I always look forward to the end of the year time. With few obligations over this quiet week, and me tucked up inside a cozy home, it’s the perfect time to reflect on my year of making art so that I can note all that I’ve achieved and celebrate the progress I’ve made in my art practice.

Using a mitre box and my measurement for the inside corner of the frame, I cut a length of the corner moulding with a 45 degree angle on either end. After testing it against the painting to see that it was the correct length, I used this first length as the template for the other 3 lengths. Once all four pieces were cut to length, it was time to glue the frame together.

Arranging and hanging artwork in your space can be a fun and creative project. By following these simple guidelines, your collection of artwork will sure to be displayed at it’s best.

A younger version of me may have been really annoyed that I didn’t get what I ordered and would have complained and probably would have returned them. But the current, older and wiser version of me decided to keep them and figure out how I could work with them. So what if they don’t match the rest?

I remember seeing Manet’s Déjeuner sur l'Herbe (Luncheon on the Grass) for the first time and crying. While I was familiar with this work through my art history studies, it wasn’t a particular favourite, but nonetheless I became emotional seeing it in person. Art can do this…it can make us feel things. That’s why we live with art.

Making art is often, at least for me, a solitary pursuit. I retreat into my studio with my thoughts, and rely on my own intuition and actions to create something from the materials at hand. But nothing compares to meeting people, including other artists, and talking about art and the joys and the challenges of the art making process. This too is an important part of the journey.

So you’ve just acquired an original artwork on paper.  Congratulations! 

A beautiful custom frame can truly elevate the look of your new work on paper in your home.  It can also be quite costly.  There are, however, alternatives for displaying works on paper in your home without incurring the expense of framing.