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NEED FRAMING??
Check us out!!! Eugene B. Smith Gallery does custom framing too. Our head framer Marilynn Boyd (formerly of the Ben Franklin Frame Shop) has 25+ years framing experience. From art prints to diplomas & certificates, oil paintings to textiles, we can frame a variety of your art works. We always use museum quality acid-free mats and offer a choice of glass types. Our framing specialties include: V-grooves & U-cuts in mats. Silk & other cloth mattings. Multi-open mats. We are open seven days a week: Monday – Saturday 10am – 7pm & Sunday Noon – 5pm You may park right behind the gallery in our lot on Indian Alley or use the Braddock Street parking garage (ask us for garage coupons) If you have any questions please call us at (540) 667-6190 or send us an email: info@eugenebsmith.com
THE ART LESSON
Watercolor artist, Eugene B. Smith is teaching his great-niece Sarah how to paint with watercolors. Look at that smile, she had a wonderful time!!! Eugene has taught 4 year-olds & 90 year-olds!!! If you are interested in an art lesson with Eugene, please call the gallery for scheduling & pricing. (540) 667-6190
WATERCOLORS: THE FIRST STEP
In preparing to paint with watercolors, The first thing Eugene does is to staple his paper to a 3/4″ thick piece of wood. The paper he uses is 140lb hot press. This paper is very smooth compared to the cold press variety of watercolor paper. His board has been around for a number of years & is smooth as well. He then sprays the paper with water from a misting bottle and lets it dry completely. As it dries, it tightens up which allows him to paint freely with the watercolors without the distraction of the paper becoming buckled or warped.
FADED ARTWORK OR PHOTOS?? Do you have faded artwork hanging on your walls? Protecting your artwork from fading is as easy as using the right glass. The Eugene B. Smith Gallery frames with Conservation Grade glass products, including Conservation Clear® and Conservation Reflection Control®, which effectively blocks 99% of all harmful UV light rays. Since UV light rays come from indoor and outdoor light sources, all items on display are vulnerable to the damaging effects of UV light exposure. The pictures at right give a clear example of what UV light can do to your artwork when it is not protected. Without at least 97% UV protection, framed pieces will age and fade more rapidly. Indoor and outdoor UV light rays contribute to severe color loss, paper embrittlement and deterioration of framed pieces. These effects are both cumulative and irreversible. Photos may appear yellow or stained with ghostly silver deposits rising to the surface. Once damage from light has occurred, it can never be reversed. That’s why it is important to understand what you can do to minimize this type of damage before it happens. While it is very important to reduce UV light exposure, this alone will not eliminate fading and other deterioration. All light, not just UV light can be damaging. Heat, pollution, moisture & the materials that make up the piece are all contributing factors. Hanging or displaying the piece in a controlled lighting environment with low humidity is recommended. Our head framer, Marilynn uses conservation clear & conservation reflection control glass on all of Eugene’s originals and signed & numbered prints. While the images featured with this article are not Eugene’s artwork, you can certainly see a major difference in the colors. We explain to our customers why we use protective glass and encourage them to do the same on all of their artwork as well. Years from now their family will thank them when the old photos still look good!

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