Blog - Page 19 of 29 - Village Frame and Gallery

November 9, 2015March 20, 2018

Seen in Multnomah Village – SCARY!

Village Frame & Gallery owner, Beth Nichols, and her husband, Scott, in their Halloween costumes

Portlanders, is this danger lurking in your home?

Our neighborhood is generally a safe, friendly place, but a couple of weeks, we spotted something truly scary that everybody needs to become aware of before somebody gets hurt.

Village Frame & Gallery owner Beth and her husband, Scott, in their Halloween costumes at Multnomah Village Trick or Treat event. — It’s true, this was spotted in Multnomah Village a couple of weeks ago, and is kind of scary, but in all seriousness, what you need to know about is:

Cheap Art Hangers are Downright Dangerous

One light-duty picture hanger with badly stretched hooks and a heavy-duty hanger made of much thicker, stronger metal — Click photo to enlarge

Heavy framed mirrors and artwork need heavy-duty hardware to keep the artwork and its owners safe. The hanger at the top of this picture was removed from artwork framed at an inexpensive home decor store. The hanger is bent from the weight of the piece and threatened to release it’s hold. The hanger at the bottom is what an independent professional framer, like Village Frame & Gallery, uses for a heavy piece. Cheap hardware, nail-in picture hooks, and large-thread drywall anchors, can fail under loads greater than 25 pounds.

The Really Frightening Part

Imagine if this picture was hung over a bed! Or a child bumped the wall underneath it! Sure, we’re having some fun with this issue, but it’s no laughing matter when a heavy item comes crashing down onto someone. This is one area where quality absolutely matters.

Village Frame & Gallery can Help Make Your Artwork — and You — Safe

Please, check your artwork and mirrors today. If you see signs of hardware failure — the metal components are stretched, fasteners are pulling out, or anything else that looks suspicious — take down the item right away and bring it to Village Frame & Gallery. We will evaluate the materials used and make recommendations for hanging your heavy item securely. We have appropriate hardware and installation techniques for any kind of display you can imagine, on any surface.

Nobody wants to imagine the damage that might be caused by falling art!

November 4, 2015March 20, 2018

First Friday Local Artist Showcase

Collage of paintings by Portland artists

Join us this Friday, November 6th from 6:00 – 9:00 at Village Frame & Gallery to meet Portland artists exhibiting in our new show.

Our Local Artist Showcase features Anya Coxworth, Karen Story, Olive Eng, Patricia Giraud, and Violet Blackwood, with Denise Sirchie.

Village Frame & Gallery is located in Multnomah Village at 7808 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR 97219.

Can’t make it Friday? The exhibition is open to the public during regular business hours, Tuesday – Saturday, 10 am – 6 pm, throughout the month of November.

October 26, 2015March 20, 2018

Trick or Treat Multnomah Village this Halloween

Don’t miss one of the biggest family-friendly parties of the year!

Rain or shine, it’s trick-or-treat time in the Village Saturday, October 31st, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Start at Starbucks on Capitol Highway to pick up your walking map, and parents can get a complimentary cup of coffee!

Then, make the rounds from business to business, get your picture taken for just $5 at the Harvest Photo Stage–all proceeds go to Neighborhood House–, play some games at the Kids Halloween Carnival, and finish up at Dr. Jensen’s for a special surprise treat.

Halloween in the Village is sponsored by the Multnomah Village Business Association. Follow the Multnomah Village events page or their Facebook page to learn more.

Halloween in Multnomah Village 2015 poster

October 21, 2015March 20, 2018

It’s Holiday Framing Season!

Drawing of tree on bright green bakground with a red bird flying over it. Below the tree it says, "I'm dreaming of a green Christmas."

If you want something framed for the holidays, bring it in today.

Superior craftsmanship takes time, so whether you want to give gifts of art or add a piece to your holiday decor, this is the best time to get started. Drop off your artwork, photographs, keepsakes, and needlework right away to ensure they will be framed and ready in plenty of time. Need some inspiration or the perfect gift for an art lover? Village Frame & Gallery can help with that too. See you soon!

… and all the other holidays too!

Please note: Framing orders for Christmas delivery need to be dropped off at the shop no later than December 12th. We are open Tuesday – Saturday
10 am – 6 pm at 7808 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR 97219.

October 14, 2015May 11, 2018

Featured Artist Gene Flores

Colorful drawing of four skeletons on a horse, they are wearing elaborate hats and pants.

Watch out! This Portland Artist and Art Teacher is Going to Make You Think.

About the Artist

Photo of artist Gene Flores — Printmaker Gene Flores

Gene Flores was born and raised in El Paso, Texas, and earned a BFA from the University of Texas El Paso (UTEP). He also taught basic drawing courses at UTEP and served as the Art Gallery Director. He went on to earn a MA and MFA in Printmaking, with Honors, from the University of Iowa in Iowa City and worked at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art as a gallery preparator. In 2001, he moved to Portland, Oregon, to teach painting, drawing, and printmaking at Portland Community College and Clackamas Community College. He has been a full-time faculty member at Portland Community College since 2005. Currently, he is Dean of the Visual and Performing Arts and Design division at the Portland Community College Sylvania Campus.

