I left Louisville at 6:30 AM on Sunday, March 24. After dropping Richard Bryant off at the airport, I headed to Chicago where I was going to meet Gene Meier, a panorama historian. There have been several individuals who I have encountered while searching for online information. Gene has done extensive research on American Panorama companies. On a whim, I decided to see if he wanted to meet on my return trip. We have been talking quite a bit recently after I uncovered a panorama company established by Sosman & Landis. This was in addition to their main scenic studio.
After winding my way to Sycamore, Illinois, I located Gene’s house. It was only twenty minutes away from where I was staying that evening. In many ways, meeting Gene in person was like reuniting with a long lost friend. We have been in contact about various panoramas and scenic artists for the better part of a year. Gene’s great aunt was an artist with quite an interesting background who was connected with the panorama artists. It was wonderful to see her work up close. She left diaries, sketches, paintings and other memorabilia. The care with which Gene has pieced together little bits and pieces about her past is impressive.
Gene Meier in his library
Gene’s Tante Tilda, Mathilde Georgine Schley, is most famously pictured in costume with a group in front of a panorama.
Mathilde Georgine Schley pictured in front of panorama. From the Wisconsin Historical Society collection.
The Milwaukee Journal also published an article about her in 1925 (29 Oct. 1925, page 10). She was a Wisconsin painter, and the granddaughter of one of the Kindermann pioneers. The Kindermann emigrants came from Pomerania, Stettin, the districts on the Baltic, Brandenburg and the lands along the Oder. Under the leadership of Rev. G. A. Kindermann, the “Altlutheraners” sought religious freedom. They were the forerunners to the later German emigration that would follow, reaching Wisconsin during 1843. The Milwaukee Journal article notes that “They formed a common treasury into which rich members of the group poured their wealth and out of which passage and even land for the less prosperous ones was paid. The Kindermann emigrants came to Milwaukee. Some of their number became the first settlers in the Chestnut St. district…Those from Stettin and the Oder, between 70 and 100 families settled at Lebanon and Ixonia.” Mathilde’s grandfather settled in Lebanon, Wisconsin.
Mathilde Georgine Schley,Gene with two paintings by M. G. Schley,A painting by M. G. Schley,
By the age of 19, Mathilde taught art in Dodge county. She studied art with Loranz and von Ernst in Milwaukee before moving to Kansas where she once again worked as an art instructor.
This was such a wonderful conclusion to my USITT trip, and certainly gave me incentive to return soon.
On occasion, there were USITT sessions where members visited a Scottish Rite during the conference. The last was in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Lance Brockman and I spoke at the local Scottish Rite – the Humphrey Center. Planning the event was a less than a pleasant experience, and I have been hesitant to propose an off-site session again. That being said, whenever I am attending USITT, I look for a nearby Scottish Rite. It provides me with an opportunity to document just one more collection.
This year, I had multiple requests from colleagues who were attending USITT to visit while I was documenting the Scottish Rite scenery. I always have to check once on site that the Scottish Rite is okay with the extra people showing up during the documentation, but I never mind the company.
Some of the Scottish Rite stage crew who helped during the documentation at the Louisville Scottish Rite.
My only day to photograph the scenery was Wednesday, as there was a Scottish Rite Reunion starting on Thursday. The other logistical parameter for Wednesday was trying to finish up in time to attend the Scene Design Commission meeting. I had from 9AM to 3PM to document as much as possible and make my way back to the convention center. I knew that it would not be enough time to get everything and double-check the inventory. In short, to have people come around and chat really prohibits my ability to rapidly document scenes. However, I also don’t want people to miss the opportunity to see the collection, especially when they have asked in advance.
A group of colleagues from Cobalt visiting the Scottish Rite in Louisville, Kentucky.Having fun with painted illusion at the Louisville Scottish Rite.
There were a few fortuitous moments on Wednesday that just made the day. The first was meeting Richard Bryant for coffee before heading over to the Scottish Rite. Richard decided to join me for a little bit, as the building was quite close to the convention center. The Masonic stagehands greeted us with donuts and a short visit. So much for my gluten-free diet, as I have no will power against a chocolate donut. Over the course of the morning, Richard did some interviews with his Archiving Technical Theatre Podcast, then ran the light board for one scene so I could capture the painting under different lighting situations. His interviews with the local Masons were such a good idea! This is something that I should have been doing for the past three decades. Richard’s podcast comes out today.
