FortHillStudios

Frame Work

2012-01-21T04:58:00.000-08:00

Need to finish up frame for a painting I will send to the Artist Guild of Shrewsbury (http://www.artistguildshrewsbury.com/) show this spring. Doing a low-relief carving. Then will do a gilded /paint finish.

Mirror with Striped Turnings

2012-01-18T06:14:00.000-08:00

I found this on one of my shopping trips. Normally, I prefer gilt turnings, but I thought this was interesting as it was the first time I had seen this type of mirror with paint surface, including the delicate striping on the turnings. The frame is all original, however, the panel is a painted attempt at eglomise (in a design that seems to be more of a clock design, rather than for a mirror).

So, another candidate for a replacement reverse glass.

Frame for Antique Portrait

2012-01-17T06:12:00.000-08:00

The owner of this portrait kindly supplied a photograph of the finished job. This was a fairly small portrait, and the frame has a typical 1840 era slope molding, done in silver gilt (lemon gold). The depth of the frame was built up to accomodate the artwork's backing, and this also gives it more presence on the wall, and more typical of the deep frames of this period.

Preparing for the Big Chill

2012-01-04T11:00:00.000-08:00

It has finally gotten real cold, just as I started working on adding to the insulation level of the attic. With the low headroom, and all the AC equipment, it is quite the challenge. Minimal insulation was put in when house was built; there was no vapor barrier, so I am moving the loose fill insulation, putting in batts, then replacing. In fear that I will put a foot through the ceiling and then have another task to take care of.

Dennis Bunker

2011-12-27T10:57:00.001-08:00

I had never heard of Dennis Bunker until I read that John Singer Sargent painted with him - I then found that he had a very short life/career (1861-1890), which may be why his name does not come to mind easily. So, I was delighted to come across one of his works, Roadside Cottage (1889) while at the National Gallery on our trip to Washington.

Mandy has been Collared

2011-12-27T04:50:00.000-08:00

Due to a torn toenail, then inflammation, Mandy is wearing a protective collar. She doesn't seem to mind it, and it seems to keep her out of trouble. Maybe we should have her in it permanently?

Washington in Holiday Attire

2011-12-24T04:26:00.000-08:00

We spent a few days in Washington, DC. The new national Christmas tree will take a few years at least to begin looking impressive (previous tree was downed in a storm). The decorations on the facade of the Old Excecutive Office building are a game attempt at "festive". Best decor we saw was indoors at the National Gallery - the rotunda and garden courts kept their restrained elegance with live Christmas trees and plants added to the regular greenery.

Merry Christmas to all!

Christmas Card Photos

2011-12-10T12:44:00.000-08:00

Yes, it's that time of year, when good little dogs sit nicely for their annual group photo. Apparently Mandy did not get the memo.

Eventually we got her slightly quiet.

Frames and Foliage

2011-11-20T07:17:00.000-08:00

Have been to busy to post lately, so need to catch up.

Foliage this year was not the best due to the weather we had, but the (invasive) fire bushes we have looked great this year, providing spots of color amidst the grays and browns.

Also busy gilding some frames; two silver leaf in process (they always take me longer than I think).

Savannah's New "Dog Toy"

2011-11-06T03:50:00.001-08:00

The Halloween Storm

2011-11-03T09:34:00.000-07:00

The famous "Halloween Storm" of 2011 is now history, with power back on in most of our area. After a couple of days with no electricity, heat, running water and then the phone service out, plus my chain saw dying, we decamped for Maine. We returned Wednesday evening, and are now doing the cleanup both inside and out.

Toy Time

2011-10-29T04:35:00.000-07:00

Mandy has been allowed to play with a dog toy (under supervision). She cleverly took refuge in an open crate - perplexing Savannah who had eyes on this tempting item.

She has a name

2011-10-21T05:16:00.001-07:00

The new Cairn has been christened "Mandy". I am sure she will learn her name by end of weekend - she is smart and quick. All seem to be getting along (or at least in an armed truce). The big ones ignore her, and she is happy to play by herself. As they come to realize that she is here for good, I am sure they will warm up to her.

New, as yet to be named, dog

2011-10-17T05:04:00.000-07:00

This 10 week old Cairn terrier arrived yesterday afternoon. Apparently her background has made her fearless; she had no trouble fitting in, and this morning is now teasing and chasing the poodles around the house.

Still small enough to pick up with one hand, but she promises to be a "real handful" eventually.

Reverse Glass Painting

2011-10-14T12:13:00.000-07:00

Demonstrating reverse glass painting during HSEAD's event at Old Sturbridge Village. This marked the opening of the HSEAD (www.hsead.org) research center on the OSV campus. Pouring, pouring rain today; will repeat demos tomorrow.

Gilding Demonstration

2011-10-10T13:22:00.000-07:00

I gave one of my water-gilding demonstrations for the Strawbery Banke chapter of the Historical Society of Early American Decoration (www.hsead.org).

Wasn't there a house here?

2011-09-27T14:04:00.000-07:00

As I guessed in an earlier post (http://forthillstudios.blogspot.com/2011/09/what-was-that-address-again.html) , the house on Middle Street in Wiscasset is gone. Anxious to see what, if anything is going in. I figured a new house on the water view lot, but maybe the owner of the house across the street just wanted to improve the view.

Fall Flowers

2011-09-27T14:01:00.000-07:00

The weather here in central Massachusetts has been what I would expect in Orlando. Still, did the traditional fall thing - we all put pots of mums on the front steps (and soon, pumpkins)!

