In an effort to help visualize the area where the entablature will occupy on the Roberts County courthouse we built a small wall and ceiling to represent the area. The drywall represents the plaster wall surface. The ceiling rises off the wall at a 70% angle and the missing area is the area we need to recreate the ornamental work. The size of the area missing came from a report that was compiled by Johnny Langer of Source Historical. Just to remind you the area in question has been totally lost except for a few small pieces that we are using to try and figure out what was there. (see Roberts county courthouse, and look these pieces fit together)
We installed the bead and read molding we recreated alone the top ceiling edge and the bottom wall edge. We also hung loosely the fascist leaf band along the top against the bead and read. We know the bead runs along the bottom of the entablature because parts of it are still attached on site. The top area is surmised because we have a piece of the fascist band that is attached to a bead and read and has been cut on a 45% angle that could only mean that it was attached to the ceiling. The angle could not have been used along the wall unless the band somehow turned and went up the wall which there is no change in heights in this courtroom and thus no way that would have been done.
But we still have a large area in which to fill in. Matt2, my son and president of Professio, came up with the idea that they might have run the fascist band along the bottom also so we hung a piece there running in the opposite direction. That still leaves us with a very large area. We know that there is an area where a "piano key" molding consisting of arches that run vertical along the face of the molding and an additional 2" molding running along it somewhere but where?
We called the Architect Michael Roberts of Preservation Associates to come by and advise. After looking at the items in question he said that he felt that two runs of the factious molding was too much and makes the entablature to busy. He would like us to take pictures of the mockup with the two in place and one without the bottom in place and then start drawing several other options to fill in the remaining area. Then he can submit it to Lyman Labry with the Texas Historical commission to start discussions. I also stated that I would like Johnny Langer also involved because of his extensive knowledge of designs used in this period. The more eyes we can get looking at this problem the better.
It will be a long and sometimes contentious ordeal. People can be quite passionate about these types of issues but in reality you would not want anyone involved in this that was not passionate. It makes for a much better result even thou not everyone will agree on the ending design. And to be honest I love the discussions that are about to develop. I have a mentor a long time ago that I remember saying after a long heated discussion."Wow! Who would have thought people could be so passionate about whether a leaf bends right or left it is just a fricking leaf for God's sake!" But it does make a difference and when people look at the final design they will never really understand the painstaking effort it is to recreate it.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
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