As described in the January 21, 2016, Curator’s Blog, “The Same But Different” Linda S. sent three photos of Clara’s paintings. The second painting, shown above, reminded me of Robert Frost’s phrase “Good Fences Make Good Neighbours” from his poem Mending Wall (poets.org). In Clara’s case the use of fences in her work makes for other things. Linda’s description: "The painting of the birch tree in winter appears to be reframed and there is no writing on the back. It’s painted

I’ve described frames, their function, significance and effect on paintings in other parts of this site. (See Curator’s Highlight, “Stay Tuned For More Paintings,” Wednesday, March 11, 2015). In short a frame provides a boundary around a piece of art that protects, enhances and affects its value. The choice of frame depends on many things: The medium of the piece (oil, pastel, watercolour, acrylic, charcoal, etc) dictates whether matting and types of glass are necessary.

As curator of Clara’s collection I’m privy to copious details and hundreds of images of her work. And as a result I’ve become pretty “friendly” with the subject matter. But that’s a tendency that should be treated with caution. Familiarity encourages hasty evaluations. Looking at a painting is like proofreading a document. You have to examine it from different angles, front and back. Why? Because what you think you see and what you really see are not always the same.