In the course of a normal work day, colorful salespeople would show up in the store carrying cases full of little pieces of wood and wearing charming suits that identified them as not American. My colleagues and I would all crowd around the counter and pick and choose which of these frames held the most promise of selling. With a natural eye for choosing winners and the chutzpah to make my opinion known, I was given the opportunity to go on the annual buying trip to Italy.

Ah, Italy. My first trip out of the country was to the 1998 International Picture Framing Expo in Bologna, Italy. Look how young and ready to be opinionated I appear here!

Did you know that the vast majority of the world’s frame mouldings are designed and made in Italy and Spain? Those Europeans seem to be born with a winning combination of style and manufacturing know-how. Most of the companies we work with are second- or third-generation artisans with skills rooted in furniture and interiors which they have morphed into picture frames. Every year, the leading manufacturers bring their new looks to the fair and meet with customers like us from all over the globe.

It takes a few days to comb through the millions of options at the show and pluck out the true gems. Having just returned from this year’s trip (my eighth), I’m confident that I’ve chosen wisely. Check back with us in the fall when the exciting finds will be up on our walls—ready to ultimately end up thrilling you on your walls at home!

Then, as I entered Chicago Art Source Gallery, I noticed the gallery manager, Jackie, sanding and painting the walls in preparation for their next exhibit. I can’t wait to see what it is!

It is time for spring cleaning, new growth, and positive change! And, it’s no different here at Artists’ Frame Service where everyone’s minds have turned toward some new additions to our frame selection.

These colorful finishes and exciting textures offer a “certain something” that will make them classics for years to come.

Classic, no?

...And there's so much more!

It’s practically impossible not to have a sunny outlook when spring is in full bloom so early!

~Hanah

Meg was given the challenge to cater the art to the tastes of a child’s playroom. The bold use of color make this fun, yet classic in style; a good combination to satisfy parents and children alike!

I was asked to keep the design focused on the art and not the frame or matting. My solution was a narrow silver metal frame and quiet, neutral matting to allow the butterfly print to stand out while keeping it in an archival setting.

Janet came up with a beautiful combination of materials and colors, which include a custom steel frame, ink line (that thin line of copper around the mat opening) and creative use of mat boards; all perfect for an urban and contemporary space, like a loft.

On any given day our customers come in with a plethora of unique ideas required to make their art stand out. As framers it is our job, nay, our duty, to understand what works best for each individual customer and narrow down the possibilities until we find a winning composition that works specifically for them.

So…. What’s your style?

Are you a lover of Arts & Crafts?

How about a diva?

Maybe you are more casual with a hint of tradition.

Do you like your framing to be elegant, yet refined?

How about classically ornate?

Are you inspired by Contemporary art, perhaps with a smidge of whimsy?

Perhaps you consider yourself to be more on the eclectic side.

See, there’s something for everyone and not a single piece looks out of place. Let us bask in our differences, because:

~Incredibly unique framing by all of your favorites!

When I contemplate them further,  I’m not sure if the icing on top is the metallic paper that the photographs are printed on or the awesome frames around them. No. Strike that. It’s definitely the framing. How can anyone resist Hiram’s winning combination of cream mat with black core and Cinnamon Lollipop frame? The lines in the sign beckon for a mat like that to come out and play. And I’m quite certain the hot dog jumped off that fork and picked out the frame himself.

I suppose it’s needless to say that these guys have all of the framers here buzzing about which piece we want to take home. But Local Art Seen Here isn’t for us—it’s for you! It’s for you to have the opportunity to experience the same awesome art that we get to see every day. It’s for you to be inspired. It’s for you to take home and enjoy.

Come to the Lincoln Park showroom and see for yourself! And while you’re at it, check out what else Tracey Capone is up to here. You’ll find that there’s more than just city-scapes; when she isn’t capturing our city’s best spots through her camera lens, she is finding quiet moments in the world around her.

~Nichole. Framing by all of us framers.

I can’t tell you how many times a customer has asked me:

“Is this really worth framing?”

My answer is always:

“Do you love it? Does it mean something to you? Then, of course it is.”

You are worth surrounding yourself with the things you love. It doesn’t matter if the item cost you nothing or if it needs to be on your homeowner’s insurance. The most important factor is how you feel about it. Will it make you happy to look at everyday? Then it is worth giving it a beautiful and safe home in a gorgeous frame.

Bring some joy to your walls with:

A fortune from a cookie that struck you as particularly meaningful

A napkin with a funny drawing on it

Crazy snapshots that make you laugh!

Street art from a great vacation

Honor your family by framing:

• Paintings by your grandmother
• Your favorite family photo
• Paintings by your children
• Your child’s hand-print

Many of my favorite projects have more sentimental than monetary value. The things in life that we value are the things that are worth framing, whether or not anyone else agrees. So go for it! Do something that makes you happy, and frame your invaluably sentimental items.

