4Walls Magazine Issue 39

THE ART AND FRAMING MAGAZINE FOR PROFESSIONALS

NO. 39. 2021 Brought to you by

Tower Bridge

Alan Streets

One Wall Two Walls Three Walls Four Walls

WELCOME! Welcome to Issue 39 of 4walls, packed with news and features which I hope you will find an insightful and enjoyable read.

While a third lockdown has been a challenge in many ways, the industry is actually in great shape and we have been hugely impressed by the invention that customers are showing in adapting to and capitalising on an increasingly digital world. Click and collect, virtual appointments and exhibitions enable many of you to continue framing. On page 6, Graham Hunter tells us all about his success with virtual exhibitions which have brought him increased profile as well as sales.

One significant upside of lockdown has been the increased amount that consumers are

spending on their homes and interiors, and many customers have benefitted from this trend. The importance of high quality premium products remains a top priority in the framing world and we are seeing growth in our conservation ranges. On pages 8 & 9 we give an update on our environmental commitment.

More and more customers are ordering online.

We have included a practical, pull-out ‘how to’ guide in the middle of the magazine for those yet to make the switch.

We have a great selection of artists in this issue from cover star Alan Streets, with his cityscapes and fantastical creativity on pages 4 & 5, to the Society of Wildlife Artists on pages 10 & 11.

Jon Price’s latest masterclass is on pages 28 &

29 and explores mount design. All Jon’s videos are on our website as a free resource – they are a great watch!

Lastly, but by no means least, this issue pays tribute to the legend that is Steve Burke - who has just retired after 40 years in the business.

Thanks for everything, Steve – we will miss you!

If you have any suggestions or comments regarding 4walls, I would love to hear from you and do please follow us on social media.

Matt Matt George, Editor matt.george@larsonjuhl.co.uk @4wallsbyLJUK @4wallsbyLJUK @4wallsbyLJUK

3. Kick back and relax with Chaise Longue

CONTENTS NO. 39. 2021

Showcasing this stylish collection

4. Streets ahead

The creative world of Alan Streets

6. Virtually stunning

Graham Hunter’s online gallery

7. Guidance from the Guild 12. Here’s to 25 years!

Celebrating 25 years of Castle Galleries

14. High Fife!

A profile of Sun Gallery & Foursticks Framing

16. Online ordering A practical how-to guide

18. Bringing sunshine to Morecambe Tom Chester’s framing story

20. All About Framing THE ART AND FRAMING MAGAZINE FOR PROFESSIONALS

The one-stop shop

22. 25 years of framing

Pictor Framing celebrates 25 years

24. We’ll miss you, Steve!

Paying tribute to Steve Burke

26. The Súileir story A stunning Irish gallery

28. Mount decoration

A masterclass with Jon Price

30. Ask the experts

How to make a double frame

31. Days to keep in mind

A few of our favourite awareness days

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Views from Jo Palmer, Master of FATG

8. Sustainability at Larson-Juhl

Larson-Juhl’s environmental credentials

10. Wild about drawing SWLA sponsorship

KICK BACK AND RELAX WITH OUR CHAISE LONGUE RANGE Chaise Longue is an elegant and stylish collection inspired by nature and luxury décor. The frames have an organic and ergonomic shape and come in two profiles with a range of artisan inspired metal finishes – gold, silver, champagne, copper and pewter – a fabulous choice for all types of framing.

With its classy design and metallic accents, the Chaise Longue range is sure to draw the eye and enhance everything from the simplest monochrome drawings and photography, as well as more colourful pieces.

We have over 2,500 beautiful mouldings available on our website, ranging from the simple to elaborate, classic to contemporary, wood, metal, natural materials, modern finishes, with a rainbow of colours. We are always looking to pick up on current trends as well as lead the way when it comes to innovation in both framing and interior design.

To take a closer look at the Chaise Longue range, or to browse Larson-Juhl’s selection of stunning frames, go to the Larson-Juhl website.

Find out more at www.larsonjuhl.co.uk

Only uses timber from sustainable forests

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Zombie

STREETS AHEAD We had the pleasure of speaking to cover artist, Alan Russell-Cowan aka Alan Streets, about his unconventional career as a plein-air artist.

Alan is an incredibly talented, self-taught artist who started his career doing acrylic paintings on the streets of New York, where his work became popular and well-known. After spending 10 years in New York, he then returned to the UK and expanded his repertoire to include UK cityscapes, imaginary scenes and woodcarvings. But his career hasn’t necessarily been a smooth journey – with Alan using his art to distract from his struggles with mental health.

While Alan began in New York, where he sold his paintings to passers-by, he also travelled around America, painting a range of famous landmarks from other big cities. After returning to the UK in 2011, Alan continued to paint plein-air for three months, before deciding instead to paint from photographs.

Venus

He said: “When I was younger, my style was quite controversial, so I struggled to sell my paintings. But as I evolved as an artist, I had much more success and earned a reasonable living selling my cityscapes. I had a lot of support from the public, and I found that my style of artwork was more popular in America, where people tended to invest more in art. In London, my work is still popular, but the levels of crime on the streets means that I prefer to paint from photographs!”

Alan has been an artist his whole life, after being inspired by the legendary Salvador Dali as a teenager. But, although painting brought him fame, he also works with other mediums and enjoys drawing

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and woodcarving. He began drawing extensively at the age of 23, after being admitted to hospital for schizophrenia – ever since then he has been drawing to relax his mind, enabling him to paint better paintings.

As an artist, Alan is always looking to expand his work: “I took up woodcarving as a hobby when I was in my forties, after finding a piece of mahogany in a skip. I carved a swallow into the wood, sparking a love for the craft. I bought some blocks of wood and some carving tools and worked on my technique – now I can carve almost anything! Because of that, my woodcarvings are the pieces that I’m most proud of.”

Much of Alan’s work now comes from his avid imagination, from which he paints imaginary scenes. His work is immediately recognisable, incorporating a bold use of colours and reflecting the unique way in which Alan portrays the world around him.

Alan said: “Some of my favourite paintings of mine are the larger-scale imaginary scenes from the 90s, including ‘A Bolt from the Blue’ and ‘London Calling’. But it’s hard to choose, I love my plein-air work and woodcarvings too!”

Tower Bridge, moulding used 285757662

St.Pauls and Waterloo Bridge, early evening

Drawing done in Springfield Hospital

Captain Caustic

Virus Outbreak

These imaginary scenes are colourful and stimulating, with each painting using characters to tell a dark and sometimes humorous story in an everyday city setting. One painting in particular, Zombie Virus Outbreak, bears striking resemblance to the world’s current situation - the painting is about a laboratory accident that results in the creation of a Zombie virus, starting an outbreak. The idea was inspired by horror films, but little did Alan know it would become so relevant.

