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“Every Child is an Artist.  The Problem is How to Remain an Artist Once We Grow Up.” -Pablo Picasso. Before we are told to stay within the lines, what colors are realistic, what proportions are correct etc., we are pure creativity.  

Of course, not all kids want to put crayon or paint to paper.  That was my young son’s idea of torture.  All through K-12 grades, he suffered through the mandatory projects (but the things he made were pretty cool). Interestingly, now in his twenties, he does surrealistic and abstract paintings on his own.  They’re good!

As most artists find out, framing can be challenging. Deciding what works best for their work and affording it can be overwhelming.

I am a cheerleader for all artists and want to help them in any way that I’m able. The main thing I can do is talk through their needs and desires, and give advice. I’ve rarely talked to an artist where cost was not an issue, because it gets tacked onto the price they charge for their art.

What Is Art?

The dictionary definition:

Art is the class of objects that meet or are subject to aesthetic criteria; objects considered beautiful, imaginative, skillful, and meaningful collectively, such as paintings, sculptures, or drawings:

We have a long history on Queen Anne Hill and I have been a part of it since 2008, but we go back much further than that.  In May of 1989 Philip Amdal opened McGraw Street Framing at 618 West McGraw Street.

In the spirit of parenting teens who have just told me something I’m not quite sure of…OK, tell me more?

My small apartment is filled with art that I have collected over the years, and each piece has a story.  Mostly they are by artist friends and colleagues, who gifted them or gave me a smoking deal.  I also like to find interesting art when I travel. In the last month I purchased (full asking price) art from a local artist, Graham Francoise.  I follow his Morning Coffee Painting series, a time lapsed video of him painting in watercolor.