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
Re-framing Hanson Puthuff
The landscape paintings of Hanson Puthoff (1875-1972) made a major contribution to California’s rich heritage of landscape painting. Unfortunately, his pieces did not always find their way into frames that do them justice. Here’s one example we had the honor... continue reading.
Re-framing a New—and Much Larger—Rosa Bonheur
Last year we re-framed a couple of paintings of stags, both by premiere nineteenth century French wildlife painter Rosa Bonheur, which I blogged about here. We just did another one, and at 48″ x 36″ it’s considerably bigger than the first two. First, h... continue reading.
Congratulations Bryan Taylor!
Our artist, Bryan Mark Taylor, won first place in the Quick Draw competition at Plein Air Easton, Maryland (July 18-24, 2011). Congratulations, Bryan! Learn more here... See the piece and the artists remarks on it at his blog, here. Here are a couple of my favorite piec... continue reading.
Recent Bill Cone work, and framing
Bill Cone recently brought in these two beautiful pastels for The Summer Show. “Gateway Morning,” pastel on paper. 8″ x 8″. “Wildflowers,” pastel on paper. 9″ x 12″. We’ve also just completed framing a few of Bill... continue reading.
The Arts and “Reverence for Life”
“It is indeed in…the belief in the beneficent progress of civilisation, that I venture to face you and to entreat you to strive to enter into the real meaning of the arts, which are surely the expression of reverence for nature, and the crown of nature, the ... continue reading.
“Als Ik Kan”: Hephaestus’s Imperfect Frame
If the Arts and Crafts Movement can be said to have a motto, it is surely “Als Ik Kan.” First assumed by William Morris—more famously in its French form, “Si Je Puis”—it was further popularized by Gustav Stickley through the marks on his furn... continue reading.
“Kevin Courter: From Dusk to Dawn” is posted
The last of Kevin Courter‘s paintings for his upcoming show, “From Dusk to Dawn,” is in, and it’s a great example of a theme he’s been having a lot of fun with for the last few months. This is called “Evening’s Solitude,” ... continue reading.
Reframing Art: “All true art is praise”
The first entry for the quotes on the page, Re-framing Art: “All true art is praise.” John Ruskin‘s statement is among his most quoted and is takes us right to a central motive for why painters paint—a motive that fundamentally shapes our idea of a... continue reading.
Framing J Bond Francisco
Recently framed this John Bond Francisco , designing the setting to echo playfully with the massive green frame at the center of the painting. This little oil, 12″ x 8″, depicts the artist’s San Francisco studio around the turn of the century. The fram... continue reading.