Despite being a street artist at heart, when asked about the importance of framing Alan said it makes all the difference, and loves an ornate, antique style frame as well as wood and metal.

“A good frame has the ability to make the artwork appear much more valuable and impressive, something that every artist appreciates! The frame draws the viewer’s attention and makes the art the focal point of a room.”

When it comes to the future, Alan will continue creating and hopes to spend some of 2021 travelling around the UK on his motorbike to photograph popular buildings, which he will then turn into paintings. He also hopes to venture further afield to paint other famous landmarks, and he is looking to return to Western America to paint the famous Monument Valley, as well as the grand churches of Russia and maybe Angkor Wat one day.

Bolt from the Blue

To see more of Alan’s fantastic work, follow him on social media or visit his website. https://www.alanstreets.net/ Facebook: @ArtistAlanStreets

St Paul’s at Dawn

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Passionate about art and determined to promote the gallery despite the challenges of Covid, Graham Hunter has had great success with online exhibitions – raising his gallery’s profile and winning support from artists and customers along the way.

Alchemy of Sorrow – Jane Clatworthy

VIRTUALLY STUNNING Graham traditionally ran a full programme of exhibitions showing original paintings and drawings by new and established artists, alongside limited prints, artists’ posters and lithographs. Over the years, printed works have enabled the gallery to feature artists’ such as Henri Matisse, Fernand Leger, Francis Bacon, Jim Dine, Picasso, Marc Chagall and many others.

In order to attract a new online audience, however, Graham wanted to focus on emerging artists who would create interest and debate and the gallery’s website currently showcases a stunning array of talent across a wide spectrum of genres.

Graham’s blueprint for online exhibitions is something that he will continue to use through 2021, even as restrictions relax, as events in the virtual world can be attended by so many more people! Graham holds previews on Zoom for his virtual exhibitions with the artists taking part in a question and answer session. These forums, not surprisingly, can be quite lively!

Summer Edge - Henrietta Stuart

Contemporary artists featured virtually to date include Jane Clatworthy. She believes

Graham and Sharon Hunter in front of a piece by Boy George which featured in last year’s exhibition for charity Art In A Box. See Issue 35 of 4walls for more information.

“I aim to disrupt ‘the gaze’ that falls so strongly on the female form, and I’m pushing back against the idea that ‘beauty’ of the human form is found predominantly in the feminine”.

She has therefore positioned herself right at the forefront of artists confronting patriarchal stereotypes.

Henrietta Stuart was a great success with her Extravagant Light – Location and Imagination show, featuring gorgeous landscapes. This was both in terms of sales as well as interest levels and engagement.

Drawn to Carbon was another exhibition that attracted considerable interest.

Curated by Elina Cerla and Graham Hunter, it focused on drawing as a fundamental act and the selection is purposefully monochrome.

Resurfacing was an exhibition of paintings by three well established female artists.

All work was executed during the first Covid-19 lockdown, and each represents a personal response by the artist when forced to reassess or embrace their established practice.

Graham believes that the key to successful online exhibitions is to feature impactful art, and create a very simple yet stylish online experience that allows the art to shine with simple flags for the title, the medium, the size and the price – with plenty of links for those wanting more detail.

“People are unlikely to buy online unless they know what they are buying,” he says, “but having a serious digital presence has given us a massive boost in terms of profile and engagement. I am also using Facebook and Instagram in particular to spread the word.”

https://www.grahamhuntergallery.co.uk/ Instagram: grahamhuntergallery Southgate Tube Station 2019 - Paul Brandford

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the male nude is underrepresented in recent art history and says:

Since 1910 the Fine Art Trade Guild has been the trade association for the art and framing industry.

The statement “encouraging and promoting the best in art and framing” is at the heart of what we do. But what does that mean for those of us who work as framers? In other words, and with apologies to Monty Python “What has the Fine Art Trade Guild ever done for us?”

27 years ago, working framers in the Guild created the internationally recognised GCF Study Guide and GCF qualification, but the process didn’t stop there. It was refined over time, and has now been upgraded to the Guild Certified Framer, with a professionally recognised CPD programme, and a recertification process every four years.

For framers wanting to show further depth of knowledge and specialisation there are three Advanced level qualifications too: Mount Design and Function, Conservation or Textile Framing.

The GCF Scholarship programme has been sponsored by Larson-Juhl for the past five years. The Scholarship enables four framers each year to take advantage of subsidised education opportunities – including at the Guild Weekend framing workshops in May – study material, training with a Guild Accredited Trainer and the GCF exam itself. The next round of applications will open in April, 2021.

The Guild’s five levels of framing were designed to work across the spectrum. As relevant for those working in commercial framing as they are for those offering a fully bespoke service. For over 20 years the Guild Mountboard Standards have been an essential tool, enabling framers to purchase boards with confidence where we see the Guild scheme logo displayed.

Ian Kenny GCF(APF) Adv, Master’s Warden, Alistair Gray and Jo Palmer GCF(APF) Adv, Chair & Master of the Guild.

Guidance from the Guild

The Guild continually evolves – as all good businesses should. Which is why the 2021 Study Guide includes information about the four new mountboard standards and the four new levels of framing. The clear and easy to remember 4x4 message. The mountboard standards are now in the transition period, with full compliance by suppliers and manufacturers from 1st January 2024, so you will start to see the new board levels coming through soon.

At the moment plans for face-to-face gatherings in 2021 have to be flexible – we are hopeful that our Guild Weekend in May can still go ahead.

However, the virtual gatherings on Zoom for the Larson-Juhl sponsored Guild Round Table events will be continuing. Previously hosted around the UK and Ireland, they moved to a virtual setting in 2020 and sparked some very lively and interesting discussions. The Round Table events allow those of us working in this industry – members and nonmembers - to chat through a variety of topics and offer problem solving hints and tips. If you would like to get involved then please do speak to your Larson-Juhl area representative.

Our Guild is uniquely member owned and member run, with volunteers from across all aspects of the art and framing industry coming together to work on behalf of all members. We are proud to be an organisation that for over 110 years has been helping and supporting the art and framing industry. Writing and upholding standards, programmes and qualifications. Our Guild has a history to be proud of and a future ready for us to develop for the benefit of our members and the wider industry.

Jo Palmer GCF(APF) Adv, Chair & Master of the Guild.

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Forest Stewardship Council FSC forest management certification confirms that the forest is being managed in a way that preserves biological diversity and benefits the lives of local people and workers, while ensuring it sustains economic viability.

Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification At PEFC, we care for forests globally and locally.

We work to protect our forests by promoting sustainable forest management through certification. This means we can all benefit from the many products that forests provide now, while ensuring these forests will be around for generations to come.

