CURATOR and guardian
Her teachers told her to save the money because “Artists are born, not taught.” Marilyn Murdoch says that was an accurate assessment, as her art passion was in display. “When I was a youngster, I would cut my parents’ art books apart, put the pictures on my bedroom wall and draw frames around them. Henri Rousseau, Sleeping Gypsy (1897), was my favorite,” she remembers. With a framing history that started in 1974, Murdoch began her ca- reer as a sales designer learning the basics of framing and business. In 1984, she created Framing Solutions to offer services to hotels in volume art and framing. Meeting Dennis Katayama that same year, he had a frame shop dedicated to historic frame design, gilting and ex- panded art services where she became manager while also running the other commercial enterprise. The success resulted in a funda- mental question: leave, or merge with Katayama Framing because of the strain on both businesses. On short order, they outgrew a tem- porary space and doubled in size to 10,000 square feet across the street to the current location at 2219 NW Raleigh, Portland. After her children went into grade school, she studied and became a docent for the Portland Art Museum. “I had the interest, but not the courage to do a good job. My first docent tour was with a group of 12-year-old kids who were only interested in nudes. A museum guard threatened to throw us all out if I could not get them under control. On that day and on my way out in tears I ran into [the late] Gordon Gilkey, the museum’s Curator of Prints and Drawings. He asked me what was amiss and when I told him he suggested I come work with him as a volunteer assistant to him and his print collection. I accepted and worked with him for 10 years and he changed my life.” Gilkey referred many people to Murdoch’s services throughout the years, including their most expensive job to frame a Picasso paint- ing from a New York auction priced at $3.2 million. The firm retains its earned placement as the trifecta winner for numerous collectors who trust Murdoch’s staff to frame, place, and light artwork of note throughout the city and beyond. Marilyn’s daughter Sally works in public relations while her son Peter manages Katayama as its vice president. “Something extraordinarily exciting for me is my son’s dedication to creating his own line of archi- tecturally-inspired carved frames that, like our revered centuries old frames, will be honored for lifetimes.” His designs are seen on Instagram @hillside_frameworks. While Pe- ter represents the second generation woodworker in the family, Kata- yama announces the addition of Petra Murdoch, his daughter, as the newest third generation of its framing dynasty. Katayama serves many artists and galleries on the West Coast and felt the need to give back by investing in community arts. One obvi- ous way was to purchase from local art dealers and art producers. The outcome of this amassed art was beyond wall placement and storage and she opened a gallery in the Wonder Ballroom basement with Mark Woolley in 2005 called Guestroom Gallery. “It was a new idea for Portland. I would choose those artists who represented ex- cellence and innovation in their medium then ask them to select their favorite artist and curate an exhibition.” This became a platform for The Murdoch Collections where several thousand art pieces are ac- cessibly stored. “Its my favorite client experience to watch people look through the slots, contemplate a purchase, and bring more peo- ple back to view. It’s my chance to visit my own art.” More information: www.katayamaframing.com
Marilyn Murdoch mixes with thousands of artworks daily within her collections. PHOTO: Cameron Perkins Photography
Regency | 8
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker