The 12 Days of Frame Shop Christmas
Happy Holidays from Valerie, John, and Clare. We are grateful for your business and friendship, and look forward to seeing you soon! In the meantime, sing along...
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Framing a Nation
We were honored this past August to have a hand in preserving a very significant and special piece of history. The letter, dated 1920, contains a seal that holds pieces of lead from the “bone box” which held and transferred the bones of “probably thirty Pilgrims who died in Plymouth two hundred and fifty years ago.” The writer eloquently stated, “In looking at this piece of lead you will visualize the entire compass of American history starting with a handful of stalwart men on Plymouth Rock, to a nation of 110,000,000 people.” Whoa.These relics were brought to us by a passionate historian to be framed for display by the General Society of Mayflower Descendants, and more importantly, preserved for coming generations. The piece will initially be exhibited at the Mayflower Society House for the 2017 Pilgrim Congress. This assembly meets every four years to elect its Governor and officials and honor its 30,000 members across the globe. Our MCPF Valerie Becker considered the aesthetics of the display venue in the design process. It was suggested that the finished piece should be quite grand, and we were excited to deliver! The design features an exquisite Larson Juhl Biltmore Collection frame, and a complementary Nurre Caxton fillet surrounding each mat opening. Two solid and pure cotton base mats add support and depth, further highlighting the significance of the relics. Our Master Framer left no stone unturned when it came to considering the archival preservation of this piece and the materials involved in the project. Extensive care was taken to ensure that these historical objects will remain protected from dust, UV light, acid producing papers, material gasses, and other elements that cause deterioration. We are humbled to be given this opportunity and experience. Our customers’ passions are OUR purpose, and we are grateful to have such wonderful, interesting, and meaningful projects to share.
Frame Story: Dave Brown
To call Dave a history buff would be an understatement. Each time he visits with a new project, he proudly exclaims, "I’m here with my latest treasure.” As a dedicated treasure hunter, Dave has spent years researching and collecting historical postcards, artifacts, and photographs of the City of Red Wing.
A retiree of the Northern States Power Co., Dave is also a fan of the old electricity mascot, "Reddy Kilowatt." His extensive collection boasts historic media, mementos, and relics. Many of Dave's treasures are discovered on eBay. Upon finding something of interest, he meticulously researches its legitimacy at the Goodhue County Historical Society.
Dave has framed several newspaper ads, tintype photos, military certificates, and, most recently, a playbill from the Red Wing opera house, which burned down in 1882. When it comes to framing, Dave is all about preservation. His goal is to ensure history "will be around for future generations." As museum-quality framers, we are proud to help Dave achieve his mission.
Mat Design 101
One of the most common questions we receive from customers during the design process is, “Should I have a mat?” followed by, “How much mat will show?” The answers depend on several factors, including the type and size of the artwork, archival and mounting requirements, current trends, and, of course, customer preference. Our design team, led by Master Certified Picture Framer Valerie Becker, is experienced in crafting the perfect mat design for each custom project.
Some artworks require matting to be properly mounted for museum-quality preservation within a frame (yes, we do that). Delicate artworks with holes, torn edges, or unsightly borders may look incomplete without matting. Art prints with wide paper borders may be improved with a single or double mat. Sometimes a mat is unnecessary and can even detract from the design. For example, this sweet needlework was completed with a border that perfectly served the framing composition without a mat.
According to industry expert Chris Paschke of Designs Ink, professional framers and designers typically follow proportion and ratio guidelines, such as maintaining mat margins that are wider than the width of the frame, avoiding “stripes” by using wider mat margins, varying widths of extra mats and art borders, and ensuring “breathing room” for matted artwork (2001). Paschke suggests that contemporary designs demonstrate wider mat dimensions.
The first image below represents a “gallery style,” with a wide and thick white mat—providing plenty of breathing room for the little fox. To make more sense of this concept, consider the wide mat as a wall in a room with the fox image hung on it. Would you look first at the plain wall, or the fox?
A little Photoshop magic shows the fox again with a thin mat. Although the image is larger, the thin mat and frame start to look “stripe-y,” which can be distracting to the eye and create subtle confusion.
