Transform Memories into Artwork with Gallery Moments

Four Corners Gallery is very excited to announce we have added another layer to our in-house photo services. Partnering with longtime supplier, Larson Juhl, we are now offering Gallery Moments, a high-quality, photographic transformation service. We can assist you in bringing those cell phone photos you scroll through to a more tangible captured memory you can enjoy daily or share with friends and family. A favorite photo from a small screen can be made into a beautiful work of art on canvas, acrylic or metal.

Gallery Moments Painted Moments

The process is easy. Bring in your phone or email the photo you’d like to have converted. We will assist you in determining the best size and discuss the printed material options. Our added bonus is our in-house photo restoration service that allows us to make adjustments to your images if preferred/needed. Once the details are settled and you place your order, it can be shipped to us, straight to you, or to the doorstep of your loved one.

Painted Moments – Photos can become unique works of art on canvas. Choose from three styles: signature realistic, impressionistic, or modern painting. Academy trained artists first recreate the photo by digitally painting it. Once it’s printed on satin canvas, textural brushstrokes are added by hand to the canvas. The end result is very similar to an oil painting. Your painting can be ordered as an unframed gallery wrap, or you can select a custom frame for it that complements your art and personal décor. Canvases are available in 16 x 20, 20 x 24 or 24 x 30 and can be stretched to be framed or gallery wrapped to remain unframed.

Brilliant Moments – Images are printed and mounted directly onto the back of a 1/4” sheet of clear polished acrylic to produce a stunning presentation. This look gives maximum depth and richness of color in an ultra-brilliant format whether you choose to have it float away from the wall with a hidden hanging system, have it hang with silver standoffs in the corners, or dress it up with a frame. Acrylic-mounted photos are available in select sizes from 8 x 8 to 40 x 60.

Modern Moments – Printed on 1/16” thick aluminum, this process produces richly colored prints that are durable and lightweight with a high sheen that complements rich colors. A glossy, photo panel overlays the original photo print and there’s a built-in key-holed hanging block on the back. Art on aluminum looks great unframed or featured within floater frames to create a modern look. Metal-mounted photos are available in sizes from 8 x 8 to 40 x 60.

Gallery Moments MetalWhen selecting your photo, it’s important to remember that not all digital images can be enlarged and printed without losing clarity. For the best image and sharpness, printing from at least a 300 ppi (pixels per inch) file is recommended. The resolution of an image is affected by the pixels per inch or the number of pixels per inch of the image as seen on a computer screen. A pixel is the smallest visible unit of a digital image, or basically a small square of color. The higher the number of pixels, the clearer and crisper the image will appear on a screen, and the better the image will be when it’s printed. You’ll also want to keep the image proportions in mind. We can help you determine the image size and resolution if you aren’t sure. And our expertise in composition, color enhancement, and removing distractive elements will make your photos look professional.

Gallery Moments are meant to last. Canvas prints offer color quality and display permanence for 95 years, The inks used for acrylic prints are rated 100+ years and the paper substrate is estimated at over 60 years. Metal prints are rated 1.7x the lifespan of the best photo materials in the market. We know you’ll be very pleased with the high quality of your finished piece.

The finished piece can be shipped here to the gallery so you can choose a custom frame from our large selection when it arrives, or we can have it sent directly to you. Brilliant Moments acrylic prints and Modern Moments metal prints ship within 4 business days from the time the image is received. Painted Moments ship in 8 business days. We know you’ll be very pleased with the high quality of your finished piece. For more information about Gallery Moments, please visit www.ljgallerymoments.com.

 

Disaster Recovery: Salvaging Art & Heirlooms

What To Do with Water Damaged Art & Family Heirlooms in an Emergency Situation  

Water Damaged Art

INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR WATER DAMAGED ART
& HEIRLOOMS

  • Inform your insurance company about damaged artwork as soon as possible. Most homeowners have insurance coverage for their home’s contents. That content insurance is applicable to not only artwork but family heirlooms as well. They need not be scheduled or listed separately nor be of high value to qualify for restoration.
  • Take detailed photographs of the water related damages to your artwork and heirlooms. You cannot take too many. Don’t forget the backsides; they often depict a lot of information.
  • Accompany your insurance adjuster and all investigating persons and contractors. Keep detailed notes of all conversations. You may want to record them.
  • In order to process an insurance claim for damaged artwork, you will need to get a professional evaluation and provide a written assessment of damages and cost estimates. Four Corners can assess, document and create condition reports for insurance purposes.

