Framing Watercolors for galleries

Lori Woodward wrote

on 19 Mar 2009 9:44 AM

Just had an interesting phone conversation with a former gallery owner about what types of framing for watercolors seemed to resonate with collectors.  He mentioned that the WC's with 3" wide gold frames, no mats, and high Quality anti-reflective glass sold just as well as oils.

Watercolors that were framed with matting, glass and a thin frame did not sell as well.

I've also noticed that the watercolors that sell at Settler's West Small Works event are usually framed with a wide linen liner, sometimes with a gold fillet, and then a 2+ inch wide high quality wood/gold frame. It costs much more to frame this way, but it seems to help the watercolors hold their own in a gallery that is full of oil paintings with wide frames.

Of course, this holds true for traditional representational works that are in the same room with representational oils. Modern works in any medium seem to be open to a wider variety of frame options.

Old Paint wrote

on 19 Mar 2009 12:36 PM

That is most interesting. I wonder if that is a regional attitude? I sell as well as any of the other media in both the galleries I am in and I frame very traditional (thin gold frame, double mat & glass). I have been told, but have no confirmation, that oils are more popular in the east and watercolor in the west.

Do you think that is true? 

Lori Woodward wrote

on 19 Mar 2009 12:53 PM

I think it must depend on the gallery, because the galleries I speak of are in Arizona, and I've heard the same thing from gallery owners in both the east and west. However, places like Settler's West deal with really high priced works by nationally famous artists, and Stuart Johnson, the owner says watercolors hardly ever sell well for him.

The gallery owner I spoke of in the previous post owned a gallery in Texas. So maybe it's just that watercolor don't compete well, for the most part, in a gallery where there are lots of oils that sell for thousands of dollars.  I hadn't considered that.

For years, I sold my watercolors locally at a gallery/frame-shop near my home that sold mostly prints, and I sold just about every watercolor I had there - framed traditionally with a mat and glass. I had a setup where the watercolors were unframed and the buyer got the framing from the shop at a discount, so it worked out great for all involved.

I was working with a gallery in Maine (Chase Hill) when gicless first came out - around 1996.  When the gicless came out, their sales for original watercolors fell off to practically nothing. The owners said their clients were now asking for oils.  So I began painting in oil, and sold some of those there.

So I guess it all depends on the selling venue - gee I learn something new every day! Even so, I've had such success selling directly lately, that I'm inclined to just do it on my own.  I also sold my watercolors very well at outdoor shows. Problems only arose when I approached some of the better known galleries in Scottsdale, Tucson, and Kennebunkport Maine, and CT. They wanted only my oils.

On one good note (yeah, I know this is terribly long), the owner of a well known gallery in Bar Harbor Maine saw my varnished watercolors last spring and wants to see more when I go on my painting trip up there this year. She said they reminded her of "Hudson River School" oil paintings, but they were in fact, watercolor and acrylic on paper - varnished.

OK.. I'm hungry now... glad to see you back, Old Paint! Below is the painting I showed the gallery owner.

judyl40 wrote

on 20 Mar 2009 8:34 PM

Very nice piece, Lori... at first I thought it was oil. It has that quality about it.

Lori Woodward wrote

on 21 Mar 2009 5:48 AM

Thanks Judy, I developed this way of working with opague and transparent acyrlic over my initial watercolor painting - in order to cover my mistakes or make design changes... but mostly to cover mistakes.

The 300 lb cold pressed paper is slightly absorbant even after the acrylics are applied, and I like it that it still feels like watercolor - as far as absorbancy goes.

Old Paint wrote

on 21 Mar 2009 12:00 PM

Lori,

Are your watercolors always a combination of waterbased media? If they are, I have a little understanding of your framing feelings.

Lori Woodward wrote

on 21 Mar 2009 12:25 PM

Most of my watercolors are purly transparent watercolor,on 300lb watercolor paper. and I spray these with acrylic fixative so they won't run, and then varnish them with UV protective varnish (with a brush).

I'd have to say that all of my still lifes are transparent watercolor on paper, but I have been varnishing them for about 8 years now.

I started experimenting with liquid acrylic with some of my landscapes, but still many of them are done only with transparent watercolor.

The reason why I frame with varnish and a wide frame is because when I offer this option to my collectors, they prefer it. It's also less expensive for me, and I haven't had to use my mat cutter in a long time... which makes me very happy coz I don't like measuring. I usually glue the watercolor to hardboard with acrylic matte medium.

Hope that helps explain.  It's important to me that everyone realizes that I have no problems with traditional framing on watercolors. I just really like the varnish version for mine, and it's what keeps me from entering watercolor competitions because they require matting and poly glazing with unvarnished works. Below is a 16x20 transparent watercolor that was varnished (No glass)

Lori Woodward wrote

on 21 Mar 2009 12:27 PM

Sorry if I spelled purely wrong... I'm a horrible speller, truth be known

Paw2 wrote

on 28 Oct 2009 11:40 AM

Good morning Lori, interesting discussion. Signatures and framing. What to do what to do. When I was painting on plexiglas I had no choice but to use sharpie for my signature. Now I am using yupo and wondering what to do...how to sign them...humm another decision to make.  Frame or not to frame? if you frame what type and how. contest to enter and follow rules? Humm. You all have given me so much to con sider since I too am not so great about following the norm.

Thank you all for your very informative discussion.

Left me puzzled but that is a good thing...isn't it.

hahah have a great day,

Paw

Margo5 wrote

on 28 Oct 2009 12:43 PM

Lori, thank you. This is very useful and interesting information.

Nina Allen Freeman wrote

on 31 Oct 2009 5:38 AM

I, too, love breaking the rules when it suits me and have been following this interesting conversation.  I work in watercolor with a lot of texture from collage and framing without glazing would be a good thing. How do you think the paper support lasts in the long term with the protection of mat and glazing?

Rosemary Connelly wrote

on 31 Oct 2009 2:34 PM

Lovely Painting! It does have the feel of an oil. I've never heard of varnishing a watercolor. Can you tell me more about that?

Kisu wrote

on 1 Nov 2009 11:55 PM

Surprising.  So I guess there's some kind of spacer used if there is no mat involved in framing a watercolor?  I wonder if it's way to make a generally comparatively less expensive watercolor purchase come across as having the cache or heft of a pricier oil painting-?  I guess I'm old school on framing; a watercolor needs to be matted, and ideally framed in a manner that makes the viewer aware of the painting rather than the framing. 

Margo5 wrote

on 2 Nov 2009 8:54 AM

Kisu, you don't use glass over watercolor canvas. Perhaps you are not familiar with Tom Lynch's watercolor paintings. He often uses watercolor canvas.

Kisu wrote

on 2 Nov 2009 12:14 PM

True, I'm not familiar with watercolor canvas.  I was responding to the information presented in the opening post, but it's interesting to know that there is now such a thing as WC canvas.   I met Tom Lynch many, many years ago, someplace somewhere near my hometown???   Is there any long term data on the stability of work done with these materials, including varnishing?