KENT Picture Framing | Vancouver Picture Framing

Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal

admin — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 00:03:49 +0000

In keeping with the Royal theme of my last post; the second part of this framing project was The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal. The Diamond Jubilee Medal was presented to 60 recipients from across the country and various walks of life.

This elements being framed in this piece were of course the medal, along with a certificate and letter from The Governor General of Canada.

We used a moulding from Larson Juhl called “Gramercy”, matching fillet for each of the three mat openings, a silk mat, and Conservation Clear ® glass.

A Small Update & Some Royal Framing

admin — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 23:43:20 +0000

It’s been way too long since I last wrote a blog post. I’m a little embarrassed by my lack of regular updates. Thankfully, I can say my reason for it is we’ve just been too busy with framing projects to even think about writing about them. We had a very busy 2012, with many challenging projects completed. The new year has shown no signs of slowing down. Well…maybe a little slow this week. So I’m taking advantage of this quiet time to post a project or two that we’ve been working on.

Prince Phillip Letter

A client of a client received a letter from Prince Phillip in 1994. The two-page letter had been framed previously, but had faded a significant amount. The greeting and signature had been reduced to a faint image, barely visible. A local art dealer had the letter scanned, and the signature digitally “re-constructed” – so to speak.

The client wanted to have the copy of the letter on display in a new frame. But he also wanted the original letter displayed , but not exposed for any long period of time. The solution was quite simple. And it’s something I’ve done many times. We decided to build a double-sided frame. We would show the copy on the front, and the original on the back.

The two page original letter was displayed in a silk mat with a Larson Juhl “Gramercy” frame, matching fillet and Conservation Clear® glass.

The challenge with this type of frame is usually – how to nicely finish the reverse side of the frame to hold everything together?

I wanted to use the same moulding for the back of the frame. I had a half-inch split off the the top of the moulding lengths on a table-saw. I then made a backing frame from this material. The backing frame was then simply secured to the main frame – holding everything together.

The final result is a substantial frame that makes a strong statement. – In which the two sets of letters are easily viewable, protected from further UV damage, and will be safely preserved for generations to come.

Free Framing Friday!!

admin — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 08:00:12 +0000

It’s Friday, and we want to treat somebody to a free custom frame!

First person to come by the shop, will receive their work custom framed by one of our talented framers.

It’s simple:

You must have created the piece you want framed.
Frame choice is 3 basic black profiles. (Or equivalent of material we have in stock).
Includes a custom cut frame, single mat and glass. Finished and ready to hang on your wall.
Final frame size can’t exceed (approx.) 16×20″

Absolutely no strings attached. No hooks. (Just the rules above…) We won’t spam you with emails. We won’t try to sell you anything. We just want to frame a picture, & make your Friday!

STATE OF FLUX – 8 Drums & 1 Challenging Project

admin — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 02:27:04 +0000

In July, Peter Lattimer, owner of Lattimer Gallery, mentioned that he wanted to frame a painted drum skin. It would be a trial piece for a possible show. The drum itself was 36″ in diameter, elk hide skin, and painted on both sides. The artist is Kwakwaka’wakw artist, Steve Smith Dla’kwagila.The drum was one of twelve pieces that were part of an installation at the Vancouver International Airport. Shortly after the drums were installed at the airport, fluctuating temperatures caused the hides to tighten. As a result, many of the drums were warped, split, and had cracked frames.

I started the project and in August the first framed drum was finished. Peter Latimer and the Steve Smith were very pleased with the result.They asked me to frame 15 more for a show at Lattimer Gallery called “State of Flux“ -Opening this Saturday, September 24 – October 8, 2011. – With 4 pieces on display concurrently at the Vancouver International Airport.

Framing the drums presented challenges that don’t often cross my table. The drum hides react to temperature changes. The hide is a tough, rigid material to work with. The original drums, after all were beautiful objects with enough energy and soul to stand alone.The challenge for me was to preserve the drums in a way that was simple, clean and elegant. Part of the process was to cut the drum skins off of the frames. I wanted to make sure that the drums maintained some of their 3-dimensional quality.The drums speak for themselves, so the framing treatment should be minimal.
Below are some images that hopefully gives you an idea of the process, without getting into too many of the really exciting details! (Well, exciting for me anyway…)

The paintings by Steve Smith Dla’kwagila are beautiful. Framing the drums was worth all the labour involved and will always be a very memorable project for me. It was an adventure working on them and in a sense building them their new homes. Im proud to have had a hand in this project. Please be sure to stop by Lattimer Gallery 1590 West 2nd Avenue, Vancouver, BC. The “State of Flux” show opens this Saturday, September 24 (3:00-5:00) – Until October 8.

