Casco Bay Frames & Gallery

Mark moments of accomplishment and pride. Here are some examples of articles we have done in recent years.   Bring in your article and news items and let our experienced staff of artists help you design and layout a piece you will be proud to hang for years.

A great example of a one of a kind project we just completed. Custom Home Builder, Steve Hooper wanted something to remember his recent fly fishing trip to Montana. He provided the map he used to get to the Big Horn River, the fly that he caught the rainbow trout witht and the picture of him. We mounted the map to an solid core cotton mat and cut two custom openings. The frame is recycled barnboard from a barn in Topsham, Maine finished with a water based satin polyurethane.

A customer presented us with this very special axe and asked us to come up with a way to display it. We designed a hinged shadow box lined with suede matboard to allow the removal of the axe by the owner. The latch is designed to hold a small padlock to keep the item safe from curious children.  The suede is wrapped around the custom milled barnboard frame. The frame was stained to match the handle of the ax and protected with a water based polyurethane. The piece is protected by True Vue Museum Glass which filters 99% of harmful UV rays. Due to a special optical coating, the glass has almost no distracting glare. Custom wooden hooks were milled from poplar and stained to match the frame and axe. Employee/Artist Michael Fraser holding the finished custom box.

 A client came to us with a pair of scissors and ribbon used in the dedication of their new building in Portland.  Laurel designed two plates for them with their logo and verbiage and worked with Michael to come up with a way to attach the scissors to the shadowbox without being visually distracting and causing no damage to the scissors. The decision was made to use 30 pound test mono filament fishing line.

"Winter Morning" Oil on Panel by Mike Marks The Casco Bay Frames and Gallery Employee Art Show began as a way to introduce customers to a different side of the design team & framers, twelve years later, the Employee Art Show has evolved into so much more. With seasoned and emerging artists on staff who share a long history with one another & their customers, today the Employee Art Show is about showcasing a talented group of Maine artists and giving the community an opportunity to view their recent work Meet the artists at the Opening Reception on Friday, May 6th from 5-8pm or drop in during Gallery hours: Mon-Fri 10am-6pm & Sat 10am-5pm. Seven artists & co-workers celebrate a vibrant & diverse exhibit that reveals many different aspects of the local art scene. ... Everything... from watercolors, photography to oil paintings & collage work. Staff members include Anne Buckwalter, Tony Cox (store owner), Michael Fraser, Holly Karolkowski, Michael Ma

A customer had an idea for using old floorboards they removed during a renovation for a frame. They brought us the wood and we worked with them to decide on the appropriate width for their artwork. Two weeks later they had a great framed piece that will be enjoyed for years.

A young man from Bowdoinham was picked to throw out the first pitch at the Sea Dog game this summer. His father came to us to frame the ball, a ticket and a picture of him throwing the pitch and gave it to him for Christmas.

Gretchen Roy of the Szanton Company in Portland came to us in the spring of 2010 to discuss their project of using histoical photographs to decorate their latest renovation in Biddeford. The renovation had already begun on the 166 year-old mill into 66 mixed income apartments overlooking the dramatic river and falls separating Saco and Biddeford, Maine. Gretchen's plan to use historical photos and artifacts helps to show people what life was like when the building was operated as a textile mill. After an initial site visit, we suggested photograph sizes, frame color and mat choices that would fit their budget. Incorporated in the fitness center are large flush mounted Artiplaqs , a system of mounting photographs which is in keeping with the modern feel of the equipment. Our installation crew spent two days in October and November hanging, with security fasteners, over 70 pieces throughout the mill's common areas.