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THE ART AND FRAMING MAGAZINE FOR PROFESSIONALS

NO. 41. 2021 Brought to you by

‘Wells harbour’ North Norfolk

Ed Robinson

One Wall Two Walls Three Walls Four Walls

WELCOME! Welcome to Issue 41 of 4walls! This issue features lots of talented artists and framers and is packed with exciting news and features! As life returns to normal, we were pleased to hear that many framers have experienced their busiest ever period, long may it last! Here at Larson-Juhl, we have been busy launching two new mouldings, the Petite III and Foiled Float ranges, which you can read about on page 3. We have also carried out a customer service survey, with the aim to continue improving the service we offer to our wonderful customers – you can read more about that on pages 22 & 23. Our cover artist for this issue is Ed Robinson, a talented painter combining colour, texture and newsprint to create stunning and unique artwork. We also speak to a number of other artists in this

issue: Tim Wade tells us about his new technique on page 19, Gordon Wilson discusses the importance of framing on page 26, and Emma Davis and her husband explain how the art world has changed throughout the pandemic on page 10. Supporting the art industry is very important to us, so Larson-Juhl sponsored the Society for Graphic Fine Art and the Society of Wildlife Artists again this year and you can read about their exhibitions on pages 15 and 18. EasyFrame features in this issue on pages 4 & 5, speaking about the impact investing in equipment has had on their business and much more! We also feature Ultimat, Frame Direct, Tweed Art, Wildwood Gallery and Ironbridge Fine Arts, all of which have fantastic stories to tell. We give you our tips for website best practice on pages 16 & 17, which you can

pull out and keep for future reference. On page 31, you’ll also find a how-to guide on how to get the most from Instagram. Jon Price shares his glass masterclass on pages 28 & 29, and David Wilkie answers a question on framing certificates. We also continue to introduce you to each of our area sales managers, this time it is Seb’s turn! I hope you enjoy this issue of 4walls and if you have any suggestions or comments regarding 4walls, I would love to hear from you. Please do follow us on social media to keep up with what we’re doing!

Matt George, Editor mgeorge@larsonjuhl.com @4wallsbyLJUK @larsonjuhluk @larsonjuhluk

3. Introducing two new mouldings…

Showcasing our Petite III and Foiled Float ranges

CONTENTS NO. 41. 2021

4. Extreme Talent

From Soho to Norfolk and beyond

6. Easy does it

Catching up with our neighbours at EasyFrame

8. The Ultimat Framer Investing in framing

15. Society of Graphic Fine Art winner Congratulations to Sally Beaumont

16. Website best practice A pull-out guide

18. Society of Wildlife Artists Competition Roar-some art exhibition

19. Wading through the ordinary

Tim Wade creates a new painting technique THE ART AND FRAMING MAGAZINE FOR PROFESSIONALS

20. Going Wild

Talking events with Wildwood Gallery

22. Customer service survey Improvements to our offer

24. Gunning for Success

Ironbridge Fine Arts’ Sarah Morris discusses business priorities

26. Gordon Wilson Art

Speaking to the Scottish framer turned artist

27. Where there’s a Willis there’s a way! Meet Seb

28. Specialist glazing

A masterclass with Jon Price

30. Ask the experts

Framing special certificates with David Wilkie

31. How to…

Get the best from Instagram 2

10. Wilson Davis Fine Art The importance of social media

12. Directing thanks to NHS heroes

Speaking to Frame Direct about the pandemic

13. New showroom gets the thumbs up! Feedback from customers

14. Watt a dream

The journey of Tweed Art

INTRODUCING TWO NEW MOULDINGS… Petite III: Larson-Juhl’s PEFC approved Petite III collection takes some of the popular features from a number of top selling mouldings while now bringing a much-requested, smaller profile to the offer. Petite III comes in three profiles with four stunning colourways: gold, silver, pewter and bronze, also featuring nickel, brass, bronze and steel embellishments.

Foiled Floats: Larson-Juhl’s latest floats are ideal for deep canvas artwork and suitable for both contemporary and traditional contexts. There are seven gorgeous colours to choose from: champagne, pewter, silver, gold, dark bronze, liso gold and light silver – taking the float range to over 50 in total.

To order samples of our new products, please call 01234 852777 or visit our website www.larsonjuhl.co.uk.

‘Spice & Type’, Butler’s Wharf, River Thames.

Materials and methods

EXTREME

TALENT Ed Robinson’s portfolio of stunning paintings embraces extreme contrasts of subject matter, materials and techniques. There is a consistency in their inconsistency though; a certain beauty and an evocative use of colour throughout.

In the beginning After completing a graphic design and illustration course at Great Yarmouth School of Art (now Norwich School of Art), Ed moved to London in the 1970s, working for some of the country’s top design and advertising agencies – including Saatchi & Saatchi. He thrived in Soho which was then the heart of ‘Adland’ and he worked on numerous major brands like ICI and WH Smith, gaining several national and international design awards and becoming a Fellow of the Chartered Society of Designers. Fast forward to 2005, Ed changed careers and started painting. He loved the vitality and dynamism of London and his time living and working there certainly provided endless inspiration for his cityscapes - but he also regularly references the coast, a passion from his days at art school. Today, 17 years later, he is shown in numerous galleries, holds regular exhibitions and also receives commissions, with his work held in private collections around the world. While Ed’s creativity continues to evolve, his techniques still include a celebration of his time as a designer with a passion for graphics. His work combines colour, layers, texture and newsprint to achieve uniquely atmospheric and mixed-media artwork.

Ed prepares his own gesso with equal quantities of Polyfilla and Dulux waterbased undercoat paint to a double cream consistency. This is applied to a 4mm MDF board which is rigid enough to withstand spreading, scraping, sanding and rolling. He then draws, paints and uses digital photography and other 3D materials to build up the art in layers, balancing elements of imagery, type, materials and colour. Broad washes of acrylic might follow with texture coming from a vast array of constituents from bubble wrap to sack cloth, combined with printed images on 80 gsm paper through an ink jet printer. A key stage is the application of text and Ed lifts this from newsprint with a gel and a roller – a bit like using Letraset for those with long memories! Having painted over one element, he might then uncover it in part to achieve a particular effect. He likes to keep to a simple colour palette, hence the striking reds, blues and yellows that are evident in much of his work. He may also spray a painting with water to introduce a running effect.

Like the famous impressionist Pissarro, Ed has to get the sky sorted first and while many paintings feature identifiable cityscapes and landscapes, they also include an element of artistic licence. He wants his work to be uplifting and to look good on a wall, so recognisable British coast lines may well be ‘enhanced’ with a touch of Mediterranean colour. The use of typography is a real hallmark for Ed. “There is no significance to the words used, though,” Ed told 4walls, “I generally take pages from The Guardian because I like the typography! Although I have had commissions that have required the incorporation of menus and receipts relating to weddings to bring an extra dimension of personalisation.” Helvetica is Ed’s favourite font. (Sorry, Ed, 4walls features Franklin Gothic). When he is working, Ed likes to listen to Miles Davis’s ‘A Kind of Blue’ and other jazz musicians, early Fleetwood Mac, Peter Green and Pink Floyd.

4 Staithes Beck, North Yorkshire

502 200 400

Picture Perfect

Cley Windmill, North Norfolk

Ed’s work has a gloriously contemporary feel to it, and he likes this to be reflected in how his work is framed. Ed believes simple white or grey mouldings best showcase his artwork and Neil Duguid from Picture Perfect in Northampton, who does Ed’s framing, agrees. Neil also exhibits Ed’s work at his other business, Primrose Gallery. Neil also recommends Larson-Juhl’s 502 200 400 moulding to complement Ed’s paintings.

