Saintly design and framing ideas sought...

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leviegray

leviegray

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Mar 11, 2008
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Molokai, Hawaii
Aloha long unvisited friends...

This month Father Damien, the Belgian Priest who spent much of his life living, working and ministering to those afflicted with leprosy here on Moloka'i was made a Saint by the Catholic Church. A Damien Center is being created here and they have asked me to possibly frame a painting of Damien which was donated to them by portrait artist Dennis Morton. It is larger than I am accustomed to 50 x 70 and I thought some of you might be able to offer design and framing advice and suggestions...

Mahalo in advance!

Aloha

Levie :cool:
 

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Levie... I think where the painting will reside is pertinent to what type of frame is suitable for this work.

If it is in a relatively formal setting then I don't think you could go wrong with LJ's ElGreco #926854 Black and Gold... possibly with a liner. It has a very museum-type look that goes well in almost any formal setting.
 

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I agree, what is the decor of where it will hang? Just looking at the pic...I would think something natural looking and definately wide, atleast 4 inches. It's such an earthy painting.
 
Up front I want to appologize to Dave and Shawn and any and all that come after on this thread that I may offend.

That being said.... Levi, you have been graced. 1) You're going to need help... start with Nancy Gove. 2) they can't afford what I'm talking about.... nor should they need to be charged... this can become an "Molokaii effort".

Let me explain... first.. it doesn't matter what the decor is going to be... it just doesn't. The picture and what St. D represents is all that is good in the world. The framing should respect that ideal, symbol and convey it's weight to the island, the lepers, their children and anyone who understands what happened.

And NO length moulding (no matter how many stacks) can convey that message.

Tabernacle is the first thing that comes to mind, but actually a Cathedral would be better for a Saint.

The iconography of the construction should pay tribute and tell the story of where he is from, his faith, his demons, his salvation, the battle or pergatory that is leprosy, Molokai, and the Hawaiian islands and culture.

The battles and earthly bound trials should be in the lower waste and foot, the island/s story can be in the columns topped with pineapples, fish should be the repetitive pattern as well as certain flowers. The columns themselves (unlike fluted Ionic or Corinthian) should be the story telling tiki carvings that tell the story of the birth of the island people on one side and the life of Damian on the other.
The leprosy story should be carved in bas-relief on the frieze bound by the repetitive pattern of the fish and flowers that make Molokai the heaven on earth that it is.

The Temple or Pediment is where the symbolism of his assention and anointment should be told.

All of this should be carved in Keavi wood with accents in some of the other native woods like Golden Shower, Koa, and Babinga. (this is where Nancy and other local artisans come in).

Document EVERYTHING with tons of photos, and video. I'm sure there is more than one or six possible articles (print & video) in this (what can be) spectacular project.
 
I betcha, that after Bear recovers, that if someone would provide the airline tickets and accommodations for him and his lovely wife that Bear might come over to the islands and oversee this project.

(Trying to get you a free replacement anniversary trip Baer :smiley: )
 
I totally agree, no offense taken, something natural and reflecting the environment that surrounds him and his work,,,earthy. You just describe it so much better!
 
Levie, I can imagine different frames for this.

One would be to do something such as Baer mentioned,
with a very classical treatment of the subject and it's
symbolism. The other would be to have a frame that
is almost primitive in it's simplicity.

If it were going to hang in an elegant cathedral, than
the frame would need to work in that sort of place.
So it couldn't be as primitive as I'm imagining. It
could either be an all-out-amazing sacred story of
a frame, such as has been described, or something
in a softened gold or silver but simple.

The one thing that seems to be a constant in my mind
is that it needs to have space around it. (LOL....the
painting that is. There's no hope for my mind, no matter
how much space it has.) There's so much visual activity
in the painting, crowding in right from the edge. I keep
imagining it with a wide frame, and one that allows for
unadorned space in the first few inches out from the edge
of the art.

Dave has that same idea with the frame he recommended.
Something simple and spare, and it's a nice frame. For some
reason, my mind is imagining a frame that's between four and
seven inches wide, enough to give a good counter-balance of
space for that strong image to rest in. Whether the whole frame
has simple lines, or there's unadorned frame space around the art
that then leads out to a more elaborate design, having this breathing
space seems like a good idea.

Otherwise, if you use a frame with lots of busy detail, the
design of the painting might 'crash' into it.

What a lovely painting it is.

I'm wondering, too, about the spirit of this man.
I'm guessing that he much preferred simplicity and
humility over the grand gesture. It's an interesting
thing to ponder. One one hand, the Church has spent
centuries venerating the saints with the most elaborate
acts of aesthetic homage, and on the other, those holy
people would likely have used such resources to help the
needy instead. I'm not writing this with any sort of critical
intent, but as an observation that has just occurred to me.
 
I bet every single one of us would frame this totally differently with almost equally wonderful results! They should make prints of that piece and hand it out for the next PPFA framing contest!

As much as I love Baer's ideas, knowledge of history and his heart (as big as all outdoors!) - I must say I would tend to go with something a bit plainer, more like Shayla's post. Would the Saint really want thousands and thousands of dollars to be spent on his frame when people are suffering????
 
I hesitated to even share my thoughts after
Baer's eloquent portrait of what's possible.

It's a bold piece, so does need to be anchored by
a strong frame, whatever the style.

I know without a doubt that Baer could create
something beautiful for it. An heirlloom frame
to last for generations. And Tim Holton could,
too. But it seems to me that it would still need
to have unadorned space right around the image.
I keep imagining a simple, wide treatment for it,
or if it had to go in a 'fancy' church setting, perhaps
an aged silver or silvery-charcoal colored frame with
hints of light and a smaller pattern on the detail.
This simplicity seems in keeping with the spirit of his
life and service.

I do love that idea of recreating the story of a saint's
life in classical style on a frame, but when I try
to imagine it, it seems that it would work best with
a more classically styled painting. Still, he's versatile
enough that I know he could adjust the style to the
spirit of the art.

Whatever you do, it seems wise to have as few 'line'
elements in the frame design as possible. And if you
stack frames, or use a liner and a frame, you need to
have one significantly wider than the other.
 
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