..And the Sailor home from the Sea.

Framed

Framed

Once the Camberwell was finished, I handed the piece, still stretched on the bars I used to work it, over to my client (Action Ma’am) and her picture framer. I’m very pleased with what they came up with, so I’ve asked her to write up a little bit about framing the piece and where the Camberwell is living now.

At quite an early stage, I had decided that Camberwell was going to hang in the bathroom. An odd choice, maybe, but her colours went beautifully with the accent colours I had already chosen and the theme of nauticalia.

 

Original Photo

Original Photo

 

 

My local picture framer enthusiastically accepted the challenge of creating a suitable box-frame. We chose a rounded moulding, to echo the curve of the funnel, and charcoal for both mount and moulding to match the colour of the ribbon used for the funnel. Since it was to hang by an east-facing window, we selected a grade of conservation glass which excludes 98% of UV light. I took the opportunity to have the inspirational photo properly mounted in the frame I had bought for it from a high-street newsagent a year or so previously.

Camberwell Where She Belongs

Camberwell Where She Belongs

 

 

The pictures now hang either side of the bathroom door. Rachel and I had a little ceremony with sparkling white wine to hang the finished panel. I can bore for England on how wonderful it is, and admire it in comfort whilst lounging in the bath.

 

The title of this post is taken from RL Stevenson’s “Requiem” – text here. Or alternatively from AE Housman’s “Home Is The Sailor” (here). We both thought it was the right title, but neither of us could remember where we’d heard it, and when I Googled for it, I found myself with a positive embarrassment of riches!

10 Comments

  1. Lady Fi says:

    It looks absolutely fabulous in its frame! WOW! And well done.

  2. Hurrah! FINI!

    It looks great. Congratulations on the final touch–a good home for your stitching.

  3. Penny says:

    Its lovely and I notice that the towel colors fit perfectly with the artwork!

  4. Elmsley Rose says:

    OhmiGod! The way you have reproduced the photograph in another art form! It’s brilliant!
    It looks absolutely stunning in it’s new home.
    You should be very proud.

  5. It looks really good – a bit more grown up than the cross-stitch whale I did for Malcolm’s shower room!

  6. Jan says:

    The finished piece is absolutely stunning!!! All your hard work paid off superbly.

  7. The framing is the finishing touch and it has gone somewhere where it will be appreciated. The prefect end…”And they lived happily everafter.”

  8. Alex says:

    To see it with the inspiration photo is a real WOW! moment. It looks fantastic, even better hanging in place and the colours are fabulous – very 30s.

  9. coral-seas says:

    Love that you had a glass of bubbly at the hanging ceremony, very appropriate. I loved watching this piece progress and it is wonderful to see the finished article in situ.

  10. Janice says:

    I am forming a mental image of Action Ma’am, who not only ‘has a picture framer’ but also a curtainmaker! And I am wondering if those precise colour towels are always now on display on the rail, immediately below the Camberwell! It looks beautiful in its new home, and a real conservation piece for when guests have visited, I’m sure.
    In view of the email I just sent you, Rachel, RL Stevenson’s Requiem is quite poignant too.