What is Recycle Style?                                    -  scroll down to see currently available works

Recycle style is not just one element but a number of elements joined together. The result is a sculpted collage of image and architectural salvage. These elements consist of architectural salvage wood and metal decorative pieces from old homes and businesses. Items like doors, windows, columns, tin ceiling tiles as well as iron fireplace surrounds and attic vents. These and other found objects are recycled into picture frame collages to display vintage Dementi photos of Richmond.

The total presentation is history framed.

Where did the idea come from?

The idea came from a collaboration between Kristy Ford, the former co-owner of The Art of Richmond/Dementi Gallery and the Historic Richmond Foundation. Ford wanted a new way to display the Dementi photos and HRF needed a fund raising event. The Art of Richmond Design contest was created. Architectural salvage was donated from some of the city’s yards like Caravati’s, S.B. Cox and others. The images were donated by Dementi studio. About 15 local artists participated in the first event on Dec. 5^th 2003. The artists selected a photo and then chose different salvage elements to enhance the art. The finished pieces were then judged and auctioned off. The contest continued in that form for over three years. The HRF still holds an annual local art auction benefit but they no longer use this original concept.

How are Mary Fender and Frame Nation related to this idea?

Mary Fender was one of the original artist who answered the call for artists to the first competition in 2003. She totally fell in love with the concept and went on to win first place in the first two years of the contest. The 2003 entry was a 1937 image of the Loews Theater and 2005 was called “5 cent fare”
and depicted the last Richmond street car trip.

The last year she participated she entered a lit collage of Broad St. at Night from the 1960s. She did not place that year but the experience did continue her enthusiasm for the new “style” she has come to call “Recycle Style” framing.

After opening Frame Nation in October 2007, Recycle style was definitely one of the offerings she wanted to display in her frame gallery. Since this concept is no longer available at the HRF fund raiser, art and history lovers can now acquire these unique pieces at Frame Nation.

 Frame Nation continues to use this concept to benefit the Richmond community by donation. October 26th 2007 was the 10th annual Vintage Maymont Auction. This fund raiser does a fine job of creating awareness about the needs of the Maymont Foundation and raises monies to continue it's ongoing restoration and operation. This piece, a recycle style framing of the Dementi studio image of Maymont's Italian Gardens, was donated and raised $340 toward a grand total of $243,000 earned for the event!









Are there any notes of caution to consider when using architectural salvage?

Yes, there are some issues to consider when using these elements, but while keeping them in mind we can all enjoy their regained usefulness.

 
Some older building materials will have splinters and rough or sharp edges and some may have protruding nails or screws. At Frame Nation we take care to sand edges and wire brush places to reduce this. Care is also taken to remove any visible protruding nails and screws so as not to harm people, furnishings or walls. Even with that care there still may be sharp edges to avoid and handle carefully.

  

Another issue is that of old paint. Salvaged items from buildings before the 1970’s contain remnants of old paint. Old paint may or may not contain lead. Again, we sand and wire brush these areas to reduce flaking. At times we also apply additional latex paint to “fix” flaking paint areas. Please take proper precautions when handling items with lead paint.

 Above are some examples of the latest Recycle Style available now! The tin ceiling tile mirror, the two clocks and Lee Monument - yes that is a fireplace surround on that one! 

Here is the latest cityscape -


The main body is actually made up of a shop or office door from 1900's the bottom of which we cut down. We know the year because the double swing hinges we took off it were patented 1902!
The top image is the Dementi Studio Richmond skyline from 1931 and the bottom is by Blakeway from 1995.

Look for more to come....

If you are interested in having a particular image done in recycle style framing, we do take commissions!