"New Life for Old Art". Port Credit Village Times. V. 1 Ed.5,                            December 2007.

    The holiday season is upon us and here we are quite busy getting everyone's walls ready for the season of entertainment. This is the time of year that everyone wants their homes to look their best. Through this series of articles I will be trying to give my advice based on many years of experience in regards to all aspects of custom framing and home décor. This is the fifth edition in this series, if you have missed prior articles, or would like to re-visit them they are available at www.albionartgallery.com/articles.htm, or give me a call at the gallery.
        Recently, in our custom framing depart, we have seen many old pieces coming in to be re-vitalized. Every home has art on the walls that was framed many years ago, and it is beginning to look out-dated and even faded. Our clients love, or at least use to love the artwork, however the framing is making them feel otherwise. Everyday I have client bringing their artwork in for re-framing. The frames were often done in the 80’s and have been looking dated for sometime. Getting rid of those old frames will leave you feeling like it is a brand new piece, and you will fall in love with the art all over again.
Look around your house. No doubt there will be at least one picture that is, or has been looking dated for a long time. Rather than replacing the piece all together, which can be difficult, time consuming, and pricy, consider re-framing the art you have now. Through framing you can give your existing pieces new life and a fresh new look, leaving your home looking great.
    Complete re-framing is most common. The glass can be salvaged if it is the right size, but starting fresh is often the way to go. I most often encourage complete re-framing because I do not want the client to be disappointed and wish they had changed everything. There is nothing like seeing your artwork in a new frame after many years in that tired old frame. You will be amazed what the frame can do, and how it can change the look an impact of the piece. When you bring in your work to be re-framed ask the frame consultant to remove your art from the existing frame so that you can get a fresh look at the art itself, and help you to forget the frame you have been used to for the past ten years. Approach this framing with an open mind, and try to set aside the look of the frame you brought in. This is always difficult, as you were very used to seeing the piece a certain way. Make sure you look at all of the options, you may be surprised with what you may find, as you may have not been considering what looks the best.
    Re-framing and does not always need to be expensive as you can work with your frame consultant to re-use any portions of the existing frame package (mat, frame, glass, mounting, etc.) to cut back on some of the charges. When doing so however, do ensure that the mats and mounting are acid-free and done properly. There is no point in re-framing if the art is going to incur further damage from existing materials. This said, if the mats are acid free, and the mounting is done properly then you can try to work with the mats and find a frame that is not only updated, but also a suitable match to the existing work.
    Above all, always remember there is more than one perfect frame design for each piece. Keep an open mind, and it should feel right when you see the right frame design. Also, you should feel comfortable with whoever is working with you to create the perfect design. Professional custom frame design takes patience, time, skill, creativity and vision. For more information please contact Christopher Adair at 905.278.2117 or visit www.albionartgallery.com