Art weekend in Wiscasset

2011-09-19T06:02:00.000-07:00

I had reconnected with a former schoolmate, Beverly Clark, when I joined a local artists group. This weekend she came to Maine with us, and as she is a plein air painter, went out each morning to paint. Afternoons we drove over the mid-coast area, taking lots of photos for reference in the studio later. Although I didn't paint as much, it was a motivation for me to get back to work.

Fire at Tony's

2011-09-18T14:47:00.000-07:00

As we were heading home from our weekend in Wiscasset, we stopped to buy the newspaper at the Irving station as fire broke out at the vacant pizzeria/gas station across route 1.

We left before it was out, but it looked like a total loss (although, as it has been vacant for several years, not much of a loss).

What was that address again?

2011-09-14T11:04:00.001-07:00

Could the owner of this house be having trouble with UPS deliveries? I suspect that since the wires have been disconnected, and the asbestos shingles removed, that this house in Wiscasset is slated for demo (the house was just sold, and didn't seem that appealing, but the lot does have a water view).

Wonder what I will find when I go back up this weekend.

Woofstock in Damariscotta

2011-09-12T08:19:00.000-07:00

This weekend Woofstock was held in Damariscotta at the old Round Top farm property. Exhibitors were both canine services and products, including rescue organizations. Well-behaved dogs were welcome, so of course, that meant our two had to remain back at the house.

Gourmet dog comestibles seem to be the biggest growth industry in America (aside from gluten-free cupcake bakeries). Much as I spoil the animals, it does seem puzzling to worry about exotic and/or organic dog treats, when given the chance, they will scarf down road kill and drink out of the toilet.

Flora and Fauna

2011-09-06T05:38:00.000-07:00

As we were going to the transfer station (dump) in Maine, a load of turkeys were running around on the back road. Also, purchased a replacement apple tree. After this is planted, I may take more care with pruning/spraying, and possibly get some edible applies.

Labor Day Weekend

2011-09-05T10:52:00.000-07:00

As usual on Labor Day weekend, we labored. Now that the weather is more comfortable during the day, back to scraping and painting in Wiscasset. On Monday, did some tree work and planting back home in Massachusetts.

Storm aftermath

2011-08-31T08:19:00.000-07:00

We returned home from Maine (after securing the house there as much as we could), knowing that any heavy rain would cause water in the basement. Surprisingly, I was able to contain the water leaking in with vigilant mopping. But with all the aged, decrepit trees with dead limbs, the only one to come down was a 20 foot tall apple tree (the tag said "dwarf Macintosh") I planted about 2o years ago.

Power was out a couple of days, but otherwise, all is well.

Another painting framed

2011-08-23T13:42:00.000-07:00

Now that the big show is over, I am getting into the far corners and ferreting out things to finish up. I had forgotten I even made this frame, black over red ground, water gilt liner. I don't even remember if it was intended for a particular painting, but I put this one in it, it looked good, and I can check off another project on the list.

Yes, another one in the "Wiscasset Psychic" series.

Yes, I do windows.

2011-08-22T08:30:00.000-07:00

Had I only known at the beginning of the project how tedious window sash repair is, I would have gone for replacements on the first floor, as I did on the second. Of course, even at that, I wish I had decided on replacements for the second floor BEFORE I repaired all the sash up there.

But, all good things must come to an end, and I have taken out the glass from the sash of two more windows, and will now scrape, repair, repaint and reglaze. When this is done, only two more windows left!

Shrewsbury Art Festival

2011-08-21T04:09:00.000-07:00

The Artist Guild of Shrewsbury ( http://www.artistguildshrewsbury.com ) held their firt arts festival at Dean Park in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. Not a bad showing for the first time out, and the weather was perfect. Artists could rent individual spaces, or show work with the group under a pavillion.

Smoking at Old Sturbridge Village

2011-08-18T05:06:00.000-07:00

After a business meeting, I helped some other members of the Historical Society of Early American Decoration (www.hsead.org) with a decorating project at our new research center at Old Sturbridge Village (www.osv.org).

Smoke decoration is done by using a sooty candle or lamp (we get the candle to produce more soot by holding a large nail in the flame), letting the still wet paint or varnish trap the soot on the service. The swirls of soot leave a "marbled" appearance. One drawback, as you can see from the picture, is that you need to have the item above the smoking candle, and for these cabinet doors, that made it a three-person job.

Will post more when the doors are re-installed. For more about the group decorating the building, go to: http://hsead.org/OSVblog/WWHHT.html

Union Antiques Festival

2011-08-15T13:59:00.001-07:00

Union, Maine is the site of the Maine Antiques Festival every August (www.maineantiquesfestival.com), and we were there again. It is outdoors mostly, or in sheds or under tents. It ranges from the formal to the primitive, from the high end to, well, whatever. The displays are not usually elaborate, but some put in more effort than others, and at the end of the weekend you have a nice layer of wind-blown dust over all.

The weather this year was just about as good as it gets. We had a good time, sold some stuff, and got to display some of the gilding work.

Restoration Update

2011-07-31T08:41:00.000-07:00

Here is an update on a 19th century frame I have been working on (http://forthillstudios.blogspot.com/2011/07/applying-compo-ornament.html). Gesso has now been applied to the ornament.

It's not that these processes are that time consuming individually, but in order to have some semblance of a rational work flow, I try to group tasks (and I was making and applying gesso that day). And of course, since it is my own property, it can sit in storage for quite a while before getting worked on.

