"Rivka Art" by Shelley Skelton

Gallery 111 at Frame-ables is pleased to present "Rivka Art" by Shelley Skelton, a collection of colorful abstract acrylics. The exhibit will run through the month of January.

From the artist:

I was born in Philadelphia and grew up there, where my sister was always considered the artist in the family.  My parents sent her to art school and me to drama classes.  As a teenager, I was pretty dramatic, but never even tried to draw the proverbial “straight line.”  I was always creative and after moving to Michigan in 1969, I happily accepted the opportunity to work as a designer in an upscale cabinet company, where I could expand on my creativity.  I had great ideas and imagination, but had difficulty getting my designs on paper.  One day, one of the draftsmen said, “just draw what you see.”  Those were the magic words and I was finally able to do perspective drawings so others could actually visualize my designs.  But soon a change occurred and when I realized I wanted to draw what I felt and not what I saw, I knew it was time to put my feelings on canvas.  Using oils and acrylics. my paintings are colorful and bold, expressionistic and bright, sometimes a little darker reflecting my mood.  I start out with a concept but rarely know where it is going until the final stroke.

I am a self-taught artist.  Quite often, I will reflect on a finished painting and see something that was not a conscious thought, but that came from somewhere within.  I have found a way to express myself in a very private way.  I want to share it with the world.  I do give my paintings names, but it is for the beholder to see what he or she wants to see.  I think of my work as “caricatures of life,” free and uninhibited, depicting subjective emotions through exaggeration and fantasy.

"Local Colors by Lori Bate

Gallery 111 at Frame-ables is proud to present "Local Colors", the first art exhibition of pastel artist Lori Bate. The Concord resident presents a new collection of stunning local landscapes and still life studies. The exhibit will run  from Thursday, November 17, 2011 through Saturday, December 31, 2011 during regular business hours. The Opening Reception for the public will be held on Saturday, November 19, 2011 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM, refreshments will be served and the artist will be in attendance. Visit the  Frame-ables website  for more information and examples of Lori's art.

"Crabapples"

Lori Bate took her first drawing lesson at the age of nine at the Currier Gallery of Art in Manchester, NH, she also took advantage of her grandmother's talents as an artist and painted with her. Graduating from Wesleyan University as a double major in American History and Studio Art (drawing and printmaking), Lori then got her Master's Degree in Architecture from the University of Virginia. She practiced for ten years designing award winning University Buildings and Campus Master Plans. 

Lori then attended the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, and started an accessory design business, Civitas, printing city plans on neckties and scarves. This was a successful endeavor, however, she yearned to get back to her roots of drawing by hand. Last year Lori began exploring pastels, which quickly became her passion. 

"I am inspired by the 'pronk' still lifes of the Dutch, the stillness of the Luminist landscape painters and the brushwork of Sargent. My goal as an artist is to understand what is before me and render it so that others can experience it in the same way that I do. I hope as an artist to produce work that is meaningful to others."

Boston Bruins Win The Stanley Cup !!!

After nearly forty years of frustration, the Boston Bruins have finally won the Stanley Cup! Frame-ables can help you preserve your memories from this year's historic journey, from the Yearbook at the beginning of the season to the Sports Illustrated Commemorative Edition following the Stanley Cup Finals.

A List of Ideas:

2010-2011 Boston Bruins Yearbook

Stanley Cup Finals Program

Stanley Cup Finals Tickets

Sports Illustrated Cover

SI Commemorative Edition

Autographed Hockey Puck

Autographed Hockey Stick

Autographed Goalie's Mask

Autographed Jersey

Autographed Photo
Autographed Trading Cards

Commemorative Pins

Commemorative Badges

Commemorative Plate

Banners or Pennants

Panoramic Posters

Photographs

Art Prints

Newspapers

Classic Water Gilded Frames

Frames that embody the spirit with which they are made.

* Traditional * Contemporary * Hand Carved * Gold Leaf

Frame-ables proudly offers meticulously hand-finished, closed-corner, water gilded frames from C&J Picture Frames. The method of applying gold to wood frames dates back to the 12th Century in Europe. By the 14th Century, most European gilded frames were commissioned by churches and featured ornamentation mimicking their exteriors. During the Renaissance, gilded frames were offered to the public by craftsmen, as art became an important part of everyday life.

C&J Frames are perfect for original artwork, antique prints, old maps, rare photographs, and everything else unique or valuable. The frame designs are reminiscent of every period, place, and  art movement. The gold leaf actually shines or 'glows', especially when viewed by candlelight, the traditional means of lighting for centuries.

The following are just a few of the hundreds of profiles offered: 

 

From the C&J website:

"Manufacturing hand made custom frames for the finest art galleries, framers and museums since 1990. We strive to preserve the art form of making frames using only the highest quality traditional materials and old world techniques. The master craftsmen at C&J create the finest handcrafted frames in the world. From American, French, Spanish, and Dutch to contemporary, oriental and Art Deco designs. Our historical and modern frames are available in a large variety of finishes including traditional 22 karat gold and 12 karat white gold leaf. Our ornate frames are carved entirely by hand out of the finest kiln dried basswood."

