espritdecor

Where the Hell is Riga?

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 00:29:47 GMT

Where the Hell is Riga?

Riga is the capital of Latvia. It's in the Baltics, which is in Northern Europe, near Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark, and it's also next to Russia. It used to be one of the Soviet Socialist Republics, and before that it was conquered by Hitler, but it's been a Republic for quite some time. It has the the highest concentration of Art Nouveau buildings in the entire world. There's actually over 800 Art Nouveau buildings in Riga, and they are breathtaking! Here's a link to my portfolio of Riga: https://www.patkofahl.com/Postcards-from-Riga

About Buddy

Sat, 30 Aug 2025 17:05:00 GMT

I love my dogs. Anybody who has ever been responsible for/owned by/caretaker for dogs/cats/ferrets/turtles/iguanas/fruit bats/T-Rex's etc. understands this completely. I have a friend who unfortunately works for the Humane Society, and she keeps sending me pictures. Dog porn, the worst kind. Sweet, warm, cuddly puppies and dogs that needed a forever home.

Normally I can resist, but my steely resolve melted when she sent over an image of Buddy, a five year old Queensland heeler. It was a weak moment; I was probably in my favorite browsing location (the can), when the image came over on my phone. I swiped out of Wordle, and was immediately overcome by feelings of love, tenderness, caring...in short, all the emotions that would make me the perfect ~~mother~~ caretaker.

He fell out of a truck on the freeway? Fine. He had to have several teeth pulled? No worries. His right paw is almost twice the size of his left? Great. His chest is all scar tissue from multiple surgeries, and he has Valley fever? OK. It sounded like a perfect match, so the next day we met at the Humane Society, and it was love at first bite. Buddy was good natured, enthusiastic, and happy, despite all the trials and tribulations he'd been through. We left together, and I introduced him to Stella, my nine year old Blue Heeler. If they got along, great, otherwise it would be a deal breaker.

But they got along great. Buddy was a typical male. First at the water bowl, first in the car, first through the door. It wasn't personal. It wasn't that he just didn't consider Stella. He didn't consider me, either. Stella, sweet girl that she is, acquiesced. My plan was to give Buddy so much love and affection that he might start thinking outside the envelope of his own ego.

We've made some progress, but it's slow going. What makes it all worth it is that Buddy persistently wags his tail in his sleep. It's a good sign.

Waiting For Fall to Fall

kofahl@gmail.com (Pat Kofahl) — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 07:13:58 GMT

Waiting for Fall to Fall

Fall in Arizona can be both tantalizing and elusive. Take today, for example: While we've had a few cool days, and summer is definitely over, it's going to hit 90º in a few minutes — much hotter than many of us would like. Sure, our blood is thin, and we've staggered through the summer heatwave, but enough is enough, already!

Everyone has their own special way of coping with the heat of summer. Some folks go to the White Mountains of Eastern Arizona, while others prefer to join the horde of "Zonies" that invade the beaches of San Diego and Southern California every year. Some folks head for Flagstaff, and some leave the state entirely, most to cooler climes.

Me? I left the country. And yes, with the pandemic in full swing world-wide, there were several more hoops to jump through, but going to London for a couple of weeks, snuggling under layers of blankets, wearing a jacket or a raincoat, and actually seeing water fall from the sky on multiple occasions (yes, I swear it's true!) can reset one's whole attitude towards the weather in particular and life in general.

All that being said, there's nothing that signals the onset of fall in Arizona like seeing the splendor of the fall foliage as the leaves change color on the West Fork of Oak Creek. It's a destination for photographers from all over the world, with majestic red canyon walls, and maples, cottonwood, ash and oak creating explosions of color all in a cool fall setting combined with a lazy creek the wends its way slowly through this spectacular canyon.

Angelic Relief

Fri, 24 May 2019 16:00:00 GMT

ANGELIC RELIEF

When you think of custom framing, most people think of oils, watercolors, prints and the like. True enough, but at Esprit Decor Gallery, we are often asked to frame dimensional objects: rugs, sports jerseys, military medals, pistols, swords, tickets, and other decorative memorabilia.

