If you like it, then you better put a FRAME on it!

“If you like it then you better put a ring on it!” Shout out to Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” lyrics as I think about all the unframed art work I have created over the last 20 years. If you like your art, put a frame on it!

Whether a piece of art is purchased, commissioned, or I have decided to display one of my own favorites, I am always surprised by how much change happens when you frame a painting. It’s as though it breathes a whole new life!

When choosing a frame, you must consider a few different features of the painting itself, as well as where you would like to display your art.

#1 - What colors jump out? If the painting include a lot of bold or primary colors, contrasting with black or white, you may want to select a simple black frame. If the colors are very soft pastels, maybe a white, silver, or white-washed wood frame will work.

#2 Is the painting oil, acrylic, or watercolor? Traditionally, watercolor paintings are displayed under glass, whereas oil and acrylic art requires no glass.

#3 Your home decor. Consider where you want to display your art. If you have a farmhouse theme in your home, a rustic barn wood frame will look beautiful. Traditional or Victorian homes may call for more traditional and elegant frames in subtle wood finishes or gold leaf. Modern or contemporary homes may look best with simple lines and frames in solid colors or metallic finishes.

No matter what style of frame you select, I promise you’ll be pleased with how much it solidifies your painting as a work of art! Don’t be afraid to experiment with options by bringing your art to a local arts & crafts or frame shop to size it up and see what looks best.

Painting my Way to Vacation in Quarantine

Oh, Quarantine. In the past 2 months, as the world and my family and friends all worry about the future of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us are turning to art and music for comfort. Each year, my family and I travel to upstate New York, to the Adirondacks, seeking relief from the summer humidity of Virginia and a breath of fresh mountain air.

As a child, I traveled to the Saranac Lake / Lake Placid area of the Adirondacks every summer. My family and I stayed in a simple cabin, but the vacation never felt simple. It included boating, camping, fishing, hiking mountains, and horseback riding and it was such a happy place for all of us. As I have become an adult raising my own children, my husband and I wanted to continue this vacation tradition.

But with the quarantine and travel restrictions in place since March, we have no vacation plans for the Adirondacks this year. And it breaks my heart. Every time I have entered those mountains, I have breathed a sigh of relief, and just when I need that feeling the most, I can’t have it! My kids so much enjoy the Adirondacks that they tell their friends about our trips and I feel so proud to help in creating these memories for them. We’ll all going to miss the mountains this summer!

So one recent afternoon, I sat down and tuned out the worry. With a slice of cold press paper and my full set of watercolors, I began mixing colors and laying out this beautiful Autumnal scene. Lakes, mountains, fall foliage, oh my! Let’s just say that the peace and joy I felt upon completing this little painting forced me to frame it an hang it above our mantel in the dining room.

Maybe we can’t vacation and escape to the mountains this summer, but every time I walk by this painting in my dining room, it’s like I’m there anyway.