Richard Bryant interviewing a Scottish Rite Mason in Louisville, Kentucky.
Gradually, a series of students and colleagues joined me for a short while and then headed back to the conference. It is always wonderful to listen to their observations about the painting, as I always learn something new. Midway through my project, the Scottish Rite held a small pizza party for our lunch break. It was a wonderful opportunity to chat with the Masons who showed up to help work the lines. Again, so much for being gluten free.
I returned to the convention center for the Scene Design Commission meeting, as I am the VC for Heritage. After the standard introduction, we all broke into our respective sessions to plan for next year. There were only two of us in the Heritage group, Rick and I. The point of the commission meeting is to come up with topics for USITT 2020; these ideas are now filed online with the deadline being June 1. The sessions for next year have been reduced from 1 hour 15 minutes to 45 minutes, with the option for double sessions slots. I am conflicted and a little concerned about the lack of interest in heritage, the reduction of session time, and our industry’s future plans. In hindsight, as I sat with Rick and came up with several session ideas for next year, I realized that this all could have been done over a drink in a bar.
I left Genoa, Illinois, at 5:45 AM on Tuesday, March 19. My goal was to arrive at the Louisville Scottish Rite between noon and 1PM. The drive was pretty uneventful, but there were many places that I wished I had stopped along the way; there is just never enough time. The first was the exit that would have brought me to Thomas G. Moses’ hometown of Sterling, Illinois. The second was the Crump Theatre in Columbus, Indiana. I could not take the time to stop, as I knew that my time was really limited at the Louisville Scottish Rite. My plan was to evaluate the entire collection on Wednesday. Today was simply scoping out the collection, rigging and facility with Rick. Also, this was the only day Rick could visit since the “New World Rigging Symposium” would prevent him from visiting Wednesday.
I contacted my Scottish Rite host Randolph. The intent was to visit for two hours while they were still open. Randolph had scheduled one of the Masonic stagehands to be there – Jim. Jim had worked the stage for many years and was an absolute wealth of information at 75 years old. Fortunately for me, Jim gave me their stage book that provided a little guidance in terms of inventory and line order. This is an unusual gesture, as I often have to prove how much I know before that stage book is passed along.
The Louisville Scottish Rite auditoriumThe Louisville Scottish Rite counterweight systemThe Louisville Scottish Rite counterweight systemThe Louisville Scottish Rite counterweight system
My visit on Tuesday was primarily about the rigging and Rick’s findings. Rick had a wonderful opportunity to fully explain the significance of this double purchase system to the stewards of this stage. He described that the 1930 system, original to the building, predated the Clancy patent several years later. As interested as I was in the unique aspects of the system I was more anxious to see a few scenes while he was in the flies. They brought in the first line and I began to catalogue information about this 4th degree interior setting.
My notes were placed within the historical context of the Louisville Scottish Rite that I have explored during the previous week. It was apparent that the majority of the scenery dated from 1910. Toomey & Volland business records noted two scenery deliveries – 1910 and 1951. The drops depicted standard designs and painting techniques characteristic of the studio.
Unfortunately, much of the scenery was restored at one point, with methods that may not be advantageous for the collection’s future. I understand the choices of those who repaired the scene, but wonder how these will age. Most scenes were backed with a type of gauze that appeared plastic, although it may have been the adhesive. The edges of cut scenes were backed with flexible foam core; this I had encountered in Cheyenne. For a new scene, ephemeral in nature, it is a brilliant idea. For historic scenery, I have to wonder how the foam will interact with the fragile fabric in the long run. The painted surface had also been sealed, resulting in a slight sheen. I have no idea what was used for this, as it had a plastic feel; almost reminding me of a product that I used on interactive exhibits for museum projects – Aquaplastic.
