We’ve all heard the expression “big things come in small packages,” probably more times than we care to keep track of. It’s one of those phrases that is so worn by time and use that it can cease to bear any weight at all. But such cliches also can invariably possess big truths.
Now, let’s think about the word “frame”: it’s a noun, a static structure that contains. It’s also a verb, a process, an act of creation. It’s a word that encompasses multitudes in a compact space. Art Attic Framing & Design, a longtime Missoula fixture in fine art framing, operates in much the same way. Driving along South Avenue, you’d be forgiven for mistaking its unassuming, single-family-home guise for just another of the many modest-sized houses that compose the surrounding neighborhood in every direction. It’s easy to miss, but once inside its doors you quickly get the impression that a lot happens between those four walls.
“I like that we’re in a little house,” says Emily Hall, Art Attic’s owner and guiding light. “I would love extra space, but I’m also very organized, so we’ve made pretty good use of a small space.”
Nestled in among cascading layers of frame samples (many of which are Italian, hand-finished) are paintings and prints by each of the shop’s employees, showcasing a wide spectrum of visual talents shared by Art Attic’s staff. It’s a place owned and operated by serious, practicing artists, which lends the shop’s core work of fine art framing a certain depth and vitality.
“You can learn how to do this,” Emily says, “but there are certain parts of this that you just have to know.”
“Having that passion for art and understanding where the art is coming from is helpful in this job,” she continues, “because it makes us more excited to do the job. We have backgrounds in art history, color theory, design, and all of that is a part of this job.”
Emily and her team come to every task with a plethora of skills, from acrylic and oil painting, collage, and printmaking, to curation and art installation. All of their specialties combine to make for a very unique and wide-ranging knowledge of materials and applications, with a collective artistic sensibility that’s near-impossible to match when it comes to custom framing.
While a deep aesthetic understanding is key to Art Attic’s success, there’s another equally important aspect to the work of framing that is easy to overlook when visual presentation is what leaves an impression on a viewer of a work of art. When asked what part of framing she particularly enjoys, Emily points to framing practices that can enhance and extend an artwork’s longevity, such as using UV-resistant glass or acid-free materials in mounting, or proper hinging methods to allow an artwork to be removed from its frame without damaging it.
“The main purpose of framing is to preserve the artwork,” she explains. “I’m very passionate about conservation practices. I feel like if you’re taking time to spend money and invest in something you’re hopefully hanging on your wall for the rest of your life, you want it to last. Part of the design or presentation part of framing is the preservation.”
Longevity is a trait that is embedded in Art Attic’s DNA. The business first started in 1968 in a shop on South Higgins, back when framing in Missoula was much more in demand during those pre-digital times. As the number of frame shops dwindled to a handful, Art Attic has survived and thrived, through one move and two changes of ownership, with Emily Hall taking over in 2018 in Art Attic’s 50th year of existence.
As much as Art Attic has taken a long road to get to this point in time, Emily has had quite her own journey to get here. Born and raised in Grangeville, Idaho, she went to college in Boise and then moved to Portland, Oregon, where she got her start in framing. When she was ready for a slightly slower pace, she found her way to Missoula in 2009 and pretty soon after started working at Art Attic.
“Missoula is a happy medium for me between Portland and Grangeville,” Emily says. “You have this small-town feel, the beautiful outdoors, outdoor recreation is everywhere, but you also get a little bit of culture. The arts scene here is amazing, the food is good, there’s great music...once I got my bearings I thought ‘I don’t ever want to leave.’ I appreciate that everyone’s in it to help the other person succeed. You don’t get as much of that in a bigger city.”
And it’s in this middle ground, the small-town-meets-big-city intersection where Missoula sits, that to Emily makes it a fertile ground for the arts.
“Everyone wants the arts to succeed,” she says. “Missoula’s a very, very open-minded place. All walks of life are welcome, any type of art that you do is welcome, and people encourage you to be creative. It’s a safe environment for people to experiment.”
Custom frame shop, art gallery, wood shop, framing studio: Art Attic is all of these things, but it’s also something of a community locus or energy center. As much passion as Emily has for the preservation side of framing, it’s really the everyday interactions with her customers that bring her the most pleasure in her job.
“You see somebody different every single day,” she says. “You get to see amazing artwork all day long, getting to know the story behind what they’re framing and getting to know the people. Being a framer, it’s almost like you’re a therapist or a bartender. Everyone feels very comfortable and wants to open up. I love it. People choose to come here, and they leave feeling better.”
“Having that passion for art and understanding where the art is coming from is helpful in this job because it makes us more excited to do the job. We have backgrounds in art history, color theory, design, and all of that is a part of this job.”
I feel like if you’re taking time to spend money and invest in something you’re hopefully hanging on your wall for the rest of your life, you want it to last.
