4 Walls Magazine Issue 44

WELCOME!

Welcome to Issue 44 of 4walls and I hope that 2023 has started well for you. We certainly hope that you will find the content in this latest magazine uplifting, informative and inspirational.

The front cover features Bottoms Up by Leigh Banks. We have gone with a racing theme as we discovered Leigh through Vicky Kirby of South Street Gallery in Dorking –so the Epsom link seemed perfect! On pages 4 and 5 you can read all about these two talented women.

The latest Larson-Juhl scholars feature on pages 10 and 11 and we reflect on our Society of Wildlife Artists sponsorship on page 31.

We spoke to two leading wholesalers for this issue – Abbey Glass (pages 12 and 13) and Deben Frames (pages 22 and 23) along with a number of impressive framing businesses. Jaclyn Tobin from Waverley Gallery is new to the industry (pages 6 and 7) while Premier Framing is celebrating its 25th anniversary (pages 14 and 15). We also feature The Art Centre on pages 8 and 9, Framegame on pages 20 and 21 and David Mitchell on page 25.

Our centre spread again celebrates some of our favourite user generated content from Instagram – there wasn’t enough space to include it all but we will showcase some more in Issue 45. Please keep tagging us!

We absolutely love Carl Koch’s artwork and he tells his story on pages 18 and 19. We have more creativity on page 30 with a very special boat from Ivan Wolfe.

Area sales manager Derrick Hicks is featured on page 26 and Jon Price shares a masterclass on float frames on pages 27, 28 and 29.

I do hope you enjoy 4walls. Please let us know if you have a story for the next issue, and do follow us on social media.

3 New products

Artglass and Andover

4 Vicky’s winning ways

Featuring artist Leigh Banks and South Street Gallery

6. New Wave Gallery Meet Jaclyn Tobin

8 The Work of Art Centre

14 Top of the Premier League Gary Townsend celebrates 25 years

16 Product showcase With customer Instagram content

18 Going to great Paynes Carl Koch of Paynes Grey

20 Great sports at the Framegame Alex Koi – a man of many talents

22 Wholesale changes can be good for business Focus on Deben Frames

25 Meet the Mitchells A flourishing family business

26 On the road with Derrick Hicks

27 Float Frames Masterclass

Creative inspiration and guidance from Jon Price GCF (APF)

30 Creative Corner Spotlight on Ivan Wolfe

31 Walking on the wild side A review of our sponsorship of the Society of Wildlife Artists

Staig MacCallum shares his plans

10 FATG scholars

Helen Slater and Joe Doldon

12 Glass half full The Abbey Glass story

Artglass

Our new Artglass range provides a premium finish for your commissions. Artglass AR 70 guarantees true colour and eliminates reflections, Artglass AR 99 Water White provides the highest possible UV protection with the ultimate transparency of low-iron glass, and Artglass UV 99 provides the maximum UV protection for those items you want to preserve for generations.

NEW PRODUCTS

Andover

Andover is a foil finish moulding, with natural colours that create a classy look including black, white, gold, silver and bronze. We have now added three simple profiles – 217, 232 and 233 – with an Andover finish of hand-brushed foil effect edges to complement the collection.

Vicky Kirby first discovered a passion for framing in 1987 at the age of 15. Indeed, we featured Vicky’s earlier career story and her previous business, Wildwood Gallery, in Issue 34 of 4walls.

That was pre-Covid and apart from the obvious challenges brought about by the pandemic, Vicky also had some issues with her lease. She moved to gorgeous new premises in Bookham and, post lockdown, business was booming! Vicky explains: “Even though the business was going really well, turning 50 was a bit of a shock to the system and I thought it would be a good idea to retire...Ha! How wrong could I be?! So, after selling Wildwood in January last year, it took me about three months to realise retirement was not for me!

“I really missed the interaction with my customers, and the creative process of finding the best choice of mounts and frames to bring out the best in each and every piece of artwork that comes through my door. And the thrill of the customer’s reaction when I unveil the finished piece – it never disappoints!

VICKY’S

WAYS WINNING

So, I set about finding another premises to embark on business number three!”

South Street Gallery in Dorking, Surrey, was born in July 2022 and is proving to be a fantastic location. Alongside Vicky’s core framing business, she has a much bigger gallery space now and she uses this to showcase local talent, of which there is a lot! Not least the wonderful Leigh Banks who features on this issue’s front cover.

“I would say my customer base is 50% artists and 50% local consumers. Tray frames, or float frames, are growing more and more popular – it seems the trend of having frameless canvases adorning your walls is over now, which is good news for us framers!

“I used to draw all the time and loved embellishing school exercise books. My classmates would get me to do pictures for them too (some of them tell me how they have kept them all these years).”

Leigh Banks

“I have known area sales manager Derrick Hicks for a very, very long time. It’s always nice to have a catch up over coffee and take a peek at the latest products from Larson-Juhl. After 35 years in the framing industry, I still get excited by new mouldings!

“Favourites include Simplicity, Micro-tech Veneers, Eiffel, Lancaster and Colorato. I’ve recently framed two gorgeous woodblock prints with a double mount and the dark blue Colorato.

Clover in Lincoln 473 000 137

“I use only Larson-Juhl mountboards. I especially like the extra thick ones, and the suedettes are truly scrumptious!

“My marketing is purely Instagram and my website, but my most successful form of advertising is word of mouth. It’s so lovely when people come in and say: ‘Are you Vicky? You come highly recommended’.

“I’m very excited for the future of South Street Gallery. I’m so lucky that I get to be in my ‘happy place’ in a job I love each and every day, for this I am truly grateful.”

PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST

Leigh Banks was born and raised in Zimbabwe and her fondest childhood memories are of times spent surrounded by the beauty of the African bush. Now that so many species of African wild animals are endangered, she realises how privileged she was to experience such close proximity to them in their natural habitat while their numbers were still abundant. From a young age, she loved to draw and paint animals, encouraged by her mother Sally Banks –who is also an artist.

and Viking Cruises among others. This has demanded a high level of versatility in subject and style. Although her love of animals has persisted as a favoured theme in her artwork, she does also gravitate towards portrait painting which had been the focus of her degree show.

THE POWER OF FRAMING

Leigh loves working with Vicky and has become a real advocate of creative framing:

“I love to see all the different framing choices that Vicky comes up with. My inclination used to be to always go for simple white frames but Vicky has totally transformed some of my pieces with her creative approach and treatment. She might paint a tray frame and then add colour with a decorative outer moulding. Vicky has opened up my imagination with texture, colour and depth – as well as introducing me to the benefits of specialist glass.

“People appreciate this personal service and individual treatment and I always encourage people to use their local framer.”