Finally, the netting was replaced with a plastic ½” square version; hot melt glued to the back. As Alessia Carpoca and I looked at this alteration near the end of the day, she asked the same question that has gone through my mind multiple times when seeing hot melt glued netting: “How could anyone be so stupid?” It is the idea that the drops of hot glue will never come of the back without damaging the fabric. The hot glue embeds itself in the weave and is permanently fixed. Even steam and heat only partially removed this product, as I have tried in the past. The process completely destroys the painted surface during its removal.
Meanwhile, Rick was occupied doing another good deed (as usual); helping balance some line sets to make them easier to move. He also took the time to thoroughly explain how the system worked and all of the various components. As previously mentioned, the Scottish Rite Reunion was scheduled to start in four days and some of the lines were difficult to pull.
For the most part, we try to leave any stage better than we found it, even if this means simply explaining a system and scenery for future clarity. In Scottish Rite theaters, the Masonic stagehands are often unfamiliar with the history of both. It is not unusual to find something amiss in these systems that require a simple tweak. After all, the systems have often not been maintained since their installation.
After Rick was done with his talk and the weight adjustment, we headed up to the grid. This was one of the easiest ascents ever to access the space above the stage.
Our journey to the grid at the Louisville Scottish RiteThe Louisville Scottish Rite counterweight system above the stageThe Louisville Scottish Rite counterweight system above the stage
We went up steps and followed boards above the auditorium space. I kept an eye out for trash, as treasures were often left in these attic spaces. Sure enough, there was a Mazda Edison box! We balanced our way to a small door, with Jim taking quick grip on me to make sure I would not fall. My sense of mortality has exponentially increased over the years, so I don’t wander to close to the edges anymore. However, I wasn’t going to miss an opportunity accompanying Rick and hearing his observations. It is always fun to be on site with Rick, as he so thoroughly explains what I am looking at and the nuances of each system. It is like the rigging class that does not end.
We left the Scottish Rite late afternoon, and I checked into the Hardy House (my Airbnb for the conference). Just about the time I was settling in and deciding to open a can of soup, I received a text from Randolph. He notified me that the Louisville Scottish Rite librarian and archivist would be contacting me soon, offering me the opportunity to visit the Scottish Rite library that evening. Regardless of my fatigue, this was not an opportunity that I would miss. So within the hour, I was waiting outside for my ride to head back to the Louisville Scottish Rite. It was certainly worth it as I spent the next few hours perusing books and chatting with Richard.
Like many, the library was a fraction of what it had once held. Books were missing and the contents somewhat sparse. However, there were certainly some gems left; absolutely priceless publications that would contribute to my ongoing research about visual sources used by scenic studios to produce Scottish Rite scenery. My biggest surprise was a Cerneau book with many recognizable compositions that were later incorporated into the Scottish Rite scenic designs.
I have noticed that you meet people in your life who continue to reappear and shape your future, often over the occur of a decade or more. They signal significant moments that alter your path and fuel your passion, while providing information that would otherwise remain lost. One of my main reasons to drive to Louisville was to see Brian Traynor, a fellow scenic artist, in Chicago. Without Brian, I would not be on the trajectory I am now.
Brian and I first made contact while I was researching information about Chicago scenic artists during the mid-1990s. This was for Lance Brockman’s “Theatre of the Fraternity” exhibit at the Weisman Art Museum in 1996. I cold-called Brian on the phone about 1995 and we chatted about scenic studios and individual artists in the Chicago area. From the first moment we spoke, there was an instant connection, one that has exponentially grown over the years. Our conversations have always been like rapid ping pong matches with facts, figures and personalities bouncing back and forth. He always knows exactly what I am talking about or referring to, whether it is projects, people, or painting techniques.
We next connected when I was designing and writing the text for the University of Minnesota Scenic Collections Database. Again, I contacted Brian to verify information and sources. We were both a little older and had individual gathered even more knowledge and information about the Chicago artists.
The third time was when I was working on a restoration project and Brian contacted me with news that a scenery collection was destined for the dumpster. This was the Peoria Scottish Rite and we both tried in vane to find a University or facility willing to take it at the time, or even temporarily store it. This was when we decided that I should simply rent a truck and pick it up, using it as an instructional tool.