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Sustainability at Larson-Juhl Sustainability is a topic that we’re incredibly passionate about here at Larson-Juhl UK, and it is becoming ever-more popular with consumers too. In fact, a recent study found that 78% of consumers consider the environmental impact of their purchases at least occasionally. Although we all still have a long way to go, Larson-Juhl is playing its part in making the world a better place.

Here are some of the things we’ve been doing!

Certified Moulding:

Chop Service:

■ As

■ U sing

■ We

Reducing our Plastic Usage:

a company, we believe in sustainable wood. We have the largest selection of FSC / PEFC certified mouldings for our customers and we will be increasing this wing in the coming years. currently stock 360 mouldings that are FSC or PEFC approved, all of which are made using timber that has been lumbered in compliance with sustainable forestry policies and are also fully recyclable. These include Andover, Chaise Longue, Driftwood and many more!

■ Larson-Juhl

has full chain of custody ensuring that timber is tracked through every step of the supply chain from forest to shelf.

This provides third party certification that products originate from certified forests with an unbroken path to the customer.

our chop service allows customers to order the exact amount of moulding that they require, reducing wastage.

Not to mention that it’s easier for framers!

■ We

switched to using recyclable cardboard boxes for all our moulding packaging.

■ O ur

mountboards are also packaged in cardboard boxes and recyclable bags, further decreasing our plastic usage and making us eco-friendlier.

Mountboard – UK made:

New Customer Service Centre:

■ O ur

■ O ur

mountboards are made in partnership with specialist papermaker James Cropper in Cumbria and are made in a factory that heavily focuses on sustainability. of them are FSC certified. The paper mill uses 24% recycled fibre input, given a second life as paper products and packaging.

recent move to a new customer service centre means that all stock is now under one roof and we no longer have to move products between locations. This not only increases efficiency, but also reduces the energy consumption of the business.

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■ Water

- The process draws in water from the river Kent which is recycled many times within the production process to reduce water usage. 91% of water abstracted is returned clean to the river downstream of the mill, with the paper itself containing 7% moisture. The river has been classed as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a European Site, Special Area of Conservation because it is home to a thriving population of white-clawed crayfish, a species that signifies water purity and is considered to be of international environmental importance.

■ E nergy

– The factory is investing in low-carbon energy solutions and is reducing primary energy consumption in line with the paper sector Climate Change Agreement.

– There is zero waste to landfill from the site. Even fibrous waste extracted from waste water is land-spread on local farmland, all approved by the Environment Agency, as it has been shown to have agricultural benefits!

■ B edford

Link Logistics Park achieves a BREEAM rating of Very Good. This reflects a high standard of design in the areas of energy use, transportation, treatment of ecology, minimisation of pollution, health and wellbeing, management of the specification and construction process, water use, materials selection, and waste in construction.

■ H igh

performance glazing minimises heat loss and also heat gain, whilst transmitting as much light as possible.

■ M oving

to a new building also has additional advantages.

The new building has motion sensors in both the office and the warehouse and an electric car charging point in the car park to improve its energy efficiency.

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addition to the energy saving adaptations of the building, we ensure that all dry recycling is sorted before leaving the building.

■ L and

https://www.jamescropper.com/

Becoming more sustainable is a journey and as a business we will be making it a priority in the coming year. You can take the first step by checking out our range of sustainable mouldings online – with many customers choosing products based on environmental certifications we’re sure you won’t regret it! Or, if you’ve already started to reduce the environmental impact of your business, we’d love to know what steps you are taking. Let us know on social!

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Standing Gorilla - Iain Nutting

Larson-Juhl is always on the lookout for emerging talent, and we see it as our responsibility to showcase new generations of artists. That’s why we love to partner up with organisations such as the Society of Wildlife Artists, who run an annual exhibition and competition of which Larson-Juhl is delighted to be a sponsor.

WILD ABOUT DRAWING!

The exhibition is called The Natural Eye and showcases the very best of fine art inspired by the natural world – displaying a wide-ranging collection of exciting and thought-provoking work including sculpture, printmaking, painting and drawing. The exhibition was held online this time, with many of the pieces still available to view and purchase on the Mall Galleries website.

The standard was exceptionally high, with many stunning entries. However, the winner of the Larson-Juhl drawing award was Nik Pollard who created a wonderful series of drawings on white-tailed bumble bees and knapweed that took our breath away!

Nik Pollard says his work is generated from: “sustained, direct observation with paintings and drawings often resolved in the field. A period of dedicated study at single or related locations is a necessary part of my process. Drawing from all the senses, I investigate the rhythms and characteristics of a location and its ecology, resulting in a sense of time and place.”

Having been forced to focus on wildlife closer to home this year, Nik has given particular focus to the bumble bee species that inhabit his local meadow. With this wonderful subject matter on the doorstep, he has been able to move seamlessly between field and studio to build a new body of work that celebrates these marvellous creatures whilst exploring different drawing and printing mediums.

Flooded pasture, Heversham Marsh - Fiona Clucas

Nik is a well-deserved winner, with his drawings beautifully capturing the movement and energy of the insects and giving a wonderful sense of being immersed within the meadow.

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Young Swans, Spring light - Fiona Clucas.

Autumn Gold

Red hoe Hare - Harriet Mead

White-tailed bumble bee and knapweed - Nik Pollard

dfinches - John Foker

Patience on the river - Laura Andrew

Elephant - John Dobbs

Fox portrait - Simon Griffiths

Otter - David Parry

Long Tails and Great Tits in the cherry orchard - Brin Edwards

Silver Garden Snail - Nick Bibby

Nik said: “Presentation of my work is very important to me; therefore, I am excited to be receiving the Larson-Juhl Award and look forward to selecting some quality framing products.”

Follow Nik Pollard on Instagram @nik.pollard or view more of The Natural Eye exhibition here: https://www.mallgalleries.org.uk/whats-on/exhibitions/ natural-eye-2020

The River Clova - Glen Clova - Gregory Millar

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HERE’S TO

25 YEARS!

Larson-Juhl has worked with notable fine art publishers Washington Green for decades and we are so pleased to be able to help them mark 25 brilliant years of their retail galleries, Castle Fine Art. As part of their anniversary celebrations, they reviewed the best art from 1995 to the present day – from artists inciting political movements, to championing human rights and influencing new technologies, we’d like to revisit some of the key moments with you in 4walls.

1990s

2000s

The 1990s can be defined as the period in which contemporary art began to evolve and give rise to the art we see today.

Globalisation and the rise of the internet heralded the use of new media and an increased focus on multiculturalism.

Critics and consumers alike began to embrace works by Latino and AsianAmerican artists, as well as AfricanAmerican artists such as Lorna Simpson and Pat Ward Williams who took centrestage at the infamous 1993 Whitney Biennial.

