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Just back from the framers, a stash of paintings in the bespoke moulding I’ve designed and had milled to my specifications. Produced in tulipwood, it’s densely grained and deeply cut, making it much heavier than any of the commercial mouldings I’ve used. It looks good with and without glass, and because it’s been manufactured for me, it’s unique to my work. I’m greatly encouraged by the way this has turned out, and look forward to trying maquettes and prints in the moulding, as well as the drawings and paintings illustrated here. The paint finish is a neutral grey in starved-brushwork over red-oxide, my preferred colouring for frames.
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There’s no getting away from the fact that framing is an important aspect of presenting paintings, and although a magnificent frame cannot rescue a bad painting, a beautiful artwork can be undermined by the wrong type of frame. This particular design should mean that I don’t have to re-scale it for larger and smaller works, as the one size will do for all. This also means that in the matter of exhibitions, a body of work will be unified on the gallery walls by the one frame design. All the small painting shown here are for my exhibition on the island of Jersey next month, and were made as images for Marly Youman’s volume of poetry The Foliate Head, now available from Stanza.
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Lovely framing, when I was making more framed work I always struggled with making them look unified, this looks really nice.
Perfectly made and designed frames, perfectly setting the work off. How clever of you to have solved once and for all those tricky problems of framing: what size, what colour, what moulding, etc.
Very handsome! (Is that all right?;~) )
Jersey’s not far from here you know…
These frames are beautiful in their own right, and seem to add gravitas to anything you put them in. Your work however Clive adds to that sense even more and the result is just superb. The purplish grey looks like it changes to suit whatever and the faceted depth of the moulding would I think really suit the maquettes.
Suits the drama of your work. Great colour too.
these are wonderful–i love the color as well as the shape, and though they look fantastic with everything here, the way they show against that blue is just divine!
Way back when I first started painting I thought I’d never get a handle on framing. It always seemed the most daunting aspect of preparing works for exhibition. Now I have a ‘method’ the process is a pleasure rather than an agony. Phew!
Very smart! Is that the right thing to say?
What, smart like a suit?
I kid!!! (-;
Thank you Julia. Smart is good.
Oh, I’m having a fantasy about coming over for the opening! But of course Mike will be wandering around Mozambique, and the (non-driving) children are all home… and I’ll still be doing the giant read.
So it is complete fantasy. Still, a pleasant one.
I like that fantasy. I think I’ll join it!
Stunning frames, really suit your work! Are you able to switch works in these frames, say for another exhibition? The floating pieces look like they can be changed out easily. I try to choose frames that allow me to do replace new works for upcoming shows. I still have a stock originally bought for a large show, though the inventory reduces with sales. I even design some of my work to fit those frames, thus keeping my costs down.
Another exhibition coming up! Wish I could be there.
Although they don’t look it in the photographs, the floated works are under glass, and as the framer has so beautifully presented them, I doubt I’ll ever remove them to re-use the frames. Anything that doesn’t sell at a first outing, gets wrapped and stored until the next time.
Yes, exhibition next month. Nearly ready.
Tulipwood? Is this our tree, Liriodentron tulipifera, or something from another part of the world? I gather from Wikipedia that there are unrelated Brazilian and Australian tulipwoods, as well.
We have Liriodentron tulipifera in gardens here, but that’s not the source. Tulip wood is the name traditionally given by cabinet-makers to poplar. The hand-rail that winds up the staircase at Ty Isaf is tulip wood, as is the fire-surround in the sitting-room. It’s almost knot-free and is wonderfully smooth and dense, working to those beautifully crisp edges in the frames. Very heavy. You wouldn’t want to drop one of them on your foot.
How very tasteful! And for the buyers, this lovely moulding would complement any decor! Best of luck with the exhibition. x
Thank you Flo. We try to be tasteful! (-;
“How very tasteful” made me laugh. I think artists for the most part would prefer any other adjective.
Well I have to agree with you, but I wouldn’t want my frames to be be not tasteful… with glitter, say, or maybe Swarovski crystal trim… and so I guess I’ll go with the compliment. (Which is how I know Flo meant it.)
Stunning frames Clive. You must be really pleased. The frames are gorgeous and your work looks so good in them. That warm grey seems to suit any colour or kind of work you put in them, can’t think of how they could look better, would love to see that exhibition, where are you showing them?
Hi Phil. The exhibition is one offered to the judge of the Fox Art Prize on Jersey, and is always held at the Arts Centre in Saint Helier. I’m this year’s judge, and I’ll also be doing a day-long maquette workshop during my week there.