Painted Detail on Drapery – Drypigment.net

Many of my projects take years to plan and implement. Such was the case with the main drape and valance at the Ruby Theatre in Chelan, Washington.

The drapes were intended to accentuate a newly acquired photo-player. The old ones having fallen into an irreparable state of disrepair.

Proving to be a bit of a diva during installation, theatre owner Larry Hibbard, appropriately named his photo-player Valentina. Photo-players accompanied silent movies with both music and sound effects. By the way, Valentina rises from the original orchestra pit, now hidden below the thrust. Hibbard explained that Valentina demanded this grand entrance after learning about the history of photo players from her big-city cousins .

“Valentina” – the photo-player – on stage at the Ruby Theatre in front of the new draperies.

Here is a link to an interview with Hibbard about his photo-player, named Valentina, for Wenatchee World (January 2021)- “Bringing Back a Piece of History to Chelan’s Ruby Theatre.” https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=416089849649129

Exterior of the Ruby Theatre in Chelan, Washington.

I was first contacted by Hibbard in November 2021. He was interested in replicating the main drape, complete with hand-painted border.

In January 2022, Hibbard shipped half of the main drape to my studio so I could examine the fabric and stencil. The arrival of the curtain at my studio coincided with another Washington State theater event that made national news. On Jan. 27, 2022, CNN reported, “A couple renovating a 115-year-old building discovered two 60-foot-long hidden murals.” The next day I received an email with a link to the article from my Canadian colleague John Madill. Madill was the first of many colleagues to share the online article; all urging me to contact the couple. I was hesistant as my schedule was already booked for the year.

The next day, on Jan. 29, 2022, I received the following FB message:

“Hi, Wendy! My husband and I recently uncovered a 60ft mural from 1915 and are hoping to conserve it. I was wondering if you could offer any advice or expertise as it looks like a theatre backdrop. There are videos and pictures on our Facebook group (mural restoration at the historic Timm building). Thanks so much.”

Great. I decided to see exactly where Okanogan was located. Amazingly, it was less than an hour north of the Ruby Theatre in Chelan, Washington. That was my sign to plan a quick trip.

Here is a map of the area – west of Spokane, Washington.

The Okanogan Murals were located in a building once known as the Hub Theatre.

A small section of the mural, delivered to the Hub Theatre by the J. M. Deeds Scenic Studio of Spokane, Washington.

They were only seen by the public for three years before being encapsulated behind a wall of plaster. In 1918, the building was again renovated, becoming the Paramount Theatre.

The renovated Hub Theatre when it became the Paramount.

I did a little research, and soon discovered that J. M. Deeds Scenic Studio decorated BOTH Okanogan’s Hub Theatre and Chelan’s Ruby Theatre. On Dec. 7, 1915, the Okanogan Independent announced, “Improvements at Hub’s.” The article reported, “Hub Carlton has contracted with J. M. Deeds of Wenatchee for interior decorations, new screen and new curtain for the Hub Theatre that will greatly improve the inside appearance of this popular playhouse. Mr. Deeds came up from Wenatchee last week and is now supervising the work, which is being done by W. J. McConnon, and experienced decorator who has been in Mr. Deeds employ for some time. Mr. Deeds has just completed decorations for the Wenatchee theater, which is said to be one of the finest in this part of the state, and also is the man who did the decorating for the Ruby Theatre of Chelan, known far and near as one of the most attractive playhouses in the country. The new improvements at the Hub include 120 feet of panoramic landscape scenery in light tans. The picture screen will be 11×13 feet in size and have frame effects of moulding. There will also be a pretty drop advertising curtain with an overhead roll, noiseless I operation and will be controlled from the operator’s booth. Mr. Carlton is sparing no means to improve his place of business and is making additions to his equipment as rapidly as business will warrant.”

Here is a link to my previous post about James Marion Deeds: https://drypigment.net/2022/03/07/travels-of-a-scenic-artist-and-scholar-j-m-deeds/

After a quick visit to meet with both theater owners in Okanogan and Chelan, I was soon back in Okanogan to supervise the removal of both murals from a water-drenched building. As they were created with distemper paint (pigment paste and diluted hide glue), time was of the essence.

Removing the murals at the Old Hub Theatre in Okanogan, Washington. March 2022.

That fall, I again led a crew to clean and stabilize the murals before again placing them back into storage.

The murals hanging in an Okanogan Fairground building after Phase 1: cleaning and stabilization. October 2022.

All the while, I remained in contact with Hibbard about the Ruby Theatre project. It took us quite some time to locate a similar fabric. Creating a custom-dye job was not financially feasible, as the project was too small.

