Watt a dream

Painting framed in Honfleur

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:

“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 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.

“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.” 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.