Valerie Becker was recognized as a Master Certified Picture Framer this month by the Professional Picture Framing Association.

This is a significant accomplishment in the picture framing industry and demonstrates a skill and knowledge set of picture framing at the highest professional standard.

Valerie was the first in the state of Minnesota to accomplish this accreditation and one of only 60 Master Certified Picture Framers in the world.

Congratulations Val!

You can read more about it at the press release.

This business is project driven. Which means we become involved in projects, they begin and then they finish. Some projects have longer life cycles than others and all projects are unique.

The most current project is a series of family portraits. The Human Resource department at Treasure Island Casino has contracted with us to provide family portraits (photos taken, printed and framed) for all of their 1,500 employees who want to participate. At first this might seem like a church directory project in which the goal is to be as efficient as possible and creativity is not a factor.

But it isn't, and here is why.

Each family has their own story to tell. There was the guy who was extremely body conscious, but without hesitation pulled up his shirt to show me his gastric bypass scar. Or the young family who had a little boy with serious skin graft scars all over his body from a bad burn accident and watching this little guy busy running around trying to keep up with his older siblings as much as he could. Or the married couple who have been married for 55 years and who still enjoyed ribbing each other with wisecracks. This photo is a young mom who had just found out she is pregnant. Her joy is obvious and she is so excited that she is exaggerating her pregnant belly.

The other aspect was the challenge of using a very spartan set consisting only of a white vinyl backdrop and a simple bench and still making every image unique. It was easy to fall into patterns of using a common pose that would always work. The challenge was to slowly add to the repertoire of winning poses by experimenting.

This project was not especially welcomed at first because the hours are long and crazy (the casino operates on a 24 hour basis), but after two weeks of photography I am really sorry to see it end. The casino employees are fun and genuinely fond of each other. The demographics are at the lower end of the income scale, so it has been especially well-received perk by the employees.

This has been a lot of fun.

Cash's (sometimes called J&J Cash) is a UK company located in Coventry, England. Cash's has been producing silk embroidered bookmarks, luggage and clothing labels and name tags for over 150 years. You might assume something as ubiquitous as a clothing label would not merit museum level custom framing.

But you would be wrong.

Cash's produces a product that is clearly motivated by quality and pride in craftsmanship. It is genuinely a work of art, much in the same vein as a beautifully machined watch. A labor of love, so to speak.

This is a silk embroidered horned owl, which is part of a limited run of coniferous forest animals Cash's produced. Other varmints include a peregrine falcon, an otter and some wood ducks. Each piece is about the size of a business card and each will have their own frame.

Cash's is currently producing a series of Beatrix Potter silks, which is a perfect visual for the embroidery medium. And the price is very, very reasonable.

Many years ago, a very good framing customer brought in this beautiful antique jigsaw puzzle to be framed. It was from the turn of the 19th century and the construction itself is a work of art. The pieces are scroll sawed and several pieces themselves are shaped as children's toys (monkeys, toy soldiers, etc.). It is a remarkable example of craftsmanship.

The only problem was that a single piece of the puzzle was missing. This seemed very tragic and because of the depth of the puzzle, it was as obvious as a missing tooth on a beautiful model in a toothpaste ad. But, it is what it is, and since it had been in her family for many, many years, it was decided to frame it up regardless, as is.

Jump ahead several years to the present...the customer removes a drawer from a dresser and low-and-behold the missing puzzle piece reappears from behind the drawer.

There is something very therapeutic in knowing that the missing puzzle piece will soon be reunited with its brothers and sisters and now the picture is complete.

The Lord works in mysterious ways.

This time of year creates some beautiful opportunities for panorama photography. The light is becoming longer and the trees are just beginning to turn color. The Mississippi River in particular is a good panorama subject in this area because there are plenty of river bluffs to capture the wide expanse of the river.

The photo above was captured at Buena Vista Park above Alma, Wisconsin. It is a spectacular overlook. The weather was borderline inclement, which creates wonderful atmospheres for the camera lens.

This is a 4:1 print. Large format printing is ideal for a very narrow print like this. In order to really appreciate a print like this, it does require some height to the image, which means it will grow very wide, very fast. A 12" high print becomes a 48" wide print. Add some mat (typically 3" all around) and some moulding, the overall image is nearly 5 feet wide. This is a 'high drama' image that demands attention as soon as you walk into the room.

Red Wing Framing Gallery scientists have been quietly and diligently working very hard since the beginning of 2009 on a number of new products. With the advent of 'digital everywhere' technologies, customers have been insisting on using their own images to decorate their environments in a fashion that mirror both their lifestyle and taste. Our challenge is to meet this expectation with innovative and unique products.

Two products are nearing introduction. The first product is a 'Gallery Panel' and is targeted to the contemporary customer who wants a unique and fresh way to present. The Gallery Panel is elegant with old-school details, but also has a very bold and progressive presentation. Very ebony and ivory (?).

The second product is a bit further behind in introduction. It is code-named the 'Image Sandwich' or I-S for short. The I-S will be a transmissive image that will allow light from behind and lay flat on a wall. The early prototypes are promising, but there may be some practical size limitations that need to be determined. I-S Version 2.0 will also be a PDA. :)

The European marketplace tends to be more aggressive in pushing image technology. The irony is that some of the best ideas come from organizations in Europe that have been in the image business since the middle ages. We are not above learning from our European brethren, but it is very important to be both unique and creative.

Product announcements as they warrant and teasers are always free and unsolicited.

And please disregard any misinformation.

Another restaurant opened in Downtown Red Wing. Stewy's on Main will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner and provide a full bar offering.

Stew approached us a month ago and gave us free reign (with his final approval) to design attractive wall images . It was decided to focus on local iconic scenes, with a focus on both sides of the Mississippi River.

Panel Prints are used. This is a print on hardboard and mounted with a reverse frame to create a wall stand-off and laminated with a linen finish. The beauty of this product is that it is very contemporary, pool table flat, no glass is used and it creates a very nice drop-shadow effect. Each image is either 40"x40" or 27"x40".

The first grouping of three are all Downtown Red Wing photos, with the common denominator of the violin-playing model. These were printed with a brown sepia tone.

The second grouping is from the Maiden Rock Flood Run in 2004. Same image tone, different effect.

One wall is all about elegance and grace and the other wall is all about machines and chrome.

Yin and Yang. Joanie loves Chachi.