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Karrie Baas shows new encaustic paintings and colorful prints during July and August! Created with paint, beeswax and tissue papers, these gorgeous paintings draw you into their textures and lush colors. Imagery of crows, hummingbirds and moths reference themes of life, growth and relationships.
Join us for the Opening Reception on Thursday, July 10 from 4 to 7 pm.
Sundance Circle, Print on Paper, 12 x 12”
While on a trip home to Minnesota, I found a vintage print that belonged to my grandmother! As a framer, I knew it needed some conservation work and a fresh presentation. So, I took it back to my Seattle shop for the full treatment:
A vintage print handed down within the family has unknown origin, but remains sentimental.
Both the matting and the frame had seen better days.
The original black floral frame had myriad scratches and dings, which stuck out against the dark background. The grey mat was warping right out of the frame due to moisture, adding to the dingy look.
The backside of the frame, complete with paint splatter from some unknown past project.
The first order of business was to take everything apart to see what could be salvaged (if anything), and to take stock of any unexpected findings.
In addition to the normal fitting nails we often see, I found this interesting makeshift solution.
I found one of my grandma’s sewing pins was helping hold in the backboard! Old pieces like this can have hidden discoveries waiting inside…
This was the back side of the backboard!
…Like this! When I flipped over the backboard I realized it was a repurposed poster from a Wisconsin county fair! I hate that the year was cut off but suspected the ad is from the late 1950’s or early 1960’s.
Remnants of old tape cling to the edges of the vintage print.
I removed the artwork from the old frame and then began carefully dislodging the tape from around the edges. Luckily, most of the tape was old enough that the adhesive had dried out and flaked off easily.
I removed everything I could, leaving only small amounts of tape remnants in a few places.
Here we see the print by itself, with the matting and tape fully removed. Notice the lighter band that runs through the middle of the art - this was caused by a slit in a nearby window causing light to hit the artwork in just that specific spot. The bleaching of the paper unfortunately cannot be reversed; but it is a good reminder about the importance of UV-protective glazing and not hanging art in direct sunlight.
Clear corners are used for securing the print to the new backboard. This solution is 100% reversible and avoids adding any new tape or adhesive. They are hidden under the new mat for a seamless look.
You can also clearly see the foxing line around where the old mat was. Foxing lines are caused by acid present in the surrounding mats. This highlights the importance of using acid-free materials, especially anything that will come into contact with your artwork.
A new mat on the vintage print hides some of the damage.
All cleaned up and ready for the trip back home: acrylic can safely be shipped through the mail if packaged correctly.
And here is the final product! A new black frame was selected that had a similar, subtle floral scroll pattern. The new off-white mat brightens up the composition and hugs the old foxing line, maximizing the image.
This sweet and sentimental piece was finished off with Optium Museum Acrylic, providing ongoing 99% UV protection as well as a no-glass look for optimal viewing pleasure. Lastly, the shatter-proof acrylic makes the trip back home even safer. Grandma would be very proud!
We did so many special and unique projects last year, we couldn't resist sharing a few more! From modern to classic, minimal to maximal -- it's our pleasure to create custom framing that reflects your unique style!
Layers of suede, gilded gold and soft blue matting surround a small Caravaggio print. The soft suede and warm gold harmonize beautifully with the skin tones. A little gem!
Carved dark frame with gold lip for an antique map, circa 1570s. Framed with 8-ply matting and Museum Glass, this presentation is perfect for a historic piece.
A frayed silk scarf from the Spanish Republic (see how they wore it on the lower left) was carefully hand-sewn to acid-free matting for a floating look with archival quality. The simple black frame is a nice contrast with the colorful textile.
We're crazy about the new color palette of our vinyl-wrapped frames! Rainbow holographic vinyl adds a glam touch to a vintage postcard. Double 8-ply matting in crisp white and Optium Museum Acrylic finish the look.
The 1980s are back! Iconic illustration by Nagel is updated in a classic gold frame and Optium Museum Acrylic for incredible clarity and 99% UV protection. Stunning!
This was an unexpected choice: a wide "beaded" frame from Bella Moulding with a contemporary Colombian block print. We love it! The texture, colors and spacious feeling around the figure make it one of our favorite designs of 2024.
2024 was full of changes and innovations. As always, it is our customers who are the true inspiration! Check out some of our favorites:
Painting from Cuba in purple/red rustic frame
This colorful painting from Cuba just makes us smile. We love how the rustic, hand-painted purple and red frame The Chester Frame Company harmonizes with the art!
Horseshoe in acrylic box, mounted on natural linen backing with brass plaque.
It's always our honor to create a memorial project for a client. The mounted horseshoe is protected with an acrylic box and finished with a custom brass plaque.
Animation cell from Fantasia in a gold ornate frame with matching gold fillet and purple matting.
A vintage Disney animation cel from Fantasia got the royal treatment with a scroll-pattern gold leaf frame, purple linen mat and gold filet. Finished with Museum Glass for maximum clarity and UV protection.
Animation poster in custom-poured acrylic frame with a soft matte finish.
This contemporary Japanese anime poster was framed simply with a smoke-toned Prisma custom acrylic frame and Optium Museum Acrylic for incredible clarity and 99% UV protection. Stunning!
Pop art in a custom wrapped bright pink shiny frame.
Our client really wanted a hot pink frame, so we turned to 3M vinyl wrapping for a custom solution. (You can wrap a car, why not a frame?) The result was pure pop perfection! Optium Museum Acrylic finishes the no-mat look and all signatures are preserved.
A quartet of Mucha images nestled together in a green mat and subtle scroll silver frame.
Four beautiful Art Nouveau postcards got an elegant treatment with a jewel-toned mat and silver scroll frame. A simple design, but one of our favorites!
Grey suede mat perfectly matches the faux metal frame. A holographic vinyl inner frame perfectly picks up the holographic elements in the poster.
We just finished this Radiohead concert poster --and it's not every day that we combine a suede mat, holographic vinyl wrap and a metallic dark silver frame in one design. Every part of the framing amplifies the artwork, making it by far one of our favorite designs of 2024!
On July 29th, we welcomed local Author Nat Puttavon to share her book of poetry with a reading, book signing, and Q&A. Illustrator Stephanie Patterson displayed favorite images from the book with an art reception on our gallery wall.
The crowd was moved by the touching and often emotional poems. Each of the 5 chapters explores the 5 stages of grief: anger, denial, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.
Congratulations to Nat Puttavon and Stephanie Patterson for the amazing art reception and poetry reading for 365 Days of Grief! It was an inspiring moment of connection and community.
We have books and prints for sale through the end of August!
Now On View: Bleach and Bone
Gallery wall, “Bleach and Bone” summer group exhibition.
Our summer art show “Bleach and Bone” features works in black-and-white by NW artists including C.E. Godfrey, Peter Keller, Max Singler, Rich Smith, Eugene Pizzuto and Julia Ricketts. Black pigments including ink, acrylic, pen and graphite create a range of textures, marks and imagery in this refreshing installation, which includes a mix of figurative and abstract works.