Neil and Ed have been working together for 10 years now. “Ed is absolutely one of my favourite artists,” Neil told 4walls, “his work sells really well – which helps! – but it really does offer something for everyone. And it is truly unique! “People of all ages buy Ed’s work. People who have holidayed in Norfolk and want a memory, for example, but then urban art is incredibly popular too and so Ed’s London scenes always get a good reception. “Personally, I especially love a painting he did of Liverpool Docks and with all his work, every time you look at it, you see something new – and, one day, I will buy one myself!” Ed and his family live in Olney in Buckinghamshire and when he is not painting, he enjoys running and fly fishing. Find out more at edrobinsonart.co.uk and pictureperfect.org.uk

Ed Robinson at work

5 Berwick Street Market, London

4walls was delighted to catch up with Nick Zanna, co-owner of Bedford-based EasyFrame, and hear how this awesome family business is going from strength to strength. Amazingly, EasyFrame has benefitted from the pandemic in a number of ways and as the country rediscovers normality, the team is enjoying its highest ever levels of trading. Nick reckons that the pandemic has advanced the interests of internet sales by 20 years! He says: “Consumers were already buying more and more online but lockdown meant that previously reluctant virtual shoppers had no choice. Coupled with a trend for people wanting to improve the homes they were now spending more time in, this meant wall art was increasingly in demand. All great news for picture framers!”

EASY DOES IT Inglorious

Tom Grennan

The volume of business was of course very welcome but with hundreds of orders coming in every day, it meant that EasyFrame needed to look at improving speed and efficiency. EasyFrame supplies products in a business-to-business capacity – manufacturing picture frames as well as picture framing for consumers. Never shy of investing, the team bought a Gunnar computerised mount cutter along with an AlfaAutomation double mitre saw. Nick cannot believe the scale of the benefits: “We are saving hundreds and hundreds of man hours every month. The day’s orders are emailed to the cutter every morning, and it not only cuts but also labels every item. So assembly is really quick and easy.”

Maintaining momentum The Zanna family is very active in terms of marketing. Their social media channels work incredibly hard for them. Nick says: “Instagram is fantastic for us. We use it to talk about the people behind the business as well as showcasing our work. The engagement we get is incredible – but it is very demanding from a time perspective! People expect instant replies in an always on digital world! “We are fortunate to work with some celebrities and musicians with hundreds

of thousands of followers and when they tag us in their photos, we get a surge in interest and new followers.” Trustpilot is another digital platform that helps drive enquiries and Nick is very much aware that many people these days like to get in touch via the website and email – and they generally want a quick response. Apart from promptly providing quotes, following the investment in new equipment and technology, EasyFrame is now able to turn round work in two to three days. The Dust Coda

While the company has long been an advocate of e-commerce, Nick and his brother Rob are also big fans of face-toface contact and do not underestimate the importance of delivering a personal service. In fact, they are currently refurbishing their showroom to offer customers the very best of both worlds.

Physical displays have many benefits in Nick’s book: “For example, explaining the importance of conservation products is much easier to do in person. Showing how AR glass performs with a physical sample tells a very compelling story!”

On the record One particular area of growth has been framing vinyl records. EasyFrame has developed an excellent reputation for showcasing these prized possessions which these days often don’t even get played! EasyFrame has framed records and covers for a long list of musicians. The most recent being Inglorious – who were on tour this autumn. Nick and his wife Jo were invited backstage at Islington Assembly Hall in London! Nick explains: “For up and coming talent, whose music is consumed via streaming, releasing limited edition vinyl is an important income stream. When LPs stopped being produced in the 1990s, an artform was lost - to the disappointment of many music fans. But now they are enjoying a revival. Bands are now releasing maybe a dozen different versions of their albums!”

“A key point is that we take great care with our matting and mounting techniques so that the framing is reversible.”

Mason Hill

Jo Zanna

Good neighbours As mentioned earlier, relationships are important to Nick, Rob and the entire EasyFrame family and Larson-Juhl is proud to be very much involved as a supplier to this very successful, progressive business. “It is a massive asset to have Larson-Juhl on the doorstep, especially with the new showroom,” Nick says. “Sometimes we will turn up to view samples at 8am, which means product can be ready to be used on site at EasyFrame by 9am! Nick, Jackie and Rob Zanna

“The new Larson-Juhl showroom is really inspirational – not only in terms of products and applications but also around the importance of showcasing mouldings.” Nick is enjoying working with Larson-Juhl area sales manager Simon Davies and comments: “Simon’s been brilliant. He is very proactive - making suggestions. And it is always good to think about new ideas – however busy we are!”

A brief history The EasyFrame story started back in 1984 when Nick and Rob’s parents supplied frames to a family business called Houseproud. Fast forward to 1988 and the Zannas opened a picture framing gallery shop in Rushden (followed by stores in Kettering, Luton and Hitchin), and started framing in the garage at home. Today, the same premises still operates as ZanArt - run by an original member of the team following a management buyout. Nick and Rob joined the family business in the 1990s. Rob got into the digital world around 2001 and is self taught, whilst Nick continued to run the very busy Kettering business.

Nick and Rob moved into their current 5,000 square foot premises on Railton Road in Bedford in 2014 and invested in more people and equipment. With a team of 15 that includes many family members, EasyFrame is in the enviable position of thriving as a business because they are meeting market demands with a total commitment to quality and service. 4walls looks forward to hearing about their next chapter of innovation and entrepreneurship! Follow the EasyFrame journey at easyframe.co.uk or on social @easyframe_UK on Facebook and Instagram and @easyframeUK on Twitter

Highlights Over the decades there have been many stand-out moments for the Zanna brothers including: • T he night somebody smashed into Zanart to steal a pair of beautifully mounted boxing gloves owned by the world’s greatest ever boxer Muhammed Ali

• A private message that Nick, a Manchester United fan, concealed in a frame he assembled for its greatest manager, Sir Alex Ferguson • H undreds of framings for the corridors of Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium

• C ountless MBEs, OBEs, mementos and photographs they’ve framed to commemorate the likes of Captain Sir Tom Moore, Nelson Mandela, Laurel and Hardy, and of course the ‘Only Fools and Horses’ cast. Special mention goes to the legendary John Challis who played Boycie and sadly died in September – the video clips he did for EasyFrame are still a great watch! https://www.facebook.com/easyframeUK/ 7 videos/3639323396379275/

Andy Gotts’ work on show at Maddox Galleries

THE

FRAMER

For this issue, 4walls had the pleasure of speaking to Dru Cook from Ultimat Frames, who has recently framed artwork for the internationally renowned Maddox Gallery in London. The Maddox Gallery was founded in 2015 and has quickly established itself as an international powerhouse within the world of contemporary modern art. Recently, the gallery showcased ICONS, a solo exhibition by celebrity photographer Andy Gotts MBE. ICONS is a collection of intimate, black and white portraits that bring together the many famous faces and personal icons that have played a part in Andy’s career to date, united by the unique vision of one photographer. The exhibition was incredibly popular, and £100,000 worth of artwork was sold before the exhibition even began. The printing and framing for this prestigious exhibition were carried out by none other than Ultimat Frames, and 4walls was absolutely delighted to hear that Dru chose to use Larson-Juhl products for this exhibition:

“Andy’s portraits for this exhibition were all black and white, so we chose to use Larson-Juhl’s Coastal Woods range in black for the entire collection alongside a matching conservation white mountboard from Larson-Juhl. Our aim was to let the artwork shine in its own right with some pieces even available with a diamond dust finish, a process of adhering crushed glass particles to the artwork for a spectacular shimmering effect.”