See Gene Flores at Work and Learn about Printmaking

Artist Statement

All my works are self-portraits and are greatly influenced by literature, music, politics, religion and everyday activities. My images have been described as humorous, insightful, and disturbing. Viewers often find my work to be thought provoking and challenging. I enjoy challenging viewers and their preconceived notions of what we take for granted. Many of my works are playful thoughts and my reaction of the world around me, with mythological creatures and a combination of human and animal characters (logic and instinct) playing a vital role. I view my works as a window to another world with reoccurring characters and themes that tiptoe between the surreal and absurd. When making art, I play the role of the viewer and try to capture a glimpse into this strange world, a world where anything is possible and where anything can, and often does happen.

Gene Flores is Exhibiting Now at Village Frame & Gallery

See his art, along with work by Denise Sirchie, during regular Gallery hours: Tuesday – Saturday, 10 am – 6 pm, at 7808 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR 97219.

This is a magical, not to be missed, art show. Check this out …

Drawing of antique style of boat. Inside, the puppet heads of a donkey and an elephant seem to be arguing.

Illustration of heron at the edge of a river

Drawing of skeleton wearing an elaborate hat, her hair is a bouquet of flowers, labeled La Dama

Playing card art with drawing of heart with an arrow through it--labled El Corozon

October 7, 2015March 20, 2018

Featured Artist Denise Sirchie

Denise Sirchie working on a sculpture of a fish in her studio

Life Through the Lens of Mosaic

For Denise Sirchie, mosaic is her view of life itself: absent of boundaries, void of restriction, free–the latest evolution in a lifetime of expressing herself through art:

My passion for art was awakened around the age of 9; I attended an art class every Saturday each summer through the age of 14. I was taught the basics: sketching, oil painting, pastels, charcoal, still life and portraiture by an inspiring, memorable teacher. As maturity permitted, a short train ride into Philadelphia allowed me to attend the Philadelphia College of Art. I acquired independence, a taste of city life, but more importantly.new eyes. I believe it was then that I began seeing not the ordinary, but the unique possibilities within simplicity.

After college and several years of traveling, I settled in California. Pottery lured my interest and after 4 years of mastering the wheel, clay and porcelain became my new best friends. Upon marrying and then the birth of my son, my art transitioned once more, this time through a child’s eyes: simplicity in form, with bold, contrasting colors … as innocent and beautiful as a child. A few years later, we migrated north and settled in Portland. Life was sailing along smoothly until an early diagnosis of breast cancer. Lights flashed, sirens screamed, treatments commenced, and realizations surfaced.

Therapy for my soul and mind was found in mosaics. I had always admired the media; my husband supported my interest and insisted I give it a try. Self-taught through the help of books and friends’ advice, I became immersed.

Ten years later, the passion to create and the desire to stay healthy is joined in a marriage of determination. The direction of my art is constantly in motion. The freedom that the media allows is alarming: the reason I love it so. As Ralph Waldo Emerson summarizes: “Artists must be sacrificed to their art. Like bees, they must put their lives into the sting they give.” Bzzzzzzzzzzzz

In addition to the mosaic sculptures that draw so many visitors to Village Frame & Gallery, Denise creates stunning architectural mosaics and other commissioned pieces. Her art is included in the book, Mosaic: Finding Your Own Voice, by Brit Hammer-Dijcks, and she is exhibited throughout the western United States. Denise is a member of the Society of American Mosaic Artists and the Pacific Northwest Sculptors.

Village Frame & Gallery is proud to represent Portland mosaic artist Denise Sirchie.

Stop by during October–or any time–to see her original artwork in person. In the meantime, here’s a preview of some of her latest works:

Front view of sculpture of female torso in reds, black, and white in a dancer's position. She has white flowers for nipples and positioned around her body, a large white flower between her legs, and a small red heart under her left breast. — Rosalie

Back view of sculpture of female torso in reds, black, and white in a dancer's position. She has white flowers for nipples and positioned around her body, a large white flower between her legs, and a small red heart under her left breast. — Rosalie

Reminiscent of the mirrors on carousels, this frame has an elaborate frame, is covered in colorful mosaic tiles, and there is a small brass face just below the mirror itself.

Front view of colorful statue of woman's chest and torso in mosaic. The torso is bent a bit at the waist as if it is dancing and there is fringed beadwork on the nipples. The colors are primarily greens, oranges, and blacks.

Back view of colorful statue of woman's chest and torso in mosaic. The torso is bent a bit at the waist as if it is dancing and there is fringed beadwork on the nipples. The colors are primarily greens, oranges, and blacks.

Tribal-style mask with large tan fibers representing hair, a dark brown face. The eyes have circles of black around them and the outside has a circle of blue as if the mask is wearing ceremonial paint.

