Exhibits at The Framemakers helps grow Waterville as Art Destination
BY MORGAN ROGERS of Maine Insights
The inside gallery at the Framemakers, 46 Main Street, downtown Waterville, features the artwork of Daniel Cake, Scott Reed, Ramona du Houx, Dorene Paul-Hebda, Lisa Wheeler, and Neal Caron until July 13th. In watercolor like landscapes, portraits, gardens with pastel flowers, and animals and birds displaying their secrets these works by local artists captivate and inspire. The artists’ work reflects central Maine.
Daniel Cake does acrylics, watercolor, and scratchboard. Ramona Du Houx creates fine art photography that looks like paintings. Neal Caron crates images with graphite, color pencil. Dorene Hebda is a watercolor artist. Scott Reed works with pen and ink. And Lisa Wheeler is a printmaker.
“Exhibiting in my community is the best,” said du Houx, who shows internationally and is currently exhibiting at Gallery Storks in Japan and the Constellation Gallery in Portland, Maine. “For me art reflects where we live in our communities as well as in our hearts, minds and souls.”
“The concept of opening up the shop for gallery space was to give more opportunity to artists to display their art, as well as help Waterville become a destination for the arts. We have an artist reception every other month, the first Friday of the month following installation,” said one of the new owners of The Framemakers, Amy Cyrway.
Spaces to exhibit are available in two-month intervals and submissions are juried. The size of the space is roughly the equivalent of 5 paintings that measure 16×20 inches framed. The Framemakers has enough wall space for 5 to 6 artists to exhibit at one time. The artist takes home 70 percent of sales.
“It’s an amazing idea that Amy came up with. The artists love to show their work, the public loves to view new things on our walls, and there’s such a spirit of community involvement. It’s wonderful that three pieces have already been sold out of the current rotation, and we haven’t even had our reception yet!,” said co-owner and Amy’s husband Brian Vigue.
Currently Ann Rhinehardt’s pastels and woodcarving are exhibited in the window gallery.
Amy Cyrway and Brian Vigue bought the business last year from Bill Taylor who ran it from 2003. In the tradition of the community-based business, Taylor bought it from the pervious owner whom he worked for, Cyrway was Taylor’s employee from 2002.
Customers rely on the quality work of the Framemakers. They entrust the craftspeople who work there with precious mementos to create a unique way to display it for their lifetimes.
The Framemaker team matches mat colors and frames for any job they work on and they always take the time to listen to customers to ensure they get what they are looking for.
“It’s an art,” said Cyrway. “Matching up someone’s art with the right mat and handling the work takes a lot of patience, practice, and listening exactly to what the customer wants.”
While other framers have closed their doors due to big box stores and chains, The Framemakers continues to be successful. The quality customer service and extra care the team takes in framing creates prized items for many people. All the personnel at Framemakers go the extra mile to deliver quality customer service.
The Framemakers is open Monday thru Friday from 8:30am – 5:00pm. And Saturday from 8:30-4.00pm.
Visit The Framemakers facebook page to find more: http://www.fb.com/The.Framemakers
Photographic art by Ramona du Houx 