MOUNT TAM BY GORDON COUTTS

We are currently offering this beautiful painting from the Pat and Stan Painter Estate. It is a 24 x 40 oil on canvas, painted around the turn of the century, by artist Gordon Coutts.

Coutts was born in Scotland and studied at the famed Academie Julian in Paris. After traveling the world and teaching, he settled in the San Francisco Bay Area and exhibited at the Bohemian club. He painted many scenes depicting the rolling hills of Marin and beyond and it is sure to enhance any collection. Call for pricing or please stop by to see the painting up close.

SPRING SALE!

OUR SPRING SALE IS ON NOW! COME IN TO SAVE 20% ON NEW, CUSTOM FRAMING. OFFER GOOD UNTIL APRIL 30TH.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year and congratulations to the winners of our Local Land raffle; Ann Clarke of Mill Valley and Sue Verhalen of Sausalito. I know we made two lucky ladies, very happy for the holidays. We have one more week of the Local Land exhibit so it's not too late to adorn your walls with beautiful art. There are still many pieces to choose from. It's never too late for good art!

With the coming of the new year we wish all of our customers good health, good fortune and good cheer. We hope to see you soon for all of your framing needs!

IT'S NOT TOO LATE!

It's not too late to do framing for the holidays or to buy a piece of original art from our Local Land exhibit by Christin Coy and Richard Lindenberg at our Larkspur Gallery. In fact it's not too late to enter the drawing to win a 6 x 8 original oil painting by these artists as well, but December 22nd is the deadline. Tomorrow, December 22nd, starting at 4:30 pm we will serve some holiday treats and at 5pm we will draw a name from the many who have entered. We hope you will join us for this little celebration and take a chance on winning a little treasure.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

ENTER TO WIN A PAINTING

That's right folks, you could be the proud owner of a 6 x 8 painting by Christin Coy or Richard Lindenberg. Stop by our shop and fill out a form, no purchase necessary. Drawing to be held on Wednesday, December 22nd at 5pm. Just in time for Christmas!

Also on Saturday, December 4th from noon until 4pm, Christin and Richard will be doing a painting demonstration at our Larkspur Gallery. This will be a great opportunity to see how they create their beautiful paintings. We hope you can join us for this special event. And if you purchase one of their paintings you will receive an autographed book of their paintings

Local Land Draws Crowd

Our Local Land exhibit by Christin Coy and Richard Lindenberg has been a great success so far. The opening reception on November 19th was a full house with excellent fare provided by owners Matt and Carol Painter. People showed up early and stayed late, so it was quite a nice party. Viewers keep trickling in to see and purchase these beautiful paintings and sales have been great. It's not too late to purchase a lasting gift of original art, for that someone special, and with 95 pieces of art on display, by these two very talented artists, there is still a lot to choose from.

Check out some photos from the event.

Local Land

A life of art surrounds the household of Christin Coy and Richard Lindenberg, in their Novato home. Although they don't share a studio, both can frequently be seen painting en plein air together. Their mutual love and respect for the natural world, and dedication to preserving it, can be read in the paintings that they create. Capturing the nuances of light, shadow and line, their work evokes mood and emotion while being true to their subject matter. Participating in exhibits and paint outs to help preserve open space and agricultural lands, throughout the state and locally, are a major priority to them. Both are quickly gaining stature, for their beautifully rendered landscapes within the art world in California. In addition to creating art, individually they also teach workshops and classes in Marin. They are very active in The California Art Club, as artist members, as well as other arts organizations statewide and locally. Exhibiting their work, together and individually, they are prolific in their production of beautiful art. Examples of their work grace many private collections across the country and abroad. Recently, one of Christin's paintings was featured as the cover for prominent Bay Area author Ann Lamott's novel.

Christin and Richard are one of the few painting couples working in the Bay Area. They are award-winning painters who have reached a sophisticated level of expertise and, for the first time, will be exhibiting their recent representational local landscapes together in one venue. More than fifty new plein-air and studio works will be shown at The Painters Place in Larkspur, CA. This will be a perfect opportunity to purchase a holiday gift, for that special someone. Art, the gift that keeps on giving.

The Painters Place will be a hosting a reception for the artists on Friday, November 19th from 6 until 8pm at the gallery, located at 1139 Magnolia Avenue in Larkspur, Ca. Normal gallery hours are Monday through Saturday from 10am until 5:30pm.

Call 415.461.0351 for more information and directions.

HUGE SUMMER SALE

Save 20% on all custom framing from now until August 21st!

Family walls, graduation photos, images of your latest vacation, memorabilia, mirrors to admire your fabulous tan, portraits of family or pets, art that helps redecorate your home, antique prints and much, much more. Let us help you enrich your surroundings with quality, beautiful framing at a fraction of the cost.