"After a frame is hand carved and joined, it is sprayed with gesso and then sanded. Clay is then brushed on to the areas that will later be leafed. Once the clay is dry the Gold Leaf is applied by a process called water gilding. Thin coats of gliders liquor (water, alcohol and glue) are brushed onto the frame. The gold leaf is applied on top of this water using a gilders tip. As the water evaporates the leaf will adhere to the frame. Once dry it is ready for burnishing with agate stones. In the final steps, frames are finished according to the required specifications and sealed for long lasting protection."

Creative Mat Design

Frame-ables proudly offers the most creative mat designs in Concord. Creative mat design is the most 'custom' aspect of custom picture framing, adding flair to any frame style and mat color chosen. While a frame and a mat color can blend with an environment, mat designs help to enhance the art while adding a perception of importance. The framed piece shown below features two popular techniques: A French Line and a Painted Bevel.

French Lines: Drawn with a ruling pen using acrylic paint or ink, French Lines add a sense of elegance to a piece of art. French Lines are traditionally used on Diplomas, Botanical Prints, Etchings, Maps, and anything linear, but can be used on most anything. The color of the line(s) can match a school color, a color in the art, the frame color, or be a simple gold or black. Some designs feature two French Lines, while others can have the two lines cross over at the corners.

Painted Bevels: Painted with a brush using acrylic paint, Painted Bevels are a creative alternative to double matting. Where two white bevels between a colored mat may be distracting to the art, a single Painted Bevel focuses on the color in a more subtle manner. Painted Bevels are traditionally used anytime a double mat is appropriate.

Fabric Mats: To add texture and elegance to a piece of art, a mat can be covered with almost any fabric. The mat is cut before the fabric is attached, then the fabric is wrapped around the beveled edge. Fabric Mats are traditionally used on Antique Prints, Photographs, Original Art, Objects, and Textiles.

Fillet Mats: A Fillet is a small piece of moulding that attaches to the inner lip of the mat, adding dimension to the piece while elevating the perception of the art. Fillets are traditionally used to take the place of an inner mat. and often coordinate with the frame. The framed piece shown below has a Fillet in both the top and bottom mats.

Panels: Often used in 'French Matting', Panels are painted onto the mat with a brush using watercolors (other methods are appropriate). Panels can be painted solid colors, washes, or even marbleized and are often painted between two French Lines.

Inlays: Just like in woodworking, a mat can have a secondary color as an Inlay, either at the inner edge or a distance out from the mat opening.
Island Mats: Removing an Inlay from within a mat creates an Island Mat, with a secondary color showing underneath.
V-Grooves: Bevels are cut in opposition a distance from the mat opening, creating a 'V' the same color as the core of the mat (generally white). A second V-Groove can cross over the first at the corners.
Notched Corners: Steps can be created in the corners of the mat.
Southwest Corners: Just about any design can be cut in a mat, with Southwestern designs being the most accepted as their design adds to, rather than distracts from, the art.

Fathers Day Gift Ideas

Fathers Day is a time to celebrate your dad and the life he has lived. There are no better gifts to give a father than framed mementos. Frame-ables offers custom frames to capture all the wonderful moments of his life. The following list will give you many great ideas...

Photographs from a family event or vacation.

An autographed photo of Bobby Orr flying through the air.

Tickets and a Program from the first baseball game he took you to.

An old magazine ad for the Mustang he always wanted.

A pocket watch you admired or pipe that he smoked.

Civil War memorabilia he proudly told stories about. 

Some of the coins, stamps, or baseball cards he collected.

His lucky fishing hat or fishing flies from his tackle box.

The tools he used to build your crib or tree house.

A LIFE Magazine or Sports Illustrated from his youth.

The medals he earned while serving in the military.

His signed Larry Bird jersey that he never took off.

Concord ArtWalk

Frame-ables will be participating in the Concord ArtWalk, presented by the Concord Chamber of Commerce, on Saturday, May 14th from 10 am to 5 pm. Concord photographer Bill Claybrook will have local images available in the showroom, and Concord resident Andrea Zall will have a variety of photographs on display in the window. The ArtWalk will cover Concord Center, Thoreau Street Depot District, and West Concord Village and include shops, galleries, and restaurants featuring works of local artists.

'Barn in Wheatfied' by Bill Claybrook

Bill Claybrook is a fine art image creator who lives and works in Concord, MA, and has been a  professional photographer for over 30 years. His photography has covered many parts of the United States as well as Canada and Europe. Bill sells his local images at Frame-ables and at exhibits across New England. He prints all of his images, and is a knowledgeable PhotoShop user with a focus on transforming digital images into fine art images without destroying the integrity of the originals. Bill teaches digital photography workshops in Cape Cod and Concord. His goal is to teach workshop participants how to transform photographs into fine art images, with a focus on black and white images.

'Canal Sunset' by Andrea Zall

Andrea Zall is a Concord resident and the owner of Frame-ables. She has been a professional photographer for more than 30 years, and sells her images at Frame-ables. Her love of travel is immediately evident in the images displayed in the gallery, which features photographs from Europe as well as New England. Andrea is an animal lover as well, and has a collection of images, affectionately called 'Andy's Animals', ranging from birds to billy goats.