What a Difference a Frame Makes..

Mice on Barley by Alex Jabore

   Framing makes work more official, and possibly more desirable to buy as a finished and complete product, but the financial investments are scary. As I work a lot on box canvases this is hardly ever a problem. Smaller works I've mounted and slipped into    cellophane wallets but they still lack a certain class. A few weeks ago I attended a Christmas fair and learned a lot from been exposed to other artists, moreover in the last four sales three were framed.

   I completed three small 15 x 15 cm canvas boards this month, bright little works which I felt proud of. Instead of mounting them I wanted to have them framed, and see if it affects how quickly they are sold.




  After a rather fruitless few hours trying to find frames measured in centimeters rather than inches I gave up and looks at online framers.  Frames Express was chosen and three identical frames ordered. Since they are oil on canvas I didn't order glass, or a backing board.
  They arrived within a week  and I had the paintings framed and wired within an hour. I was a little stunned at the quality of these frames for the price paid as well as the way they transformed the works.

Mouse on Barley Painting Vol 2 by Alex Jabore

Mice on Barley Painting by Alex Jabore

Mouse on Barley Painting, by Alex Jabore

   The next question is how to coordinate the frames in shows and fairs, should I choose on mold and use it irrespective of how the painting looks? or simple frame to suite the work? Will having larger unframed works alongside framed smaller ones cheapen them?  All yet to work out but I am excited about using this firm again with future works. I think its important that I invest in a few well worked paintings instead of settling for badly presented quantity.