Wiscasset Psychic

2011-07-30T13:52:00.000-07:00

I have been working on a series of paintings of a storefront - formerly a succession of antique shops - now a psychic's establishment. I was attracted by the night-time view, which seemed like a perfect subject for Edward Hopper. What gives this a twist is that the proprietress is now involved in a case of elderly endangerment - police claim she left an elderly woman in a motel cabin without adequate care; the psychic claims that is not true, and that the woman is a family friend. The unfolding story will perhaps motivate me to work on this series some more.

Antiques Show in Camden, Maine

2011-07-26T04:57:00.000-07:00

We were at the annual antiques show in Camden, Maine, as we have been for most of the past 25 years. A nice small show, the selection and appearance this year was even better than usual, but the weather did not cooperate, at least on Saturday. The tail end of the heat wave kept attendance and enthusiasm in check; Sunday the weather was the kind of breezy summer day we expect in coastal Maine, so that helped a bit.

The show is sponsored by the Camden-Rockport Historical Society, and is managed by Goosefare promotions (http://www.goosefareantiques.com).

Antique Cars at the Codman Estate

2011-07-17T15:57:00.001-07:00

Historic New England held an antique car show at the Codman house and grounds in Lincoln, Mass (http://www.historicnewengland.org/historic-properties/homes/codman-estate/codman-estate ).
Lovely weather, but hot. If I was more mechanically inclined (or if I won the lottery) I would want some of these, but the maintenance would be a big issue for me. I love the era when Detroit was sculpting the sheet metal - unlike today when all the cars are almost the same except for the name plates).

One of my top picks was this Packard I posed with. At least I wore a hat when in the presence of this grande dame.

Applying Compo Ornament

2011-07-14T08:25:00.000-07:00

Many frames, particularly Victorian ones, used applied composition (compo) ornament. This particular frame suffered from some fairly minor losses, but apparently losses at the top edge made it easier for someone to simply strip off the remaining ornament and paint it "gold". As you can imagine, not a satisfactory solution.

As part of my last compo ornament order, I received this very elaborate, high-relief border. These show the frame as found, with repairs and application process for the ornament, which is steamed to make it pliable and release the glue so that it will adhere.

Once completely dry and hard, it will be gessoed and gilded.

Painting in the Cemetery

2011-07-11T09:39:00.000-07:00

Some of the members of the Artist Guild of Shrewsbury (http://www.artistguildshrewsbury.com) try to meet for some plein air painting. On this hot Monday morning, three of us wound up in the old cemetery in the town center.
I did a couple of quick watercolor sketches, and took lots of photos.

House Painting Again

2011-07-10T15:48:00.000-07:00

You have to keep up with the paint work on an old house. Spent this weekend rebuilding a rotted threshold, and starting the season's exterior paint work. We try to do about 25% each year. Ah yes; summer in Maine.

Dog Painting

2011-06-26T06:46:00.001-07:00

Finally finished this painting of Lilly and Savannah; now need to make a frame (of course, it would have made sense to start the frame earlier, but then I would have never finished the painting).

Oval Frame

2011-06-25T05:41:00.000-07:00

It has been a week of solid rain here, and while it is letting me get some indoor things done, it is making photography difficult, as I like at least some natural light.

Here is a project I am finishing up; I'll post the final pictures when I can take them and have them look good.

I bought this oval snow scene last year; the painting was charming, and the frame was the original, although it had suffered some minor losses, and had a coat of "gold" paint (now turned brown with age). You can already see the difference with just the paint stripped and some new gilding applied.

The inner bands and top were water gilded; I was able to put clay over the original gesso. The rest will be oil gilded, and final toning will accentuate the composition ornament and the more reflective water gilt surfaces.

Road Work Continues in Wiscasset

2011-06-21T17:00:00.000-07:00

The work on Main St is done, now on to the side street (Federal Street). At least the traffic isn't impacted as much. It looks like they will meet their target of having this done by July 4th weekend.

Geese in the Park

2011-06-06T07:40:00.000-07:00

I was at a local park this morning, and the Canada Geese are so confident that nothing will happen, they will come quite close (probably expecting a handout). Even the presence of dogs does not seem to disturb them. While I admit they are messy (who has time to housebreak geese?), it is fun to watch them, particularly the families.

Water Work in Wiscasset

2011-06-05T13:41:00.000-07:00

It wasn't just usual summer traffic - a major project this year is doing water system work in the downtown district of Wiscasset. Some of the pipers were 100 years old, and as long as things will be torn up, they replaced some of the storm drains as well.

They did a good job of keeping the traffic flowing, and used some 24 hour sessions to make this project finish on time. Hope that happens - summer is here!

Visiting the Chihuly Exhibit at MFA, Boston

2011-05-24T13:56:00.001-07:00

With the dogs at the groomer's for the day, we had a chance for a day trip to see both the new American wing at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston ( www.mfa.org ), and also see the exhibit of Dale Chihuly glass (www.mfa.org/exhibitions/chihuly).

We had seen his glass at other museums, and the solo show at Rhode Island School of Design a few years ago, so we were looking forward to this. The more I see of his installations, the less sure I am about how much I like them. This exhibit I am sure will rank high on the popularity scale, if only for the brilliant color, glowing in the darkened galleries. But at times, some of the installations, such as the boat filled with glass objects, make me think of a gift shop on steroids.

Worth seeing, and the new American wing was well worth the wait. I loved seeing the old favorites in new settings and juxtapositions.

But now my feet are tired.