The 2000s were a decade of celebrations: the Tate Modern opened in 2000 with over five million visitors in its first year, while the Guggenheim celebrated its 50th anniversary. Public art projects included Anthony Gormley’s One & Other performance in 2009, which involved 2,400 strangers occupying the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square, London, for one hour each over the course of 100 days.

The Guerrilla Girls at the V&A Museum in London. Credit: Eric Huybrechts

Artists of this period were also some of the first to explore subjects such as LGBT rights, race and AIDS, and activists like the Guerilla Girls infiltrated the industry to fight against gender and ethnic bias. In 1992, at the opening of the Guggenheim in NYC, their organised demonstration in response to an exclusively white male show included handing out bags with gorilla heads printed on them for protesters to wear over their faces.

As the economy recovered from the market crash of the 90s, art fairs took over, while museums across the globe underwent major rebuilding programmes.

MoMA in New York, opened its doors in 2004, while in Paris the Louvre reopened its Musée des Arts Décoratifs in 2006.

China and India welcomed a contemporary art boom and artists from the Middle East and Iran inspired an international audience. In Versailles, Jeff Koons pushed the boundaries of taste by installing his flamboyantly kitsch sculptures amongst the opulence of the Palace, including his signature balloon dogs and a rendering of Michael Jackson with his pet chimpanzee, Bubbles.

2010s In 2010, the Instagram app launched, and the world changed forever. Artists began to create ‘Instagrammable’ art that could be shared worldwide via smartphones.

Likewise, AR and VR technology encouraged viewers to interact with the art.

‘Log Lady & a Dirty Bunny’ by Marnie Weber

Performance, conceptual and body art made household names of Damian Hirst and Tracey Emin, while transgressive street art adorned the world’s capitals and a digital revolution produced the first ‘internet art’.

‘Balloon Dog (Magenta)’ by Jeff Koons, at the Palace of Versailles in France. Credit: Marc Wathieu

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‘Michael Jackson and Bubbles’ by Jeff Koons, at the Palace of Versailles in France. Credit: Jean-Pierre Dalbéra

Politics were a recurring theme, as portraits of Barack and Michelle Obama swamped social media, and the election of Donald Trump as the U.S. president in 2017 sparked an outpouring of satirical sketches and illustrations. Similarly attention-grabbing was Banksy’s Dismaland exhibition in 2015, and the shredding of his £1 million ‘Girl with Balloon’ painting at Sotheby’s that followed in 2018.

showcased the artists and designers reacting to pressing ecological issues, including species extension.

As for the rest of the 2020s, we’ll have to wait to find out! But we’re sure Castle Fine Art will continue to support artists to reach their full potential and we look forward to seeing what this decade will bring!

‘Forever Bicycles’ by Ai Weiwei. Credit: Ashton Emanuel

Elsewhere, the first edition of Art Basel in Hong Kong opened in 2013, African art made an emergence, and retrospective exhibitions of Keith Haring and JeanMichel Basquiat brought seminal works to a new audience. Georgia O’Keeffe’s painting, ‘Jimson Weed/ White Flower No. 1’ (1932) also became the most expensive artwork by a woman, selling for $44.4 million in 2014.

Students in Lausanne, Switzerland, strike for ‘Grève du Climat’ in January 2020. Credit: Gustave Deghilage

Leading the way in 2020 are the Millennials and Gen Z, who are using their influence to encourage diversity in the arts and explore LGBTQ+, race and environmental issues. Female artists and artists of colour have also been instrumental in the pioneering of environmental art. Eco-Visionaries, held at the Royal Academy of Arts in 2020,

‘The Toilette (Make Up or Mirror of Life)’ by Niki de Saint Phalle.

Credit: Fred Romero

Huge thanks to Washington Green for sharing this amazing content with 4walls.

www.castlefineart.com/blog/ washington-green-fine-art The Albertina Museum in Vienna held an exhibition of Keith Haring’s works in 2018. Credit: Heinz Bunse

2020s This decade has kicked off with a bang!

Despite COVID-19 the $63.7 billion art market is expected to expand as more people embrace online shopping and virtual exhibitions.

 Students in Lausanne, Switzerland, strike for ‘Grève du Climat’ in January 2020. Credit: Gustave Deghilage

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High Fife!

Courtesy of Mike Stuart

128 127 000

With a degree in Fine Art and having been GCF accredited since 2004, it is not surprising that Joe Nicholson‘s businesses are so full of creativity and professionalism. Joe is now totally focused on building both Sun Gallery and Foursticks Framing – but Joe was not always so sure about his ambitions! When he left art college, he lived in a tent in Cornwall. He started an apprenticeship in a local workshop crafting highend clocks and mirrors and was captivated by skills including raised gesso and gilding.

Joe says: This year, more than ever, will see stronger relationships within the art world. I believe that creativity, shopping local and supporting your local economy is key to rebuilding our communities. Many artists have found the tools and confidence to get more of their work out there and we support them 100%. As a gallery, it is our job to encourage and promote healthy creative practice and provide a physical, accessible environment where art can be experienced in the flesh.

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Joe - ©photosbyzoe - https://photosbyzoe.co.uk/

In 2002, Joe returned to Scotland and soon after began framing with Framework in Edinburgh, gaining further experience and his framing qualification.

Then in 2008 he launched Foursticks Framing – appropriately named after the Led Zeppelin album.

He started by making his own frames from driftwood and his business has thrived ever since, despite many challenges, and particularly the last year through lockdown.

In 2019, the opportunity came along to further explore the art world. Last December, Sun Gallery was destined for closure due to the previous owner’s retirement. Joe could see the potential, and with the support of friends and family, jumped in to save the space. The previous concern had been going for 14 years, but was in need of a serious refresh. “I wanted to keep the space alive for the community,” he told 4walls, “even though it needed a lot of work.” While the first lockdown was hardly welcome, it did give Joe the chance to refurbish the premises properly.

Going forward, a dedicated wall will regularly feature “the abundance of creative disciplines thriving on our doorstep in our permanent mixed showcase.”

The seasonal exhibition will focus on an invited featured artist. First to star is Rona Hyslop, who is a prolific Scottish landscape painter. Rona studied drawing, painting and printmaking at Edinburgh College of Art and her work celebrates the Scottish landscape in a stunningly uplifting style. When under lockdown, the chance to enjoy this beautiful work seemed especially appropriate. Her canvases are framed in Larson-Juhl’s white slip moulding 128127000 and custom-finished Barefaced Obeche moulding 224400000.

We were blown away by Joe’s use of our 3’’ gold swept frame 829693260 to create spectacular screens that have a wow factor as well as a practical health and safety function. We think they look absolutely fantastic!

Find out more at: www.sungallery.co.uk Follow Sun Gallery and Foursticks Framing on social media @sungalleryfife on Facebook and Instagram.