HOW TO DRY WATER DAMAGED ART & PERSONAL TREASURES

THE BASICS

  • Place your treasures in the hands of a professional as soon as possible. We offer both art restoration and conservation of works on paper.
  • Mold growth will be minimized by reducing temperature and humidity, and by promoting air circulation where the damaged artwork is stored.
  • Find a cool, dry space and use fans if at all possible.
  • Place an absorbent material (paper towels, uninked newsprint, blotters, etc.) under the objects being dried. If stacking is required place the absorbent material between wet items. Replace the absorbent material as it becomes wet.
  • If wet books, documents, photographs and textiles cannot be air-dried within approximately 48 hours, freeze them. If freezing isn’t an option, keep the objects as cool as possible with air circulation until air-dried fully. This will help retard the mold growth.
  • Do not hang wet objects without professional advice. Most materials are significantly weaker when wet and will be stressed with hanging.

DETAILS

Framed Paintings

  • Remove frames from your paintings. Water weakens the bond between the paint and the medium used to prepare the canvas.
  • Keep wet paintings flat and paint-side up.
  • Our frame restoration specialist employs a three-tiered approach — from simple repair, to repair and refinishing, to complete restoration.

Art on Paper & Photos

  • If possible, very carefully remove artworks from their frames and follow the procedures for air drying listed above.
  • Use extreme caution when removing the artwork. Most art objects become weaker and are more likely to tear when wet.
  • The artwork is most likely attached to the matting or backing boards with an adhesive and this could prove problematic to remove.
  • If the artwork does not easily come out of the frame or if you encounter resistance when removing the artwork from the mat or backing board, STOP. Have the artwork evaluated by a professional prior to further disassembly. It is better to leave a work on paper in a temporary wet state rather than risk tearing it.
  • If an artwork appears to be stuck to the glass/plexiglass, leave it in the frame and place glass-side down to dry.
  • Leaving it in the frame insures the art and glass will not move in opposition to one another and create further damage.

Photographs

  • Store completely wet photographs in a container of clean water. Dry or freeze them within 48 hours. If possible, interleave photographs with wax paper prior to freezing.
  • Freeze or air-dry damp or partially wet photographs.
  • Four Corners can return badly damaged photographs to their original detail using digital photo restoration techniques to fashion new, unblemished prints.

Documents

  • Remove any plastic covers.
  • Within 48 hours, air-dry flat in piles no thicker than 1/8″, or pack snugly upright in original paper folders and freeze. If there are no folders, pack flat.

Textiles

  • Air-dry or bag wet textiles in plastic and freeze.
  • Briefly immerse partially wet textiles in clean water, blot, and air-dry or freeze.

Books

  • Remove two or three books from each wet or partly wet shelf to relieve pressure.
  • Evacuate all completely and partially wet books. Pack snugly, spine down, and freeze.
  • Damp books can remain on shelves if the space can be kept cool and dry.
  • Contact a commercial dehumidification provider if the space is flooded.
  • Air-dry individual books by standing them upright and opening their covers gently to support book.

 

 

 

2017 Alabama Backroads Century Series

This year Four Corners is proud to be a sponsor of the fifth season of the Alabama Backroad Century Series. The series promotes the growth and development of long-distance cycling in Alabama, encourages participation in established Alabama century (100 mile) rides and recognizes and rewards individuals for their accomplishments. In addition to cycling opportunities, the events promote awareness and provide an important funding source for various charitable causes across the state. The series started in April and will last into November. Hundreds of cyclists from across the state and the country participate in the series each year.

