Unveiling the Artful Mastery of Fine Framing With Scottsdale’s Image and Frame
Image and Frame elevates the concept and experience of fine art framing, reproduction and conservation.
By Linda J. Barkman | Photography by Chris Loomis
HISTORY: Art is both a calling and a passion for the Bazarnics, who bring a wealth of knowledge, experience and enthusiasm to everything they do. Eric grew up in a printing family and spent more than three decades working at prestigious frame shops and gilding houses in Denver and Seattle, in addition to running his own contemporary craft and fine art gallery. Lynn has a Master of Art History degree from the University of Illinois and many years of art administration under her belt, as well as retail management experience in galleries. In 2011, the couple decided to relocate to Phoenix, where Eric grew up. “I have more than 50 relatives here,” he says. “I went to work at my uncle’s print shop in Tempe and took over the back of his warehouse to start Image and Frame in 2012. We officially made it a business with a focus on frames and giclées in 2013.” Later that year, having outgrown the space they were in, they established their own retail location in south Scottsdale, where the duo remained until the need to expand arose once again. Then things changed dramatically.
Fast Facts
Owners: Lynn & Eric Bazarnic
Opened: June 2013
Location: 7012 E. Indian School Road, Scottsdale
Size: 3,200 square feet of showroom and workspace
Hours: Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m-5 p.m. Appointments strongly recommended.
Phone: (480) 634-5577
Website: imageandframe.com
The Bazarnics had just signed a lease on their current location, which was custom designed for them from the ground up, when the opportunity to buy a well-known business called Framer’s Workshop presented itself in 2018. “We moved into our new showroom in March of 2019 and were able to acquire their extensive collection of historically accurate closed-corner frame samples at the same time. It was a dream come true,” Eric enthuses.
CONCEPT: “The idea behind our frame shop is trust,” Eric states. “Clients trust us to handle their high-end artwork. There’s also a very big element of design—color, texture, balance and scale, as well as the carved designs on many of the frames themselves,” he adds. “People want their artwork to speak, and we work so that the art is accentuated rather than the frame. Our specialty is very refined design, and that’s for everything from a Warhol to the customer’s kid’s art.”
FOCUS: The Bazarnics’ main focus is on fine art services with an emphasis on the conservation, design and presentation of high-end collectible, two-dimensional artwork of all types and sizes. This includes paintings, prints on paper, serigraphs, lithographs, photographs, etchings, multi-media works and objects.
WHAT’S IN STORE: The bulk of the store’s offerings are its 12,000 frame samples, 2,000 of which are closed-corner gilded frames designed for specific historic periods. Other frame options on display range from ones made of various hardwoods to steel, aluminum and plexiglass; leather-finished frames; shadow-box frames; float frames for canvases; and small, thin frames for works on paper. Glass options include clear glass, plexiglass, museum and conservation glass.
SERVICES: In addition to custom framing, the shop offers custom mats; canvas stretching and mounting; art delivery and installation; artwork and frame restoration; custom mirror framing; and water gilding, a finish derived from a 6,000-year-old multi-step process. “On the printing side, we specialize in fine art reproductions, or archival digital reproductions, also known as giclées,” Eric notes. “And in-house color proofing is an integral part of the process.” They also work with companies that do antique poster restoration and paper conservation. “That’s a very unique thing,” he adds.
WHAT SETS them APART: While Lynn points to the diversity of their collection of handmade closed-corner and historic period frames, Eric speaks of the quality of their work, attention to detail and intimate knowledge of conservation techniques and materials as being their primary claims to fame. “The preservation and safety of our clients’ artworks are of paramount importance to us,” he emphasizes. “You have to know how to mount a piece of art, so you don’t damage it. We know how to frame, conserve and handle high-end art.”
BONUS TIME: Noting that they’ve worked on “lots of Warhols” as well as original pieces by several other famous artists, Eric says he feels honored to have the opportunity to see things many people never get a chance to see. “It’s part of the perk,” he says with his customary enthusiasm.
THE LATEST: “We’re bringing in original works of art from local artists to sell,” Eric says. Recent acquisitions include large oil paintings by Bisbee artist Kenneth Ober and contemporized saguaro cactus prints by Phoenix muralist Andy Brown.