Here's a case in point. A client brought in an alabaster angel musician that had languished outdoors for a number of years, and upon consideration, she decided to bring it indoors, spruce it up a bit and hang it in a place of honor.

In consultation with Robert, our Gallery Director, she chose a lovely heliotrope ribbed fabric for the angel to float on, complemented by a tasteful and understated dark burgundy oval frame.

Dare I say that it turned out heavenly? You be the judge:

Manly Pier

Sun, 05 May 2019 16:00:00 GMT

MANLY PIER

This is an image from my recent trip to Sydney. What an amazing place! Their rapid transit system is unified and consists of light rail, trains, busses and ferries. You purchase an Opal card that works on everything, and “top it up” as you go, so getting around the city is a breeze. A short half-hour ferry ride from Circular Quay next to the Sydney Opera House brings you to Manly Wharf on the North side of the harbor. This is an image of the wharf, processed as a watercolor. It prints up beautifully, and I laminated it rather than putting glass in front of it. I added a simple charcoal wire brushed frame to work with the weathered elements of the pier, and ended up taking it home, to remind me of all the fun I had on the trip. More images to come. Thanks for joining me on this journey!

A Close Call In Paris

Fri, 05 Apr 2019 16:00:00 GMT

A CLOSE CALL IN PARIS

One evening in Paris, I found myself staring transfixed at the full moon and the Eiffel tower. The Iron lady, or "La Dame de Fer" as she is affectionately known across the pond, is one of the most photographed landmarks in the world. Would it even possible to get a unique and creative shot?

Perhaps.

As the full moon rose and sailed silently above the dome of Les Invalides to the east, I could see that its trajectory would take it across the tower itself, but where? Would the combination of moon and tower be compelling? Where was the shot? The clock was ticking...

Soon it became obvious that the moon would pass right through the opening between the first and second floors of the tower. Awesome, except for one small problem: the only place to get that shot would be standing in the middle of the street on the Pont d'Iéna which connects the Trocadero to the Champs du Mars – in rush hour traffic.

Go or no go?

Here's the answer:

Ten Little Indians

Wed, 06 Mar 2019 16:00:00 GMT

TEN LITTLE INDIANS

Dorothea Lange, one of my favorite photographers, once famously said, "The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera." How true! Photographers are trained to notice details that others might overlook. In the same way a musician's ear hears sound differently than most of us, so too, a photographer looks at the world consciously in terms of light, contrast, composition, tone, rhythm and detail in a way that most of us look at automatically and sometimes unconsciously. Here's a case in point: in the image below, which was taken at the Tres Rios Wetlands (the confluence of Salt, Agua Fria, and Gila Rivers in Maricopa County Arizona) the casual observer might see six or seven great blue herons standing in their nests. A trained photographer would see all ten! Can YOU pick them all out? Good luck!

Great blue herons nesting in a cottonwood tree at the Tres Rios Wetland in Maricopa County, Arizona.

Not Just Another Pretty Face

Wed, 30 Jan 2019 16:00:00 GMT

NOT JUST ANOTHER PRETTY FACE

If you've dropped by the gallery, you probaly know that we carry the work of some amazing local artists. Yes, it's true! You probably also know that we've been doing awesome custom framing for our clients for over thirty years. Also true! if you've stopped by you know that we have one of the most comprehensive selections of frames, sourced locally and from around the globe. True as well. But, what you may not know that we are a full-fledged publishing company and have worked with many artists and clients as well as publishing our own artwork for over twenty years. We also do custom Photoshop and Lightroom work for clients, travel photograhy on assignment world-wide, in addition to architectural, real estate, drone photography, and corporate headshots. Formal corporate portraiture tends to be rather formal, but we favor a slightly lighter tone. Here's a sample of our work:

Robert Hilton, Gallery Director, Esprit Decor Gallery, and Rosie, Rescue Pocket Heeler extrordinaire.

