What a year it has been. I am moving my blog to my website (I am told this will help my SEO and I always do what my IT people tell me to do).
I hope you will follow me there. Here is a little link to make it easy.
http://www.artispura.com.au/Blog/artis-pura-blog
Wishing you all an amazing 2013.
I love old frames. Sometimes it is in the past that we can find a solution to a current problem. Acclaimed Queensland artist Mona Ryder came to me with two fabric pieces that had been part of an installation created for the opening of the Queensland Art Gallery. She had been searching for a long time for an oval frames and was not having any luck. The second issue being that the pieces were three-dimensional and this presented a problem with glazing so that the works did not touch the glass.
Looking to the past I suggested we hunt down a matching pair of oval frames traditionally made for portrait photography and religious images of the sacred heart and then finishing them to suit the works. These frames were usually made with slumped glass so this would solve the spacing problem.
Finding a matching pair with glass intact was not going to be easy. I must have trawled every antique store in Brisbane without luck. It is always when you are looking for something it isn’t there but when you are not looking you see them a dime a dozen. I was lucky enough to finally come across a pair online. Glass intact but the frames in terrible condition. Using techniques learnt at Lowy I was able to restore the frames and at last these works are hanging.
A late night facebook email from a client needing a rush framing job for a photographic representation of Vermeers 17th century painting, “The girl with the pearl earring”, saw the challenge set. A quick facebook message to a friend at one of the wholesalers to confirm a morning rush order was possible and with a thumbs up there the client sent through the image on facebook and we chatted on design and desired outcome.
The client originally asked for a large ornate gold frame as this is what adorns the original painting by Vermeer. I explained that the Dutch in the 17th Century went against the elaborate ornate gilded mouldings of France and Italy and opted for simple ebonized timber mouldings often in a cassetta profile. In order to keep the work true to period the client chose to trust my judgement.
Now the preasure was on. Armed with my laptop and the wholesalers online catalogue I scrolled back and forth through hundreds of pages to put the final design together. Budget was also a considering factor as the final piece was for an assignment. With all this in mind and the clock nearing midnight I just placed the order and hit send. My last thought being, “I just hope the client got the size correct”
It all came together well and the client was very happy with the final result. All through the power of social media. I wonder what Vermeer and the girl with the pearl earring would have thought all those years ago if they heard this story?
There is a new movement hitting the streets.
People are rejecting mass consumerism and the flimsy low quality boxes
masquerading as the art of custom framing.
Say no to blutak, hot lam and push pins!
Don’t let the pieces of music history fade and be lost under the bed.
Make your framing reflect the music!
I love the tradition in framing. Slightly obsessed, I collect anything framing related from history. I particulary like the the hand drawn embellished mats that professional photos were presented in from the late 1800’s till the 1950’s. In my search for interesting designs I purchased a bulk lot from the United States. Rummaging through my acquisition I was floored, left speachless and a little spooked. There was me, looking back at me. An early 1900’s me. I quickly showed my husband and he too was without words. Just to make sure we were not imagining this we showed our then two year old son and asked him “who’s this?”. “Mummy” was the reply.
Well this photo just had to be framed!
Incorporating an old hand drawn, silk roughed matting with an arched bronze metal liner, a new inner linen matting and a bronze antiqued design frame I feel we have honored this lady, whoever she may have been.
Erin
ARTIS PURA Custom Framing
What a crazy time it has been since arriving back in Australia after my framing adventure in Las Vegas and New York. Before leaving on my trip I had decided that it was time for a monumental change in where I was headed within the framing industry. This was fueled by a desire to learn the techniques and traditions of the craft and someone close to me within the industry claiming there was no where for me to go. I felt stuck, demoralised and without opportunity. It became clear that I had to create the opportunity, I had to pull myself out of the rut and be brave.
A friend told me that you will never get anywhere or achieve anything more unless you get yourself scared. If you are not scared then you are comfortable. So I decided to get terrified. Starting with learning all I could in the time I had over in the US and combining that with my experience I would like to announce the opening of
ARTIS PURA CUSTOM FRAMING
Find out more at artispura.com.au or
find us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ArtisPuraCustomFraming
Today I leave NY. I am sad to leave but oh what a week. My six days at Lowy have been the most amazing experience. I have watched and learned so many ancient techniques. I even worked on frames with sanding, burnishing, filling and removing positives. I watched these amazing craftsmen and women work on reproductions and antiques and they filled my head with so much knowledge I feel like I might burst. They welcomed me into the amazing world of Lowy and I felt at home. There is no cutting corners at Lowy and some frames take weeks to create. They move from person to person and at each stop another piece of the puzzle falls into place.
If you ever wondered why custom framing is “expensive” then you only need to spend one day at Lowy to understand that framing is actually underpriced and undervalued. It can take hours to just burnish one frame. Burnishing is when the laid gold is rubbed with a carved piece of agate to make the gold shine. This is another technique used to give dimension and depth to the patina of the frame. Some areas are burnished and some are left mat. When you consider all the steps, carving, making moulds, sizing, gesso, sanding, clay, gilding, burnishing, finishing and fitting can you really say true custom framing is expensive. Even in the chop and join shops some one still took all these steps to create the moulding that the framer uses to create the frames.
I knew the value of framing long before Lowy but now I have a deeper understanding of the meticulous care and attention to detail at every step that is required to create the masterpieces created here every day.
Me burnishing white gold
I can’t believe just how many amazing people we have in this industry. Over the last few days I have met so many talented and interesting folk and everyone is so willing to share their knowledge and wisdom. My main focus was to learn as much as I could and to source great new ideas in both design and techniques. I did not expect to gain so much in such a little time. I have not only learnt more about the history of our craft but also business, sales and design. I have also made some friends.
But let me tell you about the moulding profiles and designs that I have discovered. As I had expected there was soooooooooooooooooooooooooo much more out there than our wholesalers down under were stocking. Gorgeous inlaid marquetry frames in the cutest quirky designs, large breathtaking ornate mouldings and funky acrylic frames that you can custom design and colour. There were even glitter and faux animal fur moulding. The glitter frame I hear is one framers top sellers.
Check some of the great designs out for yourself.
As a framer and art lover I have an ever growing collection of both original art and frames. It has however slowed slightly of late due to art buying funds being non-existent. I bought this hand coloured drypoint etching from an Australian artist many years ago and rediscovered it when having one of my random look through my collection days. The never-ending tale of never having enough wall space in the home to hang all these beautiful works inevitably leads to the question “Why did I buy this again?”. I know the answer. You thought ” I like it, it’s pretty!”, you thought “One day I might have a little girl and this will be me and her!”
Here I am over 8 years later having no daughter and there no plans for there to be any in the future (my boys and my frames are enough for me) it was decided this work needed a new home. Where to start? The frame collection!
It was great to find in my stash of cut and joined frames this gorgeous black ornate moulding that was just the perfect size. The dusty undertone worked great with the base ink of the etching and the delicate pattern reflected the femininity of the mother and daughter. It was perfect! Taking this frame I added a triple mount using a dusty pink inner matting to bring out their cheeks and lips, then a pin stripe of black and then out to an embossed acanthus designed matting that worked harmoniously with the frame.
I am really happy with the result and hope this wonderful piece will find a new home soon.
All written blog posts (unless credited to others) are the intellectual and creative property of Erin Salguero and are protected under copyright laws. All frames were designed by Erin Salguero and framing work of this piece completed by Erin Salguero. No post is to be copied or used without consent.
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