Birds

2011-05-23T08:55:00.000-07:00

I'm really not much of a bird watcher, but I have been paying more attention to them this year. The winter was so tough, I felt bad for them and threw seed and cracked corn on the snow for them. Then this spring there are either more birds than usual, or I am just becoming more attuned to them. In the vine just outside the window there is a robin's nest, and from inside (about 24 inches away) I can follow developments. There appear to be three young ones, and the rate of growth is amazing. I suspect these are the final few days before they take off on their own. Unfortunately, my camera skills are not good enough to get pictures, and apparently even my movements behind the window are enough to spook the mother, and she takes off.

Reverse Painted Glass for Mirror

2011-05-22T06:56:00.000-07:00

Another project out of the way. I bought a mirror with a damaged panel (broken, areas of repaint), and replicated it. Here is the original panel along with my version.

Visiting the Hudson Valley

2011-05-16T06:11:00.000-07:00

The rainy week forecast should give me some time to catch up on posts.

We just returned from the Spring meeting of the Historical Society of Early American Decoration (www.HSEAD.org), in Albany, NY.

Along the way, we went to the Loeb Art Center at Vassar College, the Vanderbilt mansion in Hyde Park (http://www.nps.gov/vama), and took a stroll on the old iron bridge at Poughkeepsie, now converted to apark/pedestrian bridge (http://www.walkway.org/ ).

Here are views of old bridge, and the new bridge as seen from the old bridge.

Animal Life at Old Sturbridge Village

2011-05-05T07:11:00.001-07:00

I had to go do some photography at the HSEAD Research Center at Old Sturbridge Village. When I make one of these trips I try to make a quick visit to the village, particularly when there is something going on. This was a "home school day" so there were more activities than usual on a weekday, including a demonstration of ox training. And I always enjoy seeing the sheep, including these two young ones.

Spring is here!

2011-04-29T13:49:00.000-07:00

We thought it would never get here, and it's here with a vengeance. We seem to just be out of freezing weather, and have already been getting near 80!

Spring Cleanup

2011-04-14T05:57:00.000-07:00

Now that spring has come full-force, it is time for the annual yard work marathon - cutting trees, new plantings, and replacing some of the overgrown/deer-bitten shrubs.

The hedge at one end of the patio has been on my kill list for several years, and now that deer ate one side of it, it had to finally go.

The Snow is Almost Gone

2011-04-09T09:57:00.000-07:00

The longest, hardest winter in recent memory is finally at an end. but here it is April 9, and there is STILL a patch of snow in the driveway! And on a nice spring day with temps in the 50 degree range!

Gesso Day

2011-04-08T03:24:00.000-07:00

When applying gesso, it takes a number of coats, and it is best to do them all on one day. If your day is thus occupied, best to have a number of projects going at the same time. In the good weather, I would have done all this outside (and used my air spray system). Instead, I contributed more to the clutter in the workshop, and listened to a lot of NPR.

Victorian Frame Restoration

2011-03-27T06:16:00.001-07:00

I bought this frame a few years back. I never seemed to get it out of storage to work on it, and kept forgetting about it, then would occasionally use it to show as a bad example. By that I mean that it probably had losses to the top border ornamentation, and rather than fix, someone just scraped it off and painted the flat surface "gold". Amazingly, the rest of the frame (except for some easily repairable losses), was in wonderful original condition. Now that my latest order of composition ornament has arrived, I can put ornament back on this as was intended. I may then keep it ungilded for a while as a demonstration piece.

FWIW, what appears as lovely burnished gold in the wide band is actually silver-gilt.

Southern Maine in Early Spring

2011-03-21T10:38:00.000-07:00

Just wanting to get away for the weekend, we spent a couple days in the Kennebunk area. Most seasonal businesses won't open until the April, so this is a quiet time there. We knew the weather would not be great (especially after the warm, sunny days earlier in the week), but weren't counting on snow Saturday morning. So we shot up to Portland, to visit the art museum (www.portlandmuseum.org), the when the snow stopped, poked around Kennebunkport.
Sunday morning was bright and clear, so we wandered around the coastal area, including Ogunquit and York. During the summer season, these are insanely crowded, so off-season is usually our only time to visit.

The rivers in New Englad are high right now, due to the snow melt and heavy rains, but Perkins Cove in Ogunquit was very quiet Sunday morning.

Composition Ornaments

2011-03-17T08:24:00.000-07:00

It feels like Christmas morning when I get a shipment of composition ornaments. These molded ornaments are decorative elements used on frames and furniture. There are still some companies selling them, from the same molds they have used for many years.

This shipment was from Bomar Designs (www.bomardesigns.com/index2.php).

Due to the ordering requirements (minimum numbers, etc.) it takes a while to build an order, and I order lots of extra stuff that I don't have an immediate use for, but when I have it on hand, it lets me get creative.

The texture of these is like a very stiff cookie dough,and I will store them in the freezer. To use them, they are steamed to activate the glue and make them flexible. Then apply them to a frame corner, etc. - the flexibility lets them conform to a contour of the molding, and they eventually dry rock-hard. Then gesso, gild, etc.

Some of the long strips are for replacements on antique frames; other items are for the new frames I make. I will post some of those projects as I work on them.

Second Prize

2011-03-14T05:31:00.000-07:00

The Artist Guild of Shrewsbury (http://www.artistguildshrewsbury.com/) show had a nice selection of work on display at the Tatnuck Bookseller, in Westborough. This was the first time for me at the show, and one of my works, "Savannah Balcony" did win 2nd place.

The opening was on Sunday, and the show runs through April 13.

Painting Backgrounds

2011-03-07T13:23:00.000-08:00

The Art Guild of Shrewsbury (www.artistguildshrewsbury.com/) has a project going where they exchange painted backgrounds with a group in Japan - each group then uses these as a basis for an artwork.

