Local Art Seen Here

I have to say, I am one lucky gal. Not everyone has the opportunity to be immersed by their passion while making a living. But me? I do! Every day I get to help people enhance and preserve their personal collection with mats, frames and glass. The collections that our customers have are always intriguing and impressive: in the short time that I’ve been with Artists Frame Service I’ve framed serial works that include Chinese folk paintings, early American currency, antique etchings and even Aboriginal bone knives! What inspires me most, not only as a framer but as an artist, is when customers bring in art created by up and coming artists. There is something so refreshing to get to experience pieces hot off the press that have been influenced by what is happening in the living, breathing world around us.

This same feeling is what drives our recently revived program at Artists Frame Service, Local Art Seen Here. It excites us to frame the work of emerging artists so much that we can’t help but make that art accessible to all of our customers. What does this mean? Every couple of months we will feature custom framed art by a different Chicago artist, and, to help further your collection, these pieces are available for purchase at special discounted prices.

The artist to be seen first is illustrator and printmaker Diana Sudyka, whose prints will be highlighted from January until April. Her whimsical scenes of animals paired with delicate line work are true treasures that brighten any wall they hang on. Among these delights are a couple of pieces that are out of print and only available in our showroom. The luck endures!

Now, we invite you to read more about Diana here, then after come to the showroom to make friends with Diana’s creatures and introduce them to your personal collection. Be sure to see what else Diana is up to by visiting her web site: dianasudyka.com and her blog: thetinyaviary.blogspot.com

In April our walls will be adorned with the work of photographer Tracey Capone, and July we will see the colorful world of printmaker Ryan Kapp. Are you an emerging or established artist interested in being a part of Local Art Seen Here? Feel free to drop a line to info@artistsframeservice.com with your CV and some images from your portfolio and we’ll see what we can make happen!

~Nichole. “Legends”, the photo of Marina City, by Tracey Capone.

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Got Questions? We’ve Got Answers

Every day we receive phone calls from folks like you that want to get an idea of pricing and how things work at Artists Frame Service before they visit us in the showroom.  To help us help you get the right information, Hanah & Josh put together a list of questions for you to consider before calling.

These are the biggies:

What type of art are you framing?
• Is it a photo, canvas, watercolor, statue, poster, silk scarf, sports jersey, or family heirloom? As you can see here, we are capable of framing a wide variety of objects.
• The type of art effects the different variables involved with framing, including the method by which we are attaching the art; which all plays a role in the overall cost of the project.

What size is it?
• Size is a major factor in pricing. It will affect the amount of materials needed as well as how the art and materials are handled.
• Certain larger sizes may require additional reinforcement, different glass or Plexiglas options, or even special order materials.

Do you want a mat?
• A mat is a paper or fabric border used between art on paper and the frame. It also functions as a way to separate the art from the glass, which is ideal when framing for archival reasons.
• The mat will affect the overall size and cost of the piece.

What style of framing are you looking for?
• Simple black? Ornate Gold? Hardwood? White Lacquer? Steel? Aluminum?
• Are you more contemporary or traditional? Do you identify with a design style: Arts and Crafts, Deco, Industrial?

Is this a priceless family heirloom or a decoration for your dorm?
• A priceless family artifact must be handled with more care and different materials.
• We have economy options, such as a poster or diploma special. You can read more about our promotions here.

Other helpful info:
• What is your time frame? Is this a rush order? Keep in mind that our turnaround time for average projects is one week.
• Some materials are in stock, some items must be special ordered, and some get hand-made to order. This can affect pricing as well as turnaround time.
• Are you thinking of framing a large quantity pieces?
• A canvas has its own special set of considerations whether or not it is going in a frame.

Ok!  Now get on that horn and give us what you got!

~Thanks, Hanah and Josh for your special cameo in today’s entry!

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Tell Us Your Story Contest Winners

You did it.  You made us laugh. You made us cry. You made us a part of your gift giving this holiday season and we couldn’t be happier. After reading through 30 some odd stories we, with great difficulty and much deliberation, found our favorites.  Of course, the stories were so great that it was impossible to decide on only five entries; so six lucky winners it is!

