Specialty Matting

Here is an example of specialty matting. Every year, we donate framing on the annual Arizona Cowboy Poets Gathering, which gives us a chance to showcase our creativity in framing. This particular mat design has four different colors as well as a fillet. A fillet is wood piece added to a frame or a mat to give more dimension and enhance detail in the art. The fillet used in this particular piece recalls the color and texture of the frame. I chose a simple frame so that the overall design would not overwhelm the print. Describing the matting from the bottom up: the first mat is a thin line of blue that recalls the blue line printed around the art, which also matches the cowboys shirt. Next, is the gold/bronze, distressed fillet followed by a dark umber mat. The top mat has a western design cut in each corner using our computerized Wizard mat cutter. In each corner, resting on the dark umber mat, is a small inlay piece cut out of mat board to add a touch of detail to the mat design. The moulding used in this design is a brushed bronze color that attracts to the color of the border on the print and also gives contrast to attract to the darker values in the print. I used crescent, cotton rag matboard, which is preservation quality. Also, I used ultraviolet filtering glass to protect the colors in the print from fading.
-Russell

Artist of the Month, June

Congratulations to Madison Salazar from Miller Valley Elementary for being selected as the Artist of the Month. Each month, the Frame & I donates framing on a student artwork. We use preservation framing materials (archival matting and UV filtering glass) so the child's artwork will last a lifetime, probably longer. The Frame & I enjoys encouraging Prescott's budding artists in this way! Great artwork!

-Russell

Art Demo at the Frame & I

The Frame & I Gallery is featuring:

Live sculpture demo by Keith Kendall of K&K studios! K&K studios is the creative force behind enlarging several of the sculptural monuments in downtown Prescott. Keith will be demonstrating the sculptural process in modeling clay. 6-8 pm. We will also be featuring western and southwestern artwork, with prints by Bill Owen, Kathleen Roeth, Bill Anton, George Molnar, Tim Cox, and many others. Come celebrate Prescott's western heritage with us!
Live sculpture demo by Keith Kendall
6:00 - 8:00 PM!

-Russell

Call for Artists!

Call For Artists. The Frame & I Gallery is accepting submissions for a juried art show, "Paint Your Favorite Prescott Landmark." All art mediums are welcome. Subject matter of the quad-city Prescott area will apply for this show. The show will be on display July 17-August 17. Please send submissions by June 20th. Submission forms are available at the Frame & I, 229 W. Gurley St., or via email: frameigallery@yahoo.com. Call 445-5073 or email for more imforation.

Thank You,

Russell

Keith's Sculpture Class

K&K Studios and the Art Store offers a course on the Principles of Sculpture.

Keith Kendall's scupture class begins May 2nd, 10am-1pm every Saturday. Open enrollment, all skill levels accepted. Start anytime, walk-ins are welcome. Enjoy one-on-one instruction with experienced sculptor and foundryman Keith Kendall. Call The Art Store at 928-443-0749 for details.

Fun at The Art Store, Friday, April 24th, 5:00 - 7:00 PM!!!

Come to The Art Store during the Prescott Art Walk on Friday, April 24th, any time between 5:00 PM and 7:00 PM and join in the fun of creating and trading Artist Trading Cards. Materials will be supplied by The Art Store for you to make some ATCs which you may trade with other artists or keep for your own collection.

Here are a few reasons why I like ATCs. Do you have some reasons that you would like to add to the list?

• They are small and easy to display in an album, easel or little frame. And I have a real "thing" for small artwork! ATCs are 2 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches (6.4 cm x 8.9 cm) - or the size of a standard playing card or trading card.
• They are quicker to do than larger pieces of artwork - so you can have even more fun bouncing back and forth between several artistic creations in a shorter length of time.
• There are artists all over the world who make and trade these great little works of art - so there is no end to the variety of styles and subject matter and media that you can obtain.
• They are a great way to try out new paper or media - nice to start small on some of those experiments!
• They are small enough that even with a busy schedule - you have time to do some artwork.
• They are great for working out ideas that can be used in larger paintings.
• They make great gifts (and Mother's Day is coming up soon!).
  