Then Brian began the transfer some of the artifacts that he had housed for years. Fortunately, Brian salvaged a plethora of information and artifacts that would have otherwise been lost forever. Studio records, stage designs, historic pounces, drawings, photographs, paintings, dry pigment, aniline dye, hide glue, and much more appeared on my door step over the years; all from Brian. We both recognized that our homes were becoming temporary storage facilities, until we could identify permanent homes for the objects. Somehow along the way, we both became foster homes for scenic art artifacts awaiting a permanent collection.
Fast forward to last Monday. My stop this time was to return a few scenic studio sales catalogues and pick up a few more.
One image from ACME and Service Studios sales books.Back of one image from ACME and Service Studios sales books.One image from ACME and Service Studios sales books.One image from ACME and Service Studios sales books.
Elgin, Illinois, became our designated meeting space as it was close to where I was spending the night with friends. This time, I also wanted to officially interview Brian about his personal history and career as a professional scenic artist and historian. He has become part of the legacy to preserve our history; a jumbled tale swirling around James Maronek, John Rothgeb, Lance Brockman and many others.
Once again, we chatted over lunch and left with our respective bundles of historic artifacts. Our shared enthusiasm provides me with the necessary fuel to keep plugging along with my own research and journey. That being said, we have big plans ahead of us.
After stopping by the Al Ringling Theater and Baraboo Lodge No. 34, I drove over to the Circus World Museum on Monday, March 18. My intention was to briefly meet with the curator and share my information pertaining to the grand circus spectacles produced by Sosman & Landis from 1905 to 1915.
The gal behind the desk at the museum told me to see the curator Pete. He was currently working in their library and archives across the river on an upcoming exhibit. This building was a very small and unassuming place, yet the walls were lined with posters and circus memorabilia. We chatted for quite a while, with Pete deciding that a copy of my book would be beneficial his patrons as it placed the Ringling spectacles with in a larger context and identified a major theatrical supplier to Al Ringling. He then suggested that I venture back over to the museum to look at a few pieces from the grand spectacle “Cinderella” in the museum. He called over to make sure that I could examine the setting without any difficulty and I realized that more time should have been set aside for my Baraboo side trip.
Circus World Museum with backing from the Cinderella grand circus spectacle in the background.
I whizzed through the museum and easily spotted the scenery. It was awe-inspiring to look at the painting. It depicted all of the standard trademarks for a Sosman & Landis manufacture. I especially appreciated the foil paper-backed strips to accentuate the gold capitals. What was most interesting was the heavy-duty canvas, flat seams, and basic construction that mirrored the floor cloths produced by the company. Drop construction is another area where I am slowly tucking away information.
From 1905 until 1915, Thomas G. Moses completed several designs for grand circus spectacles. The first mention of his designing one of Al Ringling’s spectacles was in 1905. Fast forward to 1912 when Moses mentioned another visit to Baraboo, Wisconsin, during the Ringling Brothers’ off-season. Moses wrote, “I went to Baraboo in the meantime to see Ringling Brothers and close for another big spectacle. Mr. Al Ringling took me through the winter quarters of the animals which was also very interesting. Feeding time for the lions, tigers and all the cat family was a noisy time. Watching the training for the elephants was also very interesting. The immense chain and derricks they have to use to teach the elephants to stand on their heads was strong enough to lift a battleship. A great deal of care is given to all the animals, much more than is given to the men that attend the animals. The Ringlings have their own car shop and paint shops, and everything is taken care of here except scenery and wardrobe. They are very busy getting ready for the next season, making contracts for all supplies at every town they visit, and they certainly have some system.”
In spring of 1912, Moses caught up with the circus in his hometown of Sterling, Illinois, as he needed to collect the final payment for the season’s production. He attended the show and wrote, “Went to Sterling to catch Ringling to collect $1,200.00. As went to the tent to find Al Ringling, I discovered everyone watching a fire – a stable at least four blocks away. A spark was blown towards the tent, the top of which is prepared with parafine to make it water-proof. It soon ignited from the sparks and in less than thirty minutes the big tent was destroyed. The rest of the tents were saved. It was mighty fortunate there were no people in the tent. Some of the animals in another tent started some noise when the smelled the smoke, but they were soon quieted. I sneaked away without making myself known. There was no money for me, that I guessed.”