Five winners selected at random from cyclists who complete a full distance century will receive a personalized custom framed piece from Four Corners Gallery. “As far as we have seen, no other state offers a cycling series quite like this,” said Pixie Hicks, series director. “I believe our success is the result of recognizing and rewarding individuals for their accomplishments.” There will be one winner from each of the following centuries: Cheaha Challenge & Ultra, TriStates 100, W.C. Handy 100, Birmingham Bicycle Club’s 44th Annual Century, and Glassner Autumn Challenge. The framed piece is a unique custom-designed and framed shadowbox with a photo of the winner, the collectible Centurion Finisher’s Medal awarded for the century completed, and an actual bicycle chain.

Alabama Backroad Century Series Final ABCS cyclist 2017

We have two winners already this year!

Kudos to Don Mrozcko, our winner for the Cheaha Challenge & Ultra on May 21. The appropriately dubbed Cheaha Challenge is a demanding route over Mount Cheaha, the highest point in Alabama, that continues to fulfill the event’s tagline promise to be “the toughest ride in the South.”

Congratulations to Sterling Catterton from Arkansas, our winner for the TriStates 100 on June 3. The TriStates 100 is held annually in Dothan and benefits the Dawn Pitchford Fund of the Children’s Hospital of Alabama. Proceeds for the fund help with non-medical needs of children across the state with cancer such as travel expenses, pajamas, stuffed animals, and head wraps.

Alabama Backroad Century Series Final ABCS Cyclist 2017The upcoming WC Handy 100 is near scenic Florence, Alabama on July 22. The ride is part of the WC Handy Music Festival, a week long celebration of the life and music of the Florence native known as “Father of the Blues”. The festival features music by both local and nationally-known performers.

The Birmingham Bicycle Club’s 44th Annual Century will take place on September 30 in Ashville. Proceeds from this years event will be directed to the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center for melanoma research and awareness. The club made this decision in reaction to the ride director, Wayne Spooner, being diagnosed last year with melanoma.

The Glassner Autumn Challenge will be held in Montgomery on October 14. This ride is held in memory of Dr. Jim Glassner, a long time friend and supporter of cycling in central Alabama. The ride supports Montgomery Bike Club Cycling Safety Classes, Cycling Awareness Activities, and Bike Month.

The Alabama Backroad Century Series has thirteen independent centuries. The Cyclepaths Challenge last April in Monroeville is a benefit for Camp Smile-A-Mile with its efforts to provide support to families with children fighting cancer. Also in April were the quickly growing 3rd annual Tour Autauga in Prattville, and Tour De Blue’s 10th annual ride to benefit the Urology Health Foundation. The 3rd Annual Spring Krusher in May is a new ride in the series in Elkmont and will benefit the counseling program of the Family Services Center, Inc. Cycling for Sight will be in Montgomery on June 24. This ride commemorates Helen Keller and benefits Montgomery Lions Club Community Foundation charities and the Ability Post Network at Huntingdon College. Now in its fourth year, the North Jefferson Century will be in Gardendale on August 26 to raise awareness and funds for the International Foundation for CDKL5, a rare neurological disorder. Gears & Beers: Bayou 100 will be in Mobile on November 11 benefitting the Delta Bike Project, a community bike shop in Mobile that teaches basic bike maintenance and repair skills.

The series has a new addition this year: the “Out-Of-State Invitational” Fenner Ride in Milton, Florida. This established ride will introduce Alabama Rides to Florida neighbors and boost participation in the event, which benefits Big Brothers ands Big Sisters of Northwest Florida. A goal of the addition is to serve as an example to inspire surrounding states to start their own series.

For more information about the Alabama Backroad Century Series, visit www.alabama-backroads-cycling.com

 

Custom Framing for Flat Screen Televisions

Surround a wall mounted flat screen television with a beautiful custom frame to give your room a more finished look. Custom framing for flat screen televisions can be coordinated with your décor to create an attractive focal point or a less conspicuous look. We can help you create a custom frame for your TV that will complement your room and hide unattractive hanging brackets.

Custom Framing Flat Screen Televisions

There are many creative possibilities to consider when choosing a frame to add some style to your wall-hung flat screen television. Framing alone can tastefully conceal the television. Incorporate the TV into a new or a existing gallery wall. Or cover the television with a canvas when not in use and it will look like artwork. Our staff of professionals can help you determine a plan that best fits the environment and your vision for the room. We can assist you with the selection and safe installation of a frame to add beauty to your room and eliminate electronic eyesores.

