I recently had an email exchange with one of the artists we represent. The conversation turned to presentation, and the artist shared their philosophy of highly customizing the frame for every single piece they produce. They were carefully selecting distinct moldings, mats, and finishes to perfectly match the mood of each individual painting.
I completely understand the instinct. As the creator, you are intimately connected to the nuances of every canvas. It feels natural to think, “This vibrant landscape demands an ornate gold lip, while this quiet study needs a sleek, dark floater frame.”
But while bespoke framing might serve the individual painting, it actively works against your broader portfolio. My golden rule for presentation is simple: limit your framing options to three or four cohesive moldings to ensure your body of work shows as a unified, professional collection.
The Problem with the “Perfect” Frame
When every piece arrives at the gallery in a drastically different frame, the installation becomes a visual puzzle. Instead of absorbing your artistic vision, the collector is distracted by the chaotic geometry on the wall.
They start evaluating the woodwork rather than the brushwork. You might hear a collector hesitate, wondering, “Does this heavy dark frame really go with the lighter frame on the piece we bought last year?”
Creating a bespoke frame for every painting shifts the focus away from the art itself. It creates unnecessary friction in the buying process and makes it incredibly difficult for gallery staff to curate an elegant, cohesive wall.
Why Cohesion Drives Sales
When you walk into a high-end gallery, pay attention to how a featured artist’s wall is presented. You will almost always see echoes of the same molding across the entire grouping.
This continuity signals professional consistency. It tells the collector that these pieces belong to a recognized, intentional body of work, rather than a scattered assortment of experiments.
It also gives the gallery staff flexibility. We can group your large and small pieces together without the presentation clashing, maximizing the amount of your work we can show to prospective buyers at one time.
3 Rules for Streamlining Your Presentation
If you want to present your work like a seasoned professional, you need a systematic approach to framing. Implement these guidelines to tighten up your gallery submissions.
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Establish a Core Signature: Pick one primary molding that flatters the vast majority of your palette and style. This should become your default presentation.
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Allow for Strategic Exceptions: Limit your alternative options to two or three carefully chosen variations. You might keep a lighter, simpler profile for delicate pieces that would be overwhelmed by your primary frame.
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Partner with a Pro: Build a relationship with a reliable framer who understands gallery standards. They can help you source consistent profiles that will remain available for years to come.
One Final Takeaway
Framing should elevate the art, not compete with it. By narrowing your presentation choices, you remove friction for the gallery, eliminate visual distractions for the collector, and increase the perceived value of your entire portfolio.
Question for Readers
How many different frame moldings are currently hanging in your studio inventory? Are you maintaining a cohesive presentation, or is it time to streamline your options?
I really appreciate your newsletter. It contains consistently really good advice. Thanks!
Our gallery represented a noted watercolorist who varied her framing on modestly priced artworks. The artworks were different sizes. Customers wanted to treat this as options available to them. They would want one artwork but the framing seen on another, and they sometimes would get quite stubborn about it. It created a glitch interrupting a smooth sale, while the local artist considered the “request.” We were obviously NOT a framing shop. I’m remembering more than one occasion where the artist’s desire to be flexible resulted in subsequent ghosting by the customer – and no sale. Reframing is the opposite of instant, and really shouldn’t be indulged in without substantial benefit.
Framing! I’m reminded of a conversation i had with my professor turned friend and trusted companion. We talked about frames once. he asked, “What is the purpose of a frame?” We eventually arrived at the idea of a device to manage the function of setting the image apart from the rest of the environment.
There is a range of framing but I have always come back to that thought.
For me, I use a float frame for my images printed on metal plate. My canvasses are gallery wrapped, the “frame” is really a thick stretcher that lifts the canvas surface off the wall. Historically, I have used a metal strip frame for works on paper but I’m leaning toward a simple wood frame about 3/4 to an inch or a bit more. And I’m liking a light color.
Most of that is a conscious decision to let the art-work breathe and speak and it’s personal. If my work is headed to a gallery, it’s inhabiting a different environment. I’m listening to the gallerist.
