THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 5, 1996 TAG: 9605020174
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 24 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Mary Ellen Riddle
LENGTH: Medium: 69 lines
The Dare County Arts Council is borrowing a Raleigh-ite for an evening to bring alive the era of French Impressionism.
Annual meetings, generally rife with business, are not complete without the requisite speaker.
On Thursday, the arts council will mix business - appointment of new board members and the presentation of the annual supporter of the arts award - with a slide presentation by the chief conservator of the North Carolina Museum of Art.
While local arts council members, appreciators and volunteers gobble down the great cuisine at Penguin Isle, David Findley will share his knowledge and love of a dynamic period in art history.
``The French Impressionism period is a very exciting time, because it signaled a period of significant change in departure of the traditional approach to painting in both aesthetics and materials,'' Findley said.
In a break from his more behind-the-scenes work as an administrator and chief conservator, Findley will present a layman's version of French Impressionism, using slides that represent works in the North Carolina Museum's collection.
Two projectors will cast images of Monet's ``The Seine Giverny, Morning Mist,'' and ``The Cliff, Etretat, Sunset;'' work by Camille Pissaro; and others.
Findley hopes the presentation will encourage people to visit and enjoy the state's museum.
His own interest, which marries art and science in the field of conservation, echoes the art movement that originated in France in the 1860s.
Reacting against doctrine and the idea that art should be solely a vehicle to express emotion, the Impressionists rendered an ``impression'' of what was there rather than what the mind knew to exist.
Scientific study of color and light, prompted by the belief that color is not inherent in an object but rather the product of light reflection, was one of their efforts.
While Findley's position at the museum is primarily administrative, he comes to the job with a studio art degree from the University of Georgia and a graduate degree from New York's state university system. He also has training in paper conservation.
The former paintings conservator from the Cincinnati Art Museum says restoration is a collaborative effort.
``You work very closely with the curatorial department,'' he said. ``The conservator brings analytical information to designing a treatment, but just as important is the art history.''
Painting restoration can involve dealing with many challenges, such as loss to paint layers and varnish problems. While the conservator identifies the extent of damage and makes recommendations on how to correct it, the curator provides input on how the painting should look. This involves knowledge of the period.
The French Salon period was marked by a high-gloss look, but French Impressionism went with a natural look.
The museum staff may work with paintings that are hundreds of years old. A painting, essentially a laminated structure, has to be checked for stability between layers, and the integrity of the frame is also reviewed.
Conservation is a fascinating field for those who are truly art buffs, but Findley feels his personal interest in French Impressionism will be more appealing to a broader audience.
``I am very pleased to have been asked to give this presentation,'' he said. ``Conservators don't usually do this sort of activity.'' by CNB