Once Upon A Drone...

Wed, 09 Jan 2019 16:00:00 GMT

ONCE UPON A DRONE...

Technology, as we all know and have experieced, never sleeps. Siri, Alexa, Google, self driving cars, Instagram, Whatsap, Twitter, Facebook all seem to be extending and deepening the digital divide. On the one side are the techies, the hipsters, the early adopters, and on the other side are the ludites, AOL'ers, dialup users, etc. To the younger generation, each new advance is eagerly awaited and welcomed with open arms, to the rest of us, well, as they say, "not so much."

In photography, the distinction is quite clean cut: film or digital? Film cameras have almost becoma a curiosity; most of the manufacturers have switched over to digital cameras, and billions of pictures are taken each year with phones. Digital camera manufacturers are now transitioning to mirrorless cameras, which make them lighter and more compact, and with fewer moving parts. All this new technology allows us to record images that might have seemed impossible just a few years ago. Sometimes the new technology is pretty harmless, and at other times it can be the subject of great controversy.

Take drones for example. On the one hand, they allow photographers and cinematographers to take images and footage the previously would have required hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars of equiment. On the other hand are the issues of privacy rights, and the impact on general aviation, as well as potential hazards to the public.

As a photographer, I'm always looking for a new angle, a new point of view. The truth is, drones allow me to tell stories visually in a way that was previously impossible. Here is a sample, which I hope you will like:

Phoenix at Sunset from Granada Park

When A Big Deal Really Isn't

Mon, 01 Oct 2018 16:00:00 GMT

WHEN A BIG DEAL REALLY ISN'T

You may not know this about us, but we have been making fine art prints for over twenty years. Color managed workflow, calibrated monitors, fine art 12 ink pigment printers, the finest canvas, matte, luster, gloss and metallic papers, the whole shooting match. We print for ourselves, interior designers, architects, other photographers and fine artists.

Some time ago, a top designer came to us with a challenge. It was a big deal. She had a client who loved one of our Death Valley images, and wanted it printed big enough to cover an entire wall, but he also wanted to take it with him when he moved. We solved the problem by printing the huge image (8' x 10') as a triptych, using custom aluminum and wood stretcher bars we had manufactured specifically for this project. We assembled the stretcher bars, printed the image in three sections, stretched the canvases, delivered and installed the work.

Her client was happy, she was happy, and we were happy...no big deal!

Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes – Death Valley California, November, 2012 –– Pat Kofahl Photography

A Fry Cry From Campbells's Soup

Fri, 21 Sep 2018 16:00:00 GMT

A FAR CRY FROM CAMPBELL'S SOUP

OK, we get it. What could Kachinas possibly have to do with Campbell's soup? Funny you should ask, but today's blog post concerns one of the most famous and enigmatic artists of the 20th Century.

Andy Warhol, a leading figure in the "Pop Art" movement turned the art world on it's ear figuratively, if not literally...that would have been Vincent Van Gogh. Most people associate him with his iconic paintings of Campbell's soup cans, but he was, in fact, much more prolific. In the 1986, Warhol created a series of ten screen-prints he called the "Cowboys and Indians" suite, comprised of images of John Wayne, Annie Oakley, General Custer, a northwest coast mask, kachina dolls (pictured above), a plains Indian shield, a native American mother and child, the Indian chief, Geronimo, an image of the Indian head nickel, and President Teddy Roosevelt. A client recently brought a pair of these wonderful images in to the gallery for framing. Double 8-ply rag boards and museum glass, complimented by a lovely silver swan profile were chosen to accent the organic shapes in the image.

When The Best Isn't Quite Good Enough.

Sun, 26 Aug 2018 16:00:00 GMT

WHEN THE BEST ISN'T QUITE GOOD ENOUGH.