Start by choosing moulding with substantial depth to house a wall-mounted television such as shadow box moulding or stacked frames. The moulding can be selected according to your personal preference and decor. We’ll come measure the mounted television’s size and determine the necessary depth for the frame. The frame will be custom built in our gallery. It will then be delivered it to your home or office, and our experienced professional staff will securely install it.

Custom Framing Flat Screen TelevisionsWe were very excited to assist a local client who wanted to disguise a television in the main room when she had guests come to her home. She commissioned Birmingham artist Kate Merritt Davis to paint a floral scene for a cover for the television and hired us for the framing. We began with construction of the frame. First we determined the size, then cut an opening in a metal panel and used fabric to wrap the metal. Kate’s acrylic painting was stretched onto canvas with wood supports and sized according to the television measurements. We then assembled and installed the stunning new piece above the fireplace. Our client is so happy to have a unique creation that enhances her home for both entertaining and personal enjoyment.

Custom Framing Flat Screen Televisions
Gallery walls are very popular and a fun way to bring some personality and creativity to a room. To create a gallery wall, surround the mounted television with a group of artwork, photos, and favorite items. The art becomes a visual field for the television, helping it to blend with your décor and become less of a focal point in the room. Our staff can help you curate your television gallery wall and perform a safe, secure installation.

The framing and installation process can be completed in as little as three weeks. Come in or call today and let us help you frame your mounted flat screen television to create a look for your home or workplace that you’ll love to show-off.

 

Custom Framing Perspectives

There are many choices available today in framing materials for creating beautiful custom frames. Frames have traditionally been made from wood, and we have over three thousand beautiful options for wood frames including top-of-the line European moldings. We also offer many intriguing opportunities for creating a unique frame with leather, acrylic, steel or aluminum. All of these high-quality frames are a good investment that will help protect your artwork for years to come.

HANDMADE LEATHER

Distinctive handcrafted leather covered frames have beauty, character, and durability. Our high-quality leather wrapped frames are made of fine Peruvian material from House of Mercier and crafted by expert leatherworkers who have been trained in the horse saddle manufacturing business. The leather of each of the frame is hand tooled with designs that enhance the unique qualities of the leather in each piece.

leather custom frames

“Our people used to work in the saddle business, providing to the horseman the well-known El Caballo Paso saddles. Each hide has been carefully chosen. We look for the right quality and age that will allow the proper tooling, texture and finishing. Every piece is handmade by our expert craftsman who use special tools to create the beautiful patterns developed exclusively for House of Mercier.

The hand tooling is an ancient technique used in Peru for more than 500 years. House of Mercier uses only high quality products for the mounting and the finishing. Long legacies of the technique and experience have been handed down over generations to produce these quality products.

All of the accessories or ornaments as buttons, stitching, and hand tooling, are planned to show the authenticity of the leather in each piece. Completely unique. The House of Mercier Line is developed by our own designers and craftsmanship. The materials that we use are carefully chosen to achieve a quality end product” (Raul Mercier).

ACRYLIC

Handcrafted, seamless, high-grade acrylic custom frames from Prisma are both beautiful and versatile. These frames can have a contemporary or retro look and compliment both traditional and modern settings. Color, shape and pattern can be combined for original frame creations in clear or sanded finishes.

acrylic custom framesPart art and part science, Prisma Frames combine engineering ingenuity with a passion for great picture frame design. Bella Moulding, the parent company to Prisma, is proud to offer designs that spill outside the limits of traditional picture framing. Bella Moulding is a national distributor of distinctly creative and beautiful picture frame moulding.

Filling a unique niche for extraordinary framing, Prisma Frames are highly sought after in galleries and frame shops from coast to coast. Prisma Frames find a home in any residential or commercial design-driven environment.

Choose from nine shapes with subtle curves or clean lines. Sharp or rounded corners can be combined with convex or concave exteriors. There are 46 vibrant colors to choose from and 19 artistic options for continuous, repeating patterns.