SPRING SNOWS AT LAKE TAHOE

Back Country Tracks 6 x 8 Christin Coy

The Painters Place is really proud and privileged, to offer paintings for sale, by two of Northern California's finest plein air painters, Christin Coy and Richard Lindenberg. On a recent painting trip to north Lake Tahoe, they created some very fine, small works on panel. Weathering the very chilly elements, both capture the beauty of North Tahoe covered in snow, under winter skies. Sure to please many skiers and snow enthusiasts, these paintings will only be available in our Larkspur gallery for a short while. If you are interested please call 415.461.0351 or visit us at 1139 Magnolia Avenue in Larkspur, and we will be glad to assist you in any way that we can.

Twin Peaks 9 x 12 Richard Lindenberg

Mt. Rose, Afternoon Light 6 x 8 Christin Coy

SPRING SALE

Our annual Spring Sale is on now and will continue through Saturday, April 10th. Be sure to stop by one of our three locations to select the perfect frame for your art. photo or object.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

WE AT THE PAINTERS PLACE WANT TO WISH YOU ALL A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A MOST EXCELLENT AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

FRESH WALLS

We recently rehung our gallery walls in both our Larkspur and San Francisco stores. We've added some new pieces to our large collection of framed prints, mirrors, paintings and photographs, and hope you will stop by and peruse our walls.

In Larkspur, we have many original oil paintings by; Stan Painter, Krystal Allen, Christin Coy, Laura Williams, Zenaida Mott and Sherrill Miller, encaustic paintings by Cecilia Welden, etchings by Stephanie Scott, Balkwell and Moulin, and watercolors by Krystal Allen. There is also a small selection of unframed plein air paintings by our artists available as well. Whenever you purchase a piece of original art from The Painters Place, we will give you a 20% discount to frame or re frame the piece.

Our San Francisco shop offers many wonderful pieces as well; figurative works in ink by Dan Becker, paintings in oil and watercolor by Krystal Allen, oils by Christin Coy, etchings by Stephanie Scott and photographs by Guy Pedersen. 

All three of our shops also have a large selection of framed mirrors, antique and giclee` prints,  early 20th century hand colored photographs and ready made, table top frames.

Ours is a visual experience. Come in and share our love for the aesthetic.

French Mats

French mats, or decorative mats, date back to the 16th century and are still very popular today, especially when used in the display of antique or botanical prints. They can, however, be used effectively for more contemporary works, such as photos, works on paper or giclee prints. 

As with all framing, the frame and mat need to work well with the art, without stealing the show. Sometimes just 1 simple line can dress up a project just enough, without overwhelming the art. Other times a more elaborate design can really accent the art. In design, French Mats are used to liven up a simple piece, create an antique look, accentuate a particular color scheme, add visual interest to a large border and to dress a piece up.

Designs can consist of simple lines, wash or painted panels or drawn in motifs, such as ribbons, garlands, geometric patterns and flourishes. Lines can also be embossed by using a stylus to scribe an invisible line, called a blind embossed line. Materials used, range from watercolors, gouaches and inks, to powders that are rubbed into the surface of the mat board.  Colors are usually pulled from the art and subdued so that they aren't as bright as the art, but marbled or gilded papers, which are much bolder, can be cut into strips and applied with glue to create narrow bands of color. The art, personal taste, and frame will dictate how elaborate the mat should be. You are only limited by your imagination, tools and materials, and pocket book. 

Take The Mirror Out Of Your Art

Do you own a piece of art that you just can't enjoy because of reflections on the glazing? There is a solution to this problem. Try switching the glazing to Museum Glass or Acrylic. 

Today's technology has brought glazing for fine art in to the 21st century. Available in glass and acrylic, Museum glazing is by far the best choice for works on paper and photographs. Using a process called Magnetron Sputtering, regular picture glass can be turned into state of the art glazing. By bombarding the glass with 5 different metals in a magnetron, the glare/reflection can be almost totally eliminated. A very diminished reflection remains, but looking head on it is virtually undetectable. As a result of this greatly diminished reflection, you get more clarity in the glass and can see the art better. This translates to 96% light transmission. Don't confuse this light transmission with the damaging UV light rays. Museum glass and acrylic block out 99% of UV rays and it's effectiveness does not diminish over time.

An added bonus for Museum Acrylic is that it has none of the static electricity problems common to regular acrylic and plexi glass, making it suitable to use with dry media like pastels and charcoal. The metals used in making it, ground the static charge caused by unmasking and rubbing to clean. This can make framing of very large pastel much lighter in weight and easier to handle.

Most suited to dark pieces, Museum glazing products can " take the mirror out of your art", allowing you to actually see the art and not the reflection caused by the glazing. Be sure to look for future specials on Museum Glazing products

Happy New Year!