Moses eventually collected the payment during 1912, and by the end of the year wrote, “Another trip to Baraboo to see the Ringling’s about next year’s show, which I secured.” They were contracted to provide the scenery for another production in 1913. Al Ringling liked the work produced at Sosman & Landis studio and its last president Thomas G. Moses. Winter was the time to plan.
Both equipment and animals were cared for from November until April of each year – their off-season. Baraboo became home to the exotic and their caretakers. In 1913, 117 Ringling Brothers’ Circus employees worked in Baraboo during the winter months. The staff included the following positions: Caring for work horses (23), caring for show horses (7), caring for menagerie animals (8), elephant caretakers (10), blacksmiths (5), railcar repair (16), paint shop (16), harness shop )3), wagon and repair shop (9), wardrobe (5), hotel (12), watchmen (2), and office (1). As the circus employed approximately 1200 people during the season, where did the remainder of employees winter? Some acts sought contracts in warmer climates, returning to Wisconsin in April for the new tour. Some workmen found work in nearby lumber camps and spent the winter in less than ideal conditions. A few took the winter months as an opportunity for rest and relaxation
It was at the winter quarters that the Ringling brothers planned for their upcoming season. Shows were chosen, costumes assembled and scenery designed for elaborate spectacles. Winter was a time for preparation, training and hard labor. There was time available to plan and rehearse the animals for another season. A team of writers wrote news stories for upcoming shoes that would tour the country. Circus wagons were repaired and repainted. Animals were exercised both indoors and outdoors. Everyone had a specific project to accomplish all year long.
Baraboo remained the winter quarters for the Ringling Brothers’ circus from 1886 to 1918. At that time the circus moved to a new location in Connecticut; it had been the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Combined Shows since 1907 and began to recoup at the old Barnum & Bailey winter quarters.
It was not until 1954 that John M. Kelly, a personal attorney for the Ringlings, incorporated the Circus World Museum as a historical and educational facility. He had worked for the Ringlings for more than three decades. The Circus Museum opened to the public July 1, 1959. The website reports that “The museum’s collection of circus artifacts is perhaps the largest in the world. It includes over 210 original wagons and vehicles once used by American, English and Irish circuses. It houses an exceptional collection of circus ads and posters. Over 9,500 multi-colored circus posters range in size from half-sheets to an 80-sheet Buffalo Bill Wild West poster which measures 9’ high and 70’ long. Thousands of journals, manuscripts and business records are available as well as original fine art oil paintings, hand bills, heralds, programs, artifacts of circus performers and a collection of rare photographs and negatives.” I have yet to spend a significant amount of time in their archives. Here is the link to their website: http://www.circusworldbaraboo.org/
There is always the dilemma of whether I should drive or fly to USITT. If I fly, I miss many historic theaters that I could stop at along the way. However, that takes time, time that I often don’t have to spare. Two things prompted my driving to Louisville this year – Baraboo and Brian. In Baraboo, it was the Al Ringling Theatre (1915) and the Circus World museum. In 1905, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “Went to Baraboo to see Ringling Bros. Hunt went with me. I don’t know why, as I had to do all the talking and make the sketching for ‘The Field of the Cloth of Gold.’ We got the contract for $3,500.00.” David Hunt was in charge of New York Studios, the eastern affiliate of Sosman & Landis.
Almost a year ago, I covered in detail Thomas G. Moses’ work for Al Ringling. Moses designed and supervised the painting of six grand circus spectacles. These were events for the big top and attached to the opening parade of the circus. These huge pageants that were solely accompanied by movement and music. The Ringling Brothers found favor with Moses during the first two decades of the 20th century, so it was Sosman & Landis who would delivered the scenery to Al’s theatre in 1915.
My late luncheon appointment with Brian was in Elgin, Illinois, at 1:45PM and I had left Minneapolis at 5:45AM; so I had a little time to spare. Fortunately the driving went well and I found myself pulling into Baraboo with a little more than 90 minutes to document what I could. I was a woman on a mission. Unfortunately the Theatre is closed on Mondays, so I was only able to see the outside. Kicking myself, as I could have called ahead, I venture to the second of three stops in Baraboo. Here is a recap on Al Ringling’s Theatre. Here is a little information about the theatre.
