Friends Who Frame

The first post on what I hope will become a regular series.

Ron Bruck, Assistant Production Manager, A.I. Friedman, NYC

I have been fortunate to work with dozens of top-notch framers in my over decade-long career in the industry and maintain contact with many of them. I love hearing about their interesting projects and happily welcome guestblogs!

Who better to start the ball rolling than this guy: my first framing boss & mentor, Ron Bruck! I picked up all my good habits from him and cannot stretch a canvas without remembering his enthusiasm and love of a challenge. We worked together for many years, attended each other's weddings, and will certainly be friends for life.

at Decor Expo 2004

Ron's in the big leagues now, framing in New York City for corporate clients. Here he shares a recent complicated glass-trap.

This lil' project came out pretty cool. It is a vintage Sex Pistols shirt that I framed for an exec at Converse. It was designed by Jeffrey Feigenheimer, the corporate frame designer/salesman for AIF and executed by yours truly.

What I like about this design is how I have float/sewn it to an Onyx mat with an opening that reveals the back of the shirt. The assembly is siliconed to the back plexi. Another Onyx mat is added to the outside of the back plexi to conceal the silicone. There are 1/4" black spacers between the plexi. The assembly is held in with black balsa wood.

I was very pleased to hear via voicemail to Jeffrey that the recipient was thrilled with the outcome.

(Thanks, Ron!)

Google @ Frugal

A guestblog by shop owner, Mark Muhlig



The Google photographer showed up on Wednesday afternoon for the shoot. Nice guy, we had pleasant conversation and he explained the whole program to me.

Google is going into seven cities to help local businesses in 'walking' shopping districts. For not a penny from the 'Mom and Pop' shops, they are doing 360 degree panoramic inside shots to be placed on the web. New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sydney, and Tokyo have been chosen to start and study this program.

I'm a photography guy and was amazed at the fish-eye lens that Google was using for the panoramics. With each angle they take three exposures, (underexposed/ overexposed/ proper exposure). Google brainiacs are currently writing a program that will take the best clarity of each and meld the three shots. Because of this code in progress, we don't know when you will be able to see the results online.

He also took a series of 'feature' shots that will also be placed in our business listing. In this shot, I take a pic of him with my cell phone while he shoots me.

Camera-Ready

The Picasso Window is finished!

Just as I was hanging the last item, Google called and asked to photograph the store. Following their ambitious and amazing Street-View Project, Google has decided to photograph the interiors of local independent businesses. They're in our area tomorrow and shooting the store!

Very soon you'll be able to view a 360 of the shop right on your fancy phones. :)


Dear Google:
xoxoxo!
Love, me

Inspiration Strikes!

A new exhibit at the Art Museum impacts the shop window and my framing design.

The exhibit features the varying styles of Picasso and others in Paris during the same period. The frames in this exhibition are widely varied from fin-de-siecle Spanish to contemporary gallery. The display of the art is mostly done gallery-style, but also has one amazing room hung salon style.

Today I began work on my shop-window homage.