A Frame-Maker’s Journal
Updates and reflections 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
Kelmscott Frames for a Scottish Needlepoint, a Tile, and a PreRaphaelite Bronze plaque
This is a charming folk piece from Scotland. The needlepoint depicts a village of stone houses overlooking a bay. At 14-1/2″ x 11″, it’s set in a 2″ through mortise-and-tenon No. 1201 “Kelmscott” frame in quartersawn white oak with We... continue reading.
Framing Eduardo Michaelsen
Happy Halloween! Here’s a timely print, “Opla,” 1992 (13″ x 16″) by Cuban artist Eduardo Michaelsen (1920-2010). The 1-1/2″‘ wide frame is in walnut, carved and stained black. More on Eduardo Michaelsen…... continue reading.
Framing Norman Rockwell
Those who appreciated my last post featuring a work by Robert Rauschenberg will no doubt enjoy today’s post as well. We had the privilege of framing these two original graphite drawings by the American illustrator Norman Rockwell (1895-1978). “Peter” i... continue reading.
Floating Robert Rauschenberg
This is a collage/mixed media piece by avant-gardist Robert Rauschenberg (1925-2008). It’s 14″ x 10″. We used a maple Floater frame at 3/8″ wide and 2-1/2″ deep, in maple with liming wax, a white-tinted paste wax. Floating disconnects the p... continue reading.
Framing Another William Keith
We just framed this large 40″ x 72″ oil painting by William Keith (1838-1911), “Mount Tamalpais from the Northwest,” 1879. We made our very first cassetta frame many years ago for a much smaller Keith of the same subject, “Springtime, Mount... continue reading.
Framing a Monique Wales Linocut
One of the joys of being a picture framer is having customers introduce me to different artists. I’ve been especially pleased to learn about printmaker Monique Wales, who made this linocut called “Take Away.” The image measures 24″ x 18.” T... continue reading.
Take Me There: Framing Paul Roehl’s Poetic Landscapes
A couple of months ago, Paul Roehl came by with an astonishing batch of new work, including this one, “Antonelli’s Pond” (2009 & 2020; oil on panel, 16” x 20”). Jessie and I soon realized that a show had fallen in our laps. The show’s called ... continue reading.
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 ... continue reading.
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.