Postcard of the Al Ringling TheatreThe Al Ringling Theatre at night
In 1915, Moses wrote, “The new theatre we did at Baraboo for Al Ringling was a good contract at $2,600.00. I went up to open and found a beautiful theatre, very unique in design, fifty years ahead of the town. Poor Al Ringling died soon after this.”
The Janesville Gazette reported, “Sosman & Landis company of Chicago did the scenic painting in this new theatre” (20 Nov. 1915, page 20). On April 7 of that same year, Joseph S. Sosman passed away at the age of 70, leaving a widow and two sons (Arthur and Fred). Thomas Moses became the president of Sosman & Landis, with Arthur Sosman as vice-president. The Ringling Theatre was one of Moses’ flagship projects as the new studio president.
Drop curtain by Sosman & Landis studio for Al Ringling’s TheatreThe Al Ringling Theatre
The Ringling Theatre opened its doors in November 1915 and has been operating continuously ever since. Al Ringling hired the architectural firm of Rapp and Rapp to design a theater based on the Orpheum Theatre built in Champaign, Illinois in 1914. The Janesville Daily Gazette reported, “Theatrical men, scenic painters, canvas makers and many prominent citizens from Chicago and other towns, all of whom were bound for Baraboo to do honor to a man who had the courage to build in that city one of the finest, if not the finest, playhouse in America, Mr. Al Ringling. (20 Nov. 1915, page 20). There were 844 seats, with seventeen boxes, each containing six seats. The stage was 33’-6” deep, 60’ wide and 46’ high. The massive fire curtain of asbestos measured 24’ high by 40’ wide, weighing 750 pounds.
As my hope to see the front curtain was a bust, I decided to visit the local Masonic Lodge, Baraboo No. 34. I knew it wouldn’t be the original building, but want to see the Ringling Brothers’ Masonic aprons. Score! Three men were working on the building, as it had suffered some water damage. All of the Ringling brothers and their father were Masons in Baraboo and the history is quite interesting. That is the tale for tomorrow.
Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar: CITT, August 18, 2018
We started the day fairly early. Rick Boychuk and I walked to the conference center to see Peter McKinnon’s session about the creation of plays being inspired by theatre architecture. After a lively discussion, we took a quick trip over to Niagara Falls. I had never visited this famed site. There is nothing quite like looking at a composition that I have sketched from photographs! The experience exceeded all of my expectations.
A view of Niagara Falls from the Canadian side.The famed Horseshoe Falls viewed from the Canadian side of the border.
By the evening, we attended the final happy hour reception. A group of us then walked over to have dinner at the Blue Mermaid. We all splurged and enjoyed a fabulous meal at this fine dining establishment. The biggest surprise of the day for me was the piano player. At 83, he was still working in the basement bar and had quite a following, What a perfect close our wonderful evening.
Dinner at the Blue Mermaid with Richard Nix and Rick Boychuk.Dinner at the Blue Mermaid with Eric Mongerson and Mary Dupuis
Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar: CITT, August 17, 2018
Rick Boychuk and I ventured with a group to the Hamilton Scottish Rite in the morning. About 45 minutes away from St. Catharine, the group on the bus survived navigating some unexpected obstacles on the way to the theater. A television series was filming outside of the Scottish Rite, so it caused a bit of a delay at first.
The Hamilton Scottish Rite
King Solomon’s private apartments at the Hamilton Scottish Rite. Scenery produced by Toomey & Volland in 1921.King Cyrus’ palace at the Hamilton Scottish Rite. Scenery produced by Toomey & Volland in 1921.
The Masonic scenery collection was produced by Toomey & Volland of St. Louis, Missouri, delivered to Canada in 1921. Like many drops, their were charcoal notations that listed the degree, description of the composition and delivery location. The delivery for this scenery did not note St. Catharine, just “Canada!” There were 23 scenes spread out over 84 lines with the drops measuring 24’ high by 37’-6” wide. Although the theater was hot an humid, volunteers jumped at the opportunity to operate the lines. It is always fun to see the delight of my colleagues experiencing Masonic stages for the first time, and yesterday was no exception! As a few of the scene painting students were also able to attend, it was especially satisfying to watch them see what we discussed up close. Every collection is unique and has some delightful characteristic. Unfortunately, this particular collection has had extensive repairs completed over the years, not all of which will contribute the the overall longevity of the collection.
