A client recently brought me a frame to refurbish. The piece was an antique print and, although the frame itself was a bit chipped in places and not of the same vintage, it had some sentimental value for her family so they wanted to keep it. The print inside had come loose and initially she brought it in simply to have it remounted, but it quickly became obvious the mat would need to be replaced as well. Like those in most frames from this era, the core of the mat was made fr

I have written before about conservation framing, the materials used and the standards to be upheld. Now I’d like to talk a little more about some of the products and techniques I use to create my own unique custom finishes. Although I can offer the same off-the-shelf mouldings that other framers stock, most of the frames I make are constructed from raw Tasmanian Oak, finished with non-toxic, food and child-safe dyes, oils and waxes. This is in part simply because it is how I

"...in the presentation of a picture fulfils some or all of the following functions: the protection of the painting; its display and physical attachment to the wall; the enhancement of subject and colour scheme while remaining subordinate to the picture; the definition of the picture's perimeter and the focusing of the spectator's attention on the subject; the provision of an area of transition between the real world and that of the picture; the creation of harmony with the s