While determining the top six stories we looked for profound uniqueness and sentiment.  In no particular order, here are the stories that outshone the rest of them:

As a way to help her daughter establish her art collection Becky framed a drawing by Chicago artist, Francine Turk. Her daughter, McKinley, has long been an admirer of Francine’s work and recently achieved her goal to save enough to purchase one of her drawings.  Becky has given her daughter two very special gifts: one of framing her first piece in her collection and the other, an appreciation for art that will last a lifetime.

Do you recall the tale of the long distance love birds? We do! We love the way Jeremy found the key to making the 2000 miles that separate he and his girlfriend seem a little closer. By placing beautiful photos of their respective homes at sunset in a single frame he showed how framing can help bring people together.

17 years ago Shelly’s husband, Ivo, went into the hot sauce making business in her Lakeview kitchen. Fast forward to 2011 when Shelly decided to frame the initial label prototypes and very first bottle of hot sauce ever made.  Can you believe that small bottle packs 20 different peppers?  Even more impressive, the chef now has two stores and has sold thousands and thousands of bottles. Hot Tamale!

Jeff grew up with this collection of photos from Italy during World War II, which was taken by his father, who happened to be a photographer for the U.S. Army during World War II.  After his parents moved in 1970, the photos were relocated from above the living room sofa to the attic.  It wasn’t until 1999, when Jeff’s father passed on, that the photos returned to Jeff.  Now they will finally find their rightful place on the wall of Jeff’s home office.

You know those rambunctious kids that never seem to be able to sit still?  It turns out that was Kristin’s father, and she has the letter to prove it!  After her grandmother passed away Kristin was left in charge of sorting through her boxes of family memorabilia.  While sifting through photos and such, Kristin found a hilarious letter written in 1950 by Fresh Meadows Nursery Center remarking on her father’s development as a five year old.  Realizing that her dad probably had no idea that the letter existed, Kristin created a shadow box to preserve this precious memory for him.

The holidays are a time for the family to gather and laugh, reminisce and create new memories.  Sadly, for Linda’s boyfriend, Billy, the opportunity to do so has dwindled. In the last three years he has lost the remainder of his nuclear family, of whom he spent a great part of the last ten years caring for.  In 2009, while Linda and Billy were preparing his Aunt Ruthie, who was like a mother to him, to move to a nursing home, Billy entrusted Linda with toy trucks from his childhood.  Linda recognized how much these worn little toys meant to Billy and indeed kept them safe.  This holiday season Linda thoughtfully helped Billy remember the good ol’ days by giving his beloved trucks a new home in an elegantly simple shadow box.  Leaves you a little misty-eyed, doesn’t it?

There you have it, folks.  Your memories and stories all sealed within four sides for your family to treasure for years to come. Thank you for sharing!

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Stories We’ve Been Told

Wouldn’t you like an update on some of customer stories for our contest?

I thought you would!

This awesome drawing was made by the customer’s husband, who gave it to her when they were in college. The drawing hung in the customer’s dorm room, then in her home and then in her daughter’s dorm room. Now that it has made its rounds the piece will return to the entire family, after a little make over of course. Talk about a traveling show!

Long distance relationships can be difficult to endure, as this customer can attest to. In order to make the 2000 miles that separate him from his high school sweetheart a little closer he has framed up two beautiful scenes from their current respective homes. The left photo is of Lost Mule Peak overlooking Grangeville, Idaho, while the photo on the right is of the Big Apple’s Manhattan Island. I can feel the closeness; can you?

The composition of the frame, mat and art for this entry couldn’t be more perfect! It’s simple and elegant without losing its contemporary identity. Can you believe that the customer’s brother designed this circuit board so many years ago? This little guy helped utility and natural gas companies monitor gas usage in homes like yours. A smart design for a smart piece of functional art!

This thoughtful entrant decided to frame a photo of her sister’s canine friend, who has recently passed away after living a fulfilling 14 years. The customer knows how difficult of a time her sister is having letting go of her family pet, and for this the gift couldn’t be more suitable.