We returned to the Meridian event center by noon for the membership luncheon and then enjoyed a variety of educational sessions in the afternoon. Rick presented about our latest discoveries in the world of stage machinery, including the development of two program documents that we are currently developing at Historic Stage Services. I also attended John Madill’s session “BOO! Part 3. Smoke & Mirrors: The Importance of Horror in the Development of Physical Staging in Modern Theatre.” This was a continuation for me as we chatted extensively about “Tippy” Cooke and vampire roles the day before during the expo. John would later receive the Dieter Penzhorn Memorial Award at the evening banquet. John and I were able to visit quite extensively this year as he took both the scene painting class and he has been following my blog. Another of the students from the CITT scene painting class at CITT also received an award; Esther Van Eek received the education achievement award. She is absolutely amazing!
Overall, it was a wonderful and informative day.
2018 CITT/ICTS Dieter Penzhorn Memorial Award recipient, John Madill
I simply learned more than I have the energy to write about this morning; I am sure a surprise to some!
Jenny Knott and I completed the second day of our scene painting class at CITT. This was one of the most enjoyable classes that I have ever taught. It broke from my standard teaching protocol in a few ways; the class solely focused on techniques without replicating any particular composition. It provided a chance for the students to focus on painting techniques and contrast without getting lost in the details of the composition. It was wonderful to work with such enthusiastic and talented individuals. After final review, went across the street to the Meridian Center for the CITT picnic lunch outside.
The stage expo was in the afternoon and ran from 1:30PM to 5:30PM. For this part of the conference, I was stationed at the training and learning centre. My table was “Looking at the Past.” I had brought a variety of trinkets and historical materials that I had gathered during restoration projects over the years. The afternoon flew by as I chatted with a variety of conference attendees, including my table neighbor, Mary Dupuis. Mary’s table was “Repair Your Draperies Without Using Gaffer’s Tape.” The two of us are planning a fun expo project for next year’s conference for the Expo learning lab.
Part of the CITT Expo experience is also about collecting Bingo cards; they are later used that evening. We gathered at Kulley’s bar to enjoy dinner, swag bingo and the CITT auction. It is a hysterical event as the evening is a combination of stage jokes, social chatter, and juggling as many bingo cards as possible at once.
Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar: CITT August 15, 2018
CITT 2018
I am taking a brief break from my tales concerning the life and times of Thomas G. Moses to focus on CITT. This year
CITT is in St. Catharine’s, Ontario; this is the Canadian equivalent of USITT (United Institute of Theatre Technology). My company, Historic Stage Services LLC, was co-sponsoring a scene painting class with Rosco paint to explore foliage painting techniques. The class consisted of a diverse group of theatre practitioners interested in painting techniques. The class was scheduled from 9AM-5PM on August 15 and 9AM-12PM.
CITT 2018
We focused on artistic process, compositional coloration, contrast and brush stroke. As part of the class, I worked up a quick composition in steps on a 4’ x 6’ flat. My sample was to explain techniques and coloration. The day was not about replicating any particular composition, but examining and practicing various techniques, as each student worked up their own project. We try to share a variety of tools and techniques that may be helpful for future projects.
Wendy Waszut-Barrett leading the scene painting class at CITT. Historic Stage Services LLC and Rosco co-sponsored the 2018 event.My foliage sample to share various painting techniques and coloration for woodland scenes at CITT 2018.
The group decided to take the last ninety minutes of class to venture over to the Shaw Festival Prop and Scenery shop, as three staff members were taking the class. It was delightful to learn about the process, products and tools used by the artisans in each shop. There is nothing quite like being part of a group who all gasp as a tray of textured paint roller were brought out! After, the tour, some of us stopped by the No. 99 Wayne Gretzky Estates Distillery and Winery on our way back to the reception.
Paint sink in the Shaw Festival scene shop
The rest of our week is action packed as I finish conducting the scene painting class, share historical scenery artifacts as part of the learning lab, and visit the Hamilton Scottish Rite.
