Kari Schmidt-Pukropski ~ Feature Interview August 2016
Kari Schmidt-Pukropski is owner of Cornerstone Framing and Design, where custom picture framing is her art.
Kari says that, “I truly feel that art is the soul of your home.”
She has 28 years of experience in custom picture framing, with quality service and craftsmanship.
Her Mobile Custom Framing Showroom offers the convenience of going to you, with 100’s of mouldings, mats, liners, and fillets.
www.cornerstoneframing.com
(936) 718-7009 kari@cornerstoneframing.com
Kari says that, “I truly feel that art is the soul of your home.”
She has 28 years of experience in custom picture framing, with quality service and craftsmanship.
Her Mobile Custom Framing Showroom offers the convenience of going to you, with 100’s of mouldings, mats, liners, and fillets.
www.cornerstoneframing.com
(936) 718-7009 kari@cornerstoneframing.com
Kari Schidt-Pukropski
"Frame your pastel to enhance the work, not take away."
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PSST: Kari, your framing company is unique. Your showroom is mobile, and you go the to the artist’s home or office. How does this work?
Kari: Having a mobile showroom is very convenient for my clients. It all starts with either a phone call, or with someone I meet on the street, so to speak. I have no set work hours. I work around the schedule of others. An appointment is made. I arrive with my trailer, filled with 100's of frame corner and matting samples. I open up the back ramp door. I then will greet the client and discuss what design layout they want for their artwork. We then walk out to the trailer, together. I give them a bag and ask them to grab whatever samples that speak to them. I have a bag as well. Once the bags are full we go back inside and start the design process. I go over all the options of the framing, such as the glass, backing, mounting, etc. Once we come up with a plan I write up the order, pack up the art, and away I go. Artwork is delivered back within one day to two weeks, depending on the supplies on hand. Another added thing is that I don't require a deposit. Payment is due upon delivery. |
PSST: What about pricing? Framing for exhibition can be expensive, so many artists choose to order online.
Kari: I have been framing for almost 30 years, having a mobile framing showroom allows me to not have all that overhead that other businesses have, so I pass that savings onto my clients.
I have a huge climate controlled shop on my property where all the work is completed. I have learned that many frame shops, due to size restrictions, don't have their own machinery for cutting, etc, causing them to have to order their frames already chopped from their supplier. By doing this they have to pay a higher price for their supplies. I on the other hand have the machinery. Therefore, I pass that savings onto my clients. I work one on one with my clients, offering many different framing options.
I really don't recommend ordering online. You never know what you will get, as for quality and the knowledge of how your artwork has been mounted. These are things I go over with clients.
PSST: What are the most important considerations for framing a pastel painting for exhibition? Does that change if the painting is for personal display?
Kari: Pastels need to be framed by experienced framers. They need special attention. I know that many artists spray their pieces with fixative. I have noticed that when fixative is sprayed on the piece that often the pastel changes in color. It becomes darker. I also understand that fixative helps in the preservation of the pastel sticking to the substrate. However, if handled properly you don't have to do this.
Whether you are framing for an exhibition or personal, these pieces need to be framed with the utmost care. There are a few ways you can frame a pastel. Most commonly used is matting. If you choose to mat your piece, make sure the mat is elevated slightly above the artwork, allowing the pastel to drop down under the mat if needed. This eliminates the pastel dust from being exposed onto the mat bevel. Back in the day I used to reverse bevel the mat. You can still do this, but elevating the mat slightly works just as well, and looks nicer.
If you are not using a mat, I suggest you use frame space or use a double stack frame and use the inner frame as your frame space. I use this technique a lot.
I understand that many artists have to use acrylic for shipping and competition. The secret to using acrylic is to make sure the acrylic is cleaned with a cleaner that takes away any static cling, because of the pulling of your pastel from the substrate. Pastels need to be stored in a flat area if not being hung on the wall. I don't advise storing framed pastels upside down or upright. Upside down causes the pastel to drop onto the glass/acrylic. Upright is all right, as long as you don't lean other artwork against it, causing vibration and pressure to the artwork.
Kari: I have been framing for almost 30 years, having a mobile framing showroom allows me to not have all that overhead that other businesses have, so I pass that savings onto my clients.
I have a huge climate controlled shop on my property where all the work is completed. I have learned that many frame shops, due to size restrictions, don't have their own machinery for cutting, etc, causing them to have to order their frames already chopped from their supplier. By doing this they have to pay a higher price for their supplies. I on the other hand have the machinery. Therefore, I pass that savings onto my clients. I work one on one with my clients, offering many different framing options.
I really don't recommend ordering online. You never know what you will get, as for quality and the knowledge of how your artwork has been mounted. These are things I go over with clients.
PSST: What are the most important considerations for framing a pastel painting for exhibition? Does that change if the painting is for personal display?
Kari: Pastels need to be framed by experienced framers. They need special attention. I know that many artists spray their pieces with fixative. I have noticed that when fixative is sprayed on the piece that often the pastel changes in color. It becomes darker. I also understand that fixative helps in the preservation of the pastel sticking to the substrate. However, if handled properly you don't have to do this.
Whether you are framing for an exhibition or personal, these pieces need to be framed with the utmost care. There are a few ways you can frame a pastel. Most commonly used is matting. If you choose to mat your piece, make sure the mat is elevated slightly above the artwork, allowing the pastel to drop down under the mat if needed. This eliminates the pastel dust from being exposed onto the mat bevel. Back in the day I used to reverse bevel the mat. You can still do this, but elevating the mat slightly works just as well, and looks nicer.
If you are not using a mat, I suggest you use frame space or use a double stack frame and use the inner frame as your frame space. I use this technique a lot.
