Second generation framers

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B

B. Newman

SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
Joined
Sep 5, 2001
Posts
4,855
Loc
Kodak, Tn. USA
Just curious...

How many grumblers do we have whose parents (or aunts, uncles, etc) are framers?

We've talked before of the route many of us took to our framing career, and for a lot of people it's their second or third career. For most people, it was the last thing that crossed their minds in high school or college.

But are there any that "custom framer" was the career of first choice?

Were you "born to frame"?

Betty
 
Hi Betty,
My parents started the shop in 1973. Dad had retired from the military and the school system and was probably driving Mom nutso. Mom was a painter and Dad had been building her frames for years from scratch. They teamed up with another retired couple (they lasted 1 year) and opened the shop. I was in college, an art major at the time, and would spend some time in the shop during breaks.
Later I worked as a framer in a gallery in Wahington DC to help make ends meet. They specialized in Islamic antiquities and though I worked there only about 6 months it was quite an education.
In 1978 the folks had had enough. The little shop they had was turning in to a business and was more than they wanted on their plate at that point. They called me in February*, I moved back in October to work through the holidays, and signed the papers to purchase the business on January 1 1979.
I don't think that the business would have ever been started if my folks had not had Dad's retirement income to count on. The business did not need to produce any income for them to survive, so they invested what they earned over the first few years back into the business. When I took over it already had a substantial client base.

*I was working as a carpenter in rural western Nebraska and the decision to return to Florida was very easy.
 
Not too long ago I learned that before she became a married lady my Great-Grandmother worked in a Frame Shop in Utica, NY.

I'm not claiming it's in my blood because of that, just think it's an interesting coincidence.

I have worked for 3 different framers who are children of framers, one second, one third and one fourth generation.

I have a daydream that one day I will own my own business and just about when my son is finishing high school he'll say "Gee, Mom, college is so expensive. Why don't I work for you at the store and take a few night courses until I figure out what I want to do?"
 
Were you "born to frame"?
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I was born to analyze core samples and look for oil in the Persian Gulf. I passed on that and hitched my wagon to another horse.

My son used to say he either wanted to go to law school or be a picture framer. After spending a couple of hours with me and Framerguy a couple years ago, he started focusing on law school.

I don't know if I ever properly thanked Framerguy for that.
 
I think a bunch of framers have that art thing going on first, either interest or the desire to create. I have been into art for about seven years now...just took it in college to avoid real classes. Then I started to get interested and find my way. I got a few scholarships and awards, then I went onto a larger school that was quite expensive. I got started in framing, because of art. I happened to live in a place that my roommate worked for a wholesale company. Now it is about five or six years later...I have worked for two small frame shops and one wholsale. Now I want to have my own shop in a couple of years with a gallery. So it was art first, still is but framing is something I really love.
d
 
My grandfather built frames for a traveling photographer in northern Wisconsin when he was a young man. I have(and use)his Stanley-Marsh miter vise which is basically identical to the modern models except it is threaded in the opposite direction.

I didn't know this until after I began working as a picture framer-a decision that had more to do with my boredom in grad school than it did with a family tradition.

I have to daughters who are growing up in a frame shop and I try very hard to to make them do enough scut work to encourage them to get a real job when they grow up. It is my hope that 10-15 years of putting away corner samples and sweeping will encourage them to stay in grad school.

Peter Bowe
Saline Picture Frame Co.
 
It is my hope that 10-15 years of putting away corner samples and sweeping will encourage them to stay in grad school.
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Those are my sentiments too, Peter.

So, to kind of flip Betty's question around, how many of you who have working-age offspring are encouraging them to think about a career in picture framing?
 
WARNING! THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT IS MADE WITH TONGUE FIRMLY IN CHEEK!

If what we're doing is so horrible, then what in tarnation are we doing, doing it? Is this another case of "do as I say and not as I do?"

I'd love for one of my boys to become a framer, but a "bull riding framer" doesn't quite seem to "cut it." :rolleyes: And John, well John would be great at it, but he will be a music conductor and/or composer...

I do, however, interrogate each girl that's brought into the house for any artistic inclinations... :cool:

Betty
 
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