STEEL

Welded steel frames range in finish from sleek and sophisticated to rough and industrial.

steel custom frames

Each shape can be left raw, showing off the original mill scale and character of the steel itself, or ground to a fine finish and then tinted in one of several beautiful finish colors. The finishes we apply to our welded steel frames contain UV protective components and form a durable coating that will protect the metal from corrosion and oxidation.

Whether you are seeking an urban, industrial feel for an artist’s loft or a clean, contemporary look for a gallery space, our welded steel frames make an indelible impression.

 

 

 

 

 

Custom Framing Guide for Art and Photos

Need to custom-frame some artwork but feel overwhelmed by all the choices? You’re not alone. Selecting a frame can be overpowering for many people. Aside from the different colors and finishes, you’ve got to consider scale, the design of the piece and whether to use a mat or two — or three. Conservation, acidity, and UV- and infrared-blocking capabilities come into the mix too. This is an excellent, concise custom framing guide for art and photos. It covers mat materials and scale, frame selection, framing trends, types of glass and offers good general guidelines for framing. It even has a section on ‘going frameless’ for paintings on a canvas stretched over wood stretcher bars and giclee prints. The product information and detail is accurate and comprehensive, and it’s easily understandable for anyone not involved in the industry. It can help you get in the right frame of mind to make educated choices.

Your Guide to Custom Framing Photos and Art

Get the lowdown on framing materials, methods and more! From Karen Egly-Thompson, a former interior designer turned interiors writer with degrees in art and interior design

.Custom Framing Guide for art and photos

 

Fine Art Restoration and Conservation

One of our specialties at Four Corners Gallery is fine art restoration for your sentimental pieces on paper. While we can do this digitally through our Photo Restoration services, it’s not your only option. The inherent nature of an original is better served by being properly treated and repaired rather than reproduced when possible. Restoration can be stunningly transformative in returning a piece to the initial beauty of its creation.

Poor environmental conditions, inferior or non-conservation framing materials, mishandling, and a variety of mishaps are some reasons damage can occur. These problems detract from both your enjoyment of the piece and its value. We work closely with professional paper conservators who will clean, flatten, remove tape and adhesive residue, patch and stabilize tears, and replace missing pigment and paper. Not only will your restored work look nicer, it will also be conserved, halting further damage that may occur as a result of the paper’s natural properties. Additionally, restoration can return value lost from damage that keeps it from being considered in mint condition.

No matter how obscure or damaged, don’t give up on your piece. Check out our website for a complete list of damage that we commonly see and can remedy.

Below are some examples of works we have been privileged to assist our clients in restoring.

 

Picasso

Clearly, a Picasso can hold quite a bit of value.

Fine art restoration

This collector wanted to maintain their investment in this lithograph which had been damaged by the use of non-conservation framing materials, including regular glass. The original, acidic, paper matboard and cardboard backing added to the darkening in the form of acid burn. Poor mounting tape selection left behind residue. The use of a non uv-filtering glass caused the paper to lighten in the area not covered by the matting.

Fine art restoration

After a stint with the paper conservator the contrast from before to after is quite remarkable.

Fine art restoration

Fine art restoration

 

The Goal Line Stand by Daniel Moore

Our client was thrilled to uncover a 1979 Sugar Bowl limited edition print by the famous Daniel Moore at a garage sale. Unfortunately, there was extensive damage. The conservators were not only able to rid the artwork of the stains and water damage but also repair the tears.

Fine art restoration

 

Golden Gate Bridge Watercolor

This watercolor of the Golden Gate Bridge held quite a bit of sentimental value for our client. So, when a storm caused extensive damage to their home, it was imperative this very special piece be restored.

Fine art restoration

 

As you can see, water, dirt and mold stained the edges and broken glass punctured holes into the center.

Fine art restoration

While a bit of staining remains after the restoration, the mold was eradicated and the punctures were flattened and essentially eliminated. There are occasions, like this one, when a “bath” cleaning cannot be performed because there’s too much risk to sensitive ink or paint that may run or wash away.

