Headlines
A Wall-Singham of Colour!
22 October 2020
We got in touch with Heather Green (GCF) APF of Walsingham Gallery & Framing to learn all about the wide variety of art on offer in the gallery, and how the gallery has adapted in response to the pandemic to ensure they can keep their customers safe.
Walsingham Gallery & Framing began life as the Great Walsingham Gallery in 1992, and was one of the first businesses to occupy the then newly converted traditional brick and flint barns situated on the edge of the pretty hamlet of Great Walsingham in North Norfolk.
Showing great art and providing a comprehensive, high quality framing service has always been at the heart of the business. Heather was trained as a picture framer and gallery assistant by the original owners whilst she was still at school, and continued to work at the gallery on a part-time basis whilst studying for her degree in Fine Art. After graduating, she set up a small sculpture studio next to the gallery and carried on helping out when needed. When the original owners retired from the industry in 2014, it was a natural step for Heather to take the reins, having been closely involved in the gallery’s operation for over 20 years.
Since then, Heather has put a lot of time and energy into expanding and developing the ranges of products and services available to her customers; from the art and applied arts shown in the gallery, to the busier than ever framing service offered. She is ably assisted in her endeavours by her friend and colleague Charlie, and her partner Nigel.
Heather tells us: “I am proud to be a Guild Certified Framer, the framing qualification from the Fine Art Trade Guild. This demonstrates my commitment to ensuring best practice and adhering to a professional code of ethics and standards. I am hopeful that my assistant Charlie will follow in my footsteps soon and also become qualified.”
The gallery is proud to be able to showcase a carefully selected, extensive range of arts and applied arts including painting, printmaking, sculpture and ceramics. Heather states: “We mainly represent artists from the eastern region with many being from, or having links to Norfolk. Many of our artists exhibit with us on a permanent basis and others show for limited periods of time or for specific exhibitions. At the moment, we have a particular focus on original printmaking and ceramics.
Pandemic response
Once the gallery realised that any re-opening would mean putting measures in place to protect customers and staff, they decided that a total redesign of their front of house was required: “Because our business is in a popular tourist area, the shop and gallery side of the business can be very busy in the summer months, so we needed to prepare for that. I am hopeful that the changes we have made, including protective screens and adhering to social distancing, will improve our customers’ experience of shopping with us whilst helping to keep everyone safe. It was also an opportunity to install something that I have been longing for – an entire wall for framing samples and examples!”
When it comes to Larson-Juhl products, Heather tells us: “We use a lot of mouldings and mountboards from the Larson-Juhl range. The range is so comprehensive, so there is usually the appropriate solution to be found. We were delighted when the Touchwood veneer range was launched, and we use a lot of these mouldings. It is perfect when you require a solid wood look as it avoids the issues that often are present with actual solid wood, like inconsistencies in the grain and colour etc. We also use a lot from the Coastal Woods range, and in particular the trays and floats combination that enables you to do a ‘St Ives’ style frame, which is great for coastal landscapes and other paintings on canvas or board.”
Heather has many hopes for the future of the business, including expanding the offering in the framing department, continuing to hone their skills and to increase their online presence through their social media channels.
To see more of the gallery, follow them on Facebook and Instagram @walsinghamgalleryandframing, Twitter @WGandF, or visit the website: www.walsinghamgalleryandframing.co.uk
