Umbra Prisma Copper Frame

Just came back from Hong Kong, and since I've been there several times already, I've run out of souvenirs to get myself to remind me of the trip.

This particular trip, though, I came across a nice stall with a calligrapher. She was writing down English names in Chinese characters. For HK$30, I commissioned her to write my name.

The Chinese characters depicting my name meant he is to seek. Makes me feel like I'm some seeker of truth and knowledge.

I didn't know how to present this tiny 5" x 7" paper. I was thinking it would probably look best in a nice picture frame. The tricky part though was finding a frame that I would like. You see, my family isn't normal, in the sense that we don't have family pictures framed and displayed on a mantel, so I was never used to shopping for a photo frame. Having paintings framed, that's where I was trained well by my mom.

I went around Glorietta hoping to find a good frame to showcase my little calligraphy, and I was able to find one that I fell in love with in Dimensione.

I love the copper color, it lends a somewhat modern feel to the timeless Chinese calligraphy. I also adore the angles and lines that create the prism back of the frame, which supports it. The calligraphy, or photo, looks absolutely glorious floating right smack in the center of it.

Such a lovely addition to my office. I have a picture from a 2012 Hong Kong trip that's just on my magnetic memo board, and a picture of the One Serendra team attending a party - I would probably be looking for those also so I can display them in the office.

I guess starting to frame pictures is still a way to preserve special moments and memories that will never go out of style.

Akuna by Isaac Cruz

I've been sketching this image in my head for quite some time already, and I was finally able to put it onto canvas, and framed. It now hangs proudly in my office.

I had it framed in Frameworks Homefront. I wanted a floater frame for it - part of the challenge was explaining how I wanted the frame executed. I made sure that the framers would leave a space between the recessed matting and the edge of the frame because I'm planning to put LED strip lights to illuminate the painting.

I'm quite proud of it. It was Kim who named it Akuna. It was the first word that came to his mind when he saw the painting.

Just wanted to share my piece!

Akuna (2016)
Isaac Cruz
Acrylic on canvas
24" x 36"

More Marina Ceriola Paintings

Marina contacted me Saturday morning - she has paintings for sale! She sent me pictures of 6 paintings, but these are the ones that I had reserved:

Both are oil on canvas, and measures 18" x 24". 

I messaged her today asking when she can pass by the office so I can pay for these already. 

The 2nd painting is a reproduction of The First Mourning by William-Adolphe Bouguereau. 

I had already given a heads up to Frameworks Homefront that I will going to them on Saturday to have these 2 paintings framed - I started researching online as well on Renaissance-style frames, in order to pay homage to Bouguereau. Frameworks was suggesting that I use a silver frame instead of gold, but I'm still partial to gold, what do you guys think? 

Frameworks Homefront

I have three small paintings, a 12" x 12" bloom painting by Miguel Toni Villanueva, a 9" x 12" painting of a bird house by Renee Avila, and the small Merm painting I bought from Ang INK. For the longest time, these paintings were displayed at the topmost cabinet shelf of my office, placed on small easels. The reason they were displayed as such was because I couldn't decide what type of frame I was going to pair with them. I've been to Frame Plus, Rotech, and an obscure frame shop in Sta. Lucia - and their offerings are kinda limited.

I asked for a quotation on frames similar to the following.

1. For the Renee Avila bird house, I wanted it framed like the Meditteranean seascape painting I bought from Glorietta back in 2014.

I had Frame Plus quote how much this would cost, and they told me it would reach around PhP 2,000.00.

Frameworks Homefront quoted me PhP 800.00. Why not?

For the Merm painting, I wanted the small square painting to be in the center of a rectangular white matting with black frame. See the Pernia painting in the center? The Merm painting is as small as a coaster, imagine it there!

They're kinda full so the frame job will take about two weeks. I am so excited already, can't wait for the paintings to be framed!

Frameworks Homefront

#46 Kamuning Road, Quezon City

tel. no. 0917/0922.8264482

The Waiting Begins

The paintings are waiting to be hung. My AA was so enamoured with the apple painting that she convinced me to display both Ceriolas in area of the assistants instead of my immediate office. 

Now we have so many paintings in the office, even the staff started calling it an art gallery instead of an administration office. The only thing missing are museum labels.

Saturday Errands - Frame Plus Sumulong Highway

I was so excited to wake up today to start running errands. Weird, huh? Well, I was to pick up the painting I had framed in Frame Plus along Sumulong Highway today. 

They recently renovated their store, and the receiving area is now half of what it used to be. Then again, you don't really need that much space, since people will just be dropping off their paintings to be framed. I still get good discounts, because I've had so many paintings framed here already. I prefer to go directly to the Sumulong Highway shop, because it's their head office, in a way, since the workshop is located in their building. Frame Shop made renovations to the building and rented out some of the store spaces they were able to come up with. 

I find, however, that having a hobby to do with collecting paintings is quite expensive, so although I am very much happy with the framing services of Frame Plus, I might have to venture and try out other frame shops. There are several that I've already started looking into. 

The painting I had framed, Marina Monina's Drapery of Red, will be placed in the office. Its still wrapped, but will be framed by Monday, so I'll post a picture of it by then. I'm quite excited to show off the beautiful frame which really complemented the oil painting - even the receptionist of Frame Plus was quite proud of how the painting turned. I'll unveil the painting on Monday!

FRAME PLUS

Sumulong Highway, Antipolo, Rizal

tel. no. 02.681.4619

Drapery of Red by Marina Monina Ceriola

Purchased a painting from a Fine Arts major in UST. Beautiful painting - will have it framed and displayed in the office:

I'm so excited! I'll be going to Frame Plus on Thursday to see what options I have for framing this oil painting!