In the end we hired Liba Fabrics to manufacture the draperies with a lovely rose-colored fabric that shifted color under light.

They were shipped to the Ruby Theatre during the spring of 2023.

The plain curtains, valance, and side curtains, installed at the Ruby Theatre in 2023.

My trip to paint the draperies was scheduled for spring 2024. Prior to my April departure, I replicated the stencil and completed several samples to look at on site before commencing the project with local assistants. As light altered the fabric to an alarming degree (that was the magic), we wanted to make sure that everything would work with the space.

Here is one of the three-color stencils…

The base color for the stencil.

Detail of the base color. I came up with a technique that made it look like velvet appliqués.

Two types of gold were applied for detail; warm and cool to help it take dimension from a distance.

Two types of gold paint were used for the second stencil.

Although photographs make it difficult to see the gold, it reflects light beautifully – especially in low-light conditions.

Completed stencil.

As anticipated, the “R” stencil would prove to be problematic. Enter, Patrece Canoy-Barrett. She re-stitched the top and flipped a pleat.

On site assistant, Patrece Canoy-Barrett, who re-stitched the pleats to make the “R” hang flat.

Addition highlight to “R” so it would “pop.” The seam disappears from a distance.

Completed stencil with Valentina, after painting the proscenium arch . Thrust lights are only used when Valentina emerges from the pit.

During my time on site, we also moved a drop curtain from the local museum back to the Ruby Theatre. I really wanted Hibbard to see how a painted element shifted the space. It was so successful that an event was planned to feature Valentina and the historic ad drop. The drop has since been returned to the Museum where it will be on display.

Moving the drop from the Museum to the Ruby Theatre.

Ad drop painted by J. C. Carpenter in 1932 for the Ruby Theatre.

To be continued…

In 1922 Thomas G. Moses wrote, “Started on a bunch of Masonic models, and it will take some time to do them. Went to Joplin, Mo., after a good contract. Was too high.” A similar thing would happen only a few months later, with Moses writing, “Made several trips to Davenport in hopes of getting the big contract of about $16,000.00, but we were too high.

*Stencil for the Fabric Studios for the Joplin Scottish Rite*

*Scenery by the Fabric Studios for the Joplin Scottish Rite*

Painted detail. *Scenery by the Fabric Studios for the Joplin Scottish Rite*

Sosman & Landis was nearing the end of its existence at the same time many other studios were getting their start. Sosman & Landis lost the Joplin job to another Chicago firm – The Fabric Studio. The Fabric Studio appeared on the scene as abruptly as it disappeared a few years later. However, between 1922 and 1923 the studio showed much promise. The same year that they landed the Joplin Scottish Rite project, they delivered some very impressive scenery to the Orpheum Theatre in Wichita, Kansas. Interestingly, by 1923, Thomas G. Moses and Fred R. Megan rented the Fabric Studios’ space as they waited to purchase the Sosman & Landis name; waiting for the firm to liquidate all their assets.

The Fabric Studio scenery painted for the Joplin Scottish Rite is colorful, impressive, and indicative of a changing aesthetic. I had an opportunity to visit the Joplin Scottish Rite and document the historic scenery collection during the summer of 2018 and document the scenery painted at the Fabric Studios. Here is link to my post about that visit: https://drypigment.net2018/07/03/travels-of-a-scenic-artist-and-scholar-the-joplin-scottish-rite-july-2/

There was a studio stamp on many drops that included the address 117 N. State, 4th floor, Chicago, Illinois. At this time, there were three main individuals running The Fabric Studio, artistic director P T. Blackburn and stage carpenter J. A. Bannon. As most young studios, the men continued to work independently while getting the studio up and running. In the end, the Joplin Scottish Rite may be the only artistic legacy left of this short-lived studio.

The earliest mention of the Fabric Studio that I have located to date is from the summer of 1921. The company placed a want ad in the “Chicago Tribune,” advertising for girls to help in their sewing room (“Chicago Tribune,” 27 August 1921, page 14). The earliest work credited to the new form was for Princess Minstrel Misses. Advertisements placed in “The Richmond Item” announced, “Seven young ladies in ‘a Fanfare of Joy, Song and Dance and Music’ with Cecil Jefferson. A miniature minstrel production offered exclusively by seven talented girls with an elaborate stage setting. Hear these clever girls in the latest songs and jokes. Costumes by Hazel Rene, Chicago. Scenery by The Fabric Studio, Chicago. 20 minutes of Real Entertainment” (8 Dec 1921, page 5).

