Nothing shows off your personality and design-sense quite like the art and design elements you choose for your walls. And, of course, it can be difficult to decide which one of your favorite pieces you should frame and to find a framer that can keep your art (or other beloved possession) safe throughout the process.
Valentina Veranes, owner of Valentina Custom Frame in New Paltz, has worked in custom framing for more than 20 years. As an artist herself, she knows first-hand how important it is to give your art (or any keepsake you want to feature) the protection and presentation it deserves.
“I frame everything. Not necessarily just art, but also photos,” Veranes says. “I frame whatever the people want. For example, some big carpet that they want to keep on the wall—because the carpet is so nice. I can make frames for things that people what to keep for a long time: medals, jerseys, everything.”
And, while aesthetics are a matter of customer preference, she says she can work with them to find the look that makes the statement they want to make.
“Some customers choose white frames to keep it simple, which sometimes gives it more power and more value. For photos, my recommendation is to use the white glass, the conservation clear glass, 99 percent UV filtering,” Veranes says. “People make mistakes framing with regular glass—plexiglass that doesn’t have any quality. Then in a couple years, the photo has totally changed color and there’s damage.”
For Veranes, custom framing is worth the investment when it comes to preserving something you want to keep and display forever.
“When you frame something, it’s something you want to keep and see for many years,” Veranes says. “If you want to preserve this art or preserve this photo, you can find the right frame and for the rest of your life it will be preserved.”
For more information on custom framing, visit Valentina Custom Frame’s website or make an appointment to visit her shop and gallery in New Paltz.
