A Frame-Maker’s Journal
Updates and ruminations on our work and mission to revive the art and craft of framing pictures. Here I'll show you new jobs we're especially proud of and keep you up on what's going on at the Gallery, as well as discuss topics germane to our work, including handcraft and work generally, the place of art, and ideals of the Arts and Crafts Movement (especially its greatest leaders, John Ruskin and William Morris).
I hope you’ll subscribe (see the form in the left column) or at least check back often. And I welcome your comments!
—Tim Holton
Framing Kawase Hasui with Proud Splines
With merciless wildfires raging throughout the West, it’s a good time to visualize rain. Just finished this beautiful woodblock nocturne by the great shin hanga printmaker Kawase Hasui (1883-1957), and am very pleased with it. The oban size print (14-1/4″ x 9-3/8″), dated 1932, is titled “Rain at Maekawa Near Kozu.” I played some more […]
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Framing Selden Gile
This little 12-1/2″ x 10-1/2″ oil on board is by Selden Connor Gile (1877-1947). Gile was the central member of Oakland’s Society of Six, a remarkable and passionate group of plein air painters active in the teens and ‘twenties. The other members... continue reading.
The Re-Framings of Percy Gray
One of my favorite early twentieth century California painters is Percy Gray (1869–1952). We were very lucky recently to have three works by the great watercolorist come in to the shop in quick succession. The first, which is 16″ x 20″, arrived like this. ... continue reading.
“Love Made Visible”: Kahlil Gibran’s Frame for Labor
Do you know the painter and poet Kahlil Gibran? Labor Day is a good time to ponder this passage from his famous work, The Prophet, a passage that includes the words, “Work is love made visible.” Then a ploughman said, Speak to us of Work. And he answered, sa... continue reading.
Framing Thomas Stream
This is a contemporary print titled “Puppy Gray” by Aleutian artist Thomas Stream. The large subject and strong contrasting colors and bold, graphic design on white paper made a white mat the best choice. The fun part was giving it a suitably bold, graphic f... continue reading.
Decorative Dovetails: Framing Hiroshi Yoshida’s “Grand Canyon”
My eyes lit up when this piece came in—one of the most prized prints by the great shin-hanga printmaker Hiroshi Yoshida (1876-1950) whose work I love and love to frame (and even named a frame design for). Yoshida was a mountaineer, so it’s no surprise that some ... continue reading.
Works: New and Recent Landscapes
We are happy to announce that we have reopened The Holton Studio Gallery—by appointment. Please come in to see the current exhibition, Works: New and Recent Landscapes. It’s up through September 12. This is a beautiful show of paintings by our outstanding roster... continue reading.
The Long View: Framing a Renaissance Map of the Roman Empire
In tumultuous times as these, you’ve got to take the long view. And that’s what we’ve been doing—in more ways than one. We’ve had the honor and privilege to frame this extraordinary and very long 16th century map with a story that’s also ... continue reading.
“Another Work Is Possible”
I like to say that picture frames are architecture at its most refined. Mortise-and-tenon picture frames are a refined form of mortise-and-tenon architecture, also called timber-framing. From Mortise & Tenon Magazine comes what looks to be a wonderful book and film ... continue reading.