I'll be the first to admit that here at Esprit Decor, we're picky. We curate each of the several thousand corner samples we carry. Lots don't make the cut (if you'll pardon the expression) because they're not good enough...for you. That's why we dont carry plastic mouldings, even though they're cheaper, because they are cheaper. They might make it in a hotel room, or at a convention, but not in your home. 1/8" fun-house mirror? No thanks. Regular glass that will let harmful light rays damage your precious artwork? No way. How about regular paper mats that will become acidic and burn that lovely monoprint you picked up on your last trip to Paris? Sorry, but we have to pass. Only 100% rag boards, or pure alphacellulose matboard are good enough for your project.

And if you think we're picky with the maaterials we specify at the front counter, it should please you to know that we're equally picky in the back room, where the magic occurs. Our computerized mat cutter cuts your mats to a precision of a thousandth of an inch. We use an underpinner made in France to join your frames so ther are no putty holes to be seen anywhere. Many shops order their frames pre-cut from the distributor, but we don't, because we want to make sure they are as perfect as can be. We have a huge double mitre picture framing saw that's designed specifically to cut picture frames, and nothing else.

Which brings us for the reason for today's post.

A wonderful client brought in a pair of original oils for us to frame, and selected this gorgeous Italian moulding from a well known high end company based in Florence, Italy. The gold beaded inner lip, or filet, was a addition to dress up the presentation even further. When the components arrived, Ron, our very talented framer, felt that the beads on the fillet weren't quite isolated enough, so he blackened the outer edge of the fillet, and then went in and meticulously hand-painted the surrounding area of each of the beaded elements. Why? because the best wasn't quite good enough. This additional step is something that might not ever be communicated to our client, because it's done as a matter of course. Yes, it's challenging, and yes, it takes a lot of extra time, But we do it because it's what you deserve when you bring your artwork in for us to frame.

All The Right Angles

Thu, 26 Jul 2018 16:00:00 GMT

ALL THE RIGHT ANGLES

We love a challenge – it's a chance to flex our mental muscles and ingenuity. When a customer comes in with an unusual request, we're eager to see if we're up to the challenge. Just last week, a client brought in several canvases to frame. One of them was arched on top - something that is rarely done, because stretcher bars are straight, and it takes a lot of engineering to create a domed top. The stretcher bar for that leg has to be cut into small segments and glued together. The angles have to be precise, or it won't work. The stretcher bar isn't seen, so there is some room for error. Not so with the frame, which has to have perfect angles and lengths, or the whole project is a waste of time and materials. There's quite a bit of math involved, and if the math is wrong, the frame is wrong. Robert, our Gallery Director, and our customer chose a cap-style mahogany finish frame to cover the stretcher bar and Ron, our master framer, executed the design flawlessly. See for yourself:

Why Out Of The Ordinary Is Ordinary

Sat, 16 Jun 2018 16:00:00 GMT

WHY OUT OF THE ORDINARY IS ORDINARY

One of our wonderful long-time customers arrived at the gallery the other day with a triumph, and an out of the ordinary request. As a busy mom, she rarely had any time for herself, and that's why it took her two years to finish her cross-stitch project, but she had manages to get it done!

A celebration of course ensued, and, after the dust had settled, her thoughts turned to how it would be presented. She had a favorite striped fabric that would make a dramatic border for her bird-atop-a-basket-of peaches cross-stitch, which looked like so:

The fabric looked like this:

After consultation, we chose a nice wood-grained flat lodge style frame. Would it be possible to use her fabric as a mat, but have the stripes go in opposite directions on the top/bottom and side/side borders? That was definitely out of the ordinary, but we were happy to make it happen. The mat would have to be cut into chevrons in each corner, and the sides would need to be individually wrapped, making sure the lines of the fabric stayed straight.

Ron took great care to not only make sure the lines in the fabric stayed straight, but also that the pattern was the same in all four corners, definitely out of the ordinary, but executed flawlessly. When our customer saw how great it came out, she had to grab a hanky!

