The Raton Range/Friday, September 15, 2006

Schools Ponder Painting Decision
1920s artwork appraised at $250,000

By Bob Morris Staff writer, The Raton Range

The Raton school district has possession of a valuable painting, and what should ultimately be done with the artwork is under consideration.

The Raton school board this week gave initial direction to start the process to sell the painting appraised at a quarter of a million dollars. The suggestion was made to use the money to benefit the school district's arts programs. However, some people in the local community believe the district should keep the painting.

The school board, at its Monday meeting, gave approval for Raton Public Schools Superintendent Bill Walz to begin the process to get state approval to sell a painting titled "End of the Trail"; an oil work on canvas by Bert Geer Phillips.

Walz pointed out that starting the process of seeking the state's permission to advance the painting for bids does not mean the school board will sell the painting. He said the board still retains the right to decide whether or not to sell it.

According to the website www.taospainters.com, Phillips was a member of the Taos Founders, also known as the Taos Society of Artists, a group of eight artists known for being among the West's finest artists in the early 1900s.

Carolyn Seigel, owner of 20th Century West Art Appraisal of Santa Fe, appraised the painting for the district at a value of $250,000. Seigel told The Range a letter from Phillips dated June 17, 1920, indicates the painting was done for a person named S. H. Oliver, who in turn donated the painting to Raton schools at that time.

"This particular piece is really fascinating," Seigel said, noting the school still has a copy of Phillips' letter, in which Phillips described his artwork and its meaning to him.

The board's action Monday merely starts the process for seeking the state's approval to sell the painting. State law requires that, when a school district wants to sell any items the district owns, it must inform the state about the items in question, including their value, and receive approval before advertising the items and taking bids.

Walz told The Range the painting had been hanging in the various school buildings in the past, and at some point, was placed in storage. He said he understood the painting was retrieved from storage when Linda Hale served as Raton schools superintendent; Hale had the job immediately prior to Walz being hired and because of the value of the painting and the cost to insure it, Hale had the painting placed in the vault at the Raton schools central administration building. Walz said he did not have figures for what the costs would be to insure the painting, but the district was checking on it.

Terry Bumpass, vice president of the Raton Arts and Humanities Council, told The Range he has spoken to several people who are "opposed to selling (the painting) as I am."

"I wouldn't sell it because, once it's gone, it's gone," Bumpass said. "I believe people will regret it if the painting is sold." He said he would like to see a local effort made to raise money in order to keep the painting in town.

Walz told the board Monday that some people would hate to see the school part with the painting, but was unsure about whether or not the district could afford the costs of insuring it if the district retains the painting and puts it on display.

"I personally would like to see the painting sold, but I would like to see the money go back into the arts program," he told the board. He later told The Range, "We respect and appreciate the feeling" that the district should not sell the painting, but the question remains as to whether or not the district can afford to insure it while keeping the painting on display.

During Monday's meeting, school board President P. J. Mileta said he hoped the sale of the painting could be used to help support the Raton schools' arts programs, be it classroom space or supplies.

"There have been many discussions about bricks and mortar," Mileta said, referring to what art teachers have conveyed to the board as the need for more classroom space for fine arts programs.

"What the school district needs to decide is what is our priority," he added, noting any public input would be important to deciding those priorities.

Bumpass said he believes the district should look for other ways to support the school's arts programs. He noted the painting has been hanging on the walls of various school buildings for many years, and added, while "I'm not an art appraiser" he had "a hard time believing" the $250,000 figure that the painting was appraised at.

Seigel told The Range the process of appraising artwork includes both objective and subjective factors. The objective part, Seigel said, involves looking at what artwork has sold for in public and private sales. She said she obtains information about public sales through Internet databases. Information can be examined by artist, medium, size of the painting, and the date or time period the painting was created.

As for information about private sales, Seigel said she talked to other galleries who sold paintings by Phillips.

The subjective factors considered include the condition of the painting and how it fits into a particular category of artwork. The Phillips piece in question is considered a "representational piece," Seigel said, so factors such as how well the horse, rider and landscaping were detailed are considered. The history of the painting can also be taken into account, she said.

Seigel said there is a "range of reasonable prices" for such paintings, but based on the prices quoted most often for Phillips' pieces, she "can make a judgment on what is reasonable."

She added the painting is "in generally good condition" and still in its original frame, although it has a "layer of dirt and dust on the surface." Walz said he is speaking to Seigel about who to contact to clean the dust off the painting.

Bumpass said the arts council has talked about the possibility of someday creating a new facility that would house both the Old Pass Gallery, with its rotating exhibits, along with a separate section for an art museum with permanent exhibits. However, the council needs to acquire funding for such a project. But he noted the arts council would like to have paintings such as the Phillips piece the district owns available to be part of a local permanent museum.

Walz said one possibility might be for the district to utilize technology to create a print version of the painting, so if it was sold, the district would still have a copy.

"We certainly appreciate any input from the public regarding any direction the board ultimately takes regarding the painting," Walz said.