Frame for Liam's Abstract Art
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Our son Liam created a little oil on wood abstract piece. I liked it enough to make a frame for it.
Completed in two nights after work. I opted for a simple miter cut on each corner and I just reinforced the frame with metal corner brackets on the back. Quick and simple. I didn't want to mess around with any fancy miter joints due to the risk of attempting to outshine the artwork. The piece itself is supposed to represent a crowd of people, he says. I really like it, especially it's small size and it's wonderful use of color. It's about 10 inches by 6 inches. But it could stand to be framed in a way to bring out the scene. Here it is just sitting unframed on my bench.
Using some small pieces of cherry I had on hand, along with some cheap pine for the shadow box backing, I cut the pieces in about 30 minutes and took some time to figure out how large of a shadow gap I wanted to leave around the artwork.
Sizing the frame to provide a shadowbox effect.
I found an old can of charcoal grey spray paint and loved the contrast with the cherry. It especially seemed to work as a way to make the painting float against a neutral backdrop.
Completed frame and painting. I screwed through the back into the wood of the painting. It's now hanging in the entryway to our house, just across from the painting we bought in Prague, and diagonal from the Suarjiwatman.
All items on hand, including the shadowbox back, which was painted with a can of charcoal grey I had on hand, along with some nice clear cherry left over from another project. After painting the back, I liked the look of the natural cherry against the painted backdrop, so I left it that way. It really makes the painting pop, I think. I'm very proud of Liam's artistic skill, especially his amazingly mature use of color.
I still didn't get the miter corners perfect. I think I never will manage that, no matter how long I try to be a woodworker. Still, now that I'm settled in my permanent shop, maybe I'll try to dial in some of the fences and jigs on my tools.