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
The Old Connection: A Carved Frame for Carved Marblehead Tiles
This is a set of carved matte green triptych tiles made around 1908 by Arthur Baggs (1886-1947) a few years after he founded the Marblehead Pottery. Each tile is 6-1/4″ square. We made the frame in quartersawn white oak (a natural choice for this image of oak tree... continue reading.
Framing Tia Kratter for “California Wildflowers”
It’s always lovely to watch a show come together. But this one we’re enjoying seeing bloom before our eyes. “California Wildflowers” opens June 29, and its wonderful. My daughter Ella gets credit for the idea. (Good call, Ella.) The group show in... continue reading.
Highlighting Terry Miura
To celebrate 15 years of showing Terry Miura, the Gallery is currently featuring the artist’s paintings. A popular teacher and greatly admired by the region’s landscape painters, Terry’s earned the lofty status of an artist’s artist. He’s a... continue reading.
Hanging with Karima Cammell at Brea Gallery
Our friend Karima Cammell, whose show “High Water” we hosted here in 2021, was chosen from thousands of entrants for a solo show at Brea Gallery in Brea (Orange County), California. We had the great honor of framing most of Karima’s work for for the ex... continue reading.
Re-Framing Manuel Valencia
Here are two historical California landscape paintings by turn-of-the-century Bay Area painter Manuel Valencia (c. 1856 – 1935). The oils on canvas have no dates, but are said to have been done around 1910. We re-framed them for our friends at California Historical De... continue reading.
Framing Thomas Hill’s Yosemite Valley View
Thomas Hill (1829-1908) was born in Birmingham, England, and immigrated to New England as a teenager. In 1851, he married Charlotte Elizabeth Hawkes and started his large family (eventually having nine children; grandchildren would include Norman Rockwell). At age 24, h... continue reading.
Big Sale on Our Frame Inventory
A quick post today to announce that most of the frames in our inventory are now on sale. Discounts are up to 60%. Sale goes through next Saturday, May 4. You can shop the sale on our ecommerce site, here. Many of the best discounts are on odd size frames, which are ofte... continue reading.
Framing Edgar Payne
When today’s California landscape painters talk about the tradition that inspires them, the name of Edgar Alwin Payne (1883-1947) invariably comes up. We recently had the honor of framing Payne’s 14″ x 14″ gouache titled “Sierra Vastness.&#... continue reading.
A Little Bit World Famous
This month, for the third time in the past year, we’ve been chosen by our industry’s trade publication, Picture Framing Magazine, for its Design of the Month honors. And this time the featured piece, our framing of an important antique Dutch map of the world... continue reading.