Recently asked by Paul Clark at Asheville Citizen-Times. The article
Framing is an Art by Paul Clark, pclark@citizen-times.com, published July 29, 2007 .
Below is what I sent to him. He did not use all of it in the article which included quotes from other artists and referalls to several frame shops.
Mark Schifferstein, at the Chop Shop, at the Frugal Framer here in Asheville, is the framer I prefer to work with and he is also a fine artist and has a intuitive understanding what frames work well with my work and they have a solid selection of stock. Ken Pitts who owns both operations has a deep understanding of frame construction, art history and styles. Judy, who works up front has a great eye for how to integrate framing with the art.
Framing is artisianal and there’s a long tradition of artists’s designing and making their own frames, so the choice of framing is part of the statement, not just furniture, but part of the whole of the work. I spend a lot of time on a piece, so choice of frame is not casual or a matter of trends in interior design. It’s also functional, in the case of paper which needs an archival presentation
Frame history is fascinating and should be of interest to serious art collectors who understand that the work and the frame are aesthetically integrated. It’s frustrating to have buyers ask to remove or change frames to suit their interior decor; it disrespects the artists’ idea of how the two work together to create a whole. People should buy a new couch instead. Since I often use foundations that I prepare myself — wood panel, stretched canvas, sized paper-the frame is really custom made and not standard and that’s important part of the work.
I also work with Mark Henry at Natural Views (mahlascp@msn.com) a long time friend and artist who worked many years as a fmuseum frame conseravator. He and I have collaborated on large frames that require features that make them easier to handle; they can be knocked down to be moved. Framing is part of the ’signature’ of the work.
John Mac Kah
For more on framers who carry my prints in the Asheville area, they are listed on “Fine Arts Prints” page.
