Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
There’s nothing like knowing that you’ve come across a work of art that you just must take home with you. But wait—it might not be quite that easy. There’s a good chance that the mat and frame surrounding your artwork are in need of upgrade. A chip here or water damage there makes the decision to replace the framing fairly easy. But the cause for concern could be subtler: Do the frame and mat look dated? How well suited are they to the piece itself? We took these questions, and a beloved artwork, to Kathy Mack, owner of Kathleen Mack Antiques (9794 Clayton, 314-707-1300), as well as to Mark McMillen and Duane Pennock of custom art framer Frame of Mind (2900 S. Big Bend, 314-644-4466) for their input. “A good mat and frame are to a piece of art what good jewelry and accessories are to a couture dress. They should add to it and enhance it,” says Mack. Let’s see how they make their selections.
Step 1: Follow Your Instincts
If the frame and mat don’t work for you in terms of proportion, color, or balance, consider replacing them. Of this pastel portrait from the 1930s, Mack says, “The scrolled frame is too intricate, the brown mat color is too bold, and the frame and mat are too narrow.” The minute Mack saw the portrait in its original frame and mat, she thought the proportions were all wrong. “The viewer would notice the frame and mat first, not the art,” she says.
Step 2: Play with Options
Meet with a custom framer and take the frame apart. Test various combinations of frames and mats with the artwork to see which looks best. “It was a process of elimination,” says McMillen. “We started with about 15 frames with the goal of narrowing it down to two distinct options, one traditional and one contemporary.”
Step 3: Create Definition
Pennock suggests nestling a thin wooden fillet in a traditional gold or modern silver leaf between the artwork and the mat. Its subtle reflective quality will pick up the brightness in the subject’s face and help define the canvas’ edge.
Step 4: Stick to Neutrals
“Choose a lighter, more neutral mat that won’t overpower the artwork and that goes with any décor, then add texture for interest,” says Mack. For both traditional and modern options, our three experts liked a wheat-colored linen mat that complements the delicate
texture of the pastels.
Step 5: Attend to the Details
The traditional option here is a deeply ridged 2 ½-inch-wide Italian-made gold leaf frame that slopes outward, visually pulling the painting toward the viewer. The contemporary option was a slightly larger frame, 3 ½ inches wide, with a smooth, highly reflective silver leaf frame that also sloped outward. Which do you choose? “At this stage, it really depends upon personal preference,” McMillen says.
Step 6: Enjoy the Transformation
The look and feel of the two options differed, but both choices were far more substantial and striking than the original frame and mat. More important: “Both will significantly enhance the way in which the viewer experiences the portrait,” says Mack.