With the start of the new year we have much to look forward to. We have moved our production facility from Berkeley to Richmond. This space is better suited to our production needs and we are looking forward to the possibilities that lay ahead of us at our new location. We will reopen an East Bay showroom and design center once we get our production up and running smoothly and are better able to determine how to create this space. Look forward to news about that in future blogs.

One of our goals for this coming year, is to create new styles and designs for picture frames. Our library is constantly growing, and we are working in new directions, expanding our repertoire of gilding, carving and wood finishes. We want to be able to offer our clientele the best that we can be. We do this be experimenting with new finishes, new carving styles, new materials and fresh designs. Our only limit is our imagination.

Some of our newest styles have included hand carving. Our carvers are amazing. They have the ability to manifest our ideas into the very thing we envisioned. Typical woods used are walnut, poplar, bass, and mahogany. These can then have a gilded, painted or wood finish added to complete the design.

We have been experimenting with different kinds of precious metal leaf in our gilding department. Recently we introduced our Oxidized Silver finish. This finish has the ability to instantly transform a frame into an antique. It's subtle luster defies it's actual color, which is that of tarnished silver with slight iridescent undertones. 

Ideal for black and white photography, graphite, charcoal, monochromatic prints and cool hued images. It creates a rich looking frame that enhances the art without stealing the show.

Another finish that we are proud of, is our wrapped metal finish. This can be done with copper, brass, or nickel. To these we add a patina that will totally transform the finish, creating depth and character. The metal is wrapped around a wood frame and can be pounded to create a hammered look. Very few custom framers have the knowledge and ability to create these fine finishes, they are very unique. 

The Painters Place has been using veneers for many years. This enables us to use exotic and rare woods, that are too costly or unavailable in board form. The sheer beauty of the wood is capitalized upon, creating an old world feel or a masculine look. We utilize many different types of burl ranging from elm, walnut and birdseye maple, to lacewood, rosewood and purple heart amongst others.

Whatever your framing needs or ideas are, we at The Painters Place are willing to give it our best shot. Whether we work from an existing style, photos or just verbal descriptions, making that unique piece just for you is our passion.

Christmas Gift Ideas

The Christmas season is upon us and it's not too late to consider framing for the holidays. The Painters Place has a beautiful selection of table top frames and Eco-Frames for all of your family photos. We also offer a variety of table top easels for displaying small pieces of art or photos. 

Why not consider a piece of original art for that special someone or a nicely framed antique or contemporary print. We offer beautiful contemporary landscapes by noted Bay Area artists as well as giclee prints. Reframing a beloved piece of art also makes a wonderful gift or you can purchase a gift certificate redeemable at any one of our 3 stores. 

Our experienced design staff will help you select picture frames that will enhance your art, fit with your decor and work within your budget. From table top ready made frames to hand carved, water gilt frames, we have something for everyone. 

What ever your framing needs are consider The Painters Place, for a beautiful presentation of your art and photos. 

 

Northern California looks exceptionally fine through the eyes of Marin artist Zenaida Mott. Capturing the elusive light of dusk and the subtle colors of approaching winter, Zee Zee (as she is known to friends) transports the viewer to sights both familiar and rarely seen by most people. Always seeking the best composition, she tries to bring the audience into her world of natural beauty.

Her appreciation for the natural world was inherited from her family. Her grandfather was a friend of John Muir's. The luxuries of SUVs and RVs were not the usual means  of travel. Back packing, hiking, horseback riding and other outdoor activities were how her family spent quality time together. When she struck out on her own, these things remained a big part of her life. Painting and traveling have become an integral part of that life. Just about a year ago, she went on a mule pack trip into the Sierras do paintings to raise awareness for Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks. A tireless advocate for land conservation and stewardship, Zee Zee works to sell paintings to help raise funds for preserving open spaces and habitat restoration. Very active, she belongs to several prestigious art organizations.  She is a signature member of The National Academy of Professional Plein Air Painters and The American Impressionist Society and she is an Artist member of The California Art Club, The Oil Painters of America, The Laguna Plein Air Painters Association, The Baywood Artists and The Worldwide nature Artist Group.

The Painters Place is very pleased to be hosting an exhibit of Zee Zee's fine art. Here show runs from November 1st through December 1st. There will be reception for the artist on Thursday, november 6th from 6pm until 8 pm at our gallery located at 1139 Magnolia Avenue, in Larkspur, CA. For more information please call 415.461.0351.  

FALL SALE! NOW THROUGH NOVEMBER 10TH Place a new order (including mirrors and all custom work) and receive 20% discount in any of our three showrooms. It's the perfect time to get holiday ready. 

San Francisco 371 Hayes Street 415.431.0927

Larkspur 1139 Magnolia Avenue 415.461.0351

Berkeley 1825 Eastshore Highway 510.843.3300