How lucky is the husband of this customer who got to see the last game of Brett Favre’s career at Lambeau Field? Thanks to his wife, his chilly experience will live on forever. Go Packers!

We always love receiving pieces that have family history woven into the fibers of the art. Here is a medical diploma that belonged to the customer’s grandfather. The story begins in 1888 in the town of Borisov in Russia, where her grandfather was born to a relatively well off Jewish family. Because of the rules in czarist Russia, he was not able to pursue his medical studies. So he made the trek to Germany, where he received a doctoral degree from the University of Munich. After his studies, Grandfather returned to Russia to begin his medical practice, however, he was soon drafted to serve as a doctor in the First Mountain Army during the Russian Civil War. The hospital cared for the Communist party “nobilities” and their families. It turns out that Grandfather was very close to being arrested during the infamous Doctor’s plot investigation, which was an anti-Jewish attack in the Soviet Union during Stalin’s regime. Thankfully, he was spared due to Stalin’s sudden death. The customer recalls fondly reading books and going for long walks with her grandfather, and now with the newly restored diploma framed her family can treasure his legacy even more.

What spectacular stories our customers have! Are you rooting for a particular tale? We will let you know of our top five favorites next week.

~nichole

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Frames as Time Capsules

Encapsulating the energetic sensations of an unforgettable night can be quite the feat.  The latest entry for our “Tell Us Your Story” contest may prove that this challenge has been met in triumph.  The contestant’s husband has enjoyed the jangle punk band, The Dead Milkmen, since his high school days. As a matter of fact, her fella even had Joe Jack Talcum, one of the band’s members, play a show in his home. But I digress! The customer and her husband knew they couldn’t miss the band’s first tour in over 15 years.  So off to Logan Square’s Congress Theater they went!  Thirty seconds into their set, however, our protagonist lost his spectacles to the ever growing, ever happy mosh pit.  After an exhilarating set, albeit blurry, the glasses were found in multiple pieces amidst crushed plastic cups, empty beer cans, car keys and other debris.

To commemorate the night our customer has decided to put the broken frames and ticket in a shadow box and wish her man a Merry Christmas.

Will this be one of our 5 winners? Stay tuned to see! -Nichole

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Tell Us Your Story Update

How about a quick review of some recent entries for our holiday contest!

This customer and her brother framed a watercolor painting of their parents’ Michigan home, of which they moved away from after living in it for over 20 years.  They are sure their parents will treasure this memento in their new Texas residence.

Here is a 50th birthday gift that the customer received from her mother, who had been honored with on the Bicentennial celebration of our United States.  As it turns out, the White House was also presented with a similar commemorative pin, which is now at the Smithsonian.


To celebrate his 10 year anniversary, not only did this customer take his wife to Venice, where they spent their honeymoon so long ago, but also had a painting of a Venician gondolier framed for his sweety.

Inspired yet?  We hope so!  Now get diggin’ and find a gift that’ll knock your girlfriend’s/brother’s/dog’s socks off!  We can’t wait to frame it!

~Nichole, who is so impressed with these thoughtful stories!

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Winterfestenfest

‘Tis the season for gift giving and what better way to do your holiday shopping than by meeting the creators of your gifts and supporting them directly! Here ye shall find a list of sales going on this weekend. Yes, just as it was in the summer, keep a look out for more installments of this listing in the future!

And for those who have framing in mind for gifts, there’s always our gift cards or even our Tell Us Your Story contest! Of course, the prints you buy while at the School of the Art Institute Holiday Art Sale could always use a frame…

Fests In the City

Holiday Art Sale
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
MacLean Center Ballroom, 112 S. Michigan Ave.
November 18 & 19, 2011, Friday: 11 am – 7 pm; Saturday10 am – 5 pm
Admission: Free / Parking: go here for info regarding parking or take the Red Line to the Monroe stop and head east.
Check names off of your list and support starving student artists at this annual sale. Students will be available to discuss art and and the creative process.
For more info: go here

