featuring Matt Smith

Framing is a personal preference and a matter of taste. A lot of people use paintings as decorations, so they want to tune the frame to the overall environment it will be in. To Matt Smith, it is much deeper and personal than that. A picture frame is the only thing in the process of a painting you have absolutely 100% control of. When we get into a painting itself, it might morph one way or another. With a picture frame, all you have to do is get out your checkbook! The frame is the finishing touch, and you don’t want to overpower the painting. Matt has seen where people lay a gold leaf frame down without antiquing it or distressing it and it looks like a brass doorknob. It is usually way too overpowering! It will quickly take over a painting. 

Most of the frames Matt uses are finished quarter frames. This means they take the profile, the molded piece of wood, cut the minor, and join all 4 sides. Then, they carve it and then they finish it so it looks like one piece of wood all the way around. Matt prefers hand carving for its richer look. There are different stages in the framing process all the way down to the color of the clay (the color underneath the gold). This can turn the color temperature of that gold to a cool side or warm, rich side or grey. Once that is done and the leaf is laid down, you can rub some of that gold back so the clay shows through. You can antique it or distress it. There are many things you can do to add richness to the frames. Matt also uses hardwood frames occasionally from “Holton Frames” out of Berkeley, California.

All in all, It really depends ultimately on the painting. You are not just buying one profile for all your paintings, it doesn’t work like that! Matt keeps an inventory of frames in standard sizes. They each have different profiles, carvings, and finishes. This way, he can see what works and order something new if needed.

Want to learn more from Matt Smith in the flexibility of your own home? Click below to find out how!

To learn more on Framing, listen to Gabor and Matt on the Paint and Clay Podcast.