Framing Materials & Services
Custom Framing
Towne Gallery Framing is known for it’s creativity and the high quality of it’s framing. Our goal is to create a presentation that not only enhances and complements the work within the frame but also insures that the piece will be protected for your continued enjoyment. Sinec 1977 we have been intrusted with creating exceptional frames for residences, gallerys, museums and businesses all around the Berkshires. With our experiance, creativity and large carefully selected offering of frame styles, colors and finishes we will guide you in creating the best frame to present and protect your work a manner that fits the style of the work, your decor and your budget.
Matting
When it comes to let us guide you through the many options from a simple single white mat to elegant fabric mats or beautiful hand painted french mat. We choose to use what is refered to as consevation or archival mats for the majority of our framing. These mat boards are a blend of purified cellulouse fiber that has been treated to remove lignin, acid and other impurities to make them acid free and safe for contact with artwork. These mat also incorporate a method to help protect the work from airborn pollution that can attack artwork. Our other choice for mat board is referred to as museum or rag mats. These mats , as to name implies, are made from cotton fibers and are naturally acid free and safe for art work. The differance is that museum mats are solid color all the way through so the cut bevel on the inside of the mat opening is the same color as the mat surface Conservation mat bevels are pure white.. We use museum mats where this solid color is prefered or the client requests this more traditional material.
Glazing
With framing that requires glazing we recommend using glazing with the ability to block the harmful UV light that is the biggest cause of fading and the deterioration of framed artwork. Museum glass blocks 98% of the UV and is coated to reduce reflections to the point that the glazing can almost disappear or look to be nonexistant. Conservation glass has the same clarity and reflections as regular glass, but with the ability to also block 98% of the UV. Both of these glazing options also come in acrylic forms when shatter resistance or, to some extent,weight is a factor in the framing decisions.
French Mats
French mats are a beautiful option for traditional prints and etchngs but can open up exciting options for other works as well. French matting is a custom artistic techniuqe that uses watercolor wash panels and hand inked lines around the perimeter of a matted piece. Combining the basic mat design with faux finishes, marbled papers and/or gold leaf. French matting offers endless customization possibilities. We are here to create the most appropreate look for you work .
Fabric Coverd Mats
Fabric mats add rich textures , warmth and depth to a framed work. Custom hand wrapped fabric mats take all of that and add an even more luxurious and elegant statement to the finished piece. Towne Gallery Framing offers a large selection of fabric choices for hand wrappeded mats, including linens, silks, suedes, sailcloths and more. The possibilities will enhance your art work and create an exceptional design. Custom wrapped mats are available in both regular thicknes 4 ply mats or thicker, more impressive, 8 ply mats.
Ovals
Oval frames are available in many standard sizes for that work that would rather have an oval for a frame and not a square or rectangle. Oval frames come in a veriety of styles and finishes from gold to wood tone, Ovals also make great mirrors. Of course oval mats can also be made from any of our matting materials to fit an oval or regular frame.
Custom Mirrors
Nothing brightens and makes a room appear larger than a mirror. We provide quality 1/4″ thick mirrors in either plain edge or with a 1 1/4″ beveled edge. Mirrors can be framed with either oval frames or custom made traditional frames that will compliment your decor. A custom-framed mirror makes a statement that no cookie-cutter store-bought design can.