers…there is a
world of beautiful lighting, especially a stone bridge, which is lighted from
the rear” (1 May 1913, page 3).
The mention
of lighting is a marked departure from many newspapers reviews prior to this
time. Lighting for any effect was seldom described in any detail. Once the
scenic artist was recognized alongside the leading performer. By 1913 stage
critiques take a new direction, emphasizing other technical aspects of the
show.
For well over a year I have posted a historic stage setting every day to my Facebook group “Dry Pigment.” This post is then shared with other groups for digital dissemination, but not here. I often group stage compositions on a theme, posting one version after another over the course of a week. In the past I have covered landscapes, seascapes, palaces, dungeons, hell scenes, cathedrals, and much more. The images are often from scenery evaluations that I completed over the past few decades while traveling throughout the United States of America.
I return to the life and times of Thomas G. Moses tomorrow on November 11, 2019. For the past week, I have been sharing my Dry Pigment Facebook Group posts, as it helps illustrate the scenic aesthetic that I write about each day.
I primarily post daily pictures of historic backdrops each day for my fellow scenic artists, many of whom were not exposed to this history during their training. I always hope that this small and consistent gesture will help others with their future projects and research.
Today’s Dry Pigment post looks at two sketches created by the Twin City Scenic Co. of Minneapolis, Minnesota, now stored at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities. They are part of the Twin City Scenic Company collection and also part of an online database. Although the database has become increasingly difficult to navigate after changing servers recently, it is still worth checking out. Here is the link: https://umedia.lib.umn.edu/search?facet_field=collection_name_s&facets%5Bcollection_name_s%5D%5B%5D=Scenic+Collections
Drop curtain with Masonic emblem.Same drop curtain without Masonic emblem, showing that both commercial theatre and the fraternity used the same stage settings. Top of Masonic drop.Top of similar commercial drop.Detail of commercial drop curtain.Detail of commercial drop curtain.Detail of Masonic drop curtain.Detail of commercial drop curtain.Detail of Masonic drop curtain.
For well over a year I have posted a historic stage setting every day to my Facebook group “Dry Pigment.” This post is then shared with other groups for digital dissemination, but not here. I often group stage compositions on a theme, posting one version after another over the course of a week. In the past I have covered landscapes, seascapes, palaces, dungeons, hell scenes, cathedrals, and much more. The images are often from scenery evaluations that I completed over the past few decades while traveling throughout the United States of America.
While I take a break from the life and time of Thomas G. Moses until November 11, 2019, I am going to share my Dry Pigment FB Group posts. It helps illustrated the scenic aesthetic that I have been writing about for over three years.
I primarily post daily pictures of historic backdrops each day for my fellow scenic artists, many of whom were not exposed to this history during their training. I always hope that this small and consistent gesture will help others with their future projects and research.
Today’s Dry Pigment post looks at a backdrop created at the Twin City Scenic Drapery Co. of Minneapolis, Minnesota, now stored at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities.
Stencil on back of drop identifying the scenic studio as Twin City Scenic Drapery Co.Twin City Scenic Drapery Co. drop detail.Twin City Scenic Drapery Co. drop detail.Twin City Scenic Drapery Co. drop detail.Twin City Scenic Drapery Co. drop detail.Twin City Scenic Drapery Co. drop detail.Twin City Scenic Drapery Co. drop detail.Twin City Scenic Drapery Co. drop detail.Twin City Scenic Drapery Co. drop detail.Twin City Scenic Drapery Co. drop detail.Twin City Scenic Drapery Co. drop detail.Twin City Scenic Drapery Co. drop detail.Twin City Scenic Drapery Co. drop, rolled out on the floor.Twin City Scenic Drapery Co. drop, rolled out on the floor.
Cobalt Studio in New York.The woods near Cobalt Studio.A tree near the entrance to Cobalt Studio.
I teach a specific class for Rachel Keebler at Cobalt
Studios in New York once a year. Over the course of three and a half days, I
lecture on historic scene painting, train students in handling dry pigment, and
explain painting techniques while students complete several dry pigment
projects.
The class goes far beyond replicating a few historic
compositions, with me offering suggestions along the way for a successful completion.