Another student in my painting class uses leaf in her paintings, and since I am a gilder, I decided to incorporated leaf in the backgrounds I painted: one with silver, one with gold.

I will now receive in exchange two backgrounds prepared by someone in Japan.

Savannah Scene

2011-03-06T08:43:00.001-08:00

Finishing up some paintings and frames. This is an acrylic, from photos I took of the Sorrel -Weed house in Savannah on one of our trips there. It may look a bit "milky", as the top coat of acrylic was not quite dry when I took the photo of the painting.

Mahogany Grained Frame

2011-03-06T08:38:00.001-08:00

I had to duplicate an antique frame for a customer, and since it was different from the others in my portfolio, I made a version for myself as well. It was intended for an early 19th century portrait; apparently they owned the companion portrait, and wanted to match the antique frame on the other one. They were quite happy with the results.

Snow again, goddammit!

2011-02-27T07:30:00.000-08:00

It just won't stop.

Went to the Holliston, MA, Antique Show yesterday. Not so much to shop, as to get out for a non-essential activity after being cooped up so much this winter.

Bought some antique gilt frames, had lunch at a nice little Main St. restaurant.

Oh, well. A chance to stay in and do homework.

Another Finished Project

2011-02-20T06:53:00.001-08:00

This mirror has a reverse-glass panel painted by the owner's mother. It needed some work done to the gilding, particularly the cornice and the round ornaments (spherules).

Painting Class

2011-02-19T16:12:00.001-08:00

Back to acrylic painting class. I don't really like painting with acrylics, but it was the only class that fit my schedule, and I do like the logistics of water-based, quick-drying media when schlepping things around.

But, I don't feel my colors and blending are as subtle as I would like, and all my paintings wind up looking like Thomas Kinkades.

At Least the Snow is Getting Prettier

2011-02-08T15:27:00.001-08:00

Now that it is February, we can only hope that even as more snow falls, it won't go on much longer. This morning's snowfall was one of those that coat the branches with white velvet. I saw these two ballerinas in the back yard, and snapped a picture. Ok, that's enough waxing poetic for now.

Flora In Winter

2011-01-30T07:49:00.001-08:00

The Worcester Art Museum (http://www.worcesterart.org/) provides a winter break by giving the museum aspects of a spring flower show when winter seems to be at its worst around here.

Area floral designers and garden club members decorate the museum, and a number of works are selected to have floral accompaniments. The goal of these is to draw inspiration from, and complement the works.

The two shown are from the pre-Columbian gallery, and the American impressionists (I believe it is a Frank Benson painting).

And snow again

2011-01-29T06:22:00.000-08:00

I am getting tired of "snow postings", but you have to work with what mother nature sends us.

Yes, snow is predicted again. Best we can hope for now is an early spring.

Deer in the Back Yard

2011-01-25T14:18:00.000-08:00

Deer (and other animals) have become accustomed to development, and are becoming less fearful about approaching. With the severe weather this year, they seem to be more fearless, and this group here were out at dusk (usually they wait until dark). Some of our shrubs have been pruned down quite a bit as they forage for anything remotely green and tender.

Darn cold

2011-01-22T12:25:00.000-08:00

Well, it snowed again, and we are in for some really cold days (followed by another storm), so I don't plan on seeing the bare ground again until Spring. Every winter we talk about moving some place a tad warmer, but this year it is not the usual mid-winter kvetching - I think we are seriously going to consider the Richmond, Virginia area.

In any event, I don't feel guilty about missing gym, since I get my excercise with the snow shovel. Classes have started again, and even though I had not planned to, I signed up at the Worcester Art Museum (www.worcesterart.org) for another painting class.

Working on more projects (to be posted later), and just sent off a large order for composition ornaments to use in frame-making, etc. (www.bomardesigns.com).

Another Framing Project

2011-01-16T13:53:00.000-08:00

As part of my New Year's resolutions, I am trying to pick off the many unfinished projects that have been hanging around. This is a frame made for an oil painting on panel, owned by one of my brothers.

I gilded the lip of the molding, and for the remainder, used a black, distressed finish with casein wash.

First Big Snow of 2011

2011-01-13T07:23:00.000-08:00

The first major storm of the year left over 12" of snow. It looks lovely the next day, especially when a marshmallow appears on top of the birdbath.

Some Antique Shop Finds

2011-01-08T08:58:00.000-08:00

As is common in New England, when you don't know what to do on the weekend, and the weather is decent, you go poking around antique shops. This time of year, the pickings can be slim, and many shops run big sales in order to move stuff. We wanted a day out, so went to southern Maine, where I found some more projects.

The mirror has damage, and a previous bad repair. I wanted the reverse glass painting, since, although broken, it was original, and I will now make a replica. I though the division of space with the blue side panels was awkwardly interesting.

The frame is actually a nice early frame, and has not been worked on. Well, except for the fact that someone decided they would keep the components together by pouring glue into the back. This should be fun.

Colonial Williamsburg

2010-12-30T05:34:00.000-08:00

We have visited Colonial Williamsburg (http://www.colonialwilliamsburg.org/) before, but not at Christmas season. Although Christmas decorations are not historically accurate to the time period, they do decorate the buildings, with the requirement being that materials used must have existed in the eighteenth century. Other than that, creativity can be exercised, although most look fairly traditional to our eyes.

Although a bit unseasonably cold, it was a nice time to visit, as it was not as crowded as summer, but was still surprisingly busy. It appears to be a tradition for many families to go there at holiday time.

We had two very nice meals in the colonial taverns, and dining (as well as getting around) with minimal lighting after dark certainly contributed to the eighteenth century ambiance.