Although this was their first time working with Maddox Gallery, Ultimat are already looking to their next exhibition in early 2022. Alongside their work for the gallery, Ultimat is also working with the Dorchester Hotel to provide framing for their newly refurbished space, and a number of other hospitality venues worldwide.

Dru said: “We are lucky enough to have framed work for esteemed hotels all over the world. In 2020, demand for this type of framing slowed down dramatically but we are now finding that we are busier than ever! As businesses reopen, they are looking to carry out refurbishments before welcoming customers back to a new and improved space. This is excellent news for us framers!” With such huge customers in both the art and hospitality world, Dru is always looking for ways in which he can streamline his service. He has invested in C&C facilities and an edge banding machine, allowing him to cut material to any shape and hide the cut edge of the wood. He also has a fully automated saw.

THE JOURNEY TO ULTIMAT Dru has worked in framing for over 25 years, first entering the industry after completing a degree in photography where he framed his own work. He then opened a framing studio in Surrey with his business partner, Chris Neighbour, which then expanded to include 11 picture framers nationwide. The pair sold the business 15 years ago and started Ultimat, a trade-to-trade manufacturer with both printing and framing services. The business has gone from strength to strength, and we look forward to seeing what is to come for Ultimat! To see more of Ultimat, head to one of their websites: ultimatframes.com ultimatinteriors.com readymadeframe.co.uk

The use of machinery in the Ultimat framing studio allows them to put together around 1,000 frames per day, enabling them to work with a number of customers in different industries. Dru is always looking to work as efficiently as possible and said:

“We choose to work with Larson-Juhl for much of our framing as they offer a great range of products, allowing us to be very flexible with the needs of the customer. But the greatest advantage of using Larson-Juhl as a supplier is that they offer quick and efficient service. Usually, in refurbishment projects the art is the very last thing to be put in place before the business is able to reopen, meaning that deadlines are tight and immovable. Larson-Juhl allows us to offer a first-class, reliable service and we are grateful for that.” Dru really does have a finger in every pie, as in addition to conquering the art and hospitality industries he also supplies a range of ready-made frames using Larson-Juhl mouldings for shops nationwide. These shops range from photoshops, department stores, framers and more! As you can imagine, Dru has lots of goals for the future of his business and plans to continue diversifying. He’s also looking to open an Ultimat facility in the United States, so you’ll have to keep your eyes peeled to see where he goes next!

Alan Wilson and Emma Davis are a husband-and-wife team – Emma works full-time as an artist, while Alan is a picture framer. The pair have been working together for over 20 years, since Emma graduated from Glasgow Art School in 1998 and suggested that Alan started framing her artwork.

WILSON D Wild Golden Fields, East Neuk

Alan said: “I was working at a job that I didn’t enjoy, so when Emma mentioned picture framing, I thought why not! Looking back, it was a great decision and we’ve been lucky enough to work together ever since.” The pair opened a gallery and studio together in 2003, although they recently made the decision to vacate their studio space and work from home as they enjoy a better work-life balance this way. Throughout Alan’s career as a framer, he has always used Larson-Juhl mouldings as he finds products to be very reasonably priced and he appreciates the level of service he receives.

He said: “I enjoy working with Larson-Juhl as I can always rely on them to provide a friendly and efficient service, whilst also delivering product quickly. I tend to offer a more bespoke, hand painted framing service for my customers, so I buy a lot of Larson-Juhl’s Barefaced moulding and paint it myself.”

Luss, Loch Lomond

Alan predominantly frames Emma’s art now as her art is becoming increasingly more popular with consumers, but he continues to frame work for other local artists and members of the public.

She said: “Framing is incredibly important to me, I’m not sure I’ve ever not framed a piece of my artwork! Framing presents art beautifully and gives it more of a presence, particularly in a gallery setting.

To take a look at Emma’s wonderful art and framing by Alan, visit Emma’s website emmasdavisartist.co.uk or connect with her on social media @emmadavisartist.

Emma’s art is truly stunning, depicting wild Scottish landscapes in colourful oil paintings. Her method of painting is incredibly interesting, choosing to use a mobile studio that allows her to take photographs, sketch and paint the landscape before returning home to work on the final piece. Luckily for her, she is also able to be a part of the framing.

DAVIS She said: “During the Covid-19 crisis, both artists and galleries were forced to move online to survive. Social media really has been a lifeline for my business, and I’ve been making more sales than ever to customers worldwide. It’s really lovely to be able to build relationships with customers directly, and during lockdown my interactions on social media replaced the face-to-face contact I would have usually!”

“Alan and I tend to use a simple, modern moulding in white, grey or black to frame my paintings as my work incorporates lots of bright colours. Alan hand paints the frames in the chosen colour and customers absolutely love it!” Emma sells her art to both galleries and directly to customers through her social media platforms, and she has noticed a huge shift in terms of how her art is selling over the last couple of years. Prior to the pandemic, the majority of her art was sold to galleries, but as they were forced to close that she was making more sales directly via her social media accounts. She said: “Social media is a great way to direct customers towards the galleries that represent me and the best places to see my work in various places throughout the UK. It is also a window into studio life.”

Look After You, Ian Whyte

Phil in his studio

DIRECTING THANKS TO NHS HEROES Despite the challenges caused by the pandemic, it is fair to say that all of us have come away with a much greater appreciation for our healthcare workers. Classique, 218 140 720

This is particularly true for Phil Matthews of Frame Direct in Theale near Reading whose son Lewis works as a intensive care anaesthetist. Phil and the rest of his family experienced first-hand the exhaustion facing healthcare workers, so when they heard that artist Ian Whyte was offering to paint an NHS hero for free as part of the ‘Portraits For NHS Heroes’ project, they jumped at the chance to get involved.

During the first wave of the pandemic the family sent Ian a photo of Lewis asleep after a long shift, holding his daughter. When the painting was returned to Lewis, the team at Larson-Juhl was delighted to hear that Phil framed it himself using Larson-Juhl’s Classique moulding. It is now proudly displayed in Lewis’s house as a reminder of the gratitude felt by people all around the UK during the pandemic. Phil has had a long and successful career in framing, having started working for his dad’s framing shop, Frame Direct, in 1976

after dropping out of his degree in Maths. He bought the business from his father in 1980, and succeeded in conquering the corporate side of the market, framing for hotels around the world. Phil recently sold Frame Direct to an ex-customer of his, and although he will still be involved in the business for some time, he is pleased to have been able to frame this special piece. He said: “This is a fantastic way to end a life-long career in picture framing, and I am very much looking forward to spending more time with my family and going fishing!”

‘Portraits For NHS Heroes’ gained national attention, and the portraits painted by artists around the country have since been published as a book - a testament to NHS workers at their most challenging time, with all royalties going to NHS charities. The full set of portraits is also available to view online. https://artsandculture.google.com/ project/healthcare-heroes

NEW SHOWROOM GETS THE THUMBS UP! Hundreds of customers have now visited the new Larson-Juhl showroom in Bedford and the head office team has been delighted with the response so far. Thanks to everyone who has made the trip to date – and to those who have not, you will be very welcome whenever you can make it! To book an appointment, contact your area sales manager or call the customer service team on 01243 852777.

