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
“Wisdom of the Hands”—Doug Stowe Advocates for Handcraft in Education
For those of you who appreciate the aspect of handcraft in our work, I thought I’d draw your attention to the blog “Wisdom of the Hands” by Arkansan woodworker and teacher Doug Stowe. I learned about it while reading Matthew B. Crawford’s Shop Cl... continue reading.
Framing Charles Partridge Adams—Simple Corner Carving
We recently got to frame this early twentieth century landscape by Charles Partridge Adams (1858-1942). At just 10″ x 14″, it’s humble in size as well as subject matter, and loosely painted—all aspects suggesting a fairly simple frame with a bit of c... continue reading.
Framing Contemporary Paintings—Andrij Korchynsky
This recent job, a 23″ x 32″ contemporary oil painting on canvas by Ukrainian-American artist Andrij Korchynsky, offers a simple lesson in two key elements in frame design: line and form. Despite the loose style, the sweeping lines and angularity of the roof... continue reading.
Framing Kevin Courter in Compound Polyptych
A customer recently commissioned Kevin Courter to paint three cottages on his rural northern California property, then had us frame the three 8 x 10’s. Here it is: The idea was to create a frame alive to the soft edges as well as architectural subject matter. Give... continue reading.
Framing Ed Bearden—and Playing with Chamfers
I really enjoy chamfering and playing with chamfers as a design element. Here’s an acrylic on paper, recently framed, by mid-century Texan Edward Carpenter Bearden (1919-1980). We had fun coming up with this adaptation of our Aurora frame with flat mortise-and-ten... continue reading.
Provide: The motto of business in the new economy
As the year winds up, I thought I’d write about another aspect of what we’re trying to do at Holton Studio—about our greater mission and purpose as a business. Because with the economy in a shambles, I believe it’s time businesses think in a fundamen... continue reading.
Re-framing Thaddeus Welch
Thaddeus Welch (1844-1919) was one of the great historic California landscape painters. This classic bucolic hillside scene by Welch came in recently, the customer looking to free it from a typical period compo frame which he rightly judged to be pretentious and unsuita... continue reading.
Re-framing a Sydney Yard Watercolor
A follow-up to the last entry, here’s a wonderful example of a watercolor by one of California’s premiere early watercolorists, Sydney Janis Yard (1855-1909). This is a frame we’ve used before, for other, similar California watercolors — by Percy Gre... continue reading.
Framing Historic California Watercolors
We’ve recently had the pleasure of framing several watercolors by notable California artists working in the early twentieth century. Maynard Dixon (1875-1946): Chris Jorgensen (1838-1876): William S. Rice (1873-1963): Marjorie Stevens (1902-1992; available through... continue reading.