L’atelier Sur Bleecker

I love when I walk into someone’s apartment that’s been beautifully finished with designer furniture, custom drapes, etc and they have poorly framed pictures on the wall. Maybe this dying art is seen as an unnecessary indulgence? I have no idea, but a few years ago I got a vintage Nagel poster framed at a f*ing Michael’s craft store and ever since I’ve been hooked.
It should be noted I no longer have posters framed. I’ve moved up a bit to orginal pieces, so Michael’s isn’t cutting it anymore (not that we have any in the city anyway). Now I’ve found my little French friend on Bleecker and he’s fantastic.
The price is slightly high, as it should be. His work, while I wouldn’t call it museum quality archival work, is excellent. He doesn’t simply stock frame samples, borders, bevels and matting and take your orders for each. He’s actually something of an artist himself, and if you let him, he’ll make your art look better than you thought it could.
I’ve had him do about a half dozen pieces for me in the last three years and I’ve noticed a funny thing: The frames usually cost more than the artwork. Of course I expect that to not stay the case forever, but I’d be totally okay if it did. The frames are just as artful as the pieces they display. And that’s largely due to him.