By Nancy Brumback, Contributing Writer
Shrewsbury – Starting in January, Gastonart & Frame will be more than just a great place for custom framing. Gastonart will become a place for children to learn to create and to appreciate art.
“Kids are losing the chance to study art in the schools,” said Harry Gaston, who owns the shop with his father, John. “We saw an opportunity to help children who enjoy art.”
Eight-week courses are offered at the store on Route 9.
“These classes will focus on learning art and art techniques—color, design, different media from pencils and paint to sculpture,” Harry said. “It is not a crafts-based curriculum.”
“We are offering an alternative to art education here. We want to get people to think about art,” added John, who is also an artist, illustrator and graphic designer.
The “ArtmakerZ: Teaching Art from A to Z” program will have classes for two age groups, first through fourth grade and fifth through eighth grade, with eight to 10 students in each class, taught by experienced elementary art educators. The initial sessions are “All Mixed Up,” working with different media, and “Fun with Painting and Drawing.” Materials are included in the class fee. Classes for adults may be added in the future.
Instilling a love of art in children comes naturally. “We are an art family. It's who we are and what we do,” Harry said, noting John's background and role as a founder of the Artists” Guild of Shrewsbury, and his own 25 years of experience in custom framing. Their backgrounds help distinguish Gastonart from other shops.
The father and son team opened the shop in 2004 with the goal of becoming a leading custom frame source in the area. Harry is currently vice president of the New England chapter of the Professional Picture Framers Association.
Gastonart & Frame includes a Grand Gallery, where customers can view and purchase original work from regional artists in a variety of styles and media.
The shop carries about 1,000 different frame styles, mats in every color and different types of glass. The Gastons can frame not just paintings, prints and photographs, but almost any object that's important to the customer.
When customers purchase a piece of art or come in with art to be framed, Harry works with them to understand what they have in mind, where the piece will be displayed and whether their taste runs to traditional or contemporary styles.
“We will design the frame to suit both the artwork and the customer's style,” he said. He will also provide advice on how to protect and conserve the piece. Harry can narrow down the choices from the hundreds of options to about a dozen, and the shop has a computer program available that enables customers to preview their options—frames and mats with the actual art—before making a final decision.
For the holiday season, Gastonart & Frame is taking framing orders right up to Christmas Eve. “We have all the materials on hand so we can frame orders quickly,” Harry said. “It's one of the things that sets us apart, and we'se happy to do it.”
The store also has a wide variety of ready-made frames in standard sizes that the Gastons make from top-quality moldings left over after custom framing orders to create styles not available in the frame departments of stores.
An expanded selection of art project kits for children, such as three-dimensional castles and pirate ships kids can assemble and color, is also available at the shop.
And Gastonart has gift certificates that can be used to purchase custom framing, original art from regional artists that is on display in the store's gallery, or the art classes.
Gastonart & Frame is located at 257 Boston Turnpike Rd., on the westbound side of Route 9, in Shrewsbury. It's open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, and is closed Sunday. For more information, call 508-754-3700 or visit the website, www.gastonartandframe.com.