I understand that many artists have to use acrylic for shipping and competition. The secret to using acrylic is to make sure the acrylic is cleaned with a cleaner that takes away any static cling, because of the pulling of your pastel from the substrate. Pastels need to be stored in a flat area if not being hung on the wall. I don't advise storing framed pastels upside down or upright. Upside down causes the pastel to drop onto the glass/acrylic. Upright is all right, as long as you don't lean other artwork against it, causing vibration and pressure to the artwork.
PSST: What styles and colors of frames work best with pastel paintings? Kari: The framing style and color used in framing a pastel greatly depends on the artwork. When I frame any kind of artwork, pastels included, I focus a lot on the background color used to determine the possible frame an matting. Again, each piece of pastel artwork is different. Frame your pastel to enhance the work, not take away. I have learned through the years that many artists have to frame their pastels with neutral mats and small frames. That is fine. However, if you are wanting to sell these pieces, you may think about framing them differently. There are different criteria when framing for competition, and for the selling of your art. This is a question I always ask when discussing framing ideas with my clients. There is no criteria for framing pastels, except for making sure it is framed in a conservation/preservation way. The mounting of the pastel is crucial. I always say..”If the artist isn't happy with the way their artwork is framed, it will show in their face or body language, when speaking to people.” In other words, if you leave a frame shop and feel you made a mistake in your framing design, chances are you probably won't sell that piece, and you will hide it away in your closet. PSST: How does the subject matter affect the choice of frame? Kari: I always try to look for textures in the subject matter and try to mimic those textures in the frame or matting, making the framing more cohesive with the artwork. Having cohesion with the artwork and frame is very important. I see awesome artwork where the artists just throw a frame on it. I don't recommend this. I know judges say the frame doesn't matter, but it really does. If your frame is sloppy, beat up, etc., it is a reflection of the artwork. You spend countless hours and money on creating your artwork. Don't stop there! Continue that quality in your framing. The wrong frame can make or break a piece of art. The framing should be a continuation of the artwork, not a distraction. |
PSST: You have definite opinions regarding framing with a mat. Would you discuss those?
Kari: Over the almost 30 years of my framing experience I have seen many trends in the framing industry. I remember back in the day that is was a cool thing to triple mat artwork with colors used in the art. I can't believe now that I did that. I feel it is all right to do for decorative purposes, but not with fine artwork. It takes away from the artwork. Do you realize that when you double/triple mat you are adding stripes to the outer perimeter of your artwork, causing the artwork to look closed in? Think about this...a triple mat, for instance has eight running stripes that encapsulate your artwork. How? The three mats are cut with a bevel exposed. If you are using three different colors this will create the eight running stripes around your art. Not to mention...when adding the frame, there is your ninth stripe. I encourage people to use matting that focuses on the background color. This allows the piece to look larger. I like to use rag, solid core matting, and many times I use 8 ply matting. Solid core matting allows you to have matting without the bevel stripe. I have triple matted with the same color matting. It adds dimension to the artwork, without taking away from the piece.
On the other hand, I also use double stack frames to create the illusion of matting. I use a flat 1 to 3” frame inside, with an outer frame, of choice that enhances the artwork. This makes artwork look more unique, creative, and one-of-a-kind. I find myself using more double stack frames in framing for my clients than I do using matting. If I use matting, I prefer using fabric wrapped mats, liners or panels. I have framed the last two LSAG Best of show pieces. I used a fabric liner with a double stack frame for last year’s piece. This year was a fabric wrapped panel and natural banana fiber frame. |
PSST: Many pastel artists now frame with plastic spacers instead of a mat. What is your method of framing without a mat?
Kari: My method of framing without a mat I sort of touched base on above. Frame space can be created in many different ways.
Kari: My method of framing without a mat I sort of touched base on above. Frame space can be created in many different ways.
- You can use the usual plastic channel that comes either clear or black.
- You can double stack a frame and use the interior frame as the frame space.
- You can even create frame space using wood or mat board.
- I often will cut ¼ wide inch strips, or whatever depth you are trying to create within the frame rabbet, with 1/8 foam board, cut to the desired length, along with the same size mat board strips. I double stick them together. I install the glass first and then the strips. I then place the artwork inside and secure in place. I sometimes will use veneer strips of wood and will stain, as well. This makes the piece look more unique than just using the plastic spacers.
PSST: How much difference does a quality frame make in the presentation of artwork, whether exhibition, commission, gallery or studio sale?
Kari: Quality is everything. I can't emphasis enough. I mentioned before that if you use top quality products in creating your artwork that you should do the same when creating your frames. I have heard judges say that they don't base their decision off of the frame, but how could they not? I have heard many contradictions on this subject. My best piece of advice is to use the best to make your artwork look the best. The wrong frame can make a great piece of artwork look not so good. Make sure your proportions when matting are correct. Polystyrene frames are being offered to people these days. They may cost less, but if you damage the polystyrene it is hard to fix. You have to have special glue.
All in all...frame your artwork as if it was going on a very important job interview. Dress your artwork for success!
Remember...the artwork doesn't have to match the sofa! Something I say quite often...
Kari: Quality is everything. I can't emphasis enough. I mentioned before that if you use top quality products in creating your artwork that you should do the same when creating your frames. I have heard judges say that they don't base their decision off of the frame, but how could they not? I have heard many contradictions on this subject. My best piece of advice is to use the best to make your artwork look the best. The wrong frame can make a great piece of artwork look not so good. Make sure your proportions when matting are correct. Polystyrene frames are being offered to people these days. They may cost less, but if you damage the polystyrene it is hard to fix. You have to have special glue.
All in all...frame your artwork as if it was going on a very important job interview. Dress your artwork for success!
Remember...the artwork doesn't have to match the sofa! Something I say quite often...