Join in on the conversation here or on Facebook: Do you have a hard time deciding whether or not something is worth framing? Why or why not? What motivates you to want to frame your sentimental objects?

Stretching vs. Mounting

Initially we discussed stretching the canvas on a stretcher bar and then fitting it in a Prisma floater frame (which is made especially for stretched canvas). However, after taking the measurements of the art we found that there wasn’t enough canvas to stretch and that the art would be displayed just as well should we mount it to archival, non-acidic board and put it under anti-reflective & UV protective glass with a spacer to separate the art from the glass.

Designer’s Eye

Next came the fun part: choosing the frame style and color combinations. Max and his mother first thought they wanted to incorporate colors used in the décor of his room, so we considered various shades of grays, greens and browns. When we realized that this palette looked okay, but not spectacular, we sought out other colors that complemented the art and the room’s color scheme. In the end we found a winning combination of our newest color Curry, and a sliver of Mustard for the lip of the frame to give more visual depth.

Finally we discussed shape. The beauty of using Prisma frames to exhibit art is that they are completely customizable, right down to the very shape of the frame. Check out all of these options!

We went with Arco because of the fish’s rotund body. Doesn’t that fish look like he and the frame could just swim away?

~Framing by yours truly!

This same feeling is what drives our recently revived program at Artists Frame Service, Local Art Seen Here. It excites us to frame the work of emerging artists so much that we can’t help but make that art accessible to all of our customers. What does this mean? Every couple of months we will feature custom framed art by a different Chicago artist, and, to help further your collection, these pieces are available for purchase at special discounted prices.

The artist to be seen first is illustrator and printmaker Diana Sudyka, whose prints will be highlighted from January until April. Her whimsical scenes of animals paired with delicate line work are true treasures that brighten any wall they hang on. Among these delights are a couple of pieces that are out of print and only available in our showroom. The luck endures!

Now, we invite you to read more about Diana here, then after come to the showroom to make friends with Diana’s creatures and introduce them to your personal collection. Be sure to see what else Diana is up to by visiting her web site: dianasudyka.com and her blog: thetinyaviary.blogspot.com

In April our walls will be adorned with the work of photographer Tracey Capone, and July we will see the colorful world of printmaker Ryan Kapp. Are you an emerging or established artist interested in being a part of Local Art Seen Here? Feel free to drop a line to info@artistsframeservice.com with your CV and some images from your portfolio and we’ll see what we can make happen!

~Nichole. “Legends”, the photo of Marina City, by Tracey Capone.

These are the biggies:

What type of art are you framing?
• Is it a photo, canvas, watercolor, statue, poster, silk scarf, sports jersey, or family heirloom? As you can see here, we are capable of framing a wide variety of objects.
• The type of art effects the different variables involved with framing, including the method by which we are attaching the art; which all plays a role in the overall cost of the project.

What size is it?
• Size is a major factor in pricing. It will affect the amount of materials needed as well as how the art and materials are handled.
• Certain larger sizes may require additional reinforcement, different glass or Plexiglas options, or even special order materials.

Do you want a mat?
• A mat is a paper or fabric border used between art on paper and the frame. It also functions as a way to separate the art from the glass, which is ideal when framing for archival reasons.
• The mat will affect the overall size and cost of the piece.

What style of framing are you looking for?
• Simple black? Ornate Gold? Hardwood? White Lacquer? Steel? Aluminum?
• Are you more contemporary or traditional? Do you identify with a design style: Arts and Crafts, Deco, Industrial?

Is this a priceless family heirloom or a decoration for your dorm?
• A priceless family artifact must be handled with more care and different materials.
• We have economy options, such as a poster or diploma special. You can read more about our promotions here.

Other helpful info:
• What is your time frame? Is this a rush order? Keep in mind that our turnaround time for average projects is one week.
• Some materials are in stock, some items must be special ordered, and some get hand-made to order. This can affect pricing as well as turnaround time.
• Are you thinking of framing a large quantity pieces?
• A canvas has its own special set of considerations whether or not it is going in a frame.

Ok!  Now get on that horn and give us what you got!

~Thanks, Hanah and Josh for your special cameo in today’s entry!

While determining the top six stories we looked for profound uniqueness and sentiment.  In no particular order, here are the stories that outshone the rest of them:

As a way to help her daughter establish her art collection Becky framed a drawing by Chicago artist, Francine Turk. Her daughter, McKinley, has long been an admirer of Francine’s work and recently achieved her goal to save enough to purchase one of her drawings.  Becky has given her daughter two very special gifts: one of framing her first piece in her collection and the other, an appreciation for art that will last a lifetime.

