You may have seen the work of Hackman Frames before, perhaps at a gallery, in a museum or in someone’s private art collection.

But it’s probably not the first detail you notice. And that’s just the way owner Craig Hackman wants it.

The Central Ohio-based frame manufacturer and custom frame builder leaves personal ego at the door when creating its products, Hackman says. The Worthington native and his talented staff have just one mission: to let the art take center stage.

“If (the art is) worth hanging on a wall, it’s worth seeing on the wall,” Hackman says.”We have no preconceived notions on how to frame something.”

A fine arts graduate of Ohio University, he traveled to New York City in the late ‘70s to pursue an art career. There, he fell into framing as a steady source of income as his family grew and continued to learn the trade, including how to create one-of-a-kind frames and silk mats from a top consultant in the city. Ultimately, he began providing framing for big-name clients including the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Hackman eventually moved back to Worthington, where he started Hackman Frames in his garage and his parents’ basement. Now the business exists in a 14,000-square-foot space on Schrock Road in Worthington, and his handiwork has framed masterpieces around the country in museums, artist shows and private collections.

One of the company’s biggest projects was creating gold-leaf frames for two portraits in the Ohio Statehouse rotunda. The paintings, created by artist Howard Chandler Christy, depict Ohio historical figures Thomas Edison and the Wright brothers. The project was unique, Hackman says, because of its scale: the framed works would have been too big to fit through the rotunda doorways. The solution was to fit the paintings into the frames in the rotunda – workers then used scaffolding and pulleys to hang the portraits on the walls.

Hackman Frames specializes in creating frames with stunning gold and metal leaf finishes. Throughout the years, many clients have wanted the look of gold leaf – an expensive finishing technique that uses real gold – without the price tag. So, the company began experimenting with metal leaf in an effort to mimic gold leaf as closely as possible.

Gold leaf and metal leaf are applied to frames through completely different processes. Gold leaf is done via water gilding, a centuries-old process used as far back as Ancient Egypt. Water is used to adhere tissue-thin gold leaf to a frame coated in gesso and bole (a type of clay). Then, the gold leaf is burnished with agate for shine. In contrast, metal leaf frames are finished with a leaf composed of copper and zinc. The base coats and application technique used for metal leaf – called oil gilding – are also different. The end result, however, is a finish that looks very similar to gold leaf.

Hackman Frames also prides itself on superior workmanship. The company builds and finishes frames by hand, with hand-carved molding and delicate metal or gold leafing. The company also customizes molding depending on a client’s desires (Hackman Frames can design unique molding, or artists can design it themselves). Additionally, it is also a full-service framer, often bordering much of the artwork for which they design frames. Very few places like this exist in the country, according to Hackman, with one or two in Chicago, a handful in New York and a few on the West Coast.

“There aren’t many shops like us around. Most shops like us tend to be in the art centers, but not as many as you’d expect,” he says.

To learn more, visit www.hackmanframes.com or call 614-841-0007.

Kate Seegraves is assistant editor of Luxury Living.

Archival framing and resources

For fine art collectors, nothing should be more important than the preservation of their artwork. Consider these tips from Central Ohio framing professionals:

• For original artwork, collectors should consider the need for “museum-quality” archival materials. “Acid free” materials are the key – look for acid free mats, tape, foam core board, etc.
• A good framing job is ultimately reversible. Never do anything to your artwork that can’t be undone. Quality framing shops will only use special mounting tapes and materials that won’t permanently adhere to your artwork and can be removed.
• The glass in a frame should never touch the artwork. Over time, condensation, dust and other environmental changes can build up inside a frame. If the artwork touches the glass, these changes can potentially harm the work.
• Use UV-protective glass on pieces that require glass. This will keep the artwork from fading.
• Placement of your artwork in your home is just as important as the type of framing. Hanging a piece in direct sunlight or above a fireplace are faux pas, as the heat and light can cause fading and other damage.
• Avoid trendy framing jobs, such as sandwiching a piece of art between two panes of glass, which might harm the work.
• Consider professionals with certifications from the Professional Picture Framers Association, such as Certified Picture Framer (CPF). Not all experienced framers carry this designation, but those who do have met current framing standards.