What We're Framing Now: Becka

Art meets science in this unique framing project of laboratory glassware from Lincoln Park Framing Consultant, Becka.

What piece did you frame?

I framed an arrangement of laboratory glassware. I double majored in art and chemistry in college and I found these pieces of glassware while working for the art school one summer. The job was cleaning out the studio spaces and prepping them for the next year - "painting white walls white" was how I described it at the time.

The glassware contents are a test tube (with green mirror tile added for a fun effect), a condensing tube (used for distillation and separation of mixed solutions), an assortment of different sizes of glass stoppers and a glass ring that I made myself in a flame working class in college.

Why is it special to you?

I actually met former Artists Frame Service employee Lara Mann at that job and we became fast friends.

Then, a few years later she was the one who told me about the job opening here shortly after she had been hired. Kind of a fun full circle framing moment there!

We still keep in touch even though she's since moved - fun fact, when I first moved to Chicago from New York for this job, I crashed on her couch for a couple weeks until I secured an apartment.

Why did you choose the framing combination you did?

I chose the framing that I did because I'm really drawn to the color green in general and the specific color of the frame I selected always reminded me of vintage lab spaces in kind of a 1960s style.

I chose to use another frame for the setbacks because it's something I love that customers don't always think to do - plus it's a more practical option when there's no glass over the front of the piece.

I also really like the glitter frames even though they're difficult to use sometimes and the pastel rainbow fits very well with that vintage green of the frame. The texture contrast is so fun!

The golden silk float mat was actually the first thing chosen, mostly because the color and texture shows off the clear glassware best so everything else was more or less designed around that base. I went through a few different layouts before deciding on this final arrangement!

What's your favorite part about how it turned out?

I especially love how we chose to leave the front open with no glass over the art. I like that you can kind of interact with the pieces and over time it can gather dust and start to look more and more vintage-y.

I also love how the glitter sides catch the light and reflect back into the frame and onto the glassware. The dramatic depth of the frame also adds to the effect of it being like a drawer or cabinet full of glassware, which is a nice bonus.

Where will you display it?

It's being added to my gallery wall in my home. It's a very eclectic, colorful gallery wall with all sorts of different types of art and styles of frames chosen by both myself and my partner. It's all over the place but very "us." Unfortunately, our cats like to try to bat at the frames wherever they can reach so I'll probably need to hang this one a bit higher up.

Whether it’s a treasured piece of art, a unique memento or something as unconventional as vintage glassware, we’re here to help you bring your story to life. If you have an original piece of your own come see Becka in Lincoln Park or visit us in Highland Park or River North.