Here is some of the feedback received: “Larson-Juhl’s showroom is the only place you can really grasp the scale of their range! It’s the perfect place to design new ranges while having expert advice to assist in every decision. For anyone who is thinking of a reshuffle on their moulding range, Larson-Juhl’s showroom is the place to start.” Kieran McDonald – All About Framing

“It was a pleasure to be able to visit the new showroom. It was a valuable experience for us to be able to see all the mouldings displayed together which enabled us to completely refresh and reorganise our boards in a relaxed environment. We’ve certainly increased our offerings in certain areas and came away with a lot of new ideas! Thank you!” Caroline Dyche – The Frame Centre

“As we were opening our first gallery and framing business, we were delighted to have the opportunity to go to Bedford and visit the Larson-Juhl showroom. To be able to see the whole range of mouldings in one area is an incredible sight. The sheer number is initially a little overwhelming but with expert guidance from Simon Davies, we were able to choose the frames for our own display and order an initial stock of what we consider regular choices by customers.” Dee Singleton – Reeds Framing (pictured above)

Toby with a large piece framed in Honfleur

Ceramic poppy framed in Malta

WATT A DREAM Painting framed in Honfleur

Toby Watts started his career as a photographer in London, but in 1998 himself and his wife Alison decided to escape the hustle and bustle of city life. At the time, they weren’t sure where they wanted to live, or indeed what they wanted to do for work. Fortunately though, everything fell into place when they found picture framing.

Toby found picture framing by chance after his in-laws went on holiday to Peebles, a small town nestled in the west corner of the Scottish Borders. They visited a picture framing studio and gallery that was for sale. This was the perfect opportunity for the couple, who were looking for a job that would allow Toby to use the artistic skills he had learnt during his time as a photographer, so they bought it! Toby said: “When we bought Tweed Art, we knew absolutely nothing about picture framing. Our friends in London thought we were mad, but we knew that it could be exactly what we were looking for! After buying the business we went away on a ski season whilst the paperwork went through, and then hit the ground running.” Toby and Alison were lucky enough to spend three months learning from the previous owner of the business, before taking it over full-time. That was enough to get them hooked on picture framing, and they’re still doing it 21 years later! Alongside picture framing they have a gallery showcasing work by local artists, with whom they have a very close relationship, and sell a selection of crafts including ceramics, woodwork, sculptures and glassware by Mike Hunter.

Toby is eager to explain that anyone can follow in his footsteps:

“If you decide you want to completely change your career, you have to put your heart and soul into your business in order for it to succeed.” “As newcomers to the picture-framing industry we had to work hard to achieve our goals and over the years we have continued to push ourselves to learn new things.” In 2001, Toby joined the Fine Art Trade Guild and became Guild Commended, a certification that he feels gives customers the confidence to choose you for their framing whilst also justifying your pricing. Since then, he has continued to stay up to date with the latest trends and products, always pushing himself to be as creative and unique as possible.

Toby said: “I use Larson-Juhl mouldings because they have a great range of products, allowing me to let my imagination run wild. In 21 years I’ve never been stuck to find something I’m looking for! Larson-Juhl mouldings are also popular with customers as they’re really affordable, some of the most popular mouldings are Andover, Malta and Fenice.”

Malta 312 608

To see more of Tweed Art, head to their website (tweedart.co.uk) or check them out on social @tweedart.

14 Fenice 364 502

Medals framed in Andover

Barton Fields (Oil on canvas)

SGFA WINNER In our last issue of 4walls, we let you know about the Society of Graphic Fine Art’s Centenary Open Exhibition at the Mall Galleries earlier this year, showcasing work from artists covering all facets of the contemporary art world, working in many diverse mediums and subject matter. In this issue, we are pleased to be able to announce the winner of the Associate Award, of which Larson-Juhl is proud to be the sponsor. The quality of the entries this year was excellent, with 348 making it into the exhibition and we are delighted that the winner is Sally Beaumont.

Horse and Hoover (Etching and aquatint)

Shoes I Have Loved (Etching)

Sally’s winning artwork, ‘Scholarly Audiences’, is a lithograph of collaged images of her favourite subject matter, horses! Her piece also features Japanese prints and drawings of family pets by her grandchildren. The piece is both stunning and personal. The image of the horse appears repeatedly in Sally’s work. As a child she was in awe of her grandfather, a specialist horse vet and commanding officer at a veterinary hospital in Basrah, in W.W.1. She yearned for a pony as a child and has worked alongside horses all her life. Since owning her own horses and ponies, Sally has been both inspired by them and able to improve her skills as an accomplished equestrian artist.

Sally said: “The motif of the horse runs throughout different cultures and mythology - a symbol of freedom and power. Horses also symbolise beauty and frailty, especially in the racing world.”

Les Williams, president of the SGFA, said: “Framing is so incredibly important for artists and the framing materials provided by Larson-Juhl will help Sally immensely. We are very grateful for LarsonJuhl’s continued Scholarly Audiences (Lithograph) support of upand-coming artists!” Sally’s work is still available to view through the SGFA website, along with artwork by the other prize winners. Visit the SGFA website here https://www.sgfa.org.uk/, Sally’s website at https://www.sallybeaumontartist.com/

Sally has received £250 of framing materials from Larson-Juhl and we can’t wait to see where she goes in the future!

Arab Horse Show, Basrah 1918 (Mixed media on canvas)

WEBSITE BEST PRACTICE 1

A business’s online presence can have a huge impact on its commercial success, particularly as online shopping becomes more and more popular with consumers. With this in mind, we’re sharing with you some examples of best practice to help you make the most of your website!

You only have one chance to make a first impression!

It is likely that the first impression potential customers get of your business is through your website, and it only takes a split second for them to form an opinion. To make sure that they get a positive view of your business, your website should look good. To start, think about other websites that you like and are easy to navigate – what can you learn from them? Typically, people will spend 15 seconds on your site before giving up, that’s how long you have to capture someone’s attention and generate interest.

Use it to showcase your work:

With many customers choosing to look online before venturing to the high street, it is beneficial to show a portfolio of your previous work and to update this regularly. The idea behind this is to mimic the experience a customer would have in a physical shop, not only reassuring customers that your work is of a good quality, but also providing a source of inspiration for customers who are new to framing.

While there are lots of free templates out there, getting your site properly designed is generally a worthwhile investment. If it is time to refresh your website, we recommend that you get three quotes to compare before you make a decision. In terms of what makes good design, an impactful homepage can be achieved by using consistent fonts, colours and backgrounds. You should also avoid overcrowding your pages with text or having too many pages as this can make it difficult for users to find the information they are looking for.

Use good quality images:

Using good quality images on your website draws people in and helps to break up the text into more manageable chunks for the reader. They also improve the overall appearance of the website; this is particularly important for framers and artists. When using images, use the highest quality image you have but try to reduce the file size to avoid slow loading times. There are lots of free online image resizers available that allow you to upload your image and download a smaller version, and a quick Google search will return a list of options for you.

Customer testimonials:

On your website, ensure that your business appears to be trustworthy and reputable. A great way to show that you are trustworthy is to post customer testimonials on your website, either alongside photos of associated work or as a ‘don’t take our word for it’ section. If you already have customer testimonials this should be easy to do, otherwise start collecting!

Add links to social media:

Add links to your social media accounts in the header or footer of your website. This will allow customers to follow you and keep up with your work, increasing the reach of your business. Social media accounts also provide a larger portfolio to direct potential customers to - many people update their social profile more often than their website.

