Well I can tell you – absolutely delighted, chuffed and overwhelmed! 😊😂
The Fine Art Guilds “Art and Framing Today” magazine, which promotes the best in art and framing, has published an article about my journey into framing and my creative art work in the Octobers Issue.
Make a cup of tea, put your feet up and enjoy the read.
A Natural Evolution - Art meets framing in the work of Fellows Framing's Sarah Trenchard
Who really knows what they want to be when they grow up?
All I knew was that I loved animals, loved being in the countryside and was far more practical than academic. I was always far happier feeding the sheep on the family farm than doing my hair and nails. I still am.
I took a degree in Zoology and Animal Behaviour and worked in Animal Health for 18 years. During that time, I was shown how to picture frame using a basic hand mitre saw and Stanley knife to cut the mount. It quickly developed into a rather serious hobby.
Over time I improved my skills, upgraded my equipment and, when children came along, I set up my business, Fellows Framing, from my home in the Forest of Dean. I joined the FATG in 2015 for credibility support and furthering my knowledge and became a GCF in 2016.
Being a guild member is core to my brand message “The difference is in the detail”. Upholding the Guilds quality standard and codes of ethics is reassuring to clients. I’ve been lucky to meet many supportive framers, members of the Guild family and clients, making lasting connections and friendships.
I have had many wonderful items to frame over the years which has allowed me to be creative in the design. It is the deep 3D framing that I get most pleasure from. Every item requires a different design and poses different challenges, especially when I am framing at conservation level. From a 16th century freeminers coal shovel to toddlers’ shoes, I’ve framed it. For me it is the pieces with the sentimental value that mean the most. Seeing some of my clients cry with positive emotion when collecting work means I have done my job well and I feel privileged to play a small part in their stories.
Over time it led me to think that if I can design frames to make art work sing, keep memories alive and let keepsakes tell their stores why not make them for myself – combining framing it with my hobby paper cutting and interest in nature?. But how do you make flat paper into 3d artwork in deep frames?
Two years ago after a massive lightbulb moment I had a workable concept and the rest is history so they say.
In my artwork I recreate the wonder of nature by casting everchanging shadows from structures of hand cut paper and wire, just hand cut paper and wire, creating illusions of animal behaviour and movement. I do this by fixing 2D hand papercut animal silhouettes to layers of horizontally and vertically spaced nylon threads, forming an almost invisible 3D grid. A recent piece, for example, depicts the swirling flight patterns of a murmuration of starlings.
This year, with the exception of Covid - 19, is going well. My framing of Ceramic Posterior teeth was a finalist in Larson-Juhl's Get Framous competition in March and I am busy with varied orders from clients.
With two of my art pieces were finalists in the David Shepard Foundation Wildlife Artist of the Year 2020 competition. My art website is now up and running for potential clients to see my work collectively.
The framing and art run seamlessly side by side. The established framing allows me to offer a client focused, bespoke service, whilst the art keeps my creativity urge satisfied. In both I encourage the best in framing and art and am able to use my membership of the guild in brand awareness, credibility and marketing.
It’s taken a long time to get here but I have found my calling at last, I got here in the end, I could not be happier. 😊