The finished project looked like this:

Our client put a lot of love, time, effort, and energy into this cross-stitch, and so it was only fitting that it received a corresponding level of skill and talent to execute her vision, one with archival glass, matting, backing, and fitting, to produce an heirloom that would last a lifetime. That's why we say, "At Esprit Decor, we make memories."

When The Game Is On The Line...

Tue, 01 May 2018 16:00:00 GMT

WHEN THE GAME IS ON THE LINE...

It's the fourth quarter, the clock's ticking and you're on the verge of your 300th win, something that's never been done before. Seconds count and the game is on the line. So whose number do you call? 602-248-0700, Esprit Decor Gallery! The six-time World Champion Arizona Rattlers were poised to accomplish a feat that had never been done in the annals of the IFL - three hundred all-time career wins. The feat would be impressive, and the celebration would be epic! In order for everything to work, the Rattlers called the equivalent of an audible at the line - a special teams play that had to work! They needed two 300 win presentation jerseys in shadow boxes...framed that same day. Unheard of, but what could we say? "You guys win the game, and we'll have the jerseys ready." And they did – and we did. Both plays were executed flawlessly, and the celebration was indeed, epic!

Memories Don't Have To Fade Away!

Thu, 19 Apr 2018 16:00:00 GMT

MEMORIES DON'T HAVE TO FADE AWAY!

The whole family went to Switzerland...about a million years ago. Now the kids are grown, and have kids of their own. The memory has grown dimmer, over the years, but yet there's still that ancient picture in the photo frame in the family room. Dyes change over time, colors fade, UV light bleaches out the tones and makes them almost unrecognizable, kind of like the memory:

We're here to help. We can't restore the memory, but we can work miracles with the photograph. We'll transform it thusly:

It's a combination of high science and artistic expertise, and we've been doing it for...almost as long as we can remember! Who knows, that newly restored image might just jog your memory, so you remember some of the details of that precious, long ago event. After all, it's why we say "Together we make (and re-make) memories!"

Let's get started on your project ASAP!

Getting Rubbed The Right Way

Thu, 15 Feb 2018 16:00:00 GMT

GETTING RUBBED THE RIGHT WAY

No, this isn't meant to be a Valentine's Day instructional, and yes, it is family rated. Actually, today's subject is rubbings, brass rubbings, to be more precise. The technique involves laying a piece of paper over a brass plate most often found in churches or chapels, and then rubbing the surface of the paper with a waxy metallic crayon, so the pattern is transferred from the"Brass" onto the paper. The technique first appeared in the early thirteenth century in continental Europe, and even today is used as a contemporary historical resource for medieval research. Plus, they're fun to make.

Here, in consultation with our client, we chose an antique gold scalloped frame to match the color and period of the image, in addition to a black mat to match the paper, along with a thin metallic gold inner mat to both separate the image from the framing solution, and to also tie the image and frame together. The Roman arch, which repeats the scalloped design of the frame adds the finishing touch:

The Starry Night Hotel And Apartments.

Mon, 05 Feb 2018 16:00:00 GMT

THE STARRY NIGHT HOTEL AND APARTMENTS.

Apparently, the only way to get to the rooms of the Starry Night Hotel and Apartments is via a flight of fancy, because try as we might, we were unable to locate such a place using all the power of Google's mighty search engine, and can only surmise that it was sourced from the imagination of its clever artist. She (or he) couldn't resist the temptation to add a very "punny" remark on the Marquee just below the lovely neon sign, stating "WE HAVE EAR-ILY LOW PRICES!"

Coupled with a spotlit mural of Vincent's iconic painting, "The Starry Night" it becomes idiosyncratically compelling when coupled with the silent stillness of the street scene that accompanies it, almost as if Vincent ran into Edward Hopper on the way into a bar and this image represents the conversation that ensued.

Start your post here...

Hot Off The Presses!

Tue, 09 Jan 2018 16:00:00 GMT

HOT OFF THE PRESSES!