Clearly state how to get in touch:

One of the major reasons people may be visiting your website is to find out how to contact you, so make it easy for them! List your address, contact telephone number and email address, and make your telephone number clickable on mobile for an easier user experience! We would also recommend using an online form for enquiries, allowing customers to easily get in touch about potential framing projects. Many people find the idea of calling or visiting shops intimidating, so by using an online form you are likely to receive a greater number of enquiries and hopefully generate more sales as a result. But make sure you are geared up to respond quickly.

Make your website mobile friendly:

A large majority of consumers use their mobile devices to access the internet, so if your website isn’t mobile friendly it can immediately put off any potential customers. Common issues on mobile sites are slow loading images, overcrowding of pages and small text. Have a look at your site on your mobile to check that everything appears as it should! If not, either make the changes yourself or speak to a website developer for help.

SEO and keywords:

SEO keywords are single words or short phrases that represent the search queries that people use to find your website. There are free online tools available to check what search terms people are using for your industry. For example, Google has a free keyword planner that can help you to find keywords that are most relevant for your business. Google Trends can also give you insights into how often people are searching for relevant words to your industry and how this fluctuates over time. Both tools are free to use, you’ll just need to setup a Google account if you don’t have one already. When you select relevant keywords and use them to form the basis of your website content, you have a better chance of showing up in the search results. It also ensures that you are creating content that potential customers would be interested in seeing.

Sparrow, Edition 14

Sparrow, 9th Edition

The School

SWLA COMPETITION Larson-Juhl is always pleased to partner up with organisations such as the Society of Wildlife Artists, as it enables us to support up and coming artists on their journey. We are therefore delighted to be sponsoring the annual SWLA exhibition and competition again this year. The exhibition is called The Natural Eye and invites artists who are inspired by the natural world to submit their work for the exhibition, held in the beautiful Mall Galleries in central London. Each year, the exhibition showcases up to 400 works celebrating wildlife in a wide range of media including drawing, printmaking and sculpture. This year, there were lots of wonderful entries and the judges had a difficult time deciding upon a winner! But, the winner of the Larson-Juhl drawing award is Tianyin Wang who created a number of charcoal drawings that were absolutely stunning, so much so that the judges were unable to choose a favourite piece, so the award is for his works overall. Tianyin is an artist working primarily in charcoal drawing, using a unique technique that he has been developing since 2015. The technique involves using a combination of different charcoals to achieve a distinctive look, best described as motion impressionism. See more of Tianyin Wang on Instagram @tianyin_artist or take a look at The Natural Eye exhibition online at www.mallgalleries.org.uk/whats-on/exhibitions/natural-eye-2021

Tim at his studio in Denny Brothers

TIM WADE Artist Tim Wade has been working as a framer since 1984 when he got a job at Denny Brothers, a worldwide printing company and retail shop in Bury St Edmunds offering stationery supplies, art materials and picture framing services.

The Great Sunday Afternoon Adventure

Working in the framing industry also instilled in Tim a love of art, leading him to start painting in his spare time and even win the Arts Society Picture of the Year award for best pastel at age 21. He was lucky enough to be able to sell his paintings from the framing studio at Denny Brothers, and he sold lots of paintings in this way throughout the 80s. In 1999, Tim went on to study a Masters in oil painting but since then he has struggled to find the time for his hobby. Lockdown for Tim was the perfect opportunity to pick up the paintbrush again. He spent time rediscovering his passion and even developed an exciting new painting technique! The new technique is mixed media and involves creating moulds from a composite material and building up the moulds to create the desired shape before painting. The moulds are only slightly 3D, meaning that the images look 2D until you get up close. 4walls was also interested to hear that the background for Tim’s most recent piece was made out of recycled Larson-Juhl packaging!

Tim said: “I’ve always wanted to invent a totally new art style, as I don’t think that all art should be the same. I was lucky to have spare time during lockdown to experiment with new ideas and techniques, largely based around my other passion of fixing antique bikes!”

Tim’s new painting style is proving popular with the public, and he has already framed and sold a couple of his new pieces. “As an artist and a framer I am in the unique position to be able to frame my own work, which is lucky because I know exactly what I want! I generally go for contemporary mouldings, particularly when it comes to my new pieces as I feel it complements them best. It isn’t important to me to follow trends; I prefer to look at the artwork and choose a moulding that makes it stand out.” We’re looking forward to seeing more of Tim Wade’s unique art in the future, and it’s great to see such wonderful pieces in Larson-Juhl mouldings!

Infrared

As Heavy As Lead

Having worked in the industry since the age of 19, Tim has a wealth of experience in the art of picture framing and over the years he has framed letters of historical importance, original artworks, Stephen Ward original sketches, Rolling Stones memorabilia and much more!

After a year of putting plans on hold, the thought of running an event for your business can be daunting, but also exciting! Many businesses shy away from the idea of holding an event, for fear that the effort and costs required will exceed the overall benefit. But we’re here to tell you that you could be missing out on a valuable marketing tool!

GOING WILD! Jo and Kevin

Hosting events comes with a range of benefits: ■

eet your customers: face-to-face contact M is important as it allows you to build trust and get to know your audience. If you know your ideal customer, you will be able to tailor your business to meet their needs and requirements, meaning greater revenue for your business.

■

how off your work: an event is the perfect S opportunity to show people what you can do. We’re not suggesting that you try and overly sell to your guests but having your work on display will hopefully get guests thinking about what they have at home to frame.

■

ttract attention: hosting an event will attract A attention from your community, and hopefully local media too. Use this opportunity to get your business’s name out there so that people think of you next time they’d like a picture framed!

■

xpand your industry contacts: consider E inviting other framers, artists and interior designers to your event. You can discuss industry best practices; you’ll build your network and maybe even learn something new.

One couple that have certainly used events to their advantage are Kevin and Jo Youngman of Wildwood Gallery in Bury St Edmunds. Their gallery has been so popular that recently Kevin has started a new business, AKA Fine Art in Cambridge, with friend and painter Alison Porter. Wildwood Gallery is set to continue working with local artists, business and the public on their bespoke, hand finished framing, whilst AKA Fine Art will focus on fine art sales in Cambridge. Given that AKA Fine Art is located in a new area with no existing customers, the team has been using events to stir up interest in the business, which is currently operating online, before they open their physical gallery in Spring 2022. 4walls spoke to Kevin about the new business venture:

Since the pandemic, hosting events has been more difficult due to social distancing measures. Because of this, Kevin chose to wait until restrictions were lifted to run his first event, saying that the best thing about an event is getting to engage with people. AKA recently hosted an exhibition at Kettle’s Yard, Cambridge to raise money for mental health charity Arts and Minds, with whom the team work closely. AKA donated 10% of their commission for each sale to the charity. The event exhibited work by local artists and included artist talks, it was a huge success!

“Before opening AKA Fine Art, we will be running several events to build the profile of the business in Cambridge. At Wildwood Gallery, we have been lucky enough to work with repeat clients for over 20 years, so it is important for us to build client relationships and offer customers a personal service and events are a great way to do that.”

Earlier this year, AKA also hosted a launch party and exhibition to build initial awareness of the brand. Kevin adds: “The events have been very well received, and our online gallery has had lots of interest from the public as a result of our events. It’s always going to be a challenge to start a new business, but I believe our decision to start online and build our presence before opening a physical gallery has paid off. I’m excited to see where we can take both businesses in the future!