In 1922, The Fabric Studio of Chicago was competing with the Kansas City Scenic Co. for the contract to paint and install a new front curtain and scenery for the Memorial Auditorium in Wellington, Kansas. W. S. Mayer was the salesman for The Fabric Studio of Chicago (“Wellington Daily News,” 25 August 1922, page 1). That same year, The Fabric Studio also secured a substantial contract for Wichita’s Orpheum Theatre. The “Wichita Eagle” reported the Fabric Studio’s scenery included the original asbestos curtain depicting a gold gauze curtain with an exterior garden scene, a Spanish market scene; a silk velour for the valance; a grand drapery; a silver gauze tableaux curtain; a picture sheet; “two exterior oleos and drops;” a complete conservatory set; and a complete Gothic set (3 September 1922, page 48).

*The Orpheum Theatre in Wichita, Kansas with scenery by the Fabric Studios of Chicago*

*P. T. Blackburn, from the “Daily Times,” Davenport, Iowa, 17 May 1922, page 10.*

The chief scenic artist associated with the Fabric Studios at this time was P. T. Blackburn. He is quite an interesting individual. Blackburn was the head of the artistic staff for several stock companies over the years, including the Grand Players from Davenport, Iowa. Max Schroeder was another scenic artist who represented painted for the firm 1922, specializing in landscapes. Blackburn and Schroeder greatly contributed the studio’s colorful aesthetic. The firm’s head installation expert was J. A. Bannon, an older gentleman with extensive experience with stage machinery and the installation of stage systems.

Blackburn was credited as specializing in fine plushes, satins, and velours, such as the gold gauze front curtain and the silver gauze tableaux curtain for the Orpheum. Of the gold curtain delivered by the Fabric studio. The “Wichita Daily Eagle,” reported, “Scenery in the Orpheum theater ranks with that any vaudeville theater in the entire country, according to J. A. Bannon, who came to Wichita from Chicago, to install the scenery for the Fabric Studio, the makers. Bannon should be an authority since he is an old timer in the show business and has installed scenery in theaters in nearly every city in the United States. Bannon is very enthusiastic about the gold gauze curtain which he says is an unusually fine production. It portrays an exterior garden scene and was painted by Max Schroeder. A wonderful work has been accomplished in the floor perspective of the scene in the curtain. The perspective is only twenty-five inches in extent but gives the floor appearance of being twenty-five feet.” Of Bannon, the article reported, “Bannon started ‘trouping’ as a property man with Karafe’s Water Queen in the eighties. He soon became stage carpenter and traveled as such for years, visiting Wichita many times.”

In 1923, the “Quad City Times” include a portrait of Blackburn and reported, “Mr. Blackburn, scenery artist at the Grand theater is a star never seen by the audience. All of the scenery is painted by him. ‘It is an endless job – this business of being a scenery painter of a stock company – but I like it anyway,’ opined Mr. Blackburn yesterday, He had been with the Grand company for more than a year” (18 March 1923, page 21). In 1923, Blackburn was also producing scenery for productions, such as “Nice People” in 1923 (The Daily Times, Davenport, Iowa, 27 Jan 1923, page 8). Blackburn was mentioned as a scenic artist when he married in 1923 (The Daily Ties, 21 April 1923, page 7). The article announced, “Miss Erma Hermiston, youngest daughter of Mrs. Fred Hanson of DeWitt, was married to P. T. Blackburn, scenic artist for the Grand Players, now appearing at English’s Opera house, Indianapolis. Mr. Blackburn has for over a year and a half been artist for the company during the stay at the Grand in Davenport. Both he and his bride, who had made her home in this city, are very well known. The wedding took place at the First Presbyterian church, Rev. Milner officiating.” The couple was listed in the Colorado Divorce index on Sept 3, 1930.

By 1931, Blackburn was credited with the settings for Loew’s and Paramount’s “Lysistrata” ( “Los Angeles Record,” 28 Dec 1931, page 8). He also did the sets for “Shanghai Gesture” (Los Angeles Evening Express, 1 Sept 1931, page 10). In 1932 he was noted as a “well known Hollywood stage designer and artist,” associated with the comedy “Just Married” (Honolulu Star 7 July 1932, page 8). By 1949, Blackburn was the head artist for Paramount Studios and a weekend resident of the San Jacinto mountain resort area (“The Desert Sun,” Palm Springs, California, 17 May 1949, page 4). In addition to scenic art, Blackburn and his department also developed new stage equipment and curtain tracks for scenery painted by Paramount artists.

To be continued…

Category: Painted Detail on Drapery

Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar: Ruby Theatre. Chelan, Washington, April 22 – 29, 2024

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 1140 – P. T. Blackburn and the Fabric Studio of Chicago