Thrilled to announce the mid-July publication of my article on the frames of Florine Stettheimer in American Art.
Florine Stettheimer, Spring (Portrait of the Dancer, Olin Howland), 1932. Oil on canvas, with frame, 41 ½ x 23 1/2 × 1 1/2 in. Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University; Bequest of Ettie Stettheimer
“Crossing the Threshold Into Another World: The Frames of Florine Stettheimer”
American artist Florine Stettheimer has garnered considerable scholarship in recent years, yet one facet of her creative production has largely been ignored: her attention to presentation as embodied by her frames and the all-encompassing surroundings she composed. While other early twentieth-century painters were experimenting with simpler, unembellished frame styles, Stettheimer’s frame designs had a startling originality that embraced complex shapes and patterns markedly different from those of her peers.
This essay is an in-depth analysis of Stettheimer’s framing practice that draws upon diaries, sketchbooks, period photographs, and accounts from her inner circle that illuminate the artist’s embrace of Gesamtkunstwerk and how both her frames and her immersive environments are integral to a deeper understanding of the viewing experience she sought to cultivate.
American Art, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Summer 2025 (39:2)
What a difference a Frame makes...
Committed to scholarship regarding the history of frames, Suzanne is available for frame-focused gallery talks and all manner of in-person presentations including frame history classes. Learn why curators and collectors across the United States have come to rely on Suzanne’s scholarship and experience to best understand the frames in their collections and to present their artwork appropriately and sensitively.
“Your class was really wonderful and I enjoyed every minute of it - especially all the historical information - a real joy.” – G. Severn
“Thank you so much again for your wonderful lectures on frames at CASP - they were incredibly interesting and informative, and they certainly made me appreciate the art of frames so much more!” – A Tseng
“This was such an amazing and informative presentation. Thank you so much for sharing your expertise and being so patient and generous with your knowledge.” – J Del Rose
Upcoming Events
Monday, July 28, 2025, One-day Intensive on Picture Frame Appraisal, Comprehensive Appraisal Studies Program (CASP). Appraisers Association of America, New York, NY.
Monday, December 15, 2025, Frame Lecture (Title TBA), Phoenix Art Museum Docents. Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix, AZ.
Movement in Red and Grey No. 1 in its original frame from 1949. Courtesy Menconi + Schoelkopf
Framing John Marin
See my latest blogpost ‘Framing John Marin’ that details many of the compelling facts that we know about American Modernist John Marin and his framing practices.
Form and Finish: How American Frames Evolved to Reflect the Modern
A presentation given in New York, NY on May 21, 2016 at the Initiatives in Art and Culture American Art Conference, To See Anew: Experiencing American Art in the 21st Century.