The Framers Forum

As a mater of interest..."not that I have to justify myself to anyone here" I closed my web site simply because I was getting little feedback. Like most...they are only a point of reference!!! I know a large number of professional artists however...not just in England but in many other countries that know my work...that's where my work comes from to name one source. Also interior design keeps me busy at times too...I make other things apart from frames and do restoration work. Hope that explains your interest?

Of course the artwork IS the most important thing but if someone is going to sell a painting for say £10,000 the last thing they would contemplate is having a £40 frame to house it. Blinkers off...live in the now!

^^^^^^ What Tudor Rose says ^^^^^^

Tudor Rose - I salute your eloquence.
It was Featurepiece that started it all!
Blame him.

Even when a customer asks me to produce a hand crafted and handfinished frame, my experience has always been the the frame is secondary in importance to the artwork. To suggest otherwise makes no sense!

As long as the frame compliments and enhances the artwork, while satisfying the customers tastes and requirements, that's it. Factory finished mouldings, or handfinished frames usually fullfill this requirement equally well, so why all the fuss.

I think that Tudor Rose has said it all and I agree!

I wasn't aware that we were looking for someone to blame!

I agree Geoff you don't put a forty pound frame on a painting worth tens of thousands of pounds. But just as much skill and care goes into one of my £40 frames as ones that go round paintings worth hundreds of thousands.

There is no doubt this is a very emotive issue with lots of people. if I came over as offending anyone then I apologise for that. I am... and have always been ready to help anyone with any issues relating to framing if I am able.

Not an emotive subject Geoff, I just didn't appreciate framers being belittled just because they didn't hand finish their frames.

Framing is multi faceted and we all have our niche's.

Appology accepted Geoff.

On a lighter note, but related - I once had a Signed Picasso etching in for framing (worth a few thousand) - the only reason he came to see me was because he couldn't get a frame from Wilko's that fit... Now I think we can all agree that there's defo something wrong with that!!

I like the last post! Something else that came my way which was quite amusing......I was asked to finish a frame for a painting by Stanley Spencer. I wont say who the end client was (very big in the field of music) but anyway. I was given a frame made of hdf...basically a two part frame that I had to apply a gesso effect first followed by a variety of soft clay coloured washes to harmonise with the painting. This took me roughly half a day...the frame was soon collected and that was it, I asked the agent the value of the frame to the client?... He said... exactly one thousand pound. I replied that..that seemed very expensive! His reply to me was...had I have said a much cheaper price... he would have gone somewhere else for the frame.

Hi, don't want to start anything again but I just thought I'd update this a bit - I put those same pics on our Facebook page, someone seen the post and came in today with three pieces wanting them done the same way! I'm off today as it's my birthday but the missus is holding the fort and that was a nice surprise Anyway, that's all I wanted to say

Cheers
Steven

Happy Birthday