"The frame can make the painting."

 

How many times have you heard that?   Connie Desaulniers believes that the frame is part of the creative process for the painting and that the best frame becomes part of the art.  This is especially important with her 3-dimensional paintings, which require engineering that is often supported by the frame.

 

Lucky for Connie, her framing partner is Rob Griffin, a Williamsburg-based wood craftsman who meticulously creates Connie's frame designs in solid wood.  Rob's wood collection includes walnut from a tree he cut down when he was 14 years old, cherry, pecan, ash, real worm-wood that aged in his mother's garage for 50 years, and just about any fine wood he can get his hands on.  Once the frame is completed, Rob hand-rubs the surface with oil until it has a rich but clean finish.  Or if the frame is to be painted, he gives it back to Connie for her final adornments.

Now Connie and Rob are working on furniture.  Most are contemporary designs that Connie sketches on old client envelopes; some show wood in its natural glory, others will be painted.  Look for a furniture link in the near future!  


 For more information about the frames, contact Connie Desaulniers at connie@bydesign.bz or call 757/897-0776.
Check out these amazing frames below.  Click the thumbnails for an enlarged image.
Rob Griffin was has been a resident of Williamsburg since 1975.  He's been passionate about wood and how it can be transformed since he received his first lessons from his uncle at the age of 8. 
Today he mills his own wood, and thanks to his resourcefulness and some excellent contacts, he can repurpose fine trees that have fallen due to hurricanes, are removed from construction sites, or have outgrown their setting in a residential property.  According to Rob, "Some of my favorite people are tree removal guys".
See examples of the frames below.