Fine art restoration

 

Parting Day

This etching is a great example of the power of paper restoration. Many years ago frames were backed with wooden panels which we now know to be extremely acidic. When we removed the backing we discovered extensive damage to the paper: severe acid burn, a large tear, and foxing (unsightly brown spots caused by corroding particles). This etching is a Chine-collé which means it was printed on a thin tissue and mounted to a larger piece of thicker paper. In order to properly clean and restore the work, the tissue was lifted from the backing paper, both layers were cleaned, and the tissue was remounted.

Fine art restoration

,Below you can see the astounding difference a cleaning and restoration can make.

Fine art restoration

Has a special piece you own been damaged? Please contact us to discuss your options and allow us to assist you in bringing your work back to its former glory.

The Art of Installation

A piece of art can be very beautiful and have a great deal of value and sentiment but without proper installation the piece could face risk of damage. Often there are applications where professional installation is required due to the weight or location of a piece, complexity of a multiple piece arrangement, or precise space constraints. At Four Corners Gallery we are experienced designers and artisans and are especially sensitive to the aesthetic and practical considerations involved in art installation. We have the know-how to best present one piece, wall groupings and entire rooms. Our professionals will view your space, listen to your vision, and develop a plan that takes advantage of the environment and highlights the featured art.

Below are some photos of a truly custom frame job and its installation in a client’s home.

Art installation

The gorgeous 2-story fireplace was the perfect space to feature the photographer’s replication of Ghiberti’s
The Gates of Paradise in Florence, Italy.

 

Art installation

As you can see, the custom-built frame was quite tall, over 12 feet to be exact, and not to mention quite heavy.

 

Art installation

We were able to mount our client’s investment very securely to the brick wall, fulfilling his vision of a showstopping piece of art.

 

Our designers and installers can come to your home or office to arrange and hang your artwork and personal treasures. Our experienced staff is sensitive to the aesthetic and practical considerations involved in art installations. We have the know-how to best present a single piece, wall groupings, and entire rooms. We will view your space, listen to your vision, and develop a plan that takes advantage of the environment and highlights the featured art. Below is a small sampling of our work. For a quote, please contact us to provide details of your installation.
Art installation

Stairwells and heavy pieces can be tricky and are best left to professionals.

 

Art installation

Group family photos, heirlooms, and whimsical art pieces into a beautiful gallery wall.

 

Art installation

Office spaces.

 

Art installation

Healthcare environments.

Turn Old Photos into Works of Art

One of our specialties at Four Corners Gallery is turning an old or damaged photo into something even better than the original through photo restoration. We use state-of-the-art digital imaging techniques to restore prints of your cherished photographs to share with friends and family. Only the finest materials are used to ensure their survival — Epson Ultra Chrome pigmented inks that will last 100 years or longer and acid-free archival papers of all kinds. Improvements are be made by enhancing contrast, sharping details, adjusting the color balance, removing blemishes, and repairing torn or missing pieces. Similarly, we can eliminate unwanted details, such as distracting background patterns, to improve the composition of the photo. This photo is of our client’s great-grandfather.photo restoration

As you can see, over time, the page of the photo album that the photo was mounted in had caused the photo to yellow overall and to have some discoloration around the head and shoulders. Left untreated, this photo would eventually begin to disintegrate. We were able to scan this family heirloom into our computer and convert it into a rich black and white print as part of our 1 hour photo restoration service, shown here:

photo restoration

But the client had mentioned how there were other heirloom hand tinted images in her home and she wondered if this new image could match the existing. We were able to create a digital hand tinted look, shown here, as part of a roughly 2 hour photo restoration service:

photo restoration

We have a large selection of tabletop frames that are ready-to-go. This Roma Stone Etched Black frame perfectly complemented the photo:

photo restoration

But, as I mentioned, this client wanted to hang the photo in her home, so we chose a beautiful Larson Juhl Etrusca frame with an antique pewter acid-free mat.

photo restoration

Contact us today for our photo restoration services. Whether you are in the Birmingham, AL area, or anywhere else, we are ready and able to assist you in preserving your memories while creating a new work of art for your home.