Wednesday
Calligraphy and illumination framing
This calligraphy and illuminated writing has been double mounted in blue and gold, and framed in a medieval inspired stained oak frame which is finished with wax polish.
Antique oak frame
This painting has been framed in an antique oak frame, from the same period, with a gold sight edge slip.
Oil gilded frame
This frame is made from walnut, it was given a dark rosewood stain and was then oil gilded with 23.5ct gold leaf, the finish was then distressed to reveal the colour of the stained wood, and was finally protected with an acrylic varnish.
Friday
Carved frame is tidied up
This frame had some minor losses to the gesso, and has now been tidied up.
Louis XIV frame
This is a really good little antique frame, which has taken some damage while being shipped from America. It is a Louis XIV corner and centre frame and it was made in the late 17th or early 18th Century. The ornament is carved by hand and gilded. If you look at the back you can see the frame has been skillfully extended to fit the painting it currently surrounds (which is mid 19th Century). The frame was sawn through either side of two opposite centres and then the four new blocks of wood were added, these were then carved to match the scrolling ornament and other carved decoration. A frame like this is probably worth around £1500 to £1800
Wednesday
Gilded door samples
These are test pieces and are samples of a door, they are for a furniture makers on the same estate as me, the moulding has been oil gilded in 23.5ct gold leaf.
Tuesday
Furniture store
I've been having a rather difficult time for the past few weeks, trying to deal with moving my Dad from a large house, into a very small bungalow, whilst also trying to get deadlines finished.
It should have been done some years ago, but at least it is being dealt with at last. The workshop has turned into a furniture storage building, a few pieces will be kept but most of it will have to be sold or given away.
Sunday
Water gilded frame with spandrel
This hand made water gilded frame has a gilded slip called a spandrel fitted, this is used to fit a round or other shaped painting into a rectangular frame. In this case it is not a painting but a mirror, frames like this are available for sale at my workshop, and can be made in any traditional or contemporary style, and to any size.
Tuesday
Silver leaf
The triangle has been gilded with silver leaf. The leaf is adhered to the surface with an acrylic gold size. This is very easy and convenient to use, although rather limited in applications. The leaf is sealed to prevent it tarnishing through oxidation.
Monday
Walnut frame
The walnut frame has been sanded all over, it was then stained with a spirit based wood stain called 'English Walnut', then it was waxed, and I think it looks great.
Triangular frame
The triangle frame has been painted with grey acrylic primer undercoat and then two coats of Farrow and Ball Charleston Gray.
Sunday
Swept frame repair
This swept watercolour frame has a damaged centre, the corners and centres are easily damaged when frames are moved around, as is often the case when galleries exhibit at art fairs or the gallery is being re-hung. A repair like this will take about 30 minutes to fix.
Glass cutting bench is finished
The glass cutting bench has been covered with carpet at last! The dividers underneath are split into sections with different types of glass, such as: museum, anti-reflective, float, and antique glass to name a few.
Friday
Different jobs
Now and then I get jobs that are nothing to do with framing. This head sculpture had broken at the base. The metal bolt and all the areas around the repair were sealed with a reversible and stable conservation acrylic resin adhesive, then a two part epoxy adhesive was used to repair the damaged section. The conservation adhesive can be easily reversed in the future if required.
The same technique I used on the head sculpture was used on this glass artwork. All areas around the repair were isolated with a reversible barrier adhesive, then a two part epoxy was used to make a strong repair.
These two jobs above were done some months ago, but this week I have been working on these turned rosewood columns for a furniture maker. They are being oil gilded in the flutes of the spiral column. I am at the workshop now, waiting for the gold size to reach 'tackiness' before I can put the gold on.
