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 Francisco Zuniga and Roi Partridge: Works on Paper Framed “Close”
More than most framers, we frame “close,” meaning right up to the picture, without a visible mat. Many would categorically state that etchings and drawings must always be matted. But one of the joys of framing is the infinite variety of pictures there are to frame, and with a deeper understanding of the principles of framing, […]
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Framing a Chris Jorgensen Oil Painting of Yosemite
San Francisco painter Christian August Jorgensen (1860–1935) was primarily known for his watercolors (we have two in the Portfolio, here and here), but this is a very impressive 42″ x 72″ oil painting of Yosemite Valley. It was done around 1910 when the park was ... continue reading.
Framing Karima Cammell’s Egg Tempera Paintings—III
Here’s the third and last of the egg tempera paintings we just framed for the artist, Karima Cammell. At 24″ x 18″ this is the largest one. It’s also on a very thick panel, so the 3″ wide frame is 2-1/4″ thick. It’s in stained q... continue reading.
Framing Karima Cammell’s Egg Tempera Paintings—II
Here’s the second of three posts showing our recent framing of three Karima Cammell egg tempera portrait paintings. As I mentioned in the last post, Karima’s affection for the decorative arts, much evident in the model’s clothes and background, is a gr... continue reading.
Framing Karima Cammell’s Egg Tempera Paintings—I
This is the first of three posts showing three egg tempera portrait paintings we just framed for a neighbor, Karima Cammell. Don’t know how she finds time to paint, but Karima is the owner of one of my favorite shops in Berkeley, Castle In the Air, on Fourth Stree... continue reading.
Re-framing Henry Gremke
Here’s a new example just added to the page “Fixing a ‘Very Prevalent Error’,” showing the rewards of replacing gold frames with dark wood ones. As a before-and-after example, this one hardly seems fair, since the gold frame that was on thi... continue reading.
Holton Studio Wins Architectural Preservation Award
It was great to get some recognition on Thursday night at the Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association‘s Annual Dinner and Preservation Awards ceremony for all the hard work we put in to building out and moving in to our new West Berkeley home last summer. My l... continue reading.
Framing Toshi Yoshida and the Flowering of Spring
I love wisteria, and right now, at the peak of spring here in Berkeley, wisteria are everywhere and in full flower. Folks grow them over their doors and windows, and so they are nature’s ornament framing everyday comings and goings—very suitable to BerkeleyR... continue reading.
The Humble and Dignifying Portrait: Framing Kevin Courter’s “Ashley”
Kevin Courter likes to keep an eye on our inventory of ready-made frames and make paintings for them. One day several weeks ago he dropped by the shop and found Eric Johnson joining up an 11″ x 14″ mitered frame in the vises—a dramatic, rather deep and mas... continue reading.