The Framer's Workshop: Do-it-Yourself and Custom Framing

While visiting the Old Jewish Ghetto in Venice, Jeff and I walked into a local art gallery were greeted by an enthusiastic and friendly artist, Michal Meron. We were fascinated by her images of Jewish festivals in various European synagogues and by her Venezia series of giclees on canvas. She proudly showed us her Illustrated Torah scroll, and we were even more impressed. This artist has captured the heart of this ancient document with such a lively joy, using her illustrations to teach in a way that captivates everyone who walks into her shop. We were so excited by her art that we arranged to become a US dealer for her work. We brought the first five canvases back with us and plan to add to the collection soon. Visit our new Michal Meron web page for an enlarged selection of images. We have already ordered several copies of her whimsical "Cats of the Ghetto" print and will photograph it for you as soon as it arrives. We will glady order any prints or giclees on canvas from The Studio in Old Jaffa for you.

We had a lovely 17 days in Italy in April and May, and of course as framers, we can never resist stepping into every gallery we pass! Our biggest discovery was in the Old Jewish Ghetto in Venice, where we found the art of Michal Meron (next post). But first we just have to share our favorite vacation photo, a gallery dog in Venice, discovered sleeping in Bac Art Studio near the wonderful Peggy Guggenheim Collection. The engravings displayed are by Cadore.

Away from the tourist crowds in Venice, we discovered hidden canals and streets. The signs directed us to the Old Jewish Ghetto, with its ancient history, museums, synagogues, and local shops.

Below:

Signs to the Ghetto, Venice

Scroll down for 7 more of the 600 photos we took on our holiday full of art, music, food, wine, and wonderful people!

Below,

Bridge in the Ghetto, Venice

Frame Shop, Trastevere, Rome

Betty outside the Vatican

Recycling in parks all over Italy

View from Villa Rufolo, above the Amalfi coast

Cinque Terre village

Piazza Navona, Rome

How many times have some of you wished you could put a tiny wood frame around a big picture, only to have us explain that the frame would not support the weight of the piece? Well, the box we have been waiting for since the Janaury shows has finally arrived!

Introducing the Nielsen Gilded metal frame profiles!

Nielsen Gilded line of very thin, very elegant metal frames that look just like gilded wood! Now you can design with a slim wood-look and not worry about size. Come in soon to see the full line of 12 new thin gilded metal mouldings--you'll see what we are excited about!

As some of you may know, we make every effort to stay on top of the recycling of framing materials. Our mat boards go into recycling containers in the building's refuse room, along with bottles and cans. Aluminum is periodically recycled by aluminum recyclers, and leftover moulding and glass are made into the beautiful selection of handmade ready made frames we make every day. Finally, we give away scrap mat and foamcore to local school art departments. Now many of our moulding vendors are getting on board. Watch for more updates on this blog as our suppliers provide us with thier Green Framing programs.

Let me tell you about Roma Moulding: For starters, Roma Moulding is the only moulding manufacturer that still handcrafts all of its wood mouldings in Italy

In an interview with Decor Magazine, John Gareri, President of Roma Moulding talked about Roma's commitment to the environment. Roma Moulding has always been stronglyconscious of the environment in its production process. The company believes forest management is critical to meeting economic and ecological needs of present and future generations.“We take great pride in knowing our mouldings are made using wood from active reforestation programs,” John Gareri says. “Our suppliers are FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified and follow strict guidelines.” Roma continues to use environmentally friendly packaging. One initiative among many is the use of a natural 100-percent biodegradable packaging material that has replaced Styrofoam. Additionally, Roma employees have formed a Green Committee that meets once a month to discuss and recommend to management ways to recycle within the company.

As for future endeavors, there are no signs of slowing down when it comes to maintaining its status as a leader in the art-and framing industry. “Roma will continue to invest a great deal of time and money into the research and development of new products because we will never settle for anything less than original,” John Gareri says.

You might pay a bit more for some Roma mouldings, but the quality and commitment to enviromental safety are outstanding

For more information, visit Roma's Web site.

Brand new at the Framer's Workshop: Bella Las Vegas Glitter frames!

Another find at the West Coast Art and Frame show was something we just couldn't resist: Glitter moulding! We ordered the sample set for the whole line and have this beautiful signature mat hanging in the shop.

These sparkly frames come in a rainbow of colors and are perfect for any event. Try pink for a young girl's birthday. Surround her photo with loving messages on a signature mat, and top it off with a pink Bella frame. Use sparkly black to frame a schedule of events for a black tie affair. Dress up a wedding with dazzling silver--the possibilities are endless!l

See our new Celebrations web page for details...