Awesomely April
- Apr 1
- 5 min read
What is "Giclée"?
Giclée (zhee·klay) (noun) - a process by which high-quality prints are produced using an ink-jet printer.
Giclée Printing and Framing (noun) - a cozy archival print shop located in the historic Indian Orchard Mills.
Awesome Abstract April
“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.”
-Native American Proverb
Happy April, Giclée fam! We are in the midst of the slurry season where the optimistic sunshine seems to remain uncommitted, and the rest of the snowbanks melt and swirl into metallic puddles. April can be quite the abstract month, can't it? If you're one like us who gets a thrill from the mystery of abstract arts, we have exciting news for our local folks: a new artist (our first of hopefully many to come) has their original paintings featured in our gallery! We urge visitors to stop in and get lost in the work of Linda Hall's acrylic drip paintings. They're emotive, fun, and might remind you of a springtime puddle, reflecting wonder and awe right back at its viewer.
You can follow along on Linda's creative journey on Facebook:
What's Up & What's New?
New To Custom Framing?
Start Small With Us: A Small Business!
This month's newsletter is dedicated to the art of real custom framing. In our time here, we've met a lot of people who are first-timers to the process of custom framing and we want to offer a bit of insight and a mini-frame sale for the month of April where we can give newcomers a taste of the process in a more catered, less overwhelming way. In this newsletter, we're going to talk about the value of custom framing, the process, and what makes it such a great investment.
Custom Framing Is Like Custom Furniture...
Is it expensive? Oftentimes, yes. It's an investment in preserving your most cherished keepsakes using quality materials. Photographs, original artworks, diplomas, letters, heirloom recipe cards, and so many other mementos become maps of our lives. Many of these artifacts can be lost along the way, but the ones kept safe and carried along the branches up the family tree is often made possible by the preservation of custom framing.
To have anything custom framed in a way that's meant to be preserved, means it undergoes a unique approach that's so much more than a plastic + plexiglass made frame you would find at a big box store. True custom framing consists of acid-free materials, UV protective glass, and proper adhering between materials so the item can be safely removed from the frame without becoming damaged. Every decision in the process is catered to the uniqueness of the item being framed, always with a focus on the conservation and overall safety of the piece. With these details being at the forefront of the process, the result is an item framed in style, with intention to stick around another 100 years.
How Does The Process Go?
When you come in to see us for a custom framing project, we'll first discuss your vision for the completed look, and go from there with the possibilities. We'll explore the many frame samples we carry, seeing what looks best with your item to be framed. We're artists, so we know a thing or two about aesthetics and are happy to help with any design questions along the way. Depending on your item you're having framed, we'll also look at the many different mounting styles and, if needed, see which decorative mat helps the finished piece really pop.
Once your frame and mat choices are settled, we then discuss the final step: glass.
We offer three types of glass:
Conservation Clear
Anti-Reflective
Museum-Grade Glass
All our glass is UV protective, which prevents your framed relics from fading over time. We have a pretty great video visualizing the differences in these glass choices on our Facebook. Click here to watch the video!
This entire design process can take 15 minutes, or it can take an hour. The design table is a creative space and we don't ever rush the process. The fun is in seeing all the different "could be" situations, and following what feels right.
When Can I Come In? Do I Need An Appointment?
There's no appointment necessary, but it's not a bad idea to give us a call if you're coming to see us so we make sure the design table is cleared and ready for you to land.
We're open Wed-Thurs 10-5pm, Fridays 10-7pm, and Saturdays 12-4pm
We are closed Sun-Tues
Mini-Frame Sale: $75 For 8x10 and Under With Select Frames!
For the month of April, we wanted to try something new and encourage new folks to "start small", and frame something important to them that is 2D (photograph, artwork, postcard, etc), and small in size (under 8"x10").
We took out the guesswork and have pre-selected a handful of our most affordable frame samples where any of these frames under 8x10 size will be $75.
These smaller sized frames include any mat we currently have in stock, and either our conservation clear glass or anti-reflective glass.
(*Museum glass is not included in this promotion.)
What sentimental keepsake have you been hanging onto that deserves preservation? Which frame would you pick? We hope you stop in soon and we can be your first experience with custom framing something special. We'll be ready when you are!
Other News:
Store Hour Changes
No unusual closures planned at this time:
We'll be here all month during our regular open hours!
We'll always share closure updates on social media, so make sure to give us a follow:
April Art Prompt Calendar
An art prompt is a great way to break free from a creative block. Prompts can often be a single word, lighting a spark for other creative ideas. In every monthly newsletter, we'll include a fresh calendar full of daily art prompts for our creative subscribers who could use a nudge of inspiration. We'd love to see what you come up with, so make sure to tag us on the socials if you share your art!
One last thing: Thank you for reading!
If you know someone who you think would enjoy our blog, be a pal and forward it their way. And if this blog brought you any level of joy, we would love to hear from you! Comment below and let us know how we're doing. We would love to hear what topics you'd like to see covered in the future.
That's all for now... catch ya next time!
-Team Giclée
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