FRAME MAKING
I originally started to build my own frames out of necessity, to protect and archive the artwork, but now it has become an integral and important part of completing each piece.
As an artisanal aspect of my work, I want frames that have a handcrafted feel and a simplicity, like Shaker furniture. Over the years I have experimented and changed my framing methods but have always used acid free, archival tapes and mat boards, and continue to cut the wood stock myself and build individual frames for each piece. In 1987, I worked for a year in a professional framing shop in Marin County and learned a number of techniques.
Currently I create a shadow box for works on paper, in which the piece floats on top of a mat, allowing the full edge of the image to be viewed. As frame stock, I use Douglas fir for its warm golden, reddish color, which subtly darkens after several years. I finish with multiple coats of Tung oil, which dries more easily than varnish, and ultimately gives a soft, sensual, tactile feel to the frames.
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