Joe has worked very hard to make the gallery Covid-19 safe, while minimising the impact of safety measures on the gallery experience. Ensuring people have the capacity to enjoy the artwork in a safe environment has been at the forefront of the project. Joe explains: “We have maximised the open-ness of the gallery to encourage people to enjoy the space.”

829 693 224 400 000

‘Gott Bay, Tiree’, by Rona Hyslop

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MAKING THE MOST OF ONLINE ORDERING More and more of our customers are ordering via the website and the feedback we are getting is that it really does make life easier. This ‘how to’ guide has been put together for those who are yet to make the switch to encourage you to give it go!

STEP 1 – ONLINE LOGIN

The ‘login icon’ is on the top right hand corner of the home page.

STEP 2 – ORDERING

To search for products and add to your basket, enter the product name or item number in the search bar or select ‘products’ to browse groups and ranges

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Enter your e mail address, password and tick ‘remember me’ if you want to remain permanently logged in

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The drop down box allows orders and pricing in length, metre, pack, box, chop, chevron or sample

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Select ‘forgot password’ for a reset If you do not have login details select ‘request a login’

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Discounts are automatically applied

TOP TIP 1 - MY FAVOURITES

TOP TIP 2 - MY ACCOUNT

If the product is regularly ordered you can ‘Add To Favourites’

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In ‘My Account’ screen select ‘My Favourites’ to display your list

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■ ■

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Hover your mouse over the login icon and select ‘My Account’ You can view orders, invoices, returns, credit notes, back orders and statements

The main benefits are: ■ stock availability is visible in real time ■ instant access 24/7 ■ orders are fast-tracked directly to the warehouse ■ orders can be placed with just a few clicks ■ order history and payments are all recorded in one place But don’t just take our word for it!

STEP 3 - CHECKOUT

Bob Swan – Cygnet Gallery in Aldershot I’m certainly a convert! I made the switch during the first lockdown and love the fact that everything is immediate.

For an owner operator, it is a really efficient way of managing stock.

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Click on the ‘basket icon’ to view your shopping basket

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Pricing for the total order will be displayed Select ‘proceed to checkout’ to confirm delivery method and submit your order

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TOP TIP 3 -ONLINE STATEMENT

Chris Williams – Bespoke Framing in Southsea Having been ordering online for many years, Chris really recommends it: Having a real time look at availability is really useful. The process is simple and reliable – and also saves time!

Graham Hunter – Creative Picture Framing in London Online ordering is a great way of working for me. I like being able to see stock levels. And always having a written record is really helpful.

Select ‘Online Statement’ in your My Account screen

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‘Download’ for a PDF of your up to date statement

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Bringing sunshine to Morecambe Although just 33, Tom Chesters already has 17 years’ experience of the framing industry – with big plans for the future. He exudes energy – and is very excited about what 2021 will bring.

4walls caught up with him in a very sunny mood!

It all started with a Saturday job when Tom was 16. Then in 2014, he set up his own business, Bay Framing, initially from a stall in Morecambe Festival Market and a workshop in Lancaster.

In 2017, Tom bought his current premises in the town centre where he can combine both customer service and his workshop.

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At the start of this year, Tom’s wife Egle joined him, and with her creative background he is really excited about how they can expand their customer base. They are planning a new website, and a big push on social media. To date, most of Tom’s business has come by word of mouth but to fulfil his ambitions for the business he realises he needs to be more proactive with his marketing.

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While Tom says they are very much a mainstream offer, framing photography, local artists’ paintings, hobbyists’ cross stitch and the like, he has had a huge success with alternative movie posters which has become something of a speciality as well as a personal passion. Larson-Juhl’s Confetti range works especially well with film posters – Finding Nemo by Raid71 is featured here as an example. Colosseum is Tom’s favourite Larson-Juhl range and he used it to stunning effect to frame Andrew Swainson’s Alien poster.

Tom has some celebrity links of his own. No joke!

Eric Morecambe was his grandfather’s cousin – and Tom once framed a portrait of the legendary comedian. He also shares a hairdresser with Tyson Fury – another son of Morecambe who latterly has done huge amounts for the town and also champions mental health.

Chas Jacobs is a renowned local artist who uses Tom for all his framing, and it is more contracts like this that he is seeking for 2021.

Find out more at www.bayframing.co.uk and follow Tom and Egle on Instagram and Facebook @bayframing

The many colours of Confetti Confetti is one of our most popular collections – not only in terms of choice, with a total of 79 different variations, but because it is so very versatile. The profile shape works well on its own, stacked or as an enhancement to other frame designs to create a unique one of a kind piece.

This highly versatile range can be mixed with many other moulding collections, when an extra touch of colour is needed.

Confetti comes in 23 colours - from soft pastels to stunning bright primary colours and with a choice of four profiles. It is especially complementary for colourful prints and artwork – film posters being a fantastic example.

See the full range here https://larsonjuhl.co.uk/ mouldings/larson-juhl-signature/collectionname=confetti/

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All About Framing is a one-stop shop, offering a complete service in all aspects of picture framing. For this article, we spoke to father and son team, Duncan and Kieran McDonald, about their unique offering and business journey.

ALL ABOUT FRAMING

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All About Framing is a bespoke online framing service aimed at galleries and framers in the South of England, with various packages available depending on the frequency of service and timing requirements. With the high street ever-changing, this service is perfect for those who would like to outsource some or all of their framing - whether that’s because they have too much work on, lack workshop space, or even want to spend more time on other aspects of the business. Busy framers can lack the time and energy needed to grow their business. All About Framing is designed to make framing easier and give trade customers more freedom, whilst not compromising on quality of service.

All About Framing’s offering includes: 1 Ordering: The online framing system allows

customers to instantly place orders with live pricing and stock availability.

2 C ollection: Artwork is collected from the

customer’s shop and secured from the point of collection to the moment it is delivered back.

3 A rtwork and Handling: A trained professional

assembles the frame and artwork to fit customer requirements.

4 Quality Control: On completion, every piece is

inspected by a senior production manager.

But that’s not all – All About Framing also offers FrameIt, a picture framing system that allows trade customers to plan, design and price a frame, anywhere at any time. FrameIt is included in both full and part-time service plans and is designed to make the framing process easier, with features to assist in selling framed work, managing orders, reporting results and supporting business growth. There is also the option to get Advanced Framing Support when entering jobs that are difficult to measure or calculate fabrication, an expert will then check that the calculations provided are correct.

All About Framing also offers: ■

Hanging systems

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Hanging services

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Ready-made frames

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Luxury ready-made frame options

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Trade discount on gallery supplies

5 D elivery: Completed frames are packaged

and delivered back to the customer within a two-week window. All About Framing use their own delivery driver to ensure the safety of artwork in transit.