LAST ORDERS

Leigh showed early promise, winning a painting prize aged seven in a competition for children hosted by the National Gallery in Harare. In her teens she went on to take O Level and A Level Art. She then received a bursary to further her studies at Messiah University in Pennsylvania. Leigh graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1994 with a concentration in oil painting, and exhibited in a couple of group shows in New York as well as in local galleries. She then left the USA and moved between Zimbabwe, London and Cape Town, continuing to paint while working for art galleries. In 1998 she settled permanently in the UK, initially employed by a corporate art consultancy in London until 2001 when she became a full-time artist.

Leigh has had two parallel trajectories over the last 20 years: one selling her artwork privately and through galleries, and the other doing corporate commissions for interiors and contract mural painting, in particular for the cruise ship industry. She has artwork in the permanent collections on close to 30 vessels for Royal Caribbean International

Leigh’s most popular piece is titled ‘Last Orders’, and depicts some iconic characters from the music world who are tragically no longer with us. The original of this piece (measuring 2m x 1.2m) was selected to hang in The Royal Academy’s 2021 Summer Exhibition and gained special recognition when Grayson Perry tweeted that it was one of his favourites in the show that year. Limited edition giclée prints of ‘Last Orders’ are still available via South Street Gallery.

When painting ‘Last Orders’ Leigh had no idea how long it would take: “I started painting at the beginning of 2019 and it took eight months to complete. What I enjoyed most was researching the lives of the chosen icons, many of whose music was weaved into my formative years. I really tried to capture something of their individual personalities and put a lot of thought into trying to position them in similar ways to the figures in the original Last Supper.”

You can enjoy more of Leigh’s stunning artwork on Instagram @BanksLeigh or on TikTok – where her ‘Last Orders’ video received 2.2 million views!

Dappled Dream Royal Academy

Van Dog room set

NEW WAVE GALLERY

The long-established Waverley Gallery on Main Street in Prestwick has new owners and a fresh, modern look!

Jaclyn Tobin, with the support of her husband Adrian, has taken up the reins and quickly revamped the business with a progressive and more inclusive gallery vibe, plus a renewed focus on local artists.

But one thing that hasn’t changed are the experienced workshop hands of longtime employee, Fiona, who has worked at the Waverley for 25 plus years and is a big advocate of Larson-Juhl. And she says that since re-opening last summer business has never been so brisk.

Jaclyn, whose background is in fashion textiles but is a renowned artist in her own right, explains: “It’s been a dream of mine to own a gallery one day, but more like 10 years into the future. However, I knew the Waverley Gallery well after years of them framing my work, so when we heard that the previous owners were thinking of selling up, that pipe dream quickly became a reality.

Proud new owners

“Adrian took a framing course a while back and loved it, so a deal was quickly struck and in just a few months we were the proud, new owners.”

Since the re-opening, the Waverley Gallery has been operating flat out –continuing to look after the framing needs of a loyal customer base, but also attracting in a new breed of local artistic talent.

The previous incarnation relied heavily on commercial prints, but Jaclyn’s vision is a lighter and brighter decor and to go original on stock. Not too much has changed, but it’s certainly been pared down and is less cluttered – with new lighting and ornate cornice features.

She says: “I’m all for artists and customers coming in for a coffee, chat or consultation, even bringing in their dogs, and staying for a while – to reflect and enjoy, like a proper gallery should be. And we’re already supplying to interior designers who love our fresh approach.

Frame and display to the max

“We quickly became a hot topic amongst the South Ayrshire artist fraternity too and I love sharing my ideas on how best to show off, frame and display their works to the max. There is some serious local talent around, that we champion – including stunning abstract artist Carolyn Laidlaw, digital Ayrshire creative Katie Lamb and ceramicist Richie Cameron.

Confetti fillets

Jaclyn Tobin

Old look

New look

Coastal Woods

“We’ve done a lot of work with a very established French artist called Guive Khosravi as well, for his shows in Paris, because he loved our framing approach and especially the Larson-Juhl Confetti range. Fiona has used pretty much all the Larson-Juhl mouldings and mountboards over the years, but that one quickly became a favourite of mine because of the amazing colours and aesthetics. It’s also helped attract in a younger client base.”

Jaclyn’s bold, new approach to business, combining vintage, contemporary and niche in equal measure is certainly different to what their competitors are doing, plus their work with a wellconnected regional fine art dealer is also paying dividends.

Dynamic and illustrative ethos

The Waverley is also making its first foray into social media – with Instagram especially a highly visual platform akin to their dynamic and illustrative ethos – plus they’re also working on a new gallery website.

Jaclyn concludes: “We’ve kept the tried and trusted parts of the business and the Larson-Juhl relationship is certainly one of them. I’m also a big fan of their impressive sustainable range and really push it to customers old and new. We have young children aged 15 and 13 and they’re very much into environmental issues, so we simply must do our bit for the planet as well.

“I do all my ordering via their website, because it’s simple to use and navigate. With everything else being a bit of a whirlwind that particularly has been a godsend, as I can do it all over the phone and wherever I happen to be.”

For more information about Waverley Gallery follow the business on Instagram @thewaverleygallery.

Jaclyn Tobin

For over 35 years in the small village of Kelty in Fife an independent framers and gallery has been creating bespoke frames for clients in Fife and further afield –with many loyal clients from Perthshire to the Borders and from Lothian to the Highlands and islands.

The Art Centre on Main Street is run by Staig MacCallum, who has been a picture framer since 1987, and working alongside him is Jason Nellies – a childhood friend who had a change in career which gave him the opportunity to learn the trade using the expertise that Staig has gained in his 30 plus years in the business.

With this focus on expertise, their truly bespoke framing service approach continues to attract varied clientele with treasured artworks, select fine art prints and unusual 3D items.

In the past few years, we have all lived in extraordinary times, but The Art Centre counts itself very fortunate to still be receiving consistently good and rewarding commissions from customers old and new.

Staig says: “Coming out of both lockdowns we were rushed off our feet again. I think as people spent a lot more time at home they looked to enhance their living areas with more personal pieces and invested in having more unique framed work on their walls that was more

THE (WORK OF)

reflective of their own personality and lifestyles. Post lockdown seemed to rejuvenate a lot of folk – and those looking for a lift or pick-me-up rushed to get their favourite pieces of art lovingly framed and up on the wall.

Perfectly presented work of art

“Customers regularly tell us that a perfectly presented work can create a unique focal point and change the whole look of any room and I think because people haven’t been going out as much, they’re still prepared to pay well for a centrepiece that both cheers them up and impresses visiting family and friends.”

Fine art is obviously in their DNA – local businessman John Dodds who initially opened The Art Centre was a renowned painter and long-time president of many local art groups. Staig started his framing career working for John on leaving school at 16; they were both then joined by John’s son Peter, who took over the business when John retired until selling the business to Staig in 2019.