Longwood Holiday Lights

2010-12-29T06:49:00.000-08:00

I was never crazy about holiday light displays, until our first time at Longwood Gardens (www.longwoodgardens.org), in Kennett Square, PA, several years ago. The design and execution is always good, with a design sense that keeps them from being garish. In addition to the exterior lights, the massive conservatories are completely decorated for the season.

Although the visit to Longwood was at the end of our trip, I wanted to get these posted first, before the holiday season had passed.

Wish I was better at night-time photograpy, but these should give some sense, although of course, it was much better in person.

December wrap-up

2010-12-28T06:27:00.000-08:00

In spite of the good intentions, this December, with its end of semester assignments, a road trip to Virginia, the holiday dinner (and my usual Christmas flu) meant ignoring this blog, so there is a lot of catching up to do.

Given the prospect of airport hassles and delays, we figured out that driving was the most time and cost-effective means of travel this year. We left Massachusetts for an overnight in Wilmington, Delaware - no problems, until we hit Philadelphia at 3:00 pm, and icy roads meant another three hours to Wilmington!

We went to the Yuletide tour at Winterthur (http://www.winterthur.org/), then headed to Richmond, Virginia. No traffic problems until route 95 south of DC - tie-ups all the way.

When traveling with Joseph, you are kept on the go, so I didn't often connect the computer on this trip (which was actually rather nice). Therefore, I still need to download and edit pictures from this trip, so will post in more detail during coming days.

Thanksgiving

2010-12-06T05:22:00.000-08:00

Between school and New England traditions of getting ready for winter, I have been remiss in posting. We did have Thanksgiving at home again, and the dogs were delighted to have a new friend. Rita, an international student from Clark University, came to dinner, and since she misses her dog back in China, she was happy to play with Lilly and Savannah as much as they wanted.

Dancing Dog

2010-11-23T12:12:00.001-08:00

Savannah thinks that she needs to provide a floor show in order to be fed.

Another Federal Mirror

2010-11-12T09:59:00.000-08:00

I had posted about this earlier when working on the reverse glass :

http://forthillstudios.blogspot.com/2010/02/snow-day.html

Thanks to the old mirror glass from my brother's stash, this has finally been reassembled, meaning another project checked on the list.

Funny that in both images there happened to be a dog in the reflection.

End of the season

2010-11-08T13:15:00.001-08:00

It's that time of the year when we close up the place in Wiscasset. Sometimes we get tempted to stay longer, then the weather changes and reminds us that it is time to leave. This past weekend was cold and rainy, but then bright sun came out for about 30 minutes. But I will not be fooled - I know what is on the way, and in fact, Monday morning in Massachusetts we had our first dusting of snow.

So, drain the pipes and come back in the spring!

Golden Pineapples

2010-11-05T09:10:00.000-07:00

These wooden pineapples could adorn the entry for a hedge fund manager or possibly a Russian oligarch. Well, actually, the suburban home of a former colleague, where her husband has essentially rebuilt the entire house, and is now working on the finishing details.

These were new wood, but still required quite a bit of priming and sanding. Once gilded with 23K gold, they should be good for many years.

Lots of Projects

2010-10-31T11:04:00.001-07:00

One of my brothers is moving, and is no longer planning to do restoration work, so I was offered the unfinished projects from his cellar. I will either have a busy winter (or more likely, will have just effected a transition of unfinished projects from one cellar to another).

Will post if/when any of these get worked on.

Round-corner Frame

2010-10-28T10:51:00.000-07:00

Very often I get frames that are not worth putting a lot of work into, but they often serve as illustrations of what happens to frames over the years. A friend gave me some frames from her garage, including this 19th century round-corner example. It had a bad break, and was covered in "radiator" paint. I clamped and glued the break just to keep it from creating more damage, and since I noticed glints of gold, decided to take a quick stripping attempt, using methylene-chloride based paint stripper. I found the original silver-gilt ("lemon gold") underneath (as shown in the top photo), although it was worn (probably the reason why it was painted).

If I ever have use for this frame, I will consider making a proper repair to the broken area.

Vermont

2010-10-15T09:10:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's that time of year when we all head north to view the foliage. I normally would not dare do this on a holiday weekend, but there was something scheduled for me up there.

I didn't get to take that many pictures, being tied up during the day, and not daring to stop the car with so much traffic. But here are a few shots. Actually taking more in our own neck of the woods, and as usual around here, the best foliage also coincides with rain and wind that seem to take it right down.

Gilding Demo in Vermont

2010-10-11T04:21:00.001-07:00

I went to Brandon, Vermont during the Columbus Day weekend to demonstrate water gilding at the Pioneer chapter of HSEAD (Historical Society of Early American Decoration).

The van was loaded with samples to show various gilding techniques and finishes, I didn't forget to bring anything, and a good time was had by all.

For more about HSEAD, go to http://www.hsead.org/

A New Door

2010-09-22T14:07:00.000-07:00

With the miserably hot weather (yes, hottest summer on record) not much got done on the Wiscasset house. The side door did have a problem with rot, and the bottom quarter of the door was long past the expoxy patching remedies. I suspect that one issue was that the door is unprotected, and also opened out, leaving it flush with the side of the house (this configuration was chosen since at the beginning of the renovation project, it was the only useful entry, and opening out made it easier for construction materials to enter the building).

Since this was the second replacement, I had the good fortune of a standard size, plumb rough opening.

I elected to go with a fiberglass shell door, hoping I will avoid some of the rotting isssues that plagued me in the past. While a competent professional would probably have installed this in an hour, we did get it in ourselves in an afternoon, now just finishing the painting and re-doing the interior trim. All set for winter.