All Packages include free use of All About Framing’s ‘FrameIT’ Pricing system, online and phone support, free training courses and trade discounts on framing consumables and hanging systems products.

We were delighted to hear that their first-class service includes Larson-Juhl products, with All About Framing offering thousands of mouldings from the Larson-Juhl range, as well as 345 different types of mountboard and a selection of glass types.

Duncan and Kieran continue to expand their business, with plans to welcome a marketing manager to the team to work on increasing online presence and footfall to shops that come on board. They will be on hand to assist with creating content for galleries to use in newsletters and advertising campaigns. These developments in the business will provide yet more opportunities for framers to get help with their business and focus on what matters to them.

“It’s only your imagination that limits what we can frame”

Duncan started as a framer in 1997, having previously worked as a policeman. His interest in framing started as a hobby in his garage, before opening his own framing shop, Sunflower Framing. The business was a great success, and before long he started a range of other small businesses that he combined in 2019, with the help of son Kieran, to create All About Framing. The business has grown naturally, fuelled by Duncan’s desire to alleviate many of the common issues faced by framers nationwide. http://www.allaboutframing.co.uk/ Email: sales@allaboutframing.com

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YEARS OF FRAMING

4walls spoke to Lawrence Robinson GCF (Adv) from Pictor Gallery Custom Framing about his beginnings in the framing industry, and how framing has evolved over the 25 years he has been in business.

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Lawrence was always interested in art as a child, but began his career travelling the world as a land surveyor. After spending three years working in Libya, he decided to leave the surveying industry, with the intention of reconnecting with his passion for art. From there, he bought some second-hand framing equipment and began doing framing courses with the Fine Art Trade Guild.

After realising his love for framing, Lawrence made the brave decision to sell his house to start his own framing business in the front room of a rental house in Manchester. The decision obviously paid off, as Pictor Gallery Custom Framing has now been in business for 25 years and is still in the same location!

Lawrence said: “When I spoke to the landlord of the property, he thought I was daft trying to sell art and framing, but when we opened in 1995 the work came flooding in. We were lucky enough to have space for both a framing workshop and a gallery.”

Due to lockdown restrictions, he hasn’t yet been able to celebrate his 25 years in the business. But Lawrence continues to look to the future and develop his business by taking part in the Fine Art Trade Guild Continuous Development Programme to further his knowledge, and strives to use the latest techniques, materials and tools in his work.

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We asked Lawrence how the framing industry has changed over the last 25 years, and he said: “The internet has changed the industry dramatically, as it makes it easy to stay updated on current news and events. But it also sparked a price war between galleries, with each offering the same image at a lower price to win over customers. I’ve even had customers bring in mounted editions to be framed, which I was selling in my shop.”

Despite this, Pictor Gallery has embraced technology from the start, and in 2001 the gallery was awarded funding for a new website by winning a competition funded by the council. Since then, Lawrence has redesigned the website and is beginning to get to grips with using social media to promote the business.

“I know that social media is incredibly important for developing the art side of our website, and I’d like to build up a presence on social platforms. But I work alone and one thing I don’t have enough of is time! In the future, I may consider converting the art gallery into another workshop and employing some help. This would give me more time to focus on both my family and running the business.”

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Lawrence is a long-standing customer, having first encountered Larson-Juhl at a framing fair at the start of his career. Lawrence said: “I arrived at the fair with my handmade business cards, and it really opened my eyes to the industry. Larson-Juhl had an impressive stand, with lots of artwork framed up in their mouldings – I was so overwhelmed, but I placed a pro-forma order despite having no idea what that meant! Since then, I have always worked closely with both Larson-Juhl and Seb, my area sales manager. It’s great to have someone to talk framing with and keep me up to date with current trends!”

We were, of course, pleased to hear that Larson-Juhl has been with Lawrence since the beginning and were interested to know which of Larson-Juhl’s products Lawrence enjoys using the most.

Lawrence said: “It’s hard to decide, but I recently used the Larson-Juhl Eiffel range to frame a wedding photo with Confetti ‘floating’ inside. It turned out beautifully and is definitely one of my favourites!”

Framing treasured keepsakes and memories is at the heart of Pictor Gallery and Custom Framing, and Lawrence loves creating meaningful pieces for his customers. In fact, he often asks customers to bring as many items as they can to the gallery, and they work together to decide which would work best as a framed piece.

Find out more at www.pictorframing.com

Eiffel float moulding 695 100

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As Steve Burke retires after a 40 year long career with Larson-Juhl, 4walls pays tribute to a man who has made a huge contribution to the success of the business and has made many, many friends along the way. He joined the business on 2nd February 1981.

We start with some words from chief operating officer Mike Brown: “In his career firstly with Arqadia and more recently as part of Larson-Juhl, Steve has constantly focussed on responding to our customers’ changing needs. He has been able to do this because he has always used his 40 years’ experience to look forward and not backwards. Rarely has he said to me:

“This is the way we do things”, he is more likely to say “framers would see a benefit to their business if Larson-Juhl could do it this way”. This attitude has always kept me and the rest of the LJ team on our toes. In the last few years, Steve has been instrumental in getting Larson-Juhl globally where it is today and I hope he continues to give us the benefit of his wisdom in the future as a consultant.”

WE’LL MISS YOU, STEVE! | Partnerships Larson-Juhl’s success over the years has very much been down to working in partnership with our customers and Steve has been responsible for developing literally thousands of great relationships, which have benefitted both framers and Larson-Juhl.

Duncan McDonald of All About Framing first met Steve when he visited his newly opened corner shop Sunflower Framing in 1997.

“From the first meeting, we hit it off,” says Duncan.

“From that day onwards, Steve kept in touch, called in, rang me for a chat. We would meet at trade shows and Fine Art Trade Guild events.

And for every new venture, Steve has been a brilliant sounding board. His knowledge of the industry is vast and very in-depth. It really has been invaluable. There is a real loyalty between our two businesses, which has developed over 23 years. Steve has had a very positive impact on my business - although I won’t miss his awful jokes! We have actually become really good friends, so we will certainly keep in touch.”

Washington Green’s 25th anniversary is celebrated on pages 12 and 13 and this was another major customer that originally came about from Steve meeting Glyn Washington and Paul Green at the NEC Spring Fair.

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| 40 years in a nutshell

| Teamwork

Over the years, Steve has launched hundreds of new product ranges and been involved with numerous exhibitions and conferences in the UK and indeed all round the world - from regular calendar dates like FAMA in Bologna to INDEX in Dubai and Qatar, along with many others in Germany, Sri Lanka and the USA. He has been involved in many major deals such as frames for cruise ships and many of the prestigious global hotel groups. He has worked with interior designers, given talks at design shows and played a big part in setting up our CPD initiative with the British Contract Furnishing Association. He was heavily involved in CXD exhibitions, dealt with some of the leading conservators worldwide and helped Armour Systems with their showcase sales.