A large proportion of business still comes from open and limited-edition prints, alongside personal and professional photographs and memorabilia set off in top quality Larson-Juhl mouldings and mountboards.

The Art Centre sources extensively from leading publisher Edinburgh Arts (run by Larson-Juhl friend Steven Smith, who has featured twice before in 4walls – providing front covers by Scott Naismith and Matylda Konecka respectively for Issues 31 and 36).

They have many professional artists as clients and the pleasure of framing an eclectic mixture of contemporary and traditional images from leading regional talent like Sonas MacLean, Derek Robertson, Audrey Slorance and Archie Dunbar Mcintosh – who all favour the professional aesthetics and craftmanship of the Larson-Juhl range.

Staig adds: “The Coastal and Lincoln collections are particularly popular amongst the artists, who still like the classic black/white look, but also the washed wood effect when something more modern and colourful is required for added impact.

Framing almost anything

“But with our reputation for being able to frame almost anything, we also cater for and enjoy the more unusual requests – like a 1.5 metre kimono, full length wedding dresses, World War II medals and even a set of antique kitchen utensils.

Fine Art Trade Guild Commendation along with word-of-mouth recommendation obviously goes a long way for The Art Centre, but they have recently ventured into the realms of social media via Facebook and the increasingly influential visual platform, Instagram.

ART CENTRE

“Two times 24 Hours of Le Mans race winner and Aston Martin driver, Jonathan Adam, is a local lad and we had an enjoyable challenge of recently framing up two of his racing suits, which looked amazing once the framing was completed. We haven’t refused a framing request yet and even had a set of false teeth handed in to be framed in the shop last year.”

Convenience of online ordering

Staig is working on updating the website to reflect the changes that have gone on within the business and so customers can see more of the bespoke service they offer. He especially rates the online ordering convenience of the Larson-Juhl site, which he says is simplicity itself to navigate and hugely convenient for keeping abreast of stock numbers and delivery timeframes.

www.theartcentre.co.uk www.facebook.com/TheArtCentreKelty

“We have a real mix of customers, from serious art connoisseurs to those new to the creative world.”

When you’ve got your business formula and partnerships down to a work of ART, there’s little wonder you’re the CENTRE of attention.

Staig at work

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR SCHOLARS!

Each year, Larson-Juhl teams up with the Fine Art Trade Guild to offer scholarships to four lucky framers. The scheme is a fantastic opportunity for new framers, and the package includes a Guild Certified Framer (GCF) study guide, covers the cost of the GCF exam and provides places at Guild workshops, seminars and study days.

A GCF accreditation offers Guild member framers a recognised certification for framing professionals, and helps take their businesses to the next level.

Our two winners from the first round of entries last year were Helen Slater from Hartford Frames, and Joe Doldon from Capstone Framing.

Helen runs Hartford Frames who offer framing for everything from traditional art to football shirts. Joe runs Capstone Framing on his own with 10 years of experience under his belt. His ethos is to serve both the customer and the planet, focusing on both sustainability and creative solutions.

Both winners are delighted to have been selected and have already found the experience very valuable. When asked why she applied in the first place, Helen said: “I was keen to take the GCF certification because I am relatively new to framing and have a lot to learn. I am an eager student and have the enthusiasm to further my education and learn new things! I read articles from previous scholarship winners about their experience and how valuable they found it, so I thought it would be worth throwing my hat in the ring – I never expected to be selected!

“I have felt extremely supported by members of the Guild, and am particularly excited to attend a two-day training course provided as part of the scholarship. I have been in regular contact with Ian Kenny who has been really gracious about answering all my questions – he really is a fountain of all framing knowledge!

“A really valuable lesson I’ve learnt is to not suffer in silence. If I’m struggling to find a solution to a framing conundrum there is often someone within the Guild family who’s been there and done that. Everyone is so supportive and willing to share their experience and wisdom. I have found that being part of the scholarship programme has already had a positive impact on my business – I have been able to publicise it and have had some really positive feedback from clients both old and new.”

Helen Slater, Hartford Frames

Joe felt the scholarship would help him take his business to the next level: “I applied for the scholarship primarily because I want to be the best framer that I can be. Despite having 10 years of experience, I’ve never had any formal training and I appreciate that there’s always more to learn in this profession. Since setting up my own framing business just a few months ago, it was the right time to raise the bar, develop new skills and expand my knowledge. Self-employment can be lonely and scary and it’s a nice vote of confidence to know I have somewhere to turn if I’m ever uncertain about anything framing or business related.

“The Guild has been so welcoming, particularly Ian Kenny, who has been very encouraging and complementary. For example, using a Morso guillotine is new to me, so when I was struggling with a technical issue, I called Ian who picked up straight away and helped me resolve the problem on the spot. We have a weekend booked in for some development with Jo Palmer and Ian Kenny at The Framing Lot in Dawlish, which I’m really looking forward to!

“I received the Certified Framers study guide within a week of being awarded the scholarship, which is very comprehensive and has already been referenced a number of times. I found the information on mountboard constitution and the different grades available particularly interesting.

“I hope it will have a positive impact on my business. I believe it will instill a confidence in potential clients that I handle work sensitively, and can offer appropriate, relevant guidance on best framing practices. On the flip side, it will also give me the confidence to approach artists and galleries knowing that I am well equipped to meet their needs.”

Congratulations to both Helen and Joe for being selected – we are excited to see where this opportunity takes them!

Joe Doldon, Capstone Framing

GLASS HALF FULL

Not only is John Hunter the successful founder and owner of Abbey Glass, he is also a fantastic ambassador for the industry.

John’s framing career started in 1990 when he joined Ashworth & Thompson as a warehouse person, then through the years became their branch manager for Northern Ireland. When Ashworth & Thompson closed their operations down in the Republic of Ireland, he became the manager for both areas.

After 19 very happy years, John decided to set up his own business – with the blessing of his ex-employers, with whom he has remained on friendly terms.

“I have always loved this industry and back in the Noughties I could see the marketplace was changing. I wanted to see what I could achieve as my own boss, where I could be totally responsive to customer demands in my own way, being as flexible and agile as possible, and so I dived in at the deep end!”

John told 4walls, “and so Abbey Glass was launched in 2009.”

Fast forward to 2023 and Abbey Glass is Northern Ireland’s largest framing wholesaler/distributor.

The company was named after John’s youngest daughter, Abigail, who was born in 2008. Abbey Glass is a family-run business with John’s wife Samantha looking after website orders, emails and accounts. Their son, Jake, works in the warehouse, running order processing and stock control. John’s brother, Mark, is one of the delivery drivers and the other driver, Jason, is John’s daughter Samantha’s partner.

In the early days, glass was a focal point – especially with it being the first component a framer sources, which gave John a route in with his other products. Glass is 20-25% of revenue now with the rest spread across mouldings, mountboard, equipment and sundries.

