From the Blog

­Making it uniquely yours

Sean, a Portland resident leans back and admires his walls at home with a big smile. He appreciates the individual colors, textures and design of the particular art he’s chosen for each room. Trusting someone to frame and preserve his art has been crucial to Sean as each piece of art holds a special meaning.

“I have been framing my art with Raleigh Hills Beard’s in Portland for a few years now. When I moved to the area, I was researching art framing and visited the shop to not only ask questions, but to see if the designers were as passionate about art as I am. The staff at Raleigh Hills have a deep appreciation for what they do, and you can see that in each project they frame,” Sean said.

“The frame designers are always engaged and really listen to my ideas and feelings. It was such a great first experience, I continue to return to Beard’s. I don’t want to go anywhere else to have my art framed,” he said.

Sean has spent time decorating his home and making it feel special. His view on which art piece is the most special to him, changes day to day depending on what he’s feeling.

“Like music, art gives me energy and makes me feel a certain way. That is the beauty of art,” Sean said. “I really appreciated the focus on my art at Raleigh Hills Beard’s and how they recognize each piece is special to me. Designing these pieces isn’t just a job to the staff. We talk about the art before we frame it, and they get to know the piece before framing it. We collaborate and find the aesthetic that will enhance the art and my home.”

Sean has a print titled Nubian Princess by British artist, HUSH, a graffiti artist who has been working in Japan for a number of years as a toy designer, and whose refined and diverse style encompasses painting, collage, drawing. It’s hung in the entry way of Sean’s Portland home.

“This piece could have framed a million different ways, with its design and color, but the way Beard’s and I framed it, highlights the piece so perfectly and makes it pop and jump from the wall. Every day I walk by it, I discover something new about it.”

Sean’s print by American artist RETNA, called Provocateurs appears almost as if it’s the artist’s own language Sean explained, like hieroglyphics. It is proudly displayed between two large sets of windows. Beard’s used UV glass to protect the piece from light exposure.

“I connect with this artist RETNA as we were both kids who didn’t have classical art training, we just loved art,” Sean explained. “RETNA’s art is displayed in museums all over the world. He even did a vinyl cover for Justin Bieber’s Purpose album. The staff at Beard’s really helped this piece shine.”

Sean has other pieces in his home Beard’s has framed for him including a print titled Lunar, by urban artist Ryan Hewett.

A floral Baroque-inspired Ted Pim giclee print Astral, hangs in Sean’s dining room adjacent to two side-by-side gold leaf pieces by an unknown artist.

The living room displays a bold black, blue and gray piece by New York’s graffiti artist JonOne, along with a beautiful print by African American artist, John Holyfield called Grace.

Art can bring life to a space, reflect personality, and create focal points in a home or office. It inspires and stimulates conversation. It changes the feeling one experiences in a room and makes for a comforting, personal space. Sean has taken this to heart when choosing what he selects for his walls and the way they are framed.

“The ability to customize at Northwest Framing’s shops is why I frame my pieces there,” Sean said. “There are so many ways to make it uniquely yours and framing is one of the best ways to protect and preserve your investment. When I went to Beard’s it wasn’t just about making the piece pretty on the wall. I want it to last and be protected for years to come. These framed pieces will be on my wall 50 years from now.”