Hot off the Giclée maker to be more precise. We do a lot of printing here at Esprit Decor, both for ourselves and for local fine artists and photographers. We use a 12 color Canon pigment printer that can print up to 44" wide, by pretty much any length. Happy to show it to you. The prints last for a minimum of 100 years before any appreciable change when properly framed, and they look spectacular. Here is a case in point:

Homestead On The Cimmaron © 2017 Pat Kofahl

Not too far from the town of Montrose, Colorado, on the Western slope sits the Gunnison River. This area has some of the most beautiful territory in all the West, and every autumn Owl Creek Pass is lit up with the shimmering gold of aspen leaves as mother nature shows off her fall splendor. This image is from a trip up that way several years ago. It started out as a digital image but has been optimised to soften it a bit, making it look a little more like a watercolor. Hope you like it!

The Image Is The Roadmap!

Mon, 08 Jan 2018 16:00:00 GMT

THE IMAGE IS THE ROADMAP!

To use a Star Trek metaphor, our "Prime Directive" is that the goal of great framing is to focus attention on the artwork. Over the years, many of our clients have come to trust our design acumen to the point that they simply drop off the work and say, "We'll pick it up when you give us a call."

Here is a "Prime" example. Using the colors and bold graphics of this awesome limited edition serigraph commemorating the Rolling Stones Concert in Havana, we chose matting and framing that integrated the image and the framing so it became a natural extension of the artwork, which proves that at Esprit Decor, "You Can Always Get What You Want!"

We'll Get Right To The Point

Mon, 08 Jan 2018 16:00:00 GMT

WE'LL GET RIGHT TO THE POINT

A wonderful client had her father's arrowhead and turquoise collection that he had painstakingly amassed. Naturally, it had tremendous significance to her, but how to present it in such a way that she could enjoy it every day, in both it's historical and sentimental aspects?

We share the love and admiration that makes this collection so special to our client, and so we took great care, both in coming to a design and framing solution together with our client, who was knocked out by the design and especially the precision and care that was taken with this design.

It's the same care and precision that we bring to every project we embark on together with our clients. How can we show these elements off to their best advantage? How can we create an heirloom that will be handed down for generations, that will be admired by everyone who comes in contact with it?

It's the same frame of mind that we will bring to your project when you bring it into our gallery to be worked on. We look forward to seeing you soon!

A Winter's Tale

Sat, 06 Jan 2018 16:00:00 GMT

A WINTER'S TALE

Grand Canyon Winter

When folks from other parts of the country think about Arizona, the images that generally come to mind are endless stretches of flat, barren desert, punctuated by a solitary sahuaro, rattlesnake, or the interior of the hot, dry, Grand Canyon.

Nothing could be further from the truth! While we do have miles and miles of arid deserts, we also have 12,000 ft. mountains, pine-covered forests, waterfalls, huge lakes with thousands of miles of shoreline, extinct volcanoes, and massive meteor craters.

In January, the hot, arid Grand Canyon can become a veritable winter wonderland, complete with trackless miles of snow-covered terrain, that literally transforms the landscape, yielding views that the casual observer might not expect. Above is an example.

temp-post-image

The Renaissance Man - Of The East

Thu, 30 Nov 2017 16:00:00 GMT

THE RENAISSANCE MAN - OF THE EAST

A "Renaissance Man" might loosely be defined as one who is cultured, or proficient in a wide range of fields. The term, while generally associated with the West, also has an Eastern counterpart: The Samurai of Japan.

While primarily a warrior, The Samurai, who followed the code of Bushido, or "The Way of the Warrior" was expected to be a master of such diverse disciplines as Archery, flower arrangement, Zen Buddhism, tea ceremony, etc.

In the Japanese woodblock print below, Two fearsome Japanese Samurai, one an archer, the other a foot soldier, completely decked out in armor, pause to gaze at the amazing beauty of a cherry tree in blossom.

The Japanese design ethic often favors clean lines and simplicity. In keeping with this design philosophy, and in consultation with our client, a neutral single museum mat was chosen, complimented by a 1" matte black slightly rounded moulding, to pay homage to and emulate the shape of the tree trunk, which is a major compositional element in this wonderful image. Also, note the falling cherry blossoms which evoke the transitory and ephemeral nature of human existence.

