Dog on Porch, circa 1935, Photographer unknown. Gelatin silver print, 2 5/8 x 4 1/2 inches. Photo courtesy of Richard Laugharn/Fine Art Framing.
What do George Eastman House in New York, Legion of Honor Fine Arts Museum in San Francisco, Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC and the Center for Creative Photography at UA in Tucson have in common? They’re all clients of Richard Laugharn, who’s holding an exhibition and sale this weekend featuring framed works of vernacular photography.
Fond as I am of holiday time spent admiring the amateur photography of family and friends, and subjecting others to my own snapshots of cats and cactus, exploring snapshots by strangers makes for a nifty change of pace this time of year. And photos make unique gifts for those whose homes or offices are already filled with bobbles far less beautiful or rare.
Balancing Man, circa 1910, Photographer unknown. Gelatin silver print, 3 1/4 x 2 5/8 inches. Photo courtesy of Richard Laugharn/Fine Art Framing.
For the car lover in your life, there’s a 1935 photo of Sir Malcolm Campbell’s “Bluebird” automobile hitting a record 304 mph on Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats. For the person whose career is a study in multi-tasking, there’s a charming photo of a man balancing on one leg. For the outer space fan, there’s a photo of the moon taken by astronaut William Anders while in orbit during the Apollo 8 mission. Even a delightful dog picture for your favorite pet person.
This Saturday’s exhibition and sale takes place Dec. 1 from 10am-2pm at Fine Art Framing, located at 2010 E. University Dr. #11 in Tempe. The event features framed photographic works collected and framed by Laugharn. Diverse subjects include searchlights in London, a trio of young boys, a newly-emerged dragonfly, a contemplative man and sailboats on the Nile.
William Anders, Apollo 8 Moon View, 1968. Gelatin silver print, 10 x 8 inches. Photo courtesy of Richard Laugharn/Fine Art Framing.
Laugharn heads Fine Art Framing, and has a long client list including art galleries, museums, cultural institutions and corporations. Think Lisa Sette Gallery in Scottsdale, Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, ASU Art Museum in Tempe and many more. Turns out framing, something too many of us approach as a mere afterthought, is actually a form of fine art in its own right.
This weekend’s event includes more than 100 framed vernacular photographs and other printed ephemera spanning the 19th century to the present — plus turn-of-the-century stereo cards, antique maps, natural history prints and other artifacts you won’t find offered through all those pesky cybersales clogging up your virtual in-boxes this week.
Hitting the exhibition/sale also gives you a hip comeback for friends who ask what you did over the weekend. It’s not every day you get to drop terms like “ephemeral” and “vernacular.” Vernacular photography, by the way, is a form of folk art that’s made its way to both The Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Museum of Modern Art in recent years.
New Dress, circa 1932, Photographer unknown. Gelatin silver print. Photo courtesy of Richard Laugharn/Fine Art Framing.
In common parlance, you could call these works “oddball snapshots” of ordinary people, places and things photographed by unknown or amateur photographers. Many show everyday scenes of family life, pets, vacations, buildings and landscapes “imbued with an uncanny sense of playfulness and surprise.” Alas, I don’t think my “cat in the bathtub” pictures qualify.
Fine Art Framing was established in 1993 by Laugharn, a photographer and master framer who builds custom frames blending “traditional craftsmanship with modern design and the highest conservation standards.” Saturday’s event is Fine Art Framing’s 4th annual vernacular photography exhibition and sale. Prices start at $80. Call 480-921-8616 or click here to learn more. And don’t tell Pinky her picture didn’t make the cut.
— Lynn
Coming up: Walking with Roosevelt, Dance meets luggage
Stage Mom Musings 