Keep an eye on AKA Fine Art’s website akafineart.co.uk and social media channels @akafineart for updates on the new Cambridge gallery. You can also find Wildwood Gallery at wildwoodgallery.co.uk or on social at @wildwoodgallery.

CUSTOMER SERVICE SURVEY

Customer service is a top priority for Larson-Juhl and so it was very important to run a survey earlier in the year to understand where the company is delivering well and where there are improvements to be made. With over 200 responses received, sales & marketing director Matt George and his team have since been digesting the results and implementing changes and improvements accordingly. Some things were quick fixes like adding corner protectors to mountboard packaging while working on web improvements is more of a long-term project, although significant adjustments have been introduced already.

According to Matt: “Overall, we were really, really pleased with the findings of this survey with over 80% of respondents rating us seven or above regarding recommending us to a framer friend and we were delighted to receive comments such as those below.”

Comments “Simon is very knowledgeable about the products and the needs of the framer. He is always professional and quick to respond to any issues. Best rep!” “Seb goes above and beyond for me at every possible opportunity – he always gets back to me and if Larson-Juhl don’t have the solution I need he points me in the right direction” Service, quality and the range and variety of products were confirmed as the most important factors to framers when it comes to mouldings – all of which are at the very heart of our culture.

Left to right: Hannah, Alice, Carmela, Alessia, Tracey, Shanice and Shona

The Team Tracey Masters and her customer service colleagues were praised for their courtesy, responsiveness, willingness to help and overall competence. They knew they needed to work on upping their knowledge of product detail across the 2,000+ range and this has been a focus over recent months. The new showroom has actually proved to be a fantastic environment for training! Tracey’s team comprises Shona Fairley, Shanice Charles, Alessia Lowe (customer care supervisor), Carmela Marano, Alice Flynn and Hannah Stringer.

Website Info Many improvements to the website have been made this year, and the team will continue to look at new features and innovations to make the online journey as smooth and easy as possible. Over 70% of transactions are now made online as more and more customers opt to operate ‘digital first’.

Finally, Matt was very pleased with the feedback about the area sales managers who all work incredibly hard to deliver a responsive, tailored service to each customer. Their knowledge and professionalism being rated especially well. Many thanks again to all those who completed the questionnaire – the plan is to repeat the customer survey on an annual basis.

Specifically, Matt says: “On the website, we are now using the framed images and marketing descriptions from the catalogue. Customers will be able to click on the framed image to blow it up to full screen. “We have also refreshed the resources section making it easier for you to find help for your framing questions.”

Front of Ironbridge Fine Arts

Wedding dress

GUNNING FOR SUCCESS Ironbridge Fine Arts & Framing is a family run business situated in the picturesque Shropshire town of its namesake. It was founded to be a hub for art lovers and enthusiasts, and to incorporate local culture and history. Ironbridge is a World Heritage Site. As these photos show, the Ironbridge premises are an artform in their own right. Stunning materials, amazing lighting and beautiful design providing home to a gallery space that is open to the public, print workshop, rentable artist studio space and a dedicated framing area.

At the heart of the business is the Gunning family. Director and Guild Certified Framer Sarah Morris, her sister, director and specialist printmaker Jenny Gunning, and their parents Liz and Dave Gunning collectively possess an inspirational array and amount of talent.

Jenny, Ryan and Sarah

In the frame

the fact that every job is unique in its own way. “That’s what keeps it fun!”

Apart from framing, Sarah delivers best in class Giclee printing and ArtSure registration, high resolution scanning and digital editing, printing and limited print registration; assisted by framer Ryan Hartland and framing assistant Georgie Russell.

Sarah is loving her new consultation space which allows her scope to show customers the extent of their range of options. She loves to experiment: “Why play safe?!” Yet demonstrating quality remains a top priority: “It can sometimes be hard to explain the price of premium mouldings but I find the more I can give customers choices, the more they understand. And the more a moulding can contribute in terms of texture, colour and aesthetics, the easier it becomes to show the value of buying quality.”

Like many framers, Sarah and the team rethought their business model under lockdown which allowed them to refocus on their biggest priorities and identify where the most commercial opportunities lay. “The significant growth in larger pieces suggested the potential for more space – and this ambitious approach has certainly paid off!” Sarah told 4walls. Sarah, Ryan and Georgie not only frame large artwork, they also frame clothing. Sarah says: “The different elements of the business are very complementary and not surprisingly an artist might come to us for framing, see our digital printing facilities and then use us for their limited editions.” She is passionate about her work and loves

Sarah’s favourite mouldings include LarsonJuhl’s Anvil, with its industrial texture, and Colosseum - which is a perfect match for Picasso’s work, she says! Sevilla is another popular range: “The silver, white and brown Sevilla are so versatile working with lots of different mediums; so beautiful and very elegant, and it is great for larger commissions, like giving wedding dresses a stylish, special context. Sword in Anvil

“I love Prague because of its exquisite finish; perfectly carved and gold/silver leaf gilding. I recently used it to frame a beautiful series of eight abstract pastels.” Showcasing Brittany

Family facts “And finally Brittany - A rustic moulding, done perfectly! We love the colours and profiles chosen for this range which works brilliantly with textured oils and contemporary works alike.

“I also want to sing the praises of Larson-Juhl’s mountboard. It is a world apart to be honest, and while I have tried others, I always come back to Larson-Juhl’s range: the way they cut, the way they look, the way they last, the way they feel. It’s the best!” Given Sarah’s dynamism and love of all things visual, it is no surprise that she is a fan of Instagram: “I can’t believe how much work it brings in! And it is so exciting to see a story’s engagement take off!”

Dave and Liz Gunning founded Gunning Arts Limited in the 1980s. This now runs alongside Ironbridge Fine Arts & Framing. Dave Gunning is a prolific artist with artwork in many prestigious collections across the world including 110 etchings in Her Majesty the Queen’s private collection and two large drawings hanging in the Houses of Parliament. He has had more than 70 one man shows and has many exhibitions booked for years to come.

spiritual healer and offers counselling, healing sessions and many art workshops based around pottery and therapy.

Liz Gunning is the ceramicist of the gallery, creating incredible works of art and functional ware as well as offering workshops and one-to-one tuition. She has a beautiful pottery studio and creates the most wonderful fine art sculptures and ceramics. Liz’s hares are her trademark and she thrives on making and selling in the Ironbridge Gorge. Liz is also a qualified

Jenny graduated from Cheltenham & Gloucester University in 2004 and has a degree in Specialist Printmaking. Upon leaving university, Jenny set up her own business which evolved into Ironbridge Fine Arts & Framing. Jenny has extensive experience in many forms of printmaking and her passion for printmaking and etching inspires all who meet her.

Ironbridge studio

Ryan at work Prague 674 077

Sarah Morris

Jenny Gunning

Skirt

For more information: go to ironbridgeframing.co.uk and follow Sarah, Jenny and the family on Instagram and Facebook @ironbridgefinearts.

Gordon at work

GORDON WILSON ART For this issue of 4walls, we had the opportunity to speak to Gordon Wilson, a Scottish framer turned artist, about his journey, inspiration and future plans.

Gordon’s interest and talent in the arts started at a young age. He had his paintings first exhibited at Dulwich College in London while still at high school. On leaving school he studied at The Glasgow School Of Art part-time whilst working as an artist in a few of Glasgow’s prominent advertising agencies before starting his own picture framing business at just 19 years old. He continued to paint on the side, selling his paintings through his framing business, art fairs and galleries worldwide. Around seven years ago, Gordon retired from the framing industry, choosing to focus all of his attention on his flourishing artistic career.