I love this definition of what a frame is for.
What are your thoughts on handmade frames? I make most of the wood frames for my art, but I’m generally selling to the mid level price point. My current customers seem to appreciate it, but does that become a no-no at the high price points?
Totally agree. I either frame with a floater frame or I have the sides of my deep edge gallery wrapped framed as part of the painting. I am an Acrylic pour artist so the sides are incorporated into the painting.
I was gallery manager and curator for a number of years and one solo show with a very creative, brilliant pastel artist still haunts my mind. The paintings were land and sea scapes, all one size…but the artist went to his framer who gave him a “deal”. Each paintings had a different coloured frame, different coloured mat and it was like a dogs breakfast on the wall. you couldn’t see the art for the jumble of mismatched frames. It would have been an incredible showing of beautiful art if not for the frames.
I chose a 1″ wide plain white-painted wooden frame, everything except my miniatures are in this. They are in a white wooden slip frame because they are only 5×4″. Only once has a buyer requested a different frame to my knowledge, and the gallery owners were kind enough to keep the original frame for me to use on my next picture. I appreciate the simplicity of this from a management perspective, it doesn’t use any of my creative energy, but I know some artists see the frame as part of the work.
I use a floater frame that is made by JC Woodsystems in Hurricane.
All made in Alder, colors range from dark to light to gray. The frames are quite substantial and I screw the frame right into the stretcher bars. I like how the joints show on the corners. Because the frames are sturdy I can attach the hanging wire to the frame. I include the cost of the frame in the cost of the painting and I have received numerous positive comments about that.
About two months before my first solo show a year ago, I decided to re-frame everything in black. I didn’t have a big enough budget to suddenly purchase high-end frames for so many pieces all at once. Still, I tried to keep them as similar in style as possible. The result was a cohesive looking show, but I want to be more strategic going forward. I’m looking for a systematic way to purchase frames that won’t break the bank.
Hi Jason, what guidance can you offer to sculptors in the area of patinas? Is a gallery setting choice different than a show setting? Should the same choice in patina be carried through all the castings of the limited edition? And here’s a definite possibility….. am I overthinking the whole thing?
What are gallery thoughts regarding mat colors? Curious to know. Many times I include a color ragmat instead of a neutral one, and the color echoes tones within the artwork. Additionally, I was edging the watercolors in pattern cuts and float mounting them on the colored mats. I am actually rematting them in the standard bevel cut fashion as what I perceived as a unique selling point only worked 50% of the time.
An interesting take on framing. I have been a custom framer for over 50 years, the “day job.” I see your reasoning but from a framers perspective I attempt to both flatter and protect the art.
Your view of framing is different less about the individual piece and looking for a cohesive, collective, understated? A grouping perspective? In some ways as a framer this seems to suggest reframing to better present the individual piece after a purchase? I have always attempted to design framing to best flatter each piece. Is this compromising the roll of custom framing somewhat for a cohesion?
I don’t think it is a compromise, just another aspect we framers should consider.
As a custom framer, around half of our business was reframing pieces where the new owner didn’t want the original frame…no matter how well the framing suited the artwork. Collectors curate their own collections and they also understand the problem with a cacophony of frames. Others want frames that go with the ambiance of their homes, or, with the couch.
We would spend time educating about the options and let the customer decide what they wanted to live with. Sometimes, a customer come back a year or two later and reframe, explaining they now understood what we were saying about framing their artwork.
My gripe: apparently watercolor shows want white mats despite the fact that some pieces are killed and buried by white mats.
I think again a desire for cohesion the white mat.
On the other hand many customers think that a colored mat will work but it’s often way too much and detracts from the art.
I think this may be a situation where what a gallery may be looking for vs what a custom framer is given to work with, 1 – 3 pieces. Very few artists bring in a suite of art for a exhibition or gallery show unfortunately.
I always want artists to work with but unfortunately price usually gets in the way. It’s a real catch 22. I have to pay the rent. The artist wants wholesale.