Keeping up with the Joneses

Colosseum 275 877

Confetti 115 634

Sofia 200 752

Bowie 140649/8640/AR70 Mark has just completed using his favourite 8508 linen mount. The latest Dan Hillier print in a Colosseum (275877) frame, which

KEEPING UP WITH

Art of Treason Framing & Art is a beacon of light and colour on the creative Sussex coast.

THE JONESES

Deliberately located in less crowded Worthing, by Brighton entrepreneur Mark Jones, the company has only been in operation just over three years - but is already the highest rated framer in the South East with close to 200 5-star Google reviews and rapidly counting.

He’s proud to offer an eclectic range of fine mouldings and particularly likes bright vivid colours, luxurious gilded frames, rust and carbon effects, but is equally passionate about the difference quality mountboard can make and especially matt linen, sensual suedette, plus gold and silver metallics.

Artistic appreciation

Mark (age 57) might be late into the business, but his music industry background as a press officer and record mogul has certainly shaped his artistic appreciation and sense of creative adventure. “I then launched my own record label, Jeepster, in 1996, and broke new artists like Belle & Sebastian and Snow Patrol, before becoming an art dealer in 2004. I was one of the first to switch onto Banksy – and sold on his guns and bomb-themed early work as my daughter became more socially aware, big mistake! – but it’s a tough, competitive business and especially in London-on-Sea, as Brighton is sometimes known.

He explains: “I saw my first punk band, The Damned, aged just 14, in the heady days of 1978 and to say it blew my mind is an understatement. So much so, I ended up being their press officer five years later, which in turn led to working with global artists like Kate Bush, Queen and Pink Floyd.

Highly creative solutions

“A friend suggested framing and I took a course at West Dean College of Arts in nearby Chichester – Salvador Dali studied there in his youth no less – and I took to it like a duck to water and really enjoyed the work. As someone who’s had 1000s of pictures framed for various galleries that I’ve been involved with, I quickly realised that I have a keen eye, pay strict attention to detail and can offer highly creative solutions for customers who are looking to enhance and protect their artwork.”

The majority of Mark’s customers are delighted with moulding options they’d never even considered and work is usually turned around within a fortnight. He frames a lot of Banksy and Hirst prints and valuable artwork, and uses only the highest conservation standard materials including anti acid materials and museum glass.

He treats his work like a prominent piece of furniture and says that coming out of Covid enthusiasts are being more bold and adventurous in their colour schemes, which in turn unleashes his creative and fluorescent punk soul.

Splash of colour

Mark adds: “Customers are readily buying into maximising their piece of art and Larson-Juhl mouldings are by far the best and never let me down. I love the Confetti collection because it promotes that splash of colour, while all the metallics are spot on and the Sofia range brings a sophisticated Renaissance feel to the resurgent antiquated trend.

Despite his long-standing punk DIY ethos, Mark also appreciates the traditional values of quality and craftsmanship and says his Fine Art Trade Guild membership does help him to differentiate in his conservation specialism. It also promotes word-of-mouth endorsements and perhaps explains why he doesn’t have to rely on time consuming social media – apart from the occasional Instagram – to win new and repeat business in and around Worthing.

“Over 80% of my work is now AR70 glass too, plus I’m always looking to push mountboard colour to pop a picture. Matching it with just a tiny splash of colour in the piece really helps and my customer entries for the summer shows at the Royal Academy are living proof, as they have told me this approach has tangibly pushed sales and interest.”

Mark concludes: “Business is booming to be fair. I get over 80% of the jobs I quote for and I do put a lot of that down to the sustainable partnership I have with Larson-Juhl. I get on famously with area sales manager Derrick Hicks and he’s a kindred spirit. Their materials are top end, but competitively priced, and that translates into attracting customers that will pay a little bit more for a superior product, aesthetic and finish.”

The Blue Surrealist by Grace Pailthorpe 400752/8541

Interesting commissions

He reckons he’s framed just about everything – aside from his bread and butter maps, pet and sport memorabilia, plus music posters – but interesting commissions like the framing of a charcoal boulder by renowned sculptor David Nash makes the job extra rewarding.

He also still champions artists with a similar dark taste, like ‘steampunk’ pioneer Dan Hillier, and street artist Horace, Worthing’s version of Banksy, who has produced and sold 25 canvases in the last three months. Both feature prominently in the Art of Treason gallery space.

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