Jason (top) and Mark

Quality first

John stocks over 370 Larson-Juhl mouldings including many essential black and white frames alongside Collections such as Simplicity and Andover and other popular ranges like Eiffel and Petite III.

“My move to stock so many Larson-Juhl product lines was born out of customer commitment. Cutting corners with cheaper options does not work in the long term.”

Abbey Glass’s online sales are now an incredible 95% of their business. John has invested considerably in making the e-commerce experience easy and intuitive, for example, if a customer searches for a Larson-Juhl product code on John’s website, the item will come up with the Abbey Glass code.

Customer focus

John is obsessed with customer service: “I am driven by a single-minded desire to deliver whatever my customers want. This is my focus. This is how I market my business. I do very little traditional marketing activity, and what I do is generally in partnership with Larson-Juhl area sales manager Orin Forshaw.

“Towards the end of last year, for example, I purchased over 200 Larson-Juhl mountboard caddies and we dual-branded them.

“Mountboard sales benefitted from a huge boost as a result. Mountboard orders are further helped by allowing framers to purchase single sheets, in both standard and jumbo formats. We also offer the full range of Larson-Juhl conservation white core mountboard.”

AR70 is John’s best-selling specialist UV glass but he also stocks UV 99 conservation standard and AR 99 museum standard. From 1st March onwards, John will only be selling the Artglass brand.

John’s customer-first mindset also applies to his decision to deliver everything with his own drivers and fleet of three vans to ensure timely arrival and minimal damage.

In recognition of Abbey Glass’s exceptionally high service levels, John has picked up two customer service awards in recent years at the Fine Art Trade Guild’s annual awards.

Guild ambassador

John is a huge believer in the Guild and strongly recommends becoming a Commended framer to all his customers. John was Guild treasurer for five years from 2017-2022.

“Without the Guild, the industry would be in a mess! Everyone would do their own thing! How would consumers be able to differentiate between a qualified professional framer and someone looking to make a bit of cash out of a hobby?”

Another key principle for John is a committed approach to environmental responsibility: “We make sure that we minimise waste, and try to re-use packaging whenever we possibly can. White foam and wooden casings, for example, get recycled by customers.”

Partners

Larson-Juhl’s Orin Forshaw has been working with John for over five years now, and the two men remain very like-minded.

“Orin and I have a brilliant relationship that is built on trust. I never have to chase him,” John explains, “he pre-empts where questions might arise and comes up with a solution. We have shared values with a simple philosophy to provide the best quality framing materials at the best price supported by the best level of service.”

John expects 2023 to be challenging given the economy but regardless of external factors, John will be keeping close to his customers and responding to their needs with his renowned energy, care and passion for service.

www.agframingsupplies.com

Orin Forshaw and John Hunter

Jake Samantha

Top of the Premier League

2023 is a big year for Premier Framing’s Gary Townsend as he celebrates his business’s 25th anniversary.

The company has two branches and a flourishing online division. The main base is in Norwich, where the workshop is housed, along with a mirror showroom, with Cambridge providing a second retail outlet.

Gary had just returned from travelling when he landed a job at the Norwich shop in 1997 – and he has not looked back since, taking over the business in 2011.

Gary works very closely with his colleague Sarah Hamment who oversees the general day-to-day running of the retail side of the business. Having attended Norwich Art School and worked at Premier Framing as a Saturday job, Sarah joined the business full-time in 2000.

Further to her love for the creative arts, Sarah learnt the skills of picture framing and discovered sharing these ideas to assist customers with their own framing projects was her calling.

Sarah loves working with customers. Understanding the context of where a piece of art will hang, and then advising accordingly. Sarah says: “It is vital to welcome every customer with an open mind, it is easy to have pre-conceived ideas but we have such a diverse range of customers with such a diverse range of framing requirements.

“I have learnt to expect the unexpected! Customers’ tastes vary so much more than they used to. There are so many more interesting product ranges and customers are embracing the expansive choices now available.”

Sarah is seeing a big demand for all shades of grey at the moment but on the back of the popularity of oak furniture, she is also seeing a surge in requests for natural contemporary oak frames. Some of Sarah’s favourite mouldings include Larson-Juhl’s

Colosseum range and also the Larson-Juhl Dresden range. Sarah adds:

“I love working with area sales manager John Green. He is a lovely chap who always ensures we have the latest moulding ranges and of course the best price available!”

Sarah has overseen and advised on literally thousands of customer framing orders over the past 24 years, but particularly memorable commissions include the 3D David Bowie bust cast shown above right. Sarah particularly enjoys a box frame challenge and designing intricate mount designs to create unique framed pieces: “Demand has risen over the years for much more complex framing projects. The size of pieces we now frame are frequently larger and more challenging than before. At Premier Framing though, there are no limits, you name it, we frame it!”

Mister Frameman

Mister Frameman is a specialist conservation framing department within Premier Framing servicing galleries, interior designers and collectors across the UK. They have a large number of clients in and around London and offer a weekly collection and delivery service with its own van whilst working with Fragilistics to cover other parts of the country.

Mister Frameman was launched in 2007 after Gary visited an exhibition in London and heard the gallery staff complaining about their framer. After a chat and subsequent email conversations Gary soon became the framer of choice for two large Shoreditch galleries. On the back of this, and an ever-growing reputation on the Urban Art Forum, Gary was well positioned to service the explosion in the urban art scene. He comments: “It is always exciting to see the rare and valuable pieces such as original Banksy works, Harland Miller and Damien Hirst amongst others. We must have framed well over 1000 Banksy pieces alone over the course of the last 15 years!”

Premier Shirt Framing

Premier Shirt Framing is a web-based shirt framing service offering bespoke high end, high quality at a fair price. They had always had a good number of shirt framing orders through the shops, particularly in Norwich, but after extensive research Gary says: “I could see that there were a number of online framing companies offering a shirt framing service but not at a very high level. Materials used were cheap and poor quality and the designs were basic with little room for bespoke designs. With a top of the range mountcutter and the knowledge and skill set of Matt Johns we soon started pushing the boundaries of what could be achieved.”

They have worked with Norwich City FC for a number of years. They have also framed winners’ medals and shirts from football European Championships, personal pieces for a number of high-profile players and worked closely with Boreham Wood FC and Tottenham Hotspur too.

The Premier team also supports a number of local charities including On The Ball and Keeping Abreast as well as framing for several exhibitions and personal pieces for legendary pop artist Colin Self who lives in Norwich.

Premier Vinyl

Going forward, Gary has ambitious plans to grow the online business with more specialist websites, with Premier Vinyl Framing launching imminently. Gary explains: “With album covers now an established artform, we are predicting strong demand for vinyl framing. It may also be a framed number one from someone’s birthday or another key date.”

