Two frames for a local artist (and my partner) for woodblock prints of local birds. The first is a single woodblock of a magpie, framed in ash. The second is three stages of a reduction print of a jackdaw, framed in elm. The wood was sourced sometime previously from Tafelboom in Utrecht but had been in my store for a while. It is originally from felled city trees. The frames were to be hung separately, so are not required to match.
The smaller of the two frames was made from a strange, soft piece of wood with a dramatic grain pattern. I wanted to bookmatch this across one of the mitred corners which presented a challenge as the pale, pulpy areas of wood were crumbly and would crater easily. The solution was to go slowly and sand the piece by hand.
The piece features a thicker than normal frame and additionally small splines of ash were inset into each of the mitre joints to add strength. The result is a robust frame. In order not to yellow the ash, which many finishes would do, the frame was finished with a microcrystalline wax and completed with gold hardware.
The second, larger frame featured three stages of a reduction print. To make a geometrically satisfying piece I wanted to add inlays to the stiles and rails at their midpoints. To achieve this the lengths, both vertical and horizontal were jointed and the joints inlaid with elm. The corners were mitred with small spines added for additional strength.
In order to show the three stages of the reduction cut, with layers of ink being added at each stage, three windows were cast into the passe-partout. Within the frame all three works are protected with a single backing sheet and the piece was completed with gold hardware.
Both frames were completed with upcycled glass recut to fit the new frames. I was happy to complete this set around two weeks after receiving the order, shortly before the end of the year. And it was great to get feedback from a happy (and totally biased) customer:
"I really appreciate the care that went into these frames and how they, themselves are also a work of art that complements my prints. The second-hand glass is great and the Utrecht-city wood has an incredible tactile quality."
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