At Frames and Stretchers in NYC, our specialty is creating custom picture frames and stretchers that will enhance and protect your artwork while leaving a lasting impression.
Beautiful Custom Gilded Frame with Sgraffito Technique
Made in our Frames and Stretchers Studio NYC
Original Artwork by Luis Borrero
Our talented team of expert craftsman can handle any project's size, shape, or installation needs, such as with this delightful piece by Puerto Rican artist Luis Borrero whose work melds baroque styling with contemporary themes.
We designed a perfect fresh gilded sgraffito picture frame in New York, to fit and complement one of his masterworks. His portrait "Reina de las Quenepas" was created using oil and pigments on wood board. The Caribbean fruit from her headdress inspired us to design a vine pattern. The final step was incising the pattern on a gilded frame with a pointed arch.
Our expert, giving final touches to the gilded - sgraffito frame
The carefully designed frame reflects our special interest in this compelling work of art with an intriguing history. "This painting was inspired by a local homeless woman that often would sell the Quenepa fruit from our native Puerto Rico to support her drug addiction. The painting is inspired by medieval icons and Goya’s dark paintings." - Luis Borrero
Prior to framing the piece, we called upon our expert conservator Julia Rivera. "Reina de las Quenepas" was painted 20 years ago in Ponce, Puerto Rico. Julia carefully removed the more than two decades worth of soiling from the surface revealing the gleam of the gold and brilliance of the colors underneath.
Frames and Stretchers works directly with craftsmen and artists who are skilled in traditional techniques with a contemporary flair. This frame was carved and assembled by hand then embellished. In the gilding process, a layer of clay is applied to the frame molding, then the artisan applies sheets of 22 K gold leaf. Finally, a design is incised through the technique known as sgraffito, resulting in an amazing overall finish!
Luis Borrero graduated from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. He has exhibited widely and is collected throughout the States and Puerto Rico. Studying in Europe inspired his appreciation for classical designs and techniques. He incorporates these skills into his own personal style that reflects the current figurative movement in art. In 2007, his work was exhibited at the Museo de Arte Contemporaneo de Puerto Rico in a group exhibition that culminated in a comprehensive book of Puerto Rican artists. He also founded the Atelier San Juan in San Juan to nurture students in classical methods of drawing and painting and to offer assistance in portfolio development. Borrero was awarded Best in Show in the Salmagundi Club's Non-Members Exhibit at the Denise Bibro Fine Art in Chelsea, New York.
Pairing outstandingly crafted artworks such as Borrero's with equally elegant frames is one of our specialties. We hope you'll visit us at the studio with your personal art treasures to see what one of a kind design we can create for you!
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Please visit us at any of our locations in the Lower East Side, Miami, and New Haven, or call 347-705-0081 to learn more about our framing and stretching possibilities for your artwork or collection!
Have an unstretched canvas? Our custom framers in New York and Miami explain the best ways to frame it without stretching — no studio visit required to learn how.