To celebrate the business’s 25th anniversary, Gary says: “We will be making improvements to the Norwich store with a full redecoration and new entrance doors, we are planning on running monthly promotions for customers and hosting special events to mark occasions such as Easter, King Charles’ Coronation and the Rugby World Cup…It is also my 50th birthday in June so it promises to be quite a year!”

Premier’s hall of fame

The Premier team is a very loyal one with very low staff turnover:

Sarah Hamment

(Head of retail) – 24 years

Joe Kerry

(Workshop manager) – 25 years

Dale Potter

(Conservation specialist) – 25 years

Steven Bray

(Head of assembly) – 13 years

Laura Williamson

(Accounts) – 15 years

Mostyn Clarke

(Cambridge manager) – 8 years

Matthew Johns

(Premier shirt framing guru) – 10 years

Shaun Smith

(Conservation assembly) – 17 years

Simon Bowler

(Customer advisor) – 7 years

Seamus Tevenan

(Mounting specialist) – 9 years

www.PremierFraming.com

www.PremierShirtFraming.co.uk

Miles Bavin and Sarah Hamment

USER GENERATED CONTENT

Brampton Picture Framing is lucky to have two Fine Art Trade Guild certified framers on their team – James Ashton and Martin Bower – which made them the perfect choice to frame this gorgeous limited edition Damien Hurst piece. Mounted on 8001 and framed in 449127000 with 494000127 spacer moulding.

Mandy from Kingston Gallery has found that our TouchRustic range is a big hit with her customers, and it looks gorgeous with this mixed media floral piece. Moulding is 991096235.

These beautiful Oscar Droege prints were remounted at Why Not Gallery and expertly rescued from the acidic boards they were previously glued to by paper conservator Louise Vaile. They are framed in Petite II 230132.

Menor Framing’s customer found it very difficult to pick a frame for this stunning oil painting. Luckily the team were on hand to offer their expertise, and they chose our

Family-run Eight Bells Gallery has paired our Komodo II 241270 moulding perfectly with this beautiful artwork.

Lucerne 850792 moulding.

This quirky coastal painting from Welsh artist Geoff Beckett is paired with our Coastal moulding. Thanks to Beckett Framing for this perfect pairing! Moulding is 241000107.

This vintage-inspired print really comes to life with our SSS058011 mountboard and handpainted frame from VC Creative Framing!

This print of Albert Joseph Penot’s painting was expertly framed by Studio 18 Picture framing. We think the gothic style works perfectly with these products – 520752, 100752, 205556 Ferrosa.

Going to great Paynes

Lockdown One was pretty life changing for all of us, but for talented abstract artist Carl Koch it was definitely a light bulb moment!

With lots of extra time on his hands, he re-discovered his love for clay creations and artworks – after properly being introduced to the enthralling medium of ceramics in 2010 while completing his BA at Central Saint Martins.

It now dovetails beautifully with his Paynes Grey studio (established in 2016) which supplies high end figurative and sculptural pieces to London’s most luxurious homes and addresses, who desire standout artworks that have their own presence.

Carl explains: “Paynes Grey is going really well and I relish working with the likes of luxury interior designers 1508 London, supplying bespoke artworks for their show homes and penthouses, plus the Mandarin Oriental in Los Angeles who asked me to create art packages for their fully catered apartments and public spaces.

Luxurious and historical brand

“When aspirational shirt makers Turnbull & Asser switched up their Mayfair premises into a galleryinspired space, I kicked off the conversion and had a small exhibition there – and that was another super luxurious and historical brand to be associated with.

“However, as soon as I dipped my toe back into the wonderful world of clay I was once again captivated by the process and possibilities of this marvellous medium. On a personal level, it’s a labour of love and what I enjoy the most.”

Carl’s ceramic creations are meticulously hand crafted and highly unusual, utilising thousands of individually rolled cut and dipped ceramic tiles, which are set and finished off in the highest quality (Larson-Juhl of course) canvas float frame.

He says: “The overall effect is to create pieces that have knitted together and are imbued with a calming presence, as a response almost to the uncertainty of the current time. The many single parts come together to tell a story and the eye-catching framed finish is the perfect conclusion”.

Littlemore Design – for the commission and design collaboration (@littlemore_design) Taran Wilkhu – for the photography (@taranwilkhu)

Expert knowledge

As demand from global designers soared, Carl (now based in Towcester, Northamptonshire) initially used another Larson-Juhl customer – Artisan Framing in Maidenhead – to handle the mouldings, but with the owner passing on his expert knowledge of the best suppliers, he recently started ordering from Larson-Juhl direct.

Carl adds: “Stefan’s recommendation was good enough for me, but I’ve been so impressed with the quality and variety of the Larson-Juhl mouldings and mountboards, as they really are a supplier for all ages, and ordering through the website is very convenient and slick.

“My more high-end designer clients tend to prefer black and white frames because they’re timeless, classic and understated, but my personal preferences are the foil frames and the metal finishes, as for me they help echo the rhythms of nature in my work. But my absolute favourite is the super thin LJE float moulding. It’s perfect for my ceramic works and the canvas box effect really optimises the aesthetic.

Super helpful

“Area sales manager John Green has been super helpful too and is a lovely chap to deal with, plus I was already on the mailing list for 4walls and always look forward to reading it, as it’s such an interesting and well put together publication – so when he said I could feature in this issue, that was really cool.”

Carl is also a big fan of Larson-Juhl’s ever expanding sustainable range, which carries only the best frame mouldings and mountboards certified to FSC ® and PEFC standards. All products are lumbered and crafted in compliance with sustainable forestry policies and are also fully recyclable.

He concludes: “I hail from South Africa but emigrated to the UK in 1996 aged eight, so maybe my love of the natural world and its enduring importance harks back to then. I always go for the greenest options and find my customers are starting to specify that more as well, so I will always push it as much as I can. The Glacier mountboards are especially good and look stunning.”

www.paynesgrey.co.uk/ www.carlkoch.co.uk/ www.instagram.com/carlkoch/ www.instagram.com/paynesgreylondon/

GREAT SPORTS AT THE FRAMEGAME

Established in 2006 by Leeds man Alex Koi, Framegame Ltd quickly became a specialist sports memorabilia framing expert (now with nearly 30 years’ experience) across Yorkshire and indeed the UK.

Alex is the go-to man for Leeds United Football Club and before that the Leeds Rhinos Rugby League team. This success has also led to contracts for all O2 England Rugby shirts, Football Association charity dinners and also regular work for the Premier League and English Football League.

He has framed for hometown world boxing champion Josh Warrington, plus Premier League and England footballers Kalvin Phillips and Patrick Bamford, along with bespoke jobs on Jess Ennis-Hill’s Olympic winning spikes, Lionel Messi’s boots – and most recently an Olympic torch and even a piece of Headingley’s hallowed sporting turf.

