Join Us for a Holiday Party & Art Show!

Winter Art Show: Illuminated Works by Rich Stevens

Seattle artist Rich Stevens lights up the gallery with an exhibition of his newest works. Through layers of glossy resin, Stevens creates images of contemporary landscapes, sexy figures and fast food that comment on American appetites and excesses. Enhanced by glowing and shifting LED lights, these mixed-media masterpieces offer a more-is-more vision of what art can be. On view through December 31, 2025.

Join us for a Holiday Party and reception with the artist Friday, November 21st, 5 to 7 pm! Holiday shopping specials add to the fun.

Refreshments provided. Street parking or easy access via Metro Bus @ 27th & Madison St.

Make it Special with Matting!

Choosing a mat is one of the more intimidating aspect of framing for some of our clients. So many choices! What is the best? How do we know what “works” and what doesn’t? Will I still love that neon pink mat in 5 years? (Hint— yes, if it’s perfect with the art!)

One of the most common requests we get is to update older framing, and that often means a change of matting. In this case, the blue-grey double mat (L) had a heavy effect on this whimsical Picasso line drawing. The refreshed look (R) features a cream mat in a shade slightly lighter than the paper color to give a fresher feeling, allowing the image to breathe a bit more.

View fullsize

View fullsize

Before (L) and after (R) matting on a Picasso lithograph.

Color choice has a big impact on the mood and aesthetics of your framing. We often pull colors from the artwork or object to use for a mat selection. The license plate below shows how the choice of light blue or deep red sets off the object in unique ways.

A light blue mat color gives a fresh, airy feeling in this version.

Deep red matting adds drama and contrast in version #2.

Other matting options include double-matting, thick bevels and higher contrast choices. This black and white photo seemed a little lost with a white mat alone, so one option is to add depth around the image to create more focus. A medium grey was selected to keep a quiet feeling, adding a soft transition between the frame and the image.

In an alternate design, charcoal grey matting creates a stronger contrast around the image, but still draws from the tones in the photo. It’s important not to overpower the artwork with contrast and color choices, so in this case we would not recommend black matting as there are no true blacks in the art.

---

Neutral matting choices are often an elegant solution. This lovely block print of tree frogs benefits from a warm grey mat border, easing the transition into the soft green frame. The strongest contrast is in the art itself, which draws the eye to the subject in a proper balance of elements.

That said, sometimes the artwork demands a strong color! Acid yellow matting works great with this psychedelic print and a wavy red frame. All the elements are in balance and say “look at me!” — just what the customer wanted! We’re here to help you find the best solution for your art and your taste—so let’s have some fun with matting!

Our Summer Art Show Opens July 10th!

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”

Grandma’s Vintage Print Gets a Refresh

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!

Best of 2024 Part 2

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.

Best of 2024 Part 1

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!