Art Was Framed! Part 1

What could I do with faded and worn artwork and a slightly scuffed frame? Make new fresh and fun art!


I had a 20-yr-old 18" x 24" black and white pointillism piece of three azaleas and leaves that suffered from fading ink, yellowing paper, and staining. I didn't want something so damaged on my walls, but I did like the subject matter. So, I cut out the best-preserved portion of the image to fit a frame I recently purchased. (I reused the original frame for better artwork - a Hugh Syme lithograph.)











The new frame had some scuffs, so I bought some acrylic paint in a nice bright green (Folk Art #503 Yellow Citron), slightly lighter than the frame's original color. If I wanted a smooth surface, I would have used spray paint, but I wanted a little bit of brush stroke texture to the frame, so I used a 1/2" art brush. (I decided not to use the matting.)
















I painted the entire frame, with long strokes running the entire length of the side I was painting. I let the green paint dry thoroughly, then let my creative side take the frame design to another level.


















Using a cream-colored paint (Anita's #11323 Cream) and a very small-gauge brush, I continued the artwork onto the frame with small dots, imitating the pointillism style of the art. Alternatively, I could have used black paint or black art markers.


















For just a few dollars for the discounted frame and two bottles of paint, I will be able to enjoy this pretty azalea for many years to come.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - Totem Media & the Environment

Everyone at Totem Media believes in minimizing our impact on the environment. Here are a few things we do.

1. We use natural light during the day. We use the minimum number of lights necessary at night. Our light fixtures are fluorescent.

2. We turn off our computers and monitors when they are not in use.

3. We recycle paper, plastic, glass, tin, and aluminum.

4. We use canvas bags when we shop. When we get plastic grocery sacks, we reuse them.

5. We use fans and localized air conditioning in the summer, instead of cooling the entire building.

6. We buy organic, when possible, and compost our vegetable scraps.

7. We combine errands requiring driving and drive during off-peak hours.