Irate Artist

Merlin · Post by **Merlin** » Tue 01 May, 2007 4:15 pm

I had a phone call from an Irate artist today, complaining that my comments were unfair and unjust.

Let me set the scene!

About 5 months ago a regular customer brings in 3 Ltd Ed prints (signed and numbered correctly). Ready Mounted. Wanting them framed. Not a problem in that, he already has had some 20 or so, from the same artist framed by us.

He, unfortunately!, has moved 'up country' and during the move, one of the last pieces was damaged and required reglazing. The new framer obviously found my 'Disclaimer note' between the mount and the backing and contacted the artist.

My Disclaimer note contained the following :

"This piece of work has been framed, glazed and backed by the framer. The Mount and fixing of the art to the mount was completed by the artist.
Faults found
1. Overcuts on the mount by 5mm(left) and 3mm(right).
2. Artwork has been fixed to the back of the mount by a mix of paper masking tape and sellotape on all four sides.
3. The artwork should not be fixed to the mount.
4. Artwork shows signs of 'foxing' from the use of low grade grey board as backing board.
5. Customer was informed at time of design about these faults."

The overcuts could have been 'hidden' if a light textured mount had been used. However, in this case a Black core/ very light grey face paper mountboard had been used. The proverbial sore thumb sticking out. I refuse to sell mounts with overcuts in. They certainly were not cut on any decent mount cutter either, because the cut is bowed and is not parallel to the opposite side.

I did remove the grey board and placed a conservation barrier paper between the artwork and the Art-Bak backing board.

With any pre-mounted work, I will not attach my own sticker on the back of the frame and will only place the disclaimer inside if there are any faults apparent.

No doubt - in time - another framer will find my other disclaimers as and when the masking tape fails.

This artist was so concerned that she would lose custom as her name might be 'slandered' (to use her word).

It really is a shame. Her work is really good and she advertises and sells both on the internet and in the two(?) trade magazines. The motto ' Spend to save ' springs to mind.

Does anybody else do anything like this?

Roboframer · Post by **Roboframer** » Tue 01 May, 2007 6:52 pm

Not really, I just don't stamp the back of anything not completely made and fitted by us.

Sometimes though, if something is really bad, such as overcuts, cockling etc, I WILL stamp the back, just to add a list of what we did NOT do, but not any detail of what is wrong with what we did not do.

The customer would have been given the option to rectify any faults and that will be noted on the order too.

JFeig · Post by **JFeig** » Tue 01 May, 2007 8:50 pm

I really don't think the artist has a leg to stand on as far as slander is concerned. Proper framing procedures have been widely published for years via The Guild, PPFA and FACTS.

As far as placing a label in work done in our shop ....... materials supplied by the customer are identified as such. Substandard products will not receive our stores label on the back.

Not your average framer · Tue 01 May, 2007 9:20 pm

It does not matter how good or bad the rest of the workmanship is, my label does not go on anything unless I did the whole job.

kev@frames · Post by **kev@frames** » Wed 02 May, 2007 5:50 pm

The framer up country needs a big wooden spoon for a start, on the face of it. And the artist neerds to raise their game.

When we do write (or find) these (very occasional) notes they are intended to be between collegues in the trade.

Ioften, in such cases as John's will write, in pencil, on the barrier layer "customers own mount", occasionally on the back of the frame if we have stickered it. I figure thats about as much of a disclaimer as we need.

I once found: "this customer is a complete to$$er" inside a reframe job. The original framer was right as well.....

Roboframer · Post by **Roboframer** » Wed 02 May, 2007 7:04 pm

kev@frames wrote:
I once found: "this customer is a complete to$$er" inside a reframe job. The original framer was right as well.....

Weren't you just a bit tempted to show the customer, or ring the framer up, pretending to be the customer?

kev@frames · Post by **kev@frames** » Wed 02 May, 2007 7:16 pm

Roboframer wrote: ".....ring the framer up, pretending to be the customer?

You are a Bad, Bad Man, Robo

.....

Manor Fine Arts · Post by **Manor Fine Arts** » Sun 06 May, 2007 9:34 am

I found this topic very informing,

when a customer brings in inferior mounted prints for framing, would it not be appropriate to point out why the mounting is of poor standing and suggest remounting. if the customer declines ask them to write on the reverse of their mount " Mounted by Artist"

Just a thought