Join us at The Art Store during the Prescott Art Walk on Friday, April 24th, any time between 5:00 PM and 7:00 PM and add to or start you collection of Artist Trading Cards today.

See you at the Art Walk!

Kathleen

Five things your Picture Framer needs to know about paper.

1. How to handle all kinds of paper. Antique documents need different treatments than a giclee, photograph or collage. We know how to properly care for your treasure including the most archival way to frame it.

2. How to hinge your paper artwork. Does your artwork need a Book Hinge? Tape hinge? Corners? Sink Mat? Spacer? Riser? We can tell you! Our expert staff, with many years of experience, includes a Certified Picture Framer.

3. What type of paper artwork you have. It sounds simple, but there are many different types of artwork on paper. Antique family photographs need special treatment that is different than the special care that an Intaglio does. Let us help you decide the best way to preserve and enjoy your treasure.

4. Whether your artwork should be mounted or not. Is dry mounting an option for your artwork? Should your artwork be wet mounted? Should it not be mounted at all? We can help you make that decision in a way that will enhance and protect your artwork.

5. How to handle the great variety of digital papers and inks. Digital images have special needs that are unique to their genre. We have experience in handling a variety of different types of digital images and we can advise you of what is best for your artwork.

At The Frame and I we have the experience and the expertise to help you preserve and enhance your artwork on paper.

Kathleen

Artist Trading Card Spring Swap April 24th!

Last November we had our very first Artist Trading Card Swap and it was lots of fun! Check out this post for more details about the November Art Walk event:
http://frameandi.blogspot.com/2008/12/artist-trading-card-fall-swap.html

It was so much fun that we all decided that we wanted to do it again. Next week we will have our Artist Trading Card Spring Swap in The Art Store during the Art Walk, Friday, April 24th from 5 pm to 7 pm.

Here are some details about the swap:

• Artist Trading Cards are small works of art that are 2 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches - no larger and no smaller, but they may be any thickness.
• You may create them in any media.
• Materials will be provided for you to create cards that night.
• You may bring cards you have previously created.
• All ages and levels of artistic talent are welcome.
• This is an open trade.

For more details, contact Kathleen at the_art_store@yahoo.com or call The Art Store at (928) 443-0749.

Remember that the Art the 4th people are collecting food for the Prescott food bank! Both The Frame & I and The Art Store are happy to be collections points for the Food Bank! Check out this previous post for more details:

http://frameandi.blogspot.com/2009/02/visit-4th-friday-art-walk-and-help-out.html

Looking forward to seeing you all next week!

Kathleen

Here’s a hint for watercolor painters!

This is my very messy palette - all full of paint from several paintings. The only problem is... what exactly is that color????When it was time to refill an empty spot it was really hard to know exactly which color I used originally. I love to try new colors or new brands, so sometimes the same - or very similar - color will be in two wells right next to each other. Also, watercolor paint has different qualities according to what color or brand it is and this is very useful information when you are painting.

In order to have this information handy, I created a small watercolor notebook that has color charts made with the paint that I use. Be sure to make your color chart using a good quality watercolor paper so that the colors will be similar in appearance when you are doing a painting. I used a permanent black sharpie marker to write the name and brand of the paint on the paper in a chart. The chart is a map of my palette where each color was painted in the same location as it appears on my palette. I painted a good sized area that goes over the chart and covers the words of the color. Now I can see at a glance what brand, color, how transparent, and whether I am comparing it to a previous color that I have used.

Well, I hope you enjoyed that little tour of my palette. If you have a hint that you would like to share, send me an email at the_art_store@yahoo.com and you may see your hint featured in a future blog!

Kathleen

Artist Trading Card Spring Swap

We will be having another Artist Trading Card Swap at The Art Store! Stop by The Art Store during the April Art Walk on April 24th any time between 5 and 7 PM for some artistic fun!


ATCs are small works of art that are 2 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches in size and they can be created in any media. During the April Art Walk you will have a chance to create an ATC, trade an ATC and view some great collections of ATCs!

Drop by and join in the fun - and see some great little art! See you there ~

Kathleen