Despite having huge amounts of energy and drive and achieving great things in terms of sales, Steve was also a real team player – and was very good for morale! As marketing executive Cara Solomon says: “I have known Steve for 30 years and always looked forward to him coming into the office. Steve always puts a smile on your face with his funny stories and adventures.

Every time he goes on holiday, he comes back with a story of a near death experience and a hundred photos. Steve is such a positive person - I have never seen him in a bad mood.”

The Larson-Juhl sales team have many, many stories about Steve and all of them have paid tribute to how much he taught them and supported them.

Senior sales manager Simon Flavill says there was never a dull moment:

“I remember many years ago we took a client out for dinner. I was new to hosting but Steve was in his element and as the night developed his encyclopaedic knowledge of useless facts came out, then the tricks. The waitresses were all given roses made from serviettes, and then the tables around us were joining in, trying to place a cigarette packet on top of a glass without their hand leaving the table, it went on! Needless to say the customer never forgot the fun he had!”

Pauline Hutchinson worked as marketing manager alongside Steve for many years before retiring last year. She told 4walls that:

“Steve always struck up a conversation with everyone. Be it a cleaner or someone famous.

We were lucky enough to attend many celebrity events as sponsors. One of the most recent was the Silver Clef Awards which is a highlight on the music industry’s social calendar, raising millions of pounds for Nordoff Robbins and honouring some of the greatest names in music.

Steve started talking to Robert Plant then when we were seated at our table he made a bee line for Denise Van Outen. He had his camera at the ready and went off to chat to Ronnie Wood, Suggs plus many more!”

There are many, many more stories and we are sure everyone who knows Steve will have their own favourite tale! Steve will be hugely missed for his knowledge and contribution to the business, so it is great news that he will at least keep up some involvement in his capacity as a consultant. Don’t be a stranger, Steve, and thank you for everything!

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THE SÚILEIR STORY The breath-taking landscapes of Ireland tell the wonderful story of an island steeped in the culture of its people and defined by the stories they tell.

Súileir, an Irish word which loosely translates to Ireland’s Eye, is a curated gallery of photographs and art covering many aspects of Irish life. The gallery was launched online in 2020 by Leo O’Connor, who was born and raised in Ireland, and has a passion for art. As a photographer himself, Leo has been selling his own Irish landscape photography through his framing business, FrameFX, for the best part of 30 years. But he recently decided to offer them to the world through Súileir.

He said: “I have an enormous passion for Ireland and regularly hike the length and breadth of it accompanied by my camera!

It’s a wonderful country and the ambition is to bring a piece of Ireland to as many homes across the world as I possibly can.”

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He has assembled a community of talented photographers and artists, covering landscapes, wildlife, sport, music and culture, who understand what it means to be Irish. Their work is available to purchase, alongside Leo’s own photography, on the Súileir website and there is the option to have the image framed at his workshop in Dublin.

Leo is not new to the industry and has worked with Larson-Juhl for many years.

But for Súileir he is very particular about the products he uses, as he is keen to ensure that every image from Súileir is framed to a consistently high standard.

For this reason, Leo only uses the Larson-Juhl moulding and mountboard, with his favourite mouldings being the Coastal Woods range in black and white colourways as their open grain finish, texture and high-quality make them ideal for showcasing the artwork.

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Despite starting the business in the midst of a global pandemic, Súileir is growing from strength to strength, and Leo has high aspirations. With so many Irish people living around the world, he hopes to bring a piece of home to the Irish diaspora worldwide.

To do so he has put together a detailed marketing plan starting in the UK and Europe, and eventually spreading across the world.

Súileir is a brilliant celebration of Irish art and culture, and we can’t wait to see its evolution.

If you’re interested in Súileir, take a look at the website through the link below!

Web address is: https://suileir.ie/ Instagram: @suileir

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MOUNT DECORATION A MASTERCLASS WITH JON PRICE GCF (APF)

I finished my last 4walls article by writing about the ‘sum of all parts’. My point was that the artwork and frame together should be more than either would be individually. That point was emphasised for me when, prior to writing this article, I reviewed its subject, the ‘Mount Decoration’ video, which has just been released on Larson-Juhl’s website: https://larsonjuhl.co.uk/haven/vids/jon-price-masterclass. It was emphasised because the artwork that was chosen for the video really wasn’t to my taste. I struggled to find inspiration. It was only when I considered the colours within the piece and the framing design possibilities that I started to get excited. I’m still thrilled now, and that’s because the total sum of the finished pieces, the artwork and the frame together, are much greater than either would be on their own. Conservation aside, isn’t that what good framing is all about?

Like the Mixing and Stacking Mouldings video, the concept of the Mount Decoration video was to frame one piece of artwork in four different ways. I set one boundary: the techniques employed had to be achievable using basic equipment - in this case a Keencut Ultimat Gold mount cutter that I bought second hand for a few hundred quid. Each design is different, employing different mount colours and mount design techniques, combined with different mouldings. It’s a really good exercise for any framer to come up with lots of different frame designs for a single piece of artwork. This encourages the framer to do something different and to think out of the box. It’s also a great way to demonstrate to customers the value of your design knowledge and the techniques you utilise.

As I’ve said in previous articles, when designing I normally start with the mounts. I go through my mount chevrons pulling out any board that matches a colour in the artwork. In this case beiges, browns and greys. I then select neutral colours that match the artwork’s tone or the paper colour, if any paper will be showing in the final piece. Once I’ve selected these, I play around to see what colour combinations work. When the mounts have been decided upon, I choose mouldings using the same technique i.e. matching the colours in the artwork. Now, however, I also make sure my choices match the colours of the mounts. Having chosen a number of mouldings, I experiment until I find an overall design I’m happy with. I try not to limit myself to the standard designs but instead ask: ‘Would a third mount work?’ ‘Would a fourth?’ ‘Could I stack or mix mouldings with this design?’ ‘Could I add a mount decoration technique, like a V-groove or shadow mount?’ ‘Could I do something different?’

Design 1 – The treble mount: This is about as basic a ‘non-standard design’ as you can get. As often works well, I’ve placed the darkest colour (Baghdad Brown 8007) nearest the artwork and the lightest colour (Ginger Root 8605) on top. I’ve also decreased the border dimensions on each layer. The top mount is 70mm on the top/sides and 80mm at the bottom; the middle mount shows 5mm and the bottom mount 3mm. A design technique that I use regularly is to choose a moulding that matches the colour of the inner mount. I think it’s a good way to bring balance.

Here, I considered using a brown Anvil to match the Baghdad brown, but in the end opted for the brushed copper of 441 601 000 which adds warmth and matches the Spice Brown 8023 middle mount.

