by Kirby Lindsay, posted 2 October 2013
On Friday, October 4th, the Fremont First Friday Art Walk takes its monthly stroll through our business district, including the dependable full wall of fine art at Frame Up Studios. Each month Frame Up delivers the art, and in October the shop will feature oil paintings by Beata Ondikova Metzelaar.
With help from his assistant Eric Halton, Frame Up owner Rob Bradley finds artists to display. They look for up-and-coming artists, established or new. “We both kind of look around as we go,” Bradley recently explained. The artist for October is a textile designer who also paints. “We saw her art work displayed on Capitol Hill,” Bradley said.
‘Taking Somebody Else’s Baby’
Frame Up Studios has regularly participated in First Fridays since the event began in 2004, and even before that when Fremont had Second Saturday Art Abouts. As one of Fremont’s longest operating retailers – established in 1986 – the store has been witness to plenty of history, and participated in much of it.
Bradley purchased the store from its original owner, Irene Ingalls-Turner, in 1999. Previously, he’d operated a photo lab, and dealt with frames. Yet, he only chose to become a framer when, “we fell in love with the space,” he said, “with the feel of the business. That was it.”
Rob Bradley purchased Frame Up Studios with his then-wife Gail Bradley. He took over the framing operations, while she oversaw the gift shop portion. At the time, the whole shop occupied 2,600 square feet – almost double the storefront from what it now has. They did do some reorganization – making clearer separations between the gifts and the framing, putting in new tables – but Bradley doesn’t recall making large scale changes. “Taking somebody else’s baby,” as he described it, wasn’t easy or a sure thing, but they brought a lot of customer service experience and, “we came in committed,” he recalled.
After 14 years, it looks like he made it work.
‘Framed And Preserved’
Bradley didn’t have framing experience when he purchased Frame Up. Fortunately, Warren Errig, who had been running the shop, stuck around to train Bradley – and has stayed on to work in the shop occasionally. Bradley also attended a framing trade show in Las Vegas, “and I learned a lot there too.”
He’s continued to attend trade shows – and learn things at them – and he’s found he likes the industry he adopted. “I really enjoy the part where customers bring in something that they love, that they are attached to – a family heirloom, medals, a picture, a photo,” he explained, “I have had people come in, and break down when they see it framed and preserved.”
“Some of it’s just a poster,” he acknowledged, “but it’s personal art, that people have purchased.” He’s seen people evolve from framing posters, to children’s photos, to fine art, as their tastes and interests shifted. He’s also learned that, “unless their parents framed,” Bradley observed, “they don’t see the value.”
Customers often know little about framing, and what it can do for a memory or an image. Many customers come in wanting something simple and basic, and quick, so Frame Up does stock standard black and white ready-made frames. They also provide ready-made frames created from leftover custom frame stock. Ultimately, the right frame depends on the reason for the frame, and the quality the customer seeks. “People don’t worry about the money,” Bradley noted, “when they think about the next generation,” and the preservation framing provides.
To some, framing may seem like an outdated idea, but technology really hasn’t improved upon it. On-line framing options do exist but, as Bradley pointed out, “it’s hard to see the textures and colors,” of a custom frame on the computer. The Frame Up website does show a few amazing frame options, but customers still need to enter the store with their art or articles and fully see the wide selection. The website does share information on the wide variety of services the full-service frame shop provides, including repairs, mountings and, “we’ll work with other people’s stuff,” Bradley acknowledged.
New Vibrancy
One thing Frame Up no longer offers are the gift shop items. In 2010, Gail Bradley moved her gift shop to University Village, now operating as The Art Study. “She liked the chances out there,” Rob Bradley explained, “We had the businesses separated anyway.”
At the time of the move, the landlord was Steel Icon, and they agreed to split the shop space and cut the rent. However, when the building sold to current landlord, Gibraltar Properties, they not only agreed – they did all the work. Frame Up scaled down to about half its original size, but stayed in its iconic corner space of the ‘Fremont Hardware’ building, continuing to provide the ‘hood with vibrant window displays and an Art Walk wall.
Gibraltar went on to lease to new, lively retailers and restaurants – including placing Pie in the ‘other half’ of Frame Up. “I’ve gained a few pounds,” Bradley observed as we both sniffed the delicious aromas sneaking through the walls from his neighbors. He also noted, “I’m glad they are successful. It’s great for this whole block here. The summer crowd would look up the street,” he said about pre-Pie (and Bluebird, Pel’Meni, Wax On, Hotel/Hotel, etc.) and seeing very little activity, they would, “keep going.”
‘Everyone Has Something To Frame’
People standing outside on the sidewalk, snacking while studying his window displays, have made a difference. “People in the restaurants see us, and come in later,” Bradley observed. During festival weekends, like the Fremont Fair, “I talk to people,” he explained, and while they rarely place orders that weekend, eventually, “everyone has something to frame.” Also, Frame Up continues to sell Fair posters – framed, mounted or rolled – as a fundraiser for Solid Ground, and the tradition brings in collectors each year.
The Fremont First Friday (FFF) Art Walk also draws new people to the shop, and to framing. “That wall could make more money,” Bradley acknowledged about FFF, particularly since it gives less space to his own frame displays, “but I’m drawing in customers that would never come in my store.” He doesn’t make much money off Art Walk displays, if any, but the monthly show enhances his store, his products and his commitment to participating in our community.
Find out more about Frame Up Studios through the website, or stop by the store next First Friday. Questions are welcomed each and every day, but only on First Fridays can you also find fine art, meet the artist and – usually – nibble on cookies and fruit…
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©2013 Kirby Lindsay. This column is protected by intellectual property laws, including U.S. copyright laws. Reproduction, adaptation or distribution without permission is prohibited.