Do you recall the tale of the long distance love birds? We do! We love the way Jeremy found the key to making the 2000 miles that separate he and his girlfriend seem a little closer. By placing beautiful photos of their respective homes at sunset in a single frame he showed how framing can help bring people together.

17 years ago Shelly’s husband, Ivo, went into the hot sauce making business in her Lakeview kitchen. Fast forward to 2011 when Shelly decided to frame the initial label prototypes and very first bottle of hot sauce ever made.  Can you believe that small bottle packs 20 different peppers?  Even more impressive, the chef now has two stores and has sold thousands and thousands of bottles. Hot Tamale!

Jeff grew up with this collection of photos from Italy during World War II, which was taken by his father, who happened to be a photographer for the U.S. Army during World War II.  After his parents moved in 1970, the photos were relocated from above the living room sofa to the attic.  It wasn’t until 1999, when Jeff’s father passed on, that the photos returned to Jeff.  Now they will finally find their rightful place on the wall of Jeff’s home office.

You know those rambunctious kids that never seem to be able to sit still?  It turns out that was Kristin’s father, and she has the letter to prove it!  After her grandmother passed away Kristin was left in charge of sorting through her boxes of family memorabilia.  While sifting through photos and such, Kristin found a hilarious letter written in 1950 by Fresh Meadows Nursery Center remarking on her father’s development as a five year old.  Realizing that her dad probably had no idea that the letter existed, Kristin created a shadow box to preserve this precious memory for him.

The holidays are a time for the family to gather and laugh, reminisce and create new memories.  Sadly, for Linda’s boyfriend, Billy, the opportunity to do so has dwindled. In the last three years he has lost the remainder of his nuclear family, of whom he spent a great part of the last ten years caring for.  In 2009, while Linda and Billy were preparing his Aunt Ruthie, who was like a mother to him, to move to a nursing home, Billy entrusted Linda with toy trucks from his childhood.  Linda recognized how much these worn little toys meant to Billy and indeed kept them safe.  This holiday season Linda thoughtfully helped Billy remember the good ol’ days by giving his beloved trucks a new home in an elegantly simple shadow box.  Leaves you a little misty-eyed, doesn’t it?

There you have it, folks.  Your memories and stories all sealed within four sides for your family to treasure for years to come. Thank you for sharing!

I thought you would!

This awesome drawing was made by the customer’s husband, who gave it to her when they were in college. The drawing hung in the customer’s dorm room, then in her home and then in her daughter’s dorm room. Now that it has made its rounds the piece will return to the entire family, after a little make over of course. Talk about a traveling show!

Long distance relationships can be difficult to endure, as this customer can attest to. In order to make the 2000 miles that separate him from his high school sweetheart a little closer he has framed up two beautiful scenes from their current respective homes. The left photo is of Lost Mule Peak overlooking Grangeville, Idaho, while the photo on the right is of the Big Apple’s Manhattan Island. I can feel the closeness; can you?

The composition of the frame, mat and art for this entry couldn’t be more perfect! It’s simple and elegant without losing its contemporary identity. Can you believe that the customer’s brother designed this circuit board so many years ago? This little guy helped utility and natural gas companies monitor gas usage in homes like yours. A smart design for a smart piece of functional art!

This thoughtful entrant decided to frame a photo of her sister’s canine friend, who has recently passed away after living a fulfilling 14 years. The customer knows how difficult of a time her sister is having letting go of her family pet, and for this the gift couldn’t be more suitable.

How lucky is the husband of this customer who got to see the last game of Brett Favre’s career at Lambeau Field? Thanks to his wife, his chilly experience will live on forever. Go Packers!

We always love receiving pieces that have family history woven into the fibers of the art. Here is a medical diploma that belonged to the customer’s grandfather. The story begins in 1888 in the town of Borisov in Russia, where her grandfather was born to a relatively well off Jewish family. Because of the rules in czarist Russia, he was not able to pursue his medical studies. So he made the trek to Germany, where he received a doctoral degree from the University of Munich. After his studies, Grandfather returned to Russia to begin his medical practice, however, he was soon drafted to serve as a doctor in the First Mountain Army during the Russian Civil War. The hospital cared for the Communist party “nobilities” and their families. It turns out that Grandfather was very close to being arrested during the infamous Doctor’s plot investigation, which was an anti-Jewish attack in the Soviet Union during Stalin’s regime. Thankfully, he was spared due to Stalin’s sudden death. The customer recalls fondly reading books and going for long walks with her grandfather, and now with the newly restored diploma framed her family can treasure his legacy even more.

What spectacular stories our customers have! Are you rooting for a particular tale? We will let you know of our top five favorites next week.

~nichole