Pemaquid and Round Pond

2010-09-20T11:27:00.000-07:00

Hot weather and family visits contributed to August's lack of motivation. Now that the cool weather is back, it's time to catch up.

Here is famous Pemaquid light, at Pemquid Point. We take our visitors here (it's the only time we seem to get there). The kids liked having something "dangerous" to do, namely, climbing on the rocks and letting the crashing waves wet their feet.

Afterwards, we made the ritual stop at the Granite Hall Store, in Round Pond. The people working there are very patient with the children deciding on just the right selection of penny candies.

I am not sure that having the adult advantage of just buying my favorite (grapefruit slices) by the pound is an improvement.

Newport, Rhode Island

2010-08-27T11:12:00.000-07:00

We have been to Newport to see the famous mansions any number of times, but usually miss some of the lesser visited ones, since they tend to be open on a shorter season, and we usually don't get to Newport during the peak of summer.

But we had the chance for a mid-week getaway, and went to Hunter house (eighteenth century architecture and furnishings), Kingscote (Gothic revival cottage), and the Isaac Bell house (shingle style).

In addition, Marble house had a special exhibit, where many of the artworks originally installed in the "Gothic library" were on loan and displayed in their original places, just for the summer.

We also enjoyed a walk around the early part of Newport, still chock-full of eighteenth century buildings.

See http://www.newportmansions.org/index.cfm for more information.

Goodbye, Mr. Rufus

2010-08-16T10:13:00.000-07:00

We finally had to say goodbye to Mr. Rufus, our Cairn terrier.

Rufus arrived in 1998 under the auspices of Jan, the fairy dog-mother. Since we were concerned about acclimating a new dog into the existing household (particularly with Clayton, the West Highland terrier), we decided they should first meet outdoors. They took to each other immediately, romping and wrestling, until both were covered in mud from the melting snow.

All dogs have their own personalities, and Rufus was no exception. But unlike the others under our roof, he was the only one confident that he was in fact, a dog, and was thoroughly happy with that role. There was a look on his face of utter disdain for the others when he saw them acting in a non-canine manner, as if they were an embarrassment to their species.

One of his greatest joys was spending time in Maine, where he considered himself the chief dog of Wiscasset. He would demand to be escorted around the village several times a day, and if the wind and tide were right, to wade in the harbor and snap at the waves.

His final weekend in Maine included a day resting on the grass in the sun, and a final circuit of Wiscasset to let all the dogs in the village know he was there.

He was a tough old man of 14, but we began to notice his physical failings (as well as those we pretended not to notice). So on Monday, we had to make that same sad decision we never get used to.

His final decline was sudden, yet graceful. His time had come, we were with him, and he went without a drawn out series of procedures and treatments, and without the humiliation of incapacity.

Goodbye Mr. Rufus; we will always remember you.

Bowen House, Woodstock, CT

2010-08-08T11:40:00.000-07:00

We came home early from Maine due to dog issues, and since the weather was so nice on Saturday, we wanted to do something. We had not been to the Bowen House (Roseland Cottage), in some time, and since it is less than an hour from home, went for a visit. This was the first time we have been there when the gardens were in full flower, and since the house had been repainted the vibrant, 1880's color.

The house is a wonderful example of Gothic revival, and this area of Connecticut (known as the "quiet corner") is always fun to visit. For more information, go to:

http://www.historicnewengland.org/historic-properties/homes/roseland-cottage

Hot Summer in the Garden

2010-07-29T06:28:00.001-07:00

The hot humid weather has made some of the garden go crazy this year, but the color is drowned out by the jungle of weeds and invasive plants that went even crazier. But the old dependables, bee balm and daylilies came out in force. Amazingly, the checkerberry also did well. After many years, this is the first season they were not consumed by animal invaders. Perhaps even the woodchucks felt it was too warm to leave the den.

Finally Framed

2010-07-03T15:57:00.000-07:00

I had been meaning to finish a frame for this painting since last year; the gilding was done on this and some others a while back, but I never got around to the finishing surface treatments until this week.

Normally I would like a wider frame, but the painting is small, and I wanted an excuse for a frame in this design. It is a simple, arts-and-crafts style, carved, water gilded and burnished.

The painting is an acrylic, a scene of lilacs on a side stree in Wiscasset, Maine.

Keene, NH Antique Show

2010-06-27T10:38:00.001-07:00

Set up at a small antique show sponsored by the Kiwanis in Keene, NH. They did a great job organizing the show; not much business there, but a nice weekend.

Eastern Maine Rail in Wiscasset

2010-06-25T09:07:00.000-07:00

The railroad runs excursions during the tourist season, from Brunswick to Rockland, with a stop in Wiscasset. The mid-20th century locomotive and passenger cars have a great retro look; you expect the Andrews Sisters to get off when the train stops.

I was out with the dogs, and had my camera handy; not used to using it for video, and someone was pulling on the leash a bit too hard at the end of this clip.

New computer

2010-06-16T10:05:00.000-07:00

In addition to going back and forth to Maine, among other tasks, I have been going through the migration to a new computer. Not as bad a project as it might have been, finally am back on line.

Currier Gallery, Manchester New Hampshire

2010-06-04T05:24:00.001-07:00

We had not been to the Currier Gallery of Art in Manchester, NH since their most recent expansion project. A watercolor show was about to end, so that was the impetus.

