Frame & Fortune- Your local column about good picture framing and the local art scene, by Jo Ronald – Pure Framing

Framing Knowhow

As a local picture framer, I see many examples of pictures and photos for re-framing that are worse for wear due to their existing frame.  If something is put into a frame incorrectly there are a number of things that can go wrong.  Over the next few months I will be sharing some useful hints and tips that can help you avoid these problems.  Some of the solutions are very simple and you can do them yourself.

The first thing you need to avoid is the glass touching the surface of the picture in the frame.  There should always be an air space between the surface of the picture and the glass.   Although you will rarely be able to see it, changes in temperature and humidity will cause condensation to form on the inside of the glass.  In time, this can damage the surface of the picture or photograph.  I have seen instances where the image itself has stuck to, or become imprinted on the glass.  As you can imagine, when the glass is removed, it can really damage the surface of the picture or photo.

This is not such an issue when you have something that is for decoration only and is intended for short-term use or the subject is easily replaceable (e.g. a digital photo where you have the original, so can have it re-printed).  However, when it is precious to you, is a one-off, or has some value, this can be devastating.  I always really feel for customers who come in with original art, or have irreplaceable items like an historic family photo and they have been framed badly without following some basic rules such as the one above.  This kind of damage is needless and can easily be avoided.  There are of course a few exceptions where a subject might need to be framed against the glass for a particular reason, but it is rare and should always be left to a professional framer.

The easiest way to create space between the glass and the surface of the image is to use a window-mount with the depth of the mount card making the space.  Another way is to put small spacers out of sight just under the rebate lip of the frame (the inside edge that holds the front of the glass in place) to make the air gap.   If you are using an “off the shelf” frame from a retailer, then you could think about using a shallow “box-frame” where wooden spacers are already included to hold the back of the frame away from the glass.

In my next article I’ll discuss window mounts in more depth as this is another area where problems can occur.

If you want any advice or need some framing doing, please feel free to contact me – my details can be found on my website www.pureframing.co.uk

Local Art Scene

This month I’d like to tell you a bit about Fi Latus, local artist and customer of mine whose work is very thought provoking.  Some of her work is on show until 4^th July in King Street Gallery in Carmarthen.  I thoroughly enjoyed the opening on Friday evening where she is currently showing with the contemporary art collective “Divergent” in their latest exhibition.

Fi uses many different media to express her work – ceramics, sculpture, and performance as well as poetry and the use of photography.  We met last year when she was preparing for a show at the Swansea Grand and she brought some photographs to be framed.  Since then I have been following her work with interest.

I asked her where it all started and she explained that she inherited a large collection of photographs from her late Mother who was a photographer.  Many of these were of Fi growing up.  These gave her the opportunity to investigate her Mother’s influence on her as a woman.  Before she studied art, she had been a complimentary therapist, so had worked with the body for most of her adult life.  This connection led her on to using movement to access her subconscious mind and produce poetry which gave her feelings language.

For her current show, she said that the influence has come from her interest in gender and the way that both family and culture impact the way we express ourselves as gendered beings “boxing us in”.  She is fascinated by how our mind/body and male/female split impacts our relationship to others and the natural world.  She has been studying the history of this split and investigating how different cultures tell their stories about sexuality and gender and exploring ways to balance male and female power as it expresses itself in the body and in the wider spheres of human communication.  Gender and equality are very topical issues at the moment in the media so the show is very timely.

Fi starts her latest show with a small photograph taken of her at five years old holding her favourite puppet “Sooty” (whom she recalls was lost in the woods not long after the shot was taken).  Do you remember Sooty and Sweep?  Her use of the reference to Sooty and Sweep continues, examining the female puppet Soo’s role in the show (which was to look after the boys!).  She looks at how females have been portrayed and photographed historically and accompanies this with poetry and a series of boxes that are very thought provoking – what do you see when the box is open?  What is written on the box?  A really great show, and I would recommend a visit – there is no entry charge to visit the gallery, so if you are in Carmarthen in the next week or two, why don’t you pop in and see for yourself?

As I mentioned earlier, Fi is exhibiting as part of an established group of artists called “Divergent”, who are a contemporary art collective.  They formed after completing their MA’s at Swansea School of Art back in 2017.  The group was the idea of Mark Ingram, to keep the momentum going once they had all qualified.  They work together to encourage and support each other in the process of getting their work “out there” for the public.  The core group of artists (Mark Ingram, Fi Latus and Susan Matthews) like to involve different artists to showcase diverse skills and to extend the collaboration.  This time you can see work by the three Divergent artists as well as Fran Williams, Tom Morris, Lee Odishow and (from France) The Dead Mauriacs.

The show is open to the public from 22nd June to 4th July in the Chate Room at the King Street Gallery, Carmarthen (33 King Street, SA31 1BS).

And finally…  

If you are an amateur artist or your children are keen artists, here’s something to look out for.

Art at the Hall will be running a competition alongside their Summer Show at Llangathen Temperence Hall this August.  The theme will be ‘Surf, Sand and Sea’ – Seascapes, Boats, Marine Wildlife, Waves …….”.   Entries can be in any medium, maximum size A3 and need to be presented unmounted and unframed.  For more information, details of the prizes and an entry form please contact Beth and Brigid at artatthehall@gmail.com.  The categories are Adults, Secondary School and Primary School.