But his route to the stars has also seen him carefully frame rare Pink Floyd double albums, an authentic Peaky Blinders cap used in the TV series, a love potion from the Harry Potter film set, plus an original signed guitar from pop sensation, Lady Gaga.

Always look the best

Alex says: “Treasured possessions like this deserve only the best tender, loving care, so I especially favour the Larson-Juhl mountboards, which are real quality and always look the best. Their blacks/whites/greys are classic and always stand the test of time.

“But that’s also true of their mouldings, and I use and endorse the lot – black and white again, but also oak, silver, gold and shabby chic, etc.”

Ten years ago, sports memorabilia made up 70% of Framegame’s business, but today it’s more like half as Alex has diversified and extended his capabilities. The contract framing boom across Leeds, Manchester and London has seen him work with sports clubs naturally, but also leading hotels, restaurants, bars, gyms, salons, hospitals and retail outlets.

Alex Koi and Josh Warrington

Con and Alex Framegame

Old number plate

Stretched canvas for Frederico Pinto Schmid

Framegame showroom

Canvas stretching capabilities

Interior designers also rely on his flair and eye for detail, while online gallery brokers across the UK, representing up-and-coming global artistic talent, are especially enamoured with his Larson-Juhl float tray and canvas stretching capabilities.

Another lucrative area arose from Alex’s interesting sideline doing ‘extra’ work for film and TV. The business on Burley Road is just behind the ITV Yorkshire building and that’s where he got his first extras job on the 2019 Keira Knightly whistle blower movie, Official Secrets.

He adds: “Right outside the shop was a sign saying queue here to be in a Hollywood movie, so I took a punt and haven’t looked back – with 20 plus TV and film productions since. I was in the last Fast & Furious movie and also spent a couple of days filming at Manchester City’s Etihad stadium for the latest Ted Lasso TV show. It’s always great fun and while away I can always rely on my master framer, Con Curtis, to keep things ticking over nicely.

“But more importantly it’s got me in with the studio bosses and background set framing work for shows like Bodies, the new Stephen Graham Netflix crime thriller and also regular episodes of soap opera favourite Emmerdale.

Ornate Victoriana frames

“Basically, all the themed wall frames you can see behind the action are ours and this is especially important in historical period dramas like Gentleman Jack starring Suranne Jones, where a lot of the filming is in stately homes. For security and insurance reasons they can’t use in situ portraits and tapestries, etc, so we have to recreate them all – and of course the ornate Larson-Juhl Victoriana frames are ideal for this.”

As a die-hard Leeds United fan, Alex has a lot in common with his Larson-Juhl area sales manager, Richard Clayton, who also started the job in 2006. They are kindred spirits and have almost grown up together in business terms.

He’s also a big fan of the online website ordering facility, because it can all be done any time and place, over the phone, and is simplicity itself to access and operate.

Alex concludes: “I was on the set of the new gangster prequel to Sexy Beast recently, in Liverpool, and between takes was thinking of a grey Coastal frame that would be ideal for an order I had to complete on return. Even though I didn’t know the code, with a few swipes I found it and ordered it there and then for my return – how helpful and convenient is that!”

Signature in Prague

Patrick Bamford shirt and cap

Alex Koi as an extra in BBC drama Sherwood

Keeping it in the family certainly works for the Walpole family, who have been passionately developing Suffolk-based Deben Frames for over 50 years.

Derek and Josephine took on the Deben Gallery in Woodbridge, near Ipswich, in 1969 but when the in-house framing service completely outgrew the sprawling rooms behind the gallery, they moved the business to its present location on Martelsham Heath in 1985.

Three years later, son Robert joined the firm ready to take over from his father when he stepped down from the helm in 1995 – and when he eventually became managing director in 2008, an opportunity to diversify the business was too good to ignore.

WHOLESALE CHANGES CAN BE GOOD FOR BUSINESS

An oil on board, framed in Larson-Juhl’s 165 400 000 by renowned local artist Tessa Newcomb, commissioned by The Galloper Sands Gallery

Delivery – shows Rob Walpole with Julia Emmerson, proprietor of The Bury Framing Centre in Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk.

Single sheet to complete wholesaling

Robert explains: “First and foremost I had an excellent grounding. Aside from being a gallery owner, Mum was an author and trained artist, whilst Dad had commercial experience of all sides of the business. Coupled with the somewhat unique geography and scale of our sales patch – right across East Anglia from Lowestoft on the edge of Norfolk, plus throughout Suffolk and out into Cambridgeshire – the increased move into single sheet/single length up to complete wholesaling supplies just made sense.

“We deliver to lots of smaller framers on a set route, three times a week, which enables us to offer free delivery with no minimum charge to many locations. It suits everyone really, as we buy in bulk; the smaller framers don’t pay individual carriage on their limited orders, which are sometimes just a pack, plus our Larson-Juhl area sales manager, John Green, gets multiple business but only has to deal with and travel to us.

“Over 65% of the business is wholesale and to the trade now. Even when new framers start out, they tend to hear about us online and go down that cooperative route. It’s made even easier by the simplicity and efficiency of Larson-Juhl’s website ordering, which benefits everyone. Everything you need to know is there in one place and it’s so straightforward and quick to order.

Online stock, price and delivery dates

“The same applies to the retail side because our older customers especially can ring up and ask about mouldings and mountboards rather than make a trip out to the shop, and we can advise them then over the phone about stock, price and delivery dates, etc.

“All said though, there’s nothing like seeing the new Larson-Juhl sample cases up close and personal, so John still plays a very important role. He regularly brings new ideas and excitement to the business and that keeps my creative juices flowing too.”

The tight knit but hugely experienced team at Deben Frames comprises Al on bespoke framing with her nearly 30 years of experience and embroidery/tapestry specialism; Derek the counter manager with 20 plus years of contract framing expertise; Guy the master framer with many relevant years in the paint and printing industry, plus Robert’s wife Linda, a highly experienced retailer in her own right, but now part-time in the family business.

Upturn in choice

Robert still keeps his hand in framing too, of course, and while his and the customer base’s preference is still generally for plain woods, ash and oak, there has been an upturn in choice of late, despite the challenging last few years.

He adds: “A few years ago it was still blacks and whites predominantly, but then grey became vogue and latterly it’s the likes of Larson-Juhl’s Confetti range, the fancy golds, brighter, bolder colours and also their excellent sustainable range.

“An expertly framed piece of art or memorabilia, beautifully presented, still has that transformative quality and can light up any room. Even with the onset of COVID we managed, as when it hit we already had the orders in from our loyal and regular customer base, while during the second lockdown we were still able to do carefully non-contact door drops as restrictions lifted.”

Long-term quality and value

“The same maturity applies to glass, as what was niche 10 years ago is now a lot more mainstream. Non-reflective demand is disappearing and artglass like the clear AR70 now dominates. Despite the extra cost, customers can see the long-term quality and value.”

