...and a beautiful display of
19TH CENTURY JAPANESE PRINTS...
...ON THE CORNER: See some of the NEW FRAME DESIGNS we've developed...
Tim celebrates JOHN RUSKIN'S 200th BIRTHDAY...
AND
...check out some RECENT FRAME JOBS
Read on!
New Paintings by ROBERT FLANARY in the Gallery!
Robert Flanary, In a Misty Morning Shade, Oil on canvas. 20 x 24 inches. Sold.
Robert Flanary was the first painter we represented, and over the nearly two decades he's been with us, his work has attracted a great following of collectors and admirers. So we're happy to announce that we have a new batch of paintings. The one above is an example—although this one is sold. See the others online here, or better still come in to view them. Most are unframed—or should I say, ready to frame? They are all supreme examples of Bob's wonderfully moody and reflective style. View...
ON DISPLAY AT THE GALLERY—
Starting this Saturday, Holton Studio Gallery will be presenting a wonderful small collection of original nineteenth century block prints by master print makers Kunisada and Kuniyoshi. We've also added them to the online Print Gallery, here. (Two more will be added shortly.) We've really been getting in to frames for Japanese prints lately (you can see some in the next item, below), and had a great time framing this display. If you're out and about in Berkeley, make a point of coming in to enjoy them—and maybe take one or two home! Meanwhile, check them out online, here...
Utaga Kunisada (1786-1865) Half-Portrait of Kabuki actor Bando Shuka I as the Woman Oshun
Dated 1852, woodblock print. Rounded corner frame with proud splines, in walnut stained Black.
AND THE GALLERY ALSO
CONTINUES TO DISPLAY...
Original illustrations by Jane Kriss from her charming book
Here at this picture frame shop on the corner of Fifth Street and Addison we have a lot to say on the corner—on the topic of the corner, that is. I refer, of course, to the picture frame corner, which is so important to the frame’s integrity and artistic appeal. All of our frames are what are called, in the industry, "closed corner frames." (Read more about that here.) The decoration of picture frames has always been strongest at the frame’s corners, maybe because people intuitively understand that those points are crucial to the frame's structural strength and thus its power to protect the picture. We don’t ask much of frames, but we do expect them to hold together.
It’s only natural that out of that practical concern beauty should grow.
Well, don’t get me started. The pictures below will speak louder than words. There have been many more new designs coming out of the shop, and I’m eager to share them. Maybe I’ll make “On the Corner” a regular feature of the newsletter! Or you can always come by to ask what's new!
—Tim Holton
No. 1 Kobe, shown at 5/8", shown in walnut with Black wash
No. 1 Proud Spline, shown at 1", shown in walnut with clear finish
No. 15.6—3/4" shown in quartersawn white oak (Dark Weathered Oak stain)
Three designs with stepped corners and proud splines
No. 1 Simple Carved Corner, all in walnut with clear finish
More examples of No. 1 Simple Carved Corner, these in mahogany, oak, and cherry with clear finish
No. 15.6 Pinned—2" shown in quartersawn white oak with Medieval Oak stain
On February 8, Tim put up a blog post titled, “Framing TO-DAY—and John Ruskin at 200,” to honor the bicentennial birthday of this giant of artistic, architectural and social thought. No one has done more in modern times for the regard and respect given to handcraft (the Roycroft quote at right is one of his most famous statements on this topic), and to the central role of the arts in civilization. And yet Ruskin today is barely remembered. Fortunately, the occasion of his landmark birthday has prompted many shows, articles, and at least one book this year, many of which have argued for the restoration of Ruskin to the general public’s pantheon of great modern thinkers. Tim’s post not only acknowledged his own debt to John Ruskin, but opened with quotes from two tremendously important modern figures, both quotes reflecting Ruskin’s great influence on our times:
“I have met in my lifetime some extremely revolutionary characters; and quite a large number of them, when I have asked, ‘Who put you onto this revolutionary line? Was it Karl Marx?’ have answered, ‘No, it was Ruskin.’” —George Bernard Shaw
“The book was impossible to lay aside, once I had begun it. It gripped me… I could not get any sleep that night. I determined to change my life in accordance with the ideals of the book. ”
—Mahatma Gandhi, on reading Ruskin’s Unto This Last
Here are three terrific historical pieces we did in the last few weeks. Speaking of corners, the first two below had pretty fancy corners.
This watercolor dates from 1881 and is by JE Steuart (1852-1941). The 10" x 14" painting's in a 3" cove molding in cherry. See carving detail below.
This watercolor, by William S. Rice (1873-1963), is called "Silver Maples, Leona Park." It's about 12" x 18" and is in a carved compound frame in walnut. Corner detail below.
Finally, here's a terrific Sierra Nevada painting by Belmore Browne (1880-1954). Measuring 30" x 25", it's in a 4-1/2" carved cassetta frame in stained quartersawn white oak, with carved and gilt liner. .