An alternative to the “wider mat” guideline is when a piece of artwork is float mounted. This type of design is characterized by an artwork that sits on top of, rather than under, a mat. In these designs, it is standard practice to maintain a small mat margin, as seen to the left in this pastel by a customer’s little granddaughter.
Extra mats and specialized fabric mats use color and texture to enhance the framing design. The print below by Andy Warhol is matted with a bright base color that accentuates the artwork’s “Pink Lips.” The dramatic blue suede mat atop the ship draws the eye to the artwork by gently contrasting the art’s highlights.
However, the most important rule of matting is that there are no hard and fast rules. The overall goal of framing is to enhance the artwork and draw the eye to the object(s) being framed. Much discretion on how that is done is left to the eye of the designer(s). As Paschke notes, “Some framers have a natural eye for identifying a design that fits, and this is often why some designs appear much more successful than others” (2001). Experience, training, and a discerning eye for aesthetics are essential components of the formula for “right” matting (we’ve got those covered).
We are excited to work with you on your project, and we guarantee our designs. Stop in or call to schedule an appointment with MCPF Valerie and her team!
References:
Paschke, C. A. (2001, June). The essence of design: Proportion. Retrieved April 30, 2017, from DIP Online website: http://www.designsinkart.com/library/D-EssenceofDesignProportion200106.htm
Inverted Jenny
In 1918, an upside-down biplane was mistakenly printed on the 24-cent airmail stamp. Only 100 of these stamps were sold, and they are now valued at around $100,000 each among philatelists. Normally, a print inspector or postal clerk would have immediately caught the misprint. However, the clerk who sold the original sheet of inverted Jenny stamps famously said, "How was I to know the thing was upside down? I never saw an airplane before."
In 2013, the USPS reprinted the famous and rare inverted Jenny to the dismay of hardcore stamp collectors. According to USPS policy, “Postal Service employees should refrain from intentionally creating philatelic rarities.” Agency watchdogs suggest that the post office violated its own code by recreating this rare stamp to make money.
We're not philatelists ourselves, but we know a good framing subject when we see one. Our inverted Jenny sheet is floated and matted with TrueVue museum glass and a Superior Moulding frame.
Valerie Becker appointed to International Framing Competition Board
Valerie Becker Appointed to International Framing Competition Board
Valerie Becker of Red Wing Framing & Fine Art Printing was appointed to the International Framing Competition Board by the Board of Directors of the Professional Picture Framers Association (PPFA) at the annual PPFA Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, in January 2017. This prestigious three-year appointment places Valerie at the helm of all framing competitions, overseeing the approval and accreditation of judges, and ensuring the continuous review and updating of framing design standards and judging criteria.
Valerie remarked, "I am excited to be working with creative framing experts from all over the world. This is a professional honor for me, and I will be a better framer from this experience."
Valerie Becker is a Master Certified Picture Framer, as designated by the PPFA. She owns and operates Red Wing Framing & Fine Art Printing and Rochester Framing & Fine Art Printing.
The Professional Picture Framers Association (PPFA) has been the industry trade association for professional custom picture framers, art galleries, museums, and framing manufacturers for 35 years. With over 3,500 members, PPFA plays a crucial role in maintaining industry standards, providing education, and promoting the art of framing.
The Fabulous Fillet
In the world of framing, a fillet (pronounced "fill-it") is a tiny frame with a reverse lip that fits inside a traditional frame or beneath a mat. Fillets add extra flair or dramatic enhancement to a frame, providing an additional level of showcasing for a piece of art.
For instance, the ornate fillet around the pastel Madonna adds a touch of elegance to the rustic-style frame. Our first-place chapter winner featured a blue frame fillet that perfectly matched the bold blue in the needlepoint. Finally, the beautiful Belle is displayed with a bold mat edged in a delicate fillet, giving her design just the right amount of sass to match her personality, according to her owner.
Fillets exponentially grow the creative possibilities of framing design, and as we always say, the more creative options the more fun to be had!