In The Shadow of the Duomo Di Milano

Sun, 22 Oct 2017 16:00:00 GMT

IN THE SHADOW OF THE DUOMO DI MILANO

In the shadow of the Duomo di Milano, the largest church in all of Italy, sits the equally famous Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, the oldest shopping mall in the world, where it is possible to indulge in the most stratospheric levels of "retail therapy." The Galleria is often nicknamed il salotto di Milano (Milan's drawing room), due to its numerous shops and importance as a common Milanese meeting and dining place.

The Galleria opened in 1867, and in 1915 the Camparino Bar opened, and the aperitif Campari was first introduced to the public. The bar has been the haunt of many famous Milanese, including Giuseppe Verdi, and Arturo Toscannini, who used to stop by after performances at La Scala, the famous Opera house, right up the street.

Colt Single Action .45, Centennial Commemorative

Fri, 13 Oct 2017 16:00:00 GMT

COLT SINGLE ACTION .45, CENTENNIAL COMMEMORATIVE

Arizona Territorial Centennial Commemorative. Colt Single Action .45 LC caliber revolver, 1963 issue. One of only 1280 made. Shadow box of hans wrapped Belgian linen, walnut-stained traditional oak moulding, no glass.

The Pen is Mightier Than The Sword, And Sometime, We Get Swords.

Wed, 23 Aug 2017 16:00:00 GMT

THE PEN IS MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD, AND SOMETIMES, WE GET SWORDS.

We're firm believers in the old maxim coined by English author Edward Bulwer-Lytton in 1839 that the pen is, indeed, mightier than the sword. That being said, as shadow boxes happen to be one of our specialties, we love it when a customer brings in a "slice" of history to be preserved and protected. A cursory inspection of this particular sword indicates that it is modeled after the 1860 Light Cavalry Saber, used from the Civil War up until the early 1900's.

This particular saber has a massive basket hilt, which called for an extremely deep shadow box. In consultation with our client we selected a 3" deep Mahogany cap, or shadow box frame. The sword is mounted on custom fabricated fittings, so the blade stands away from the suede lined backing, creating the visual depth that is essential for a great shadow box. Mission accomplished, Sir!

Ockham's Razor Gives A Clean Shave!

Tue, 25 Jul 2017 16:00:00 GMT

OCKHAM'S RAZOR GIVES A CLEAN SHAVE!

William of Ockham, (c. 1287–1347) was a English Franciscan friar, scholastic philosopher, and theologian. His principle states that among competing hypotheses, the one with the fewest assumptions should be selected. Or, to boil it down to just three words, "Simpler is Better." While not always true in custom framing, we present today an example of why it's hard to argue with the notion that the simplest answer is often the best!

Posters tend to be self contained. They generally don't require matting, and are often "straight fit," that is, framed as they are. This spectacular poster, from Dos Cabezas winery in Southern Arizona, Is a true classic. It's bright, colorful, dramatic, and powerful. The drama and simplicity cries out for a simple and dramatic presentation. In consultation with our client, we arrived at this bold presentation, a Studio Moulding 1" basic black cap, elegant in it's simplicity, yet adding a touch of drama to the overall presentation. Our client was thrilled at the end result, and of course, we raised a glass to celebrate our mutual success. Cheers!

Opera Garnier - Photography by Pat Kofahl

Fri, 07 Oct 2016 16:00:00 GMT

OPERA GARNIER – PHOTOGRAPHY BY PAT KOFAHL

Opera Garnier is one of the most beautiful buildings in the world. Hyperbole, perhaps, but spectacular, nonetheless. It is the inspiration for one of the most famous contemporary operas, Phantom, by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, Which is based on the Novel by Gaston Leroux, published in 1910.This fine art image by Pat Kofahl is available in multiple sizes on paper, canvas, metal and plexiglass. Prices start at $49.00!