Exonarthex: Credits | Larry Boyce | Photos
In late August of 1991, Office Administrator Tom Kearney answered a buzz at the door of Old First Church. An energetic, bearded man in a blue jumpsuit said he wanted to talk to someone about doing some painting for the building "in exchange for some housing." Thus began the relationship between an historic church and a charismatic artist that produced a remarkablework of decorative art.
Tom called upstairs to the Rev. Tim Hart-Andersen and said, "You really should come down and meet this person." Tim remembers well how the stranger stuck out his hand and said, "Hi! My name's Larry Boyce, and I have AIDS. I need housing in San Francisco, and I'm wanting to do some painting in exchange for it." He later learned that Old First was the twelfth church Larry had approached to look for work and a place to stay.
Tim's initial skepticism turned to admiration when he looked at Larry's portfolio. He soon learned tht Larry had done some fine ceiling decorations at the home of Old First member Steve Taber. Steve, as the head of the church's Building Committee, was not only very interested in a Boyce work for the church, but he and his wife Sarah quickly completed a basement apartment at their place as a home for Larry.
The church created a Design Review Task Force of seven highly-qualified church members and staff persons to work with Larry on a ceiling decoration for the exonarthex entrance of the building, an area that might charitably have been described as dull and drab. Larry pointed out the beauty of the diaper arches and offered a vision of a neo-Byzantine decoration that would transform the exonarthex into a stunning entry.
Larry and the Design Review group created a design in brilliant reds, blues and golds that featured symbols of the two Christian sacraments of Baptism (entry into the Christian community) and Communion (sending out into the world).
Larry's health deteriorated as the project progressed. By March 1992, when the final design was approved by the church, he was already too weak to climb a scaffold. As he supervised the work of fellow artists and trained an eager corps of volunteer painters, Larry commented that the communal design and painting process resembled that used in the building and decorating of great cathedrals in medieval Europe, each using the combined efforts of all the artisans in the area.
Raised as a Roman Catholic, Larry had long since left organized religion. However, his relationship with the Design Review group and individual members of the church led him to attend worship whenever he could. His favorite seat was in the balcony, surrounded by the colors of the stained glass windows.
Early in 1992, he asked Pastor Hart-Andersen to talk with him about Old First and the Presbyterian church. On May 25, a special meeting of the Session of Elders was held in Larry's room at San Francisco General Hospital, and he became a member of the church.
He died on June 6, with his rriends and fellow church members keeping a round-the-clock vigil with him. A service in Witness to the Resurrection was held for Larry Boyce at Old First on June 27.
The volunteers carried the work forward, led by Nacy Westsmith (who was later named Artist-in-Residence for the Exonarthex Project). For more than three years they toiled queitly and selflessly, three weeknights and part of Saturday every week to master new skills and bring Larry's vision to reality. They worked from his 20" x 36" color drawing, with the expert advice of his associate, George Zaffle.
There were two basic areas of work: stencling and painting. The stencilers traced designs onto mylar and then cut out the stencils. The painters prepared surfaces, adhered stencils to the ceiling, and applied the paint or metallic leaf. Most of the volunteers had an opportunity to become proficient in both areas.
The stencils were taped onto the ceiling, field by field, panel by panel, color by color, and paint was then applied through the stencil. The volunteers discovered that the ceiling's surface was so full of quirks and idiosyncrasies that it was virtually impossible to place the stencils smoothly on the surface. They also found that the mylar stencils themselves expanded once they were cut.
Two or three coats of paint were applied through each stencil; when it was removed there could be several more weeks of exacting, painstaking touch-up work remaining to be done. The volunteers took great prde in leaving a "tight" line between collors. If an area did not work out to their satisfaction, they would paint over it and start again.
In addition to brush-painting through stencils, the technique of "pouncing" was used. A chalk-like powder was used to "pounce" through tissue to create an outline of the area to be painted.
Applying the metallic leaf (copper, aluminum and gold) invovled first sizing the area to be covered, then pressing on the leaf with a gloved hand and carefully brushing away the excess.
The lettering for the line from Psalm 100 was designed by Nancy Westsmisth, modeled on the lettering in early 13th century mosaics in Venice.
When Steve Taber removed the two chandeliers for cleaning, he installed tiny lights in the tops of the tubes to illuminate the deep blue glass and added mini-spotlights to reflect upward. In the furture, replicas of the original glass shades will replace the 1950's fiberglass tubes.
Larry left no detailed proposal to finish the walls of the exonarthex, so the volunteers considered various concepts and coors. They settled on and executed faux-stone effect with layers of paint and stain.
The completed exonarthex ceiling was dedicated in a worship service on February 12, 1995, when the plaque honoring Larry Boyce was placed.
Larry Boyce (1946-1992) received his training in architectural history at Oakland University in Michigan. He toured Europe to study Renaissance architecture, worked as a discotheque designer in Manhattan, then moved to British Columbia, where he became known as a conceptual artist. While visiting San Francisco in 1973, Larry was fascinated by the burgeoning Victorian restoration movement. He studied the decorative techniques of that era and became expert at creating richly patterned interiors through the use of stencils. He formed Larry Boyce & Associates and worked through the U.S. on projects which included churches, major hotels, homes of movie stars, the Washington office of then-Vice President Bush. His work was featured in articles in the Smithsonian Magazine and the New York Times. Larry travelled between jobs by bicycle covering around 250,000 miles in his lifetime. He left his bike to the North American Bicycle Hall of Fame in New Jersey. |
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