A fine small museum, with a collection focusing on American art, including decorative arts, the expansion has provided them with a new winter garden/cafe, and has allowed much of the art to be installed more effectively. One gallery has paintings hung in a "salon installation", in the manner of the nineteenth century. In the center of the gallery is "Nydia, the Blind Flower Girl of Pompeii" from 1863, by Randolph Rogers. While I am not that fond of sculpture, especially such sentimental pieces, I found it engaging (perhaps because of the installation).

Probably my favorite painting in the collection is "Carnation and Black , 1892, an oil on canvas by Joseph Rodefer DeCamp. The pose and coloring are so striking, that it feels contemporary more than one hundred years after it was painted.

Visit http://www.currier.org/ for more about this museum.

Glass Transfer "Varnished" Prints

2010-05-19T14:54:00.000-07:00

I purchased this primarily for the frame, and when I got it home realized that it was a fairly good example of glass transfer of a print (I always called these "varnished prints" - I don't know if I saw the term somewhere or if that just came out of my head).

Basically, these were done by varnishing a print to the glass, removing most of the paper, and coloring/painting to add the color. The effect is of a reverse glass painting, or in this case, a faux painting on porcelain. I have seen many of these from the late 18th century, and this one I would date to approximately 1845 based on the lady's clothing and the frame.

Many of the earlier ones appear quite dark, as the varnish browned with age (and of course, many simply got broken, or replaced with something else if the varnished degraded to the point that the image was no longer attractive.

Here is a link to the blog on the website of The Philadelphia Print Shop, Ltd., in Philadelphia, where one of the owners discusses this art form:

http://antiqueprintsblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/glass-transfer-painting.html

Wayside Inn Antiques Show

2010-05-16T10:25:00.001-07:00

On Sunday I went to the antiques show held at the historic Wayside Inn in Sudbury, MA. Perfect weather, the antique cars parked outside the entrance lent additional elegance, and the exhibitors provided what looked like a New York City antiques show magically transported to a tent (but what a tent!) in a country field.

In spite of the many extraordinary and fine items available, "Best in Show" went to Royal, who was tending the booth for Elle Shushan (http://www.portraitminiatures.com/). So calm and dignified, I first thought she was a statue placed on the hearth.

Spring Comes to Wiscasset

2010-05-10T07:24:00.000-07:00

We spent a few days in Wiscasset, Maine, opening up the house for the season. It always seems to be a miracle, that just as spring always returns, the house survives another Maine winter.

So now water is turned on, plumbing and heating work, and we began cleanup outside (for such a tiny in-town lot, it does take a while to do the yard work).

More about our house in Wiscasset at www.forthillstudios.com/Wiscasset/Wiscasset.htm.

Skaneatles, New York

2010-04-29T14:37:00.000-07:00

While at the HSEAD meeting in Auburn, NY, we had the chance to tour around the area. This was the first time we had visited the village of Skaneatles. The weather was perfect that day, and all over central New York state tulips and other spring bulbs were out in full force.

Skaneatles is a charming 19th century town, with its business district right on the lakefront. Lots of wonderful Victorian and Greek revival houses to look at.

HSEAD Gold Leaf Work

2010-04-28T07:10:00.000-07:00

I just got back from the annual meeting of the Historical Society of Early American Decoration. They have just released their new instructional DVD on "Gold Leaf". They had a display of this work, including items done by the organization's newest master craftsman (craftsperson?), Carol Heinz. Carol was the first member to reach this status in over 20 years - quite an accomplishment, as it requires winning "A" awards in almost all HSEAD disciplines. Her tray with the bright blue morning glory was easily the most photographed item in the exhibition this year.

You can find out more about the DVD from http://www.hsead.org/. I bought mine, and as soon as school is over, plan to sit down and work on this technique (but I don't think the gold peacock tray shown will be my first project).

More posts to come on this meeting and our visit to historic central New York.

Homage to Dale Chihuly

2010-04-20T06:41:00.000-07:00

We have long been fans of Dale Chihuly (www.chihuly.com), and have seen many of his works in museums. Years ago you could actually find an example in the museum shops at a relatively reasonable price. Alas, his work is no longer in the casual purchase category.

So in a delightful piece of serendipity, I was preheating the oven before putting in a pan of chicken for roasting, and noticed a strange smell. I had been temporarily storing a plastic container of Trader Joe's Dunkers cookies in the oven, and it had been pushed far back out of sight. When I retrieved it, I saw that the heat had made the edges opalescent, and formed the container and lid into what resemble one of Chihuly's shell form pieces. Art is where you find it.

Antique Grain Painted Frame for Exhibition

2010-04-16T11:43:00.001-07:00

This is an antique "Theorem" painting on paper, contained in a grained and stenciled frame. Popular in the nineteenth century, theorem painting used stencils to allow people to create works of art, even if they had no art training. The frame is grain-painted to resemble mahogany or rosewood, and has bronze powder stenciling.

I have sent this to be exhibited among other antique decorative items a the annual meeting and exhibition of the Historical Society of Early American Decoration (HSEAD), being held April 23-25, 2010 in Auburn, New York (www.hsead.org).

Spring comes to Connecticut

2010-04-12T04:20:00.001-07:00

We went to visit someone in Farmington, CT on Sunday, and afterwards stopped in at the Hill-Stead Museum (www.hillstead.org). This is a wonderful colonial-revival country mansion filled with antiques and art, including works by Monet, Manet, Degas, Cassatt, etc. This estate was created by the Pope family, after their daughter, Theodate Pope came to school in Farmington and became fond of the area. Theodate became an architect, and along with McKim, Mead and White designed this home. Her father collected art, and it is amazing to see the paintings in the rooms where they have always hung.

The weather was beautiful, and things are turning green here in New England.