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441 601 000

Design 2 – Double V-groove with corner grooves: Here’s a design which looks quite different but, like the treble mount, V-grooves are only a small step away from a ‘standard design’. They are simple to execute but often add value. I know a framer who’s fallback design is a double mount with a V-groove. No matter how many times I see him use this design, it always looks good and his work stands out from the run of the mill single or double mounts used by his competitors. For my groovy design, I’ve taken this simple technique and embellished it by adding a second V-groove and ‘corner grooves’. Just about every ‘how to’ framing book demonstrates how to cut a V-groove. Therefore, I’m not sure there is any value in my going through the process step by step.

However, the concept, using a manual mount cutter, is as follows: The V-groove is made by cutting a bevelled aperture in a mountboard, further out from the centre than the artwork window will be. The cut-out from that aperture is then trimmed very slightly on all sides using an opposite bevel cut (this is normally achieved by putting the cut-out in to the mount cutter the other way up to the way in which it was first cut). The cut-out is then taped back in to the aperture and the two opposing bevel cuts form a V-groove. The window aperture is then cut as normal.

the corner grooves. These are positioned 45mm in from the outer edges at the top and sides of the mount and 55mm in from the bottom (due to the bottom border being 10mm wider). My first V-groove is 5mm further in, leaving my final V-groove 10mm out from the bevel edge of the mount window. The mount is Sepia 8024. It’s dark colour showing off the white of the V-grooves and matching a dominant colour in the artwork. The moulding is the bronze Spoleto 325130.

Most of the techniques I’ve used in the Larson-Juhl Masterclass videos are simple to achieve and effective. Experience tells me that once customers have seen these techniques, on friends’ frames or display frames, they ask about them and are happy to pay more for them.

In the next edition of 4walls, I’ll look at the final two designs in the Mount Decoration video; ‘different colour bottom mounts on opposing corners of the frame with matching mixed mouldings’ and the ‘3D double bevel shadow inlay’; after all I did say most of the techniques I used were simple.

Jon Price GCF(APF) owns Handmade Framing & Gallery near Bude, Cornwall. He has framed for world renowned artists, photographers and museums. Jon offers one to one framing courses and business consultancy for novice and experienced framers.

Corner grooves are cut in the same way except that the ‘cut out’ is only trimmed a few centimetres along from each corner. A scalpel helps to join the ends of the opposing bevel cuts.

As I’ve indicated, a V-groove is cut before the window aperture for the artwork. Therefore, a series of V-grooves is cut working from the outside in. That meant that the first things I cut were

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https://www.handmadepictureframing.co.uk/ Instagram: @handmadeframing

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LJ 235 439 480

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Ask the experts

HOW TO MAKE A DOUBLE FRAME Question: H ow would you recommend going about a commission to double frame a piece of artwork?

Answer: As is often the case in framing, there are several methods available but I am going to share one of my favourites as it is impossible to see how the frames are joined together and can be easily dismantled if necessary.

Hole and dowel on each side of the frame

First, check the thickness of the package to be framed - including glass, mounts and artwork. If the total thickness is less than the depth of the rebates on the reverse of the two frames, then it needs to be packed out until it is a snug fit. If it is greater you will unfortunately need to find another moulding.

The two frames you choose to use must also be the same width, I tend to choose the same moulding or different colours from the same range.

D rings fitted in frame

To start, mark the lengths you will be using for each frame and take one long side from each frame, placing them face down and back to back with the longer sides touching. Make sure that they are perfectly aligned and tape them together. Repeat for the other two longer sides – this ensures that the frames will be identical in size.

Then, make two 6mm holes in each long side by marking the location Taped and drilled frame sides

Finished work

Finished work

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with a pencil and using a pillar drill to ensure a perfectly vertical hole. The holes should be a reasonable distance apart, but not too close to the edge of the frame. I would advise clamping a straight edge to the bed of the drill to make sure that your holes are the same distance from the edge.

On the two lengths that will form the top of the frame, make two cuts that are the width of a D ring and 1mm deep. Remove the offcuts of wood and repeat if you are fitting more than one D ring.

Assemble the frames based on the marks made earlier, being sure not to mix the frames. Drill and fit the D ring(s), if two D rings are being fitted, I use one in each length.

Next, cut four 10mm lengths of 6mm doweling and file a slight bevel on each end. Fit the four dowels in the holes you’ve made in one frame - you may need to lightly sand the surface to make them fit but it should be a tight fit.

The package to be framed should be taped to seal it around the outer edge.

Then place the artwork in one frame and press the two frames together.

David Wilkie GCF www.silverstoneframing.com

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Dates to put in your diary...

There are many special events and awareness days to celebrate this year, and we wouldn’t want you to miss out on the opportunity to add a little fun to your business! Here are just a few of our favourites and some inspiration on how to publicise them!

Prestige Framing – 294 202 740 Hampshire II

20th June – Father’s Day: Father’s Day is a chance to say thank you to the fathers and father figures in our lives, and many people may well be looking for the perfect framed gift. Make sure your customers think of you first by posting a reminder on social media and sharing examples of your best work – you could even offer to add a personalised touch with an engraved message.

Easyframe – 554302 Brittany

Miles of frames – 735 101 000

22nd April – Earth Day:

21st June – First day of Summer:

Earth Day is an important event in the calendar as it encourages us to focus on our environment.

As framers, there are many things you can do in order to reduce your environmental impact and promoting our FSC and PEFC certified mouldings is a great way to start. Head to our website to view the full range.

As we enter the warmer summer months, why not add a little colour to your store to reflect the new season? Not only will it brighten your day, but you can be sure that it will brighten your customers’ days too! You could also share your tips for adding colour to framed artwork on social, hopefully inspiring potential customers, and you may like to look at our Confetti range which has every colour in the rainbow!

18-23rd May – Mental Health Awareness Week:

Pride Month – June:

Art and other creative activities play a valuable role in mental health, making this a great opportunity to raise awareness, money, or support for mental health charities in your local area.

You could also add a little colour to your shop window to make passers-by smile.

Pride month has grown in popularity in recent years and celebrates the LGBT community, attracting millions of people worldwide on social media. To recognise the celebration, how about organising an exhibition showcasing work from your favourite LGBTQ artists? Alternatively, you could shout out artists on social media, to ensure they get the recognition they deserve!

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C H A I SE LO NG UE N E W FRO M L A R SO N-JUH L

Chaise Longue is an elegant and stylish collection.

5 finishes with an artisan look covering the full metal palette

Only uses timber from sustainable forests

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High quality Radiata pine

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Exceptional foil finish

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Superb to the touch

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Organic and ergonomic curved shape

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Clean and crisp to cut

www.larsonjuhl.co.uk | telephone 01234 857488