Your Framer

Glenn Parker is a retired Aircraft Maintenance Superintendent with the Georgia Air National Guard.

Framing memorabilia is my passion. Adding embellishments to your framing project is a simple, effective way to enhance and give character to your piece. Accents such as V-grooves, multi openings, fancy corners, a piece of grandma’s jewelry or set of pilot wings make your project come alive and tell a story.  I specialize in military retirement shadow boxes and medals/flags from returning veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns, plus other conflicts and wars. I enjoyed mounting a weathered pen knife, pocket watch, photograph and eye glasses in a customer’s shadow box commemorating a father or grandfather.

We often add sublimated plates as the finishing touch to your project. Sublimation is the application of graphics or print to metal using a heat press.   Recently I framed a family portrait depicting 10 members of the family in front of their old home place with Spot their dog circa 1898.  Simply adding each family member’s name on an engraved plate transforms a silent portrait into a recognizable group of individuals. Naming the medals or coins in a shadow box or adding an engraved plate to a flag box helps to complete and explain the story.

Collecting and displaying sports memorabilia is very popular. I have framed some front page photos of the WR Little League Championships over the last several years for display at My Father’s Place restaurant on Moody Road.  You should take your memento to a reputable shop with experience in mounting and preserving valuable and one-of-a-kind items. I read about a customer who took an autographed Wheaties box to be framed and the shop’s staff cut off the front of the box destroying its value. Don’t make the same mistake with your prized jersey, photo or baseball. Make sure the framer knows the importance of your item how to conserve that value. Give specific instructions and ask questions.

Custom framing is a luxury expense. If you value a piece of art or item sufficiently to choose custom framing, be aware that not all frame shops use acid free materials. Paper mats are manufactured with chemicals that over time may leach on to your item and cause irreversible damage. The core of a cheap paper mat turns a dull shade of beige in time while acid free mats remain bright white. Improper mounting of art destroys value.  Valuable art should be mounted on acid free foam core with clear acid free mounting-corners. Glass ranges from plain clear glass to museum quality. So, when deciding to custom frame an item, ask questions, ensure your framer understands your expectations and that acid free materials will be used as necessary. Keep in mind that “you get what you pay for”.  So when its time to have that family heirloom or favorite piece of art custom framed, choose wisely as a poor choice may negate its future value.