Last, but certainly not least, a wellestablished DIY service caters for more adventurous customers and local/regional artists. Deben Frames offer tools for the occasional framer, up to professional tools for established businesses. They also stock the gadgets which help DIYers improve as they become more experienced.

www.debenframes.com

The Deben team: left to right Linda, Robert, Alison and Guy

Artglass AR 70 with low-iron glass substrate guarantees true colours, while the invisible magnetron sputtered coating virtually eliminates reflection. It is appreciated worldwide for its consistent quality, clarity and elegant green reflection colour.

MEET THE MITCHELLS

David Mitchell started his framing business back in 1971 to support his artist father, Reginald, who originally sold his work on Bayswater Road alongside Hyde Park.

Other artists soon started to admire how Reg’s art was presented and wanted the same treatment – hence David Mitchell Picture Frames was born!

Today, it is a thriving family firm that currently employs five of David’s sons and daughters, with 20-year-old Harry the first of the next generation to join the company. There are another 10 teenagers waiting in the wings – so there is certainly not going to be a recruitment problem!

Lee Mitchell (51) has been at the helm for eight years now and has ambitious plans for expansion. From modest beginnings he has grown the business significantly with a reputation for sports shirts, memorabilia and film posters, in particular. James Bond themed material has seen especially high demand.

“I am also noticing an increase in demand for neon colours – brighter mouldings and brighter mountboard too.

Commercial sales have also grown steadily and now account for around 40% of revenue so Lee is looking to grow the trade side with galleries, photographic retailers and market traders – and he will soon need bigger premises.

Value has always been at the core of the David Mitchell offer but as Lewisham has benefitted from more and more investment in terms of residential property, more money has come into the area and Lee’s customer base has expanded and grown too.

“We are now getting a couple of hundred commissions a day,” Lee explains, “and while 80% of our customers go for black and white frames, some of the more affluent consumers want gold and more ornate mouldings.

“Artglass is the other big thing for us. It’s great that Larson-Juhl sells this – it’s ideal for galleries who are happy to pay a premium price for premium quality glass. Area sales manager Derrick Hicks introduced us to Artglass – which basically means we can make more money without doing more work!

Spreading the word

“Local business has always been our focus, relying on word of mouth, but we definitely benefit from Google reviews and my brother Spencer is active on Instagram – which is a modern-day word of mouth, I guess!”

There are exceptions, however, and one artist, although now based in Scotland, still brings all her work to David Mitchell Framing.

See more of the Mitchell family’s work @dm_pictureframes on Instagram.

From left to right: The Mitchell family Lucy, Spencer, Janet, Lee, Tracy and Amy

ON THE ROAD WITH DERRICK HICKS

Despite spending over 30 years in the industry, Derrick loves nothing better than discovering new things about the sector, launching new products and visiting new and existing customers. 4walls spoke to him about his framing journey.

Derrick covers the south of the country including all of London, Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, and now the south west too.

He says: “I absolutely love this industry and enjoy a really good working relationship with my customers. This is why, every day, I feel so motivated to do the best for them. I always try to deliver the right recommendations and pride myself on extensive product knowledge. And even after all these years, there is still lots of wall space to fill!

“There may have been three changes in identity since I joined the company in 1992, but this business retains what I think is a really unique, family feel.

“In terms of current trends, I think there is an increased understanding about ‘quality’ and this goes for mouldings, specialist glass and mountboard.

“Customers are definitely getting more creative. Regularly changing their window displays and using the scope offered by Instagram and other social media channels – and they are also more agile. Moving to computer pricing is helping framers to work smarter and not necessarily harder.

“Just in time delivery – as opposed to carrying lots of stock – is now the norm and I think it’s exciting that by providing a fast, efficient despatch service we can help our customers be much more efficient. 30 years’ ago, framers needed much more storage space!”

Derrick’s favourite mouldings include Coastal Woods, Simplicity, Dresden, the decorative Florence along with newer ranges like Micro-tech Veneers and Chaise Lounge.

Looking ahead, Derrick predicts increased reliance on social media to promote the industry and more focus on quality – which should not be undersold!

Derrick married Lynn in the September of 1992, the month after he joined Arquati. They have two grown up children, Matt and Georgie. In his spare time, Derrick likes gardening and DIY, and he is an avid follower of Moto GP (motorcycle racing) and also Manchester United.

Chaise longue 281753662

Dresden 338120

Elton Weale owner of Images in Frames with Derrick Alan James of Smithbrook Framing with Derrick

FLOAT FRAMES: ARE YOU MAKING THE MOST OF THEM?

Float frames, floater frames, L-shaped mouldings, tray frames, canvas box frames, canvas float frames; they are known by many names. Does it really matter what you call them? A much more interesting question is what should you do with them, how you should do it and which of the many types of float frame on offer you should choose? Okay, so that’s three questions!

The first is that mid 20th century modern abstract expressionists like Jackson Pollock (1912-1956) wanted to display the entirety of their paintings on canvas, not cover up the edges with a traditional frame moulding. These, of course, were the days before ‘gallery wrapping’ and the sides of most canvases would have been partially sized, paint splattered and full of tacks holding the canvas to the stretcher bars. To cover up those shabby sides, wooden strips were attached along the outside edges of the canvas. This was known as ‘stripping’. Thus the concept of the float frame was born. Although, with a wry smile, I wonder, had Mr Pollock simply signed his painting too close to the edge?

The second school will tell you that ‘bins’, which were similar in construction to modern float frames were used to protect valuable paintings during transportation, and that this in fact led to the concept that we know as the float frame.

Whichever opinion you side with, float frames have come a long way in the last seventy years. Larson-Juhl now offers 92 canvas box mouldings, in a wide array of colours, depths, profiles, widths and finishes. The concept of the modern float frame is similar to those ‘stripped’ frames of the 1940s in that they are generally used when you wish to display the edges and/or sides of a piece of artwork, and they are mostly used for framing art on canvas. However, you can also use floats for framing art on board and, as you’ll see if you look at the pictures that accompany this article, there are ways of using float mouldings when you don’t want to display the sides, or even the edges, of the artwork.

A canvas framed with just a float frame offers a rather minimalistic look, especially if the float is narrow faced and fitted tightly to the edge of the canvas. This can work well with contemporary artwork but, in many cases, doesn’t do the artwork justice, either in terms of enhancement or proportion. The canvas also needs to be perfectly square. A great many aren’t, and a wonky canvas looks awful when framed with a tight fitting float moulding. To give the artwork more presence allow some space between the edge of the artwork and the inside of the moulding. How much space depends on the size of the artwork and the restraints of the moulding. In practical terms, too little space creates a hard to clean dust trap. On the other hand, the artwork needs to overlap the moulding enough so that it can be easily positioned and the moulding easily attached to it. Most float mouldings allow for at least a 15mm gap on all sides. When possible, I increase this according to the size of the artwork.

