The Framers Forum

This afternoon I thought I'd empty out the top drawer of one of my plan chests - a place I put things 'for now'

I found something that I put there 'for now' when the plan chest was in my garage!!

One day I watched a programme about Pollack type artists - those that throw paint about etc - one guy - forget his name - just got a bucket of oil paint - covered a huge (had to be 10x6 ft) canvas with it as thick as he could, then got a length of 4x2 - knocked some random notches in it and then walked along the canvas, dragging the length of wood along it - making thick grooves; every foot or so, he'd give the 'comb' a blip, up or down. Looked like an ECG monitor thingy.

Let it go off - £25,000 - thank you.


I thought 'I can do that' but on a far smaller scale - let's make it more interesting too - instead of using just one colour, let's paint squares of colour over each other - then drag my notched batten through to reveal colours below and drag them through each other.

It was pretty carp - overworked too ...............................










But when I turned it upside down I nearly dropped it ..........

Sure you can do that Robo. Anyone can. But if you had not seen the chap do it in the fitst place would have thought of doing it?

No I wouldn't - nor would I think of slicing a cow in half, exhibiting a medicine cabinet or an unmade bed (etc).

Just that I made a face, bang in the centre - a face I could not produce if I tried - there is also a snake-like alien to its right!

Great self portrait, John!!! ;o)) ;o))

Why is Pavarotti crying?

My brother-in-law is an artist and he likes abstracts. He tried to explain what his ideas where for what I'm looking at but I can't see it.

I also found something else that I'd forgotton about.

Back in the days when I had a day job and called on customers with a folding wallpaper table, covered inside and out with cloth with moulding samples velcro'd on, an elderly lady, who I had done quite a bit of stuff for, told me a story.

Her Mother-in-law died giving birth to her husband - someone had glimpsed her across a street one day and when she died, wrote a poem for her, which was printed in a newspaper.

The old lady had the paper cutting, very frail and yellow; quite difficult to read - always intended getting it written out nicely, and framed for her husband - never got round to it and now her husband had just died.

She now wanted it done for her son, before she, herself died. Did I know anyone who could write it out nicely - then I could frame it.

Yes - I could do it. I did it and framed it, the lady died soon after.

What I found in my plan chest was a calligraphy 'rough' for the poem.
Fair choked me - mainly, but not just, the words and the story behind them - also how things have evolved since those days - fate.

Anyway - grab a kleenex .....


"In Tender Memory"

A head half turned to wish a short farewell,
Two laughing eyes that shone most darkly bright
A smile, quick answering to the dancing eyes.
That life was sweet and all the world was right.

I saw her just across the windswept street,
Her smile set free a sunbeam all might share;
I smiled reply to smiles not meant for me
All sweetly glad to see sweet Polly there

So meant for love and joy this dimpling maid
I, wife and mother, watched her gaily go.
Her furs all blowing in the wintry wind
A dainty picture in the falling snow.

I loved her for her youth and happy ways
Maybe I envied much that made her sweet;
Heaven knows I never faintly dreamed, that she
and smile-less Death so very soon would meet.

One little year! She, wife and mother now,
Is white and still, unweeping as I weep
For her, for those who loved her; e’en methinks
Her smile must hover on her lips asleep.

Death, thou must take e’en as thou wilt, away!
Until thou call’st my soul, I’ll grateful be
For mem’ry of that day, when Polly’s smile
Danced to my heart and set the sunshine free.

What a beautiful, sad and poignant memorial.