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
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.
A Discourse on Frames
Next Tuesday at 6:30 the Gallery proudly hosts British historian and independent cultural scholar Nicholas Friend, who will give an illustrated lecture called “A Discourse on Frames.” Nick Friend was educated at Oxford and Cambridge, and specializes in the h... continue reading.
Framing Richard Lindenberg’s Trees: Harmony In Wood
I just realized that my favorite paintings by Richard Lindenberg, whom we’re highlighting at the Gallery through April 22, are of trees. Maybe I just like trees, or maybe I just like how Richard paints trees. I won’t deny either of those. But I think it has ... continue reading.
Richard Lindenberg’s Painting Demonstration and Talk
This past Saturday, March 25, painter Richard Lindenberg kicked off his four-week exhibit (through April 22) at the Gallery with a short talk and painting demonstration. We had excellent attendance, as folks sat in chairs we put out in the first gallery in the midst of ... continue reading.