We look in depth at color characteristics, value placement, compositional layout
and brush stroke. In each case the individual
projects are tailored to each student, regardless of their skill level. I hate
having an entire class replicate the exact same piece, and try to give each
student as much power as possible to make it their own, or do a variation on a
theme. We all move in the same direction
so that students can reference each other as we progress. Gray-scale images in
addition to an original color source help when students opt for alternative
color schemes.
For this particular class, none of the students had
ever mixed dry pigment and size water (diluted hide glue) together for scenic
art. In itself, this is a challenge. The wet dry pigment colors on the palette
may not even remotely resemble their dry version is on the canvas. Also, many
of the colors contain a high dye content and can bleed through or interact
poorly with other colors. Part of each
class is to complete a color wheel, exploring the various color interactions,
reinforcing what we discuss.
This year we started the class with painting two water
compositions. By the end of the first day, we had explored glazing, opaque
washes, and the necessary value contrast to suggest water movement.
Starting water projects on day 1.Starting water projects on day 1 with dry pigment containers in the foreground.
The second day, we looked at painting techniques for glass
and metal, painting two contrasting projects.
Working on projects from days two and three.Working on projects from days two and three.
The third day we completed a shield that integrated all of
the painting techniques explored in the previous two days.
Nicole with her projects from days two and threeEmily with her projects from days two and three.Bethany with projects from days two and three.E
Our final half-day was a time for completion, reflection,
looking at other brush strokes required for other compositions and clean up. In
other qwords, if a student finished early by day four, I asked, “What do you
want to learn now?” In some cases it may
be foliage or draperies.
Finishing up on the final day of historical scene painting class.
This was a really good group of personalities. After a full day of painting and group meals, many students returned to the studio to work on their projects. It says a lot about the enthusiasm of the students. Overall, it was a delightful experience and I can’t wait to return next year.
For well over a year I have posted a historic stage setting every day to my Facebook group “Dry Pigment.” This post is then shared with other groups for digital dissemination, but not here. I often group stage compositions on a theme, posting one version after another over the course of a week. In the past I have covered landscapes, seascapes, palaces, dungeons, hell scenes, cathedrals, and much more. The images are often from scenery evaluations that I completed over the past few decades while traveling throughout the United States of America.
While I take a break from the life and time of Thomas G. Moses until November 11, 2019, I am going to share my Dry Pigment FB Group posts. It helps illustrated the scenic aesthetic that I have been writing about for over three years.
I primarily post daily pictures of historic backdrops each day for my fellow scenic artists, many of whom were not exposed to this history during their training, or friends who are completely unfamiliar with this form of American popular entertainment. I always hope that this small and consistent gesture will help others with their future projects and research.
Today’s Dry Pigment post looks at the source, design and final backdrop created at the Twin City Scenic Co. of Minneapolis, Minnesota, for the opera house in Milton, North Dakota
Source for backdropTwin City Scenic Co. design, now part of the Performing Arts Archives, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.Drop curtain in Milton, North Dakota, by the Twin City Scenic Co. This was a slide taken by Prof. Emeritus Larry Hill.
For well over a year I have posted a historic stage setting every day to my Facebook group “Dry Pigment.” This post is then shared with other groups for digital dissemination, but not here. I often group stage compositions on a theme, posting one version after another over the course of a week. In the past I have covered landscapes, seascapes, palaces, dungeons, hell scenes, cathedrals, and much more. The images are often from scenery evaluations that I completed over the past few decades while traveling throughout the United States of America.
While I take a break from the life and time of Thomas G. Moses until November 11, 2019, I am going to share my Dry Pigment FB Group posts. It helps illustrated the scenic aesthetic that I have been writing about for over three years.
I primarily post daily pictures of historic backdrops each day for my fellow scenic artists, many of whom were not exposed to this history during , or friends who are completely unfamiliar with this form of American popular entertainment. I always hope that this small and consistent gesture will help others with their future projects and research.
Today’s Dry Pigment post depicts an asbestos curtain produced by a the Twin City Scenic Co. of Minneapolis, Minnesota, for the opera house in Virginia, Minnesota.
Scene by the Twin City Scenic Co.Scene by the Twin City Scenic Co.Scene by the Twin City Scenic Co.Scene by the Twin City Scenic Co.Scene by the Twin City Scenic Co.Scene by the Twin City Scenic Co.Peep hole for actors. Scene by the Twin City Scenic Co.Standard stencil to identify manufacturing studio. Scene by the Twin City Scenic Co.