Front view of two sculptures of women from the shoulders up with very long necks, one is primarily done in darker colors with spiked hair and eyelashes, the other is done in pastels with flowers for eyes and flowers positioned on her shoulders, neck, and hair. — Summer and Winter

Back view of two sculptures of women from the shoulders up with very long necks, one is primarily done in darker colors with spiked hair and eyelashes, the other is done in pastels with flowers for eyes and flowers positioned on her shoulders, neck, and hair. — Summer and Winter

Oblong mask with blue face and gold crown

Mosaic picture of a crow sitting on a branch

September 30, 2015March 20, 2018

First Friday with Denise Sirchie and Gene Flores Oct 2nd

Post card with close ups of one of Denise Sirchie's mosaic sculptures and a print of a bird sitting in a tree by Gene Flores

Exhibit Opening and Artists’ Reception

Friday, October 2, 2015

6 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Village Frame & Gallery
7808 SW Capitol Hwy
Portland, OR 97219

Open to the public, no charge

Denise Sirchie, Mosaic Artist

“Therapy for my soul and mind were found in mosaics. I had always admired the media … self-taught through the help of books and friends’ advice, I became immersed. The freedom that the media allows is alarming: the reason I love it so.”

~ Denise Sirchie

Gene Flores, Printmaker

“All my works are self-portraits and are greatly influenced by literature, music, politics, religion and everyday activities. I view my works as a window to another world with reoccurring characters and themes that tiptoe between the surreal and absurd.”

~ Gene Flores

Subscribe to Our E-Newsletter for More Info about Our Featured Artists

If you’re already a subscriber, you’ll be seeing more in-depth information about our featured artists delivered to your inbox over the next couple of weeks. If you’re not already a subscriber, sign up for our e-news now. We promise, no spam, just great local artists, events, and ideas for living artfully.

September 23, 2015March 20, 2018

The One Souvenir You Must Bring Home from Your Next Trip

Skip the tchotchke, go for the good stuff — art!

If key chains leave you cold and you’re full up on t-shirts, it’s time to step up your travel game. Get out of the souvenir shops and check out the local art scene: browse the galleries, stop for street artists, and keep your eyes peeled for art fairs. Your mission? To talk to artists and find artwork you love that evokes memories of the place you visited or how you spent your time there. While you’re at it, keep your camera close at hand. You may find, as one of our clients did, your own work is the best of show. Check this out:

Venetian Courtyard Photograph

This photo was taken with a smartphone by our client, Susie. No kidding. When she got home, Susie resized it to 22″ x 28″, taking care to not lose any image quality. She had it printed and brought it in to Village Frame & Gallery for custom framing. In this old, ornate mirror frame, it’s a gorgeous reminder of her trip to Italy.

Not getting such great results from your own smartphone camera? Here are a couple of tip sheets you’ll find useful:

“10 Tips For Taking Better Photos With Your Smartphone” at Popular Photography
“How to Take Better Pictures with Your Smartphone’s Camera” at LifeHacker.com

Not sure how to do the resizing or other post-processing? Make friends with a good print shop–the kind that works with fine artists and graphic designers. They will offer color correction and other post-processing services, plus printing on photo paper or canvas.

Don’t want to take your own pictures? Tried, but didn’t get anything good enough to hang on your wall? No problem. Most of our clients bring in pieces they purchased on vacation. Pieces like these:

Black and white photo of old buildings on the canals of Venice — This is another photo from beautiful Venice, but this one was purchased from a street vendor.

Colorful print of mountains under a starry sky. — This colorful print was purchased during a stay at Mt. Hood.

Modern style painting of a European village with houses going up a hillside and a church at the top. — This painting was purchased in Europe. The canvas was rolled up for the trip home, then we restretched it and framed it.

What did you collect this summer?

We just heard there is a poster from Switzerland headed to the shop for framing and a friend mentioned a watercolor she bought from an artist on the beach in Mexico. What about you? Have a memory to exhibit? Bring to the Gallery and let’s pick the perfect frame. This is going to be way better than a slideshow on Facebook or one of those spoon rests that says New York City!

September 14, 2015March 20, 2018

Digital Art Demonstration with Doug Hunt this Weekend

Friday and Saturday, September 18th (12 to 5 pm) and 19th (12 to 3 pm)

Doug Hunt will demonstrate the art app “ArtStudio” on his 4 generation iPad. ArtStudio was developed for painters with a very painterly look, complete with dimensional brush strokes and the real possibility to turn your painting into mud if your not careful, just as in real life painting. It’s very user friendly and any artist would enjoy this handy little app both for doing finished paintings and working out ideas. Demonstrations begin at the top of the each hour, so get here early!

The demonstrations will be held at Village Frame & Gallery, 7808 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR 97219.

P.S. Plan time to see his latest exhibit before or after the demonstration as well. Tradition Meets Digital Art, Paintings by Doug Hunt is open to the public during the month of September at Village Frame & Gallery.

September 7, 2015March 20, 2018

Live with the Art You Love

Because Life’s Too Short for Boring Walls