Lonely Summer Belty

For Gordon, 2020 was his busiest year yet as an artist, as many looked to improve their interior spaces. He made sales of his art worldwide, partially due to his excellent use of social media which he says allows him to reach potential customers outside of his usual customer base in the UK.

Ben Lomond But’n’Ben

Gordon describes himself as a modern Scottish colourist, a title he has adopted to avoid being pigeon-holed. His work is stunning and inspired by the Scottish landscapes around his home in Glasgow, both tranquil and dramatic.

He said: “When I post a painting on social media, nine times out of 10 it sells almost immediately! It can be a lot of work, but it allows you to develop a global customer base.” Despite his busy schedule as an artist, Gordon still does all of his own framing and wouldn’t have it any other way!

Stranded @ Troon

Pansies & The Dark Vase

Snowdrops & Kaleidoscopic Blind

Skye Tranquility

Daniel Bailey of Bailey Arts with Seb

“Framing is imperative for good art, and if you want your work to stand out in a gallery setting you have to go the extra mile with your framing. Personally, I enjoy using chunky frames and often use a couple of mouldings to create my desired effect. Because I frame everything myself, I not only have the ability to create a unique and eyecatching frame, but I am also able to easily swap the frame out for a customer who doesn’t have the same taste. It’s a win-win!”

Gordon also told 4walls a fantastic story about the impact a frame can have on a viewer’s perception of art. As a framer, he was once asked to frame a small 3x3 inch drawing done by a customer’s young granddaughter. Knowing that the customer was an avid art collector, Gordon suggested that they frame the drawing differently, using a 6-inch moulding. A few months later, he heard that the customer was delighted because visitors repeatedly asked which gallery the drawing was from! Gordon’s work will be exhibited at the prestigious Thompson’s Gallery in Marylebone. You can also find him on social media @gordonwilsonartist.

WHERE THERE’S A WILLIS THERE’S A WAY! With a Sports Science degree from Sheffield and a Masters in Sports Performance Nutrition from Loughborough University, it is perhaps no surprise that Seb is so full of energy!

premium lines, for colour – Farrow & Ball type hues – alongside the return of gold. And surprisingly, less of a requirement for black and white.

“I am also selling more single lengths, and with more customers wanting to reduce stock levels, a big growth in requests for chop.”

He spent the early part of his career in business development with Nestlé and then Creed Foodservice, before joining Larson-Juhl in January 2018. Seb’s enthusiasm for the role back then has not abated – despite the challenges of lockdown and he remains truly passionate about the industry.

Whatever 2022 brings, Seb will be on it! “The more I work with my customers, the more excited I get about their businesses.”

“I love this business! I love the relationships. I love the informality of the framing world. I love the fact that I am working with many long serving colleagues. I love our new product development - and our manufacturing capability is awesome!

Seb lives in Wales with his wife Hannah, daughters Erin (7), Lila (4) and Sara (nearly one!). In his spare time, he relishes life in the country and indulging in crazy activities like zip wires!

“I found the fast-moving consumer goods’ environment quite superficial, to be honest, so I jumped at the chance to join Larson-Juhl where we are all in it for the long-term; and building relationships, trust and understanding are to the genuine advantage of all concerned.”

Seb’s patch Seb covers a very varied area – from beautiful, rural Wales to the fastpaced urban streets of Manchester. Regardless of geography, Seb is noticing some interesting trends when it comes to mouldings though: “I am seeing an increase in the demand for more Poppies & Dark Vase

Jack Fielding from Heart Galleries with Seb

SPECIALIST GLAZING – WHY YOU SHOULD STOCK IT (& HOW TO SELL IT.) A MASTERCLASS WITH JON PRICE GCF (APF)

When I took over Handmade Framing & Gallery in 2013, the business only offered standard glass, unless a customer specifically requested an alternative product. These days we offer a multitude of glazing products, from 2mm float to 99% UV filtering low reflectance museum acrylic. Why? Because it’s good service (we can match our customers’ needs) and it’s good business (it helps us stand out from our competitors and it’s more profitable).

In this article, which accompanies the latest video I’ve made for Larson-Juhl (https://larsonjuhl.co.uk/haven/vids/jon-pricemasterclass), I want to focus on ‘the benefits of specialist glazing’ and ‘how to increase profit by selling specialist glazing’. As you’ll see, benefits and selling go together like…err…canvas and stretcher bars.

How to sell stuff

Increased Profit

The theory behind successful sales techniques is a subject that could take up the next five editions of 4walls. However, you’re a framer, not a salesperson. So, let’s keep it simple. You’ll hear people talking about a good salesperson having ‘the gift of the gab’ or being able to ‘sell ice to the Eskimos’. In my opinion, these sayings are misleading.

It is natural for our customers to expect to pay more for specialist glazing. The longer the list of benefits the higher the price expectation will be, and the more those benefits suit the customers’ needs the more they’ll be willing to pay. Don’t assume that your customers can’t afford something. You’re doing both them and yourself a disservice.

They are misleading because you sell a product by matching its benefits to the customers’ needs. Eskimos tend to have all the ice they need! The ‘gift of the gab’ suggests that sales is all about talking, but the most important thing you can do is listen. Let customers tell you what they want. You might need to prompt them by asking questions. Think about the information you need from a customer. With regard to glazing, these are: value of the item (intrinsic or sentimental) and where the item will be hung (UV light level, brightness, public space etc.). Open ended questions such as ‘how important is this item to you?’ and ‘where will it hang?’ are ideal for getting your customer to talk about, and elaborate on, key points. What you’re listening for is clues to what they actually want. For example, if the item is valuable or has a lot of sentimental importance, they’re likely to want to protect it with UV filtering glazing.

It’s a fact that you can sell a higher priced product at a lower mark up and still make more profit than you would by selling a lesser priced product at a higher mark up. Here’s a simple example: let’s say you’re framing an A3 photograph. Standard glass costs you £1.00 and you mark it up by 100%. That means the selling price is £2.00 and you’ve made a £1.00 profit. Now, let’s say you used specialist glazing that costs you £10 for the same size piece. This time you mark it up by only 50%. The sale price of the glazing is now £15, but your profit is five times more than it was using standard glass. The same principle works with other higher priced premium products, such as moulding.

Once you have the information you need, you can summarise or clarify with closed questions, such as ‘so, this picture was given to you by your grandmother. Does that mean it has a lot of sentimental value?’

Other ways to sell glazing The framing industry is visual by nature and there is no better way to sell a concept than by putting an example in front of people. Traditionally suppliers offer free demonstrators and box frames with examples of two or more types of glazing in them (e.g. standard and low reflectance) so that they can be compared side-by-side. When customers see the difference, the low reflectance glass sells itself. Larson-Juhl has gone a step further and made a 60 second video which you can use to demonstrate the benefits of low reflectance, UV filtering and Museum glazing to your customers: https://larsonjuhl.co.uk/haven/vids/jon-pricemasterclass. You could also make a ‘conservation’ twin glazing box frame, displaying UV filtering glass and museum glass, for conservation framing customers. I’ve also seen a version that consists of paper based artwork, with standard glazing and UV filtering glazing, which was then exposed to considerable UV light.

