I’m not alone when it comes to hair pulling moments with framing art…Aaaahhhh! To frame work properly is so expensive. Leaving them unframed really does not allow the art to shine. So when it comes to having an open studio with art for sale, what to do?

Like many of my artist friends, I do my best to frame them myself. This is ‘studio framing’ using whatever we can find that fits the bill. We want our art to look good, but we simply cannot afford professional, framing, unless we are in a formal exhibition.

Pros and Cons of Studio Framing

There are good reasons to use studio framing for both the artist and the buyer.

For artists, studio framing is adequate. Professional,framing would be better. However, artists cannot know a buyer’s home decor, preferred style and personal aesthetics. I think choosing plain frames and mattes to appeal to as many people as possible is a good solution.

Finding frames which are reasonable quality, but not too expensive means monitoring outlets. This can be time consuming, but is worth it. Quality varies a great deal from store to store.

For buyers, studio framing keeps the price of the artwork down. Seeing the artwork in a studio fame allows buyers to have an idea what the work looks like in a frame. If they buy the artwork, they can then have it re-framed professionally to suit their personal taste.

Professional Framing

I genuinely value professional framers. The one I use is fabulous. For example, I have an artwork in an exhibition which is moving between towns and buildings. My framer advised me on wood which would be hard enough to take bumps without scratching. Being able to see different types of glass and how each enhances the viewing of the work. Of course, this comes at a cost and can make the artwork quite expensive to buy. Not everyone sees the value of this attention to detail. I do, but I can’t always afford it.

5 Days to Go

My open studio for the Golden Plains Arts Trail is in five days time. I’m working hard to get as many works ready for display as I can. If you live close enough to visit, I’d love to see you. You can download the brochure with all of the information about each participating artist here. I’m Stop 7 on the North Trail.