Give the Gift of Creativity
Lillstreet Art Center, 4401 North Ravenswood Avenue
Opens November 18 and runs until December 21st
Admission: Free / Parking: On Street parking is available. Or one can take the Brown Line to Montrose and walk one block east.
Lillstreet Art Center’s holiday art sale opens this weekend, but the real partying doesn’t happen until December 2nd.  Expect to find artisan made creations including handmade holiday cards & creative toys!
For more info: go here

DIY Trunk Show
Broadway Armory Park, 5917 North Broadway Street
Saturday November 19th 10am-5pm
Admission: Free / Parking: on the street, be prepared to pay.. or! Take the Red Line to the Thorndale stop. Easy breezy!
Not as much a holiday show as it is a craft show, this festival, hosted by the Chicago Craft Mafia is enjoying its 9h anniversary of celebrating the windy city’s crafty independents. From handmade soap to prints, you will find something for everyone, maybe even yourself!
For more info: here

Fests in the ‘burbs

Cornucopia
The Woman’s Club of Evanston 1702 Chicago Avenue
November 18-20th Friday: 4 pm-9 pm; Saturday: 10am-5 pm; Sunday: 12pm-4 pm
Take a jaunt to lovely Evanston and scope out jewelry, clothing, accessories, glass mosiacs and garden ornaments.  Here you will find gifts perfect for teachers, hostesses and even stockings!
For more info: www.wcofe.org

~Nichole, who will be attending this despite the lack of art being sold.

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A Story to Stitch Generations Together

How about this for an entry for our Tell Us Your Story Contest!

This customer recently had five of her daughter’s cross-stitch pieces framed. As lovely as they are, the thing that really caught our attention was the story behind them. The 20 year-old daughter took up cross-stitching so she could have something in common with her grandmother, who passed on 14 years ago. These newly framed pieces will be displayed alongside the very cross-stitches that stand as the clearest memories of  her grandmother.

This collection of family cross-stitchery are certainly heirlooms in the making! Talk about a gift that keeps on giving!

We hope to see you in soon with your own stories and heirlooms to frame. And don’t forget to ask for an entry form so you can have a chance to win a $200 gift card, too!

~Nichole

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Tell Us Your Story

We all know that one person. You know the one I’m talking about – the person who gives the perfect gift. It’s thoughtful, unique, creative, inspired and heartfelt.

YOU should be that person – and WIN a $200 gift card for having the best story.

It’s simple to enter. Just come in and tell us the story behind the object you’re framing. Make us laugh. Make us cry.

That perfect gift could be hiding in your desk or your closet.

It could be a shell collection from last summer’s family trip…

…or Grandma’s secret Thanksgiving recipe…

…or perhaps a memento from an anniversary dinner!

Whatever it may be, let our talented designers guide you in turning that sentimental object into a treasured gift that’s destined to become an heirloom.

Check our Facebook and Blog throughout the holidays for posted entries and dozens of framed gift ideas from our design staff. Five $200 gift cards will be awarded.

Escape the malls and come to AFS for inspired gift giving. We have glorious free parking and no holiday music! If you bring it, we can frame it – and gift wrap it too!

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Because We Care!

Did you know that every day our sales folk painstakingly check your frame projects before it is time for them to be picked up? Sure! It’s part of our Triple Check System here at AFS.

The first check is from the fitters. These diligent workers put the frame, glass, matted art & set backs (when necessary) together. After they have covered the back with brown paper and attached the hanging hardware they sometimes spy a speck of paper fiber or a random bit of lint in the art, and have to take it all apart to make it look squeaky clean. Then the picture is examined by our full time Inspector, whose primary responsibility is to make sure your framing is of the highest quality. After that, the salesperson gives your art another once-over. (Which happens to be one of our favorite parts of our job! How satisfying it is to see our finished designs; we can’t help but show them off!)

showing offWhen the sales person decides that the art meets their expectations they attach what we call a happy tag to the wire of the finished piece. This inspection card let’s you know that your salesperson has personally looked over your framing to make sure that it was completed as discussed. It also let’s you know that if you are not thrilled, to give us a ring. Because until you are, we’re not off the hook.

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