My overall point is don’t try ‘selling ice to Eskimos’. Instead, listen to your customers so that you can find out what they want from the glazing in their frame, be it UV protection, less obvious reflection in a bright space, better clarity or higher impact resistance. Then, match those needs to a glazing product, clearly layout and visually demonstrate the benefits of that product and let your customer make an informed decision. Jon Price GCF(APF) owns Handmade Framing & Gallery, near Bude, North Cornwall. He has framed for world renowned museums, galleries, artists, photographers and designers. Jon is passionate about great framing and framing education. www. handmadeframing.co.uk

The benefits of different types of glazing Once you’ve ascertained your customers’ needs, you can match those needs to products. BUT only if you know the facts and benefits of each product. There is an overwhelming array of different glazing products on the market. So, I’ve put together a summary of the facts and benefits of the main types (on the facing page).

Plastic (polystyrene and acrylic) FACT

BENEFIT

DISADVANTAGES

Around half the weight of glass.

Makes larger pictures lighter, safer and easier to hang.

Most plastic glazing is easily scratched and has a high level of staticity, although scratch resistant versions are available.

Has around five times the impact resistance of standard glass.

Safer for hanging in a public place or a child’s bedroom.

Less rigidity than glass and more inclined to bow. Not all plastics are straightforward to cut.

Water White (glass) FACT

BENEFIT

DISADVANTAGES

Less Iron Oxide than ordinary glass.

Doesn’t have the green tint of ordinary glass. Appears colourless and gives a truer representation of the artwork.

More expensive and the same levels of reflection as standard glass.

Diffused glazing (glass & plastic) FACT

BENEFIT

DISADVANTAGES

Roughened on one or both sides to deflect reflected light at multiple angles.

Diffuses light reflection, even in harsh lighting conditions. So you see the picture and not the reflection. In such conditions it’s more suitable, and costs less, than low reflectance glazing.

Causes increasingly reduced definition the further it is from the artwork. Cheaper versions are only suitable with a maximum of one mountboard.

Low Reflectance glazing (glass & acrylic) FACT

BENEFIT

DISADVANTAGES

Reduces reflection to around 1-1.5%, approximately 80% less than standard glazing.

Virtually invisible in the right lighting conditions. Looks stunning.

More expensive than standard or UV filtering glazing.

Increases the light transmitted through the glazing to up to 99% (standard glazing is around 90%).

The colours of the artwork are visibly brighter and more defined.

Not suitable in harsh lighting conditions.

UV Filtering glazing (glass & acrylic) FACT

BENEFIT

DISADVANTAGES

Can block up to 99% of the UV light that occurs in both natural and artificial light.

Protects the framed item by considerably reducing the damaged caused by UV i.e. fading, embrittlement & discolouration.

Using UV filtering glazing reduces damage caused by UV light, it doesn’t stop it completely.

Water white laminated and diffused versions are available.

Basic UV filtering glass causes artwork to appear slightly discoloured.

Museum glazing (glass & acrylic) FACT

BENEFIT

Essentially, UV filtering and low reflectance glazing combined and therefore offering the advantages of each e.g. Museum acrylic offers: low reflectance, UV filtering, anti-static, higher light transmission, scratch resistance and is lightweight and shatterproof.

See all of the above benefits (with the exception of diffused glazing).

DISADVANTAGES

EASY MOUNT DECORATION

Ask the experts

Q. I have been asked by a local college to frame some special certificates and wondered if you know where I can find some ideas for doing something different for frames or mounts?

A. Diplomas, certificates and qualifications can often be quite dull and don’t always reflect the considerable time and effort people have invested in obtaining them. Whenever I get a job like this I like to give it a bit more with some extra features in the framing to make it look a little more impressive and increase its presence on the wall. I don’t think a single mount and small black frame really does justice. We are not dealing with artwork here, the piece being framed is informative rather than artistic which opens up the opportunity to be a little more creative with the framing than would be appropriate with works of art.

Double mount with angled offset corners

For starters, I would suggest double or triple mounting, using colours in the certificate or maybe college colours, and/or a larger or brighter frame than you would use for regular framing. On the subject of colours, you can often use colours that are stronger than you would normally use. Stacking frames can also be used to introduce colour and/ or contrast, I like using a thin coloured moulding on the inside of the frame.

do not need a CMC and with a little practice can produce impressive results quickly on a manual machine. Rather than try and explain how to cut offset corners I will refer you to a series of videos I have done with Keencut, they are free and there is no need to register. Go to: https://www.keencut.com/ support/keencut-picture-framingmasterclass/ Or go to the Keencut website and click on the banner on the home page. Scroll down to the advanced section and check out videos 1, 4 and 6. No.5 covers painting bevels which can also be useful. There may be some other videos which could give you some ideas too. David Wilkie GCF

My favourite option however is to include offset corners in single or double mounts, and coloured bevels can also be used to show extra colours without increasing the layers of mountboard. I particularly like the angled offset corners as they are a bit softer than the all square corners. You Double mount with angled offset corners

Corner close up of photo 4

Double mount with angled offset corners and coloured bevels

Double mount with square offset and notched corners

HOW TO…..GET INSTANT BENEFITS FROM INSTAGRAM Instagram can be incredibly beneficial for businesses, but are you using it to its full potential? We’ve written a simple guide to help you get instant benefits from this powerful channel!

Why should your business be on Instagram? Unlike a physical shop, your Instagram page makes your business visible to a larger customer base including those outside of your local area. It can also act as a portfolio of your work, where potential customers can see examples of your framing and be assured that you are trustworthy.

Getting started: • M ost businesses use their logo as a profile picture. It is important that you keep your picture uniform across all social channels to ensure that followers recognise your page. • Take some time to complete your bio, providing a description of your business and adding your website address or contact details.

Story: • A story is a temporary post that only lasts for 24 hours, stories are accessible via the top of the home page. Content on stories is generally more informal than on grid posts. • E xamples of content for stories includes showing your ‘works in progress’ or new products. Video content is also very popular on stories. • A lthough stories disappear after 24 hours, you can save them as a highlight. See below!

Interacting with others: Instagram is primarily a social platform, so it is important to remember to interact with posts by other framers and artists too. This will build your network of contacts and raise your profile in the industry, as well as providing a constant source of inspiration for your own framing projects.

Highlight: • H ighlights can be found at the top of your profile. They are permanent versions of your stories, meaning that once you’ve created a story you can choose to keep it displayed on your profile.

Posting on Instagram: You should aim to post on Instagram a couple of times per week at least to ensure that your followers stay engaged. On social media it is also vital to regularly check your notifications and messages as customers expect quick replies. Grid post: • A grid post is a permanent post that lives on your profile, your followers can interact with these posts by liking, commenting and sharing. • W e would recommend writing interesting captions and using relevant hashtags to increase the number of people who see your posts. Examples of this are #framing #framer #pictureframe #art. • I f you are posting a photo of somebody else/another business, you should tag the person featured. • I t is not possible to add clickable links to Instagram posts. However, if you’d like to direct your customers to a website, you can add a link to your bio via the ‘edit profile’ button at the top of your profile. We would recommend that you use LinkTree, a tool that allows you to host multiple links in your Instagram bio instead of updating the link every time.

Top tip! Video content has been found to capture a viewer’s attention for longer than images, so try creating a few short informal videos to post on your page, either as a grid post or on your stories. Don’t forget to tag @LarsonJuhlUK in your Instagram posts, we’d love to see what you get up to!

New Petite Range The Larson-Juhl Signature Petite III Collection is based on the concept of top sellers including Eiffel, Foundry, Spoleto and Lille. Customers are used to using these mouldings but were missing a smaller profile to complete the range of these successful collections. For quality, all back and sides of the Petite III are finished with the same foil as the top.