Max Papart – Limited Edition, Carborundum Etching, Framed

admin — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 20:10:08 +0000

For sale is an original, abstract signed Carborundum Etching- on handmade paper – by French artist Max Papart (1911 – 1994). The title of the piece is unknown. Produced in the late 1980′s. The condition of the piece is 9/10.

The paper size: 21″x29″ The framed “outside” size: 25″x33″ The piece is floated on archival, museum Rising matboard. The frame is a water-guilded, gold leaf moulding that was made in France. The glass used is Tru-Vu Conservation Clear.

—Born in 1911 in Marseille, France -Max Papart’s paintings and graphics are suffused with the sunny humor and bright colors of the French Riviera, where he was born in 1911. Working in a Cubist style, Max Papart depicts circus scenes, flirting couples, soaring birds, and similar cheerful subjects with flat, overlapping planes of contrasting colors and textures which suggest many levels of depth. Often he also achieves what has been called a “time window” effect, through which the viewer sen’sses the past or future. This is not to say that Max Papart is simply a purveyor of superficial entertainment. For all their decorative gaiety, Papart works also force the viewer to think. As the noted critic AndrÃ© Parinaud put it, “We are going to rediscover Max Papart as one of the masters of the second cubist generation… “

Please contact KENT Picture Framing for more information. info@kentpictureframing.com

For larger views, please click on the images below.

BC Home Magazine – July – August Issue >> Hanging Artwork

admin — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 04:58:42 +0000

I was recently interviewed for a small piece in the July/August issue of BC Home Magazine.

Have a look at some advice and tips to help you hang your framed pieces. (Click on the image to view the online version of the magazine)

White and Groovy. Triple-Decker Framing

admin — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 01:39:39 +0000

This week, I had a fun job on the table. A large-scale mirror, framed with one of my favourite mouldings. But not just one moulding. Three of them.

The client wanted something different. A frame with enough structure to it to carry the weight of the mirror. But also something elegant, and unique. I showed her a variety of frames, but none of them seemed to strike a chord. I then showed her a white, laquered Fotiou moulding, with decorative grooves running lengthwise down the moulding. It was a hit. But the single frame alone wouldn’t be strong enough for the size of mirror. So, we started experimenting with a few stacked arrangements.

What we ended up with was two of the larger moulding profiles, stacked over a smaller profile. The larger profile is 1 inch deep, and the face is also 1″. The smaller frame is 0.75″ deep, and 0.5″ wide on the face. After cutting and assembling the three frames, I wanted the three frames to look as though we had created one single frame. I filled in the seams where each individual frames met with plaster. Once the plaster was dried, I cleaned off the excess, and painted each seam with an acrylic paint. A tedious task, but the end result was well worth it for this triple-decker frame.

Framing Canucks Jerseys

admin — Sun, 15 May 2011 00:15:07 +0000

Here’s a look at one of this week’s projects. Five hockey jerseys – 4 shown – (Henrik’s jersey didn’t make the photo), framed for a business here in Vancouver.

Having these framed at this point in the playoffs – can only be a good sign for Vancouver and the Canucks…

Have a look at our Sports Jersey and Memorabilia page for more information.

Framing Oversize Vintage Posters

admin — Sat, 14 May 2011 01:38:53 +0000

Had a fun project to work on a couple of weeks ago. This was an oversize vintage poster for a restaurant in Vancouver.
It measured ~ 4x7ft, and was being installed ~ 12ft above an entrance. It was a fairly simple framing treatment. In this case, it was a simple black frame. 1.25″ wide face, and 2.25″ high sides with acrylic glass. An impressive piece in it’s new home.

Who Wants Taffy?

admin — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 20:37:20 +0000

With colours like “Dreamsicle”, “Mint” and “Snowcone” what’s not to love about Taffy?
A new moulding line from one of our suppliers, Larson Juhl.

From Larson Juhl:
“Looking to hot designer color trends in both fashion and home decor, Larson-Juhl’s delicious new collection, Taffy, embodies all that is bright, fun and vibrant. The Taffy collection answers the need for energetic pops of color in home decor with a saturated color palette that has a panache for the dramatic.”

Taffy has been a very popular choice at KENT Picture Framing for framing children’s artwork, or artwork to be diplayed in bedrooms, playrooms, or kitchens. These frames have a colourful candy-like coating, that is sure to liven up your walls.