As well as allowing more space between the artwork and the moulding, there are other ways of increasing the frame’s presence when float framing. For example, using a wider faced moulding. The widest Larson-Juhl floats have 54mm wide faces. You could also use a stepped float, like those in the Bari range, use a stronger coloured moulding, or stack a moulding alongside the float.

If you do decide to allow a gap between the float moulding and the artwork, ensure you have an even amount of space on all four sides by placing offcuts of mount or backing board between the sides of the artwork and the inner sides of the moulding. This helps to hold the artwork in position whilst the frame is attached (see image 4).

So far, I haven’t addressed the important issue of rebate depth. Normally the face of the artwork, be it on board or canvas is positioned level with, or slightly recessed to, the face of the float moulding. Stretched canvases come in lots of different depths. You can either choose a moulding that has the same or slightly more rebate depth than your canvas or you can use a moulding with a deeper rebate and lift the canvas to the required height. Lifting enables you to choose from a wider range of mouldings. The technique is also required when float framing art on board. I either use canvas offsets or I screw through the back of the moulding and into the stretcher bars or board with a nylon screw spacer placed between the two. If you’re thinking of framing art on board using a float moulding, the board must be of a suitable density and thickness to screw into. For thinner boards, gluing is an option, but non-reversible processes should only be considered for artwork with very little intrinsic or sentimental value.

Regular readers will know that I am a big fan of stacking mouldings. In my mind, the biggest disadvantage of float frames is that they don’t often do much to enhance the artwork. Stacking a float frame with other mouldings offers the opportunity to overcome this. In his book ‘Guidelines for great frame design’ Greg Perkins writes: “A float frame should be looked at as a method of presenting a painting so that none of it is hidden under the frame. If that presentation isn’t enough, add to it.” I think that’s a pretty good way to look at float frames, in that it encourages us to think about a float as just the starting point of a frame design and not the be all and end all.

Jon Price GCF(APF) has framed the works of world-renowned artists, photographers and designers, and for internationally recognised museums and galleries. With nearly two decades experience as a professional training provider, Jon offers training and consultancy in all aspects of bespoke framing, including how to run a profitable and successful framing business. www.handmadepictureframing.co.uk

It’s generally accepted that float frames are a relatively modern concept. But, when did they first start being used and who invented them? It seems that there are two schools of opinion:

1 Foiled floats

2 On its own a float frame offers a minimalistic look which can work well with contemporary artwork

5 Float fr ames can be used for art on board as long as the board is of suitable density and thickness to screw in to. (‘Waterfall’ by Chris Edwards – oil on board)

3 A stronger coloured float, like this one from the Andover range, will help give the frame and artwork more presence

6 Think about a float frame as the starting point of a frame design, not the be all and end all. (Parrots by Rebecca Davies)

7 There are ways of using float mouldings e ven when you don’t want to display the sides or edges of the artwork

4 Pieces of mount or backing board can be placed between the artwork and moulding to ensure even spacing

creative corner

Creative Corner is a new 4walls feature that will showcase some of the stunning creativity that the Larson-Juhl team discovers on their travels around the UK and Ireland. The first customer to be put in the spotlight is Ivan Wolfe and his stunning gallery in Monkstown, County Cork which has a delightful counter for discussing artwork and framing in the form of a glass-topped antique boat. Ivan describes it as an ‘island unit’! Ivan has a passion for all things maritime and has many pieces with a sea theme in his eclectic collection of art and memorabilia. The boat is believed to be 100 years old and is, not surprisingly, a huge conversation starter.

Getting people talking is Ivan’s first priority when they come into the gallery: “They may be a bit unsure what they want,” he says, “so it’s really important to me that I find out about people’s back story. When they see what I have on show, they ooo and they aah and soon start to share their thinking.”

Ivan’s gallery provides more than art and framing – it also serves the community. As the sign by the door says, everyone is welcome, and that includes people looking for sanctuary in the form of classical music evenings, coffee mornings (some are exclusively for people suffering with mental health issues), or a relaxed drink in the bar.

Ivan fell in love with 18th century Hazelhurst House over 25 years ago and bought this stunning four storey building, having seen its potential to be a gallery. This was an ambition he had nurtured for many years, previously working in the hardware business.

Artists currently shown by Ivan include Dublin-based Ros Terry, who overcame the challenges of dyslexia to become really successful with his portrait paintings.

Ros is a contemporary Irish artist that explores classical and modern styles. ‘Rekt in the meta-verse’ (above left) is an oil on Canvas (100cm x 160cm) and is a take on the classical painting ‘The raft of Medusa’ with an NFT and crypto theme throughout, showing the greed of the figures desperate for more NFTs! Find out more at @Rtiz on Instagram or visit www.rtcreativemedia.com

Ivan enjoys his visits from area sales manager Orin Forshaw and his orders are very varied because he likes to experiment with how he might adapt a frame to reflect the job in hand.

Looking forward, Ivan has plans to hold small, intimate weddings at his gorgeous Georgian property and we can’t wait to hear what other ideas he comes up with in this magical part of the world as he relishes what he says is absolutely a lifestyle business.

Ivan with his boat

We love to support and showcase emerging creative talent and that’s why we partner up with organisations such as the Society of Wildlife Artists. Our partnership lasted three years, and during that time we sponsored their annual competition and exhibition – The Natural Eye.

Each year, this event features upwards of 300 works inspired by nature. Artists from across the globe are welcome to submit their work, producing an exhibition that celebrates and appreciates the entirety of the natural world. The work can take on many mediums, such as drawing, painting, prints or sculpture, as long as it is directly inspired by the artist’s encounter with their chosen subject.

Walking on the Wild Side

The inaugural award in 2019 was won by Wynona Legg for her beautiful series of drawings of shag chicks, which was part of a body of work drawn entirely in a field on a small island in the Firth of Forth. Wynona said: “I was particularly drawn to the interactions between adult and chick and also in capturing the chicks as they jostled about in the nest, all wearing a thick jacket of down and expressions of bewilderment.”

The second winner in 2020 was Nik Pollard with his series of drawings of white-tailed bumble bees and knapweed. Studying his environment is an integral part of Nik’s creative 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.”

The third winner in 2021 was Tinayin Wang with a beautiful series of charcoal drawings depicting a school of fish and small birds. These drawings use a unique technique that Tinayin has been developing since 2015. The technique involves using a combination of different charcoals to achieve a distinctive look, best described as motion impressionism.

Thank you to the Society of Wildlife Artists for a wonderful partnership – it has been a privilege to sponsor the awards and see the beautiful artwork produced for The Natural Eye exhibition.