Towngate Framing - Guild Commended Framers

Towngate Framing is proud to have 2 Guild Commended Framers, as well as having run as a testing center for the Guild Commended Framer examinations.

One of these Guild Commended Framers will work on all the framing work that comes into the company. The Commended Framer is recognised as the qualification for the framing industry. Qualified GCF's are now framing in 25 countries worldwide. The qualification is administered by the Fine Art Trade Guild who organize the examinations. These are rigorous and consist of an inspection of the candidate's work, practical tasks set by the examiner, and a written paper.

Since 1910 the Fine Art Trade Guild has been setting standards that are recognised by the art and framing industry worldwide. In 1994 the Guild introduced the Guild Commended Framer qualification as a benchmark for framers skills. This ensures that any customers that choose a GCF are assures that the art will be framed professionally and to the standard discussed when the artwork is brought in and framing is looked at. Towngate Framing is proud to have 2 GCF framers, Peter Hayton (the 4th person to become certified) and Katie Herriman. Both are award winners and Towngate Framing has a collection of award winning and finalist framing pieces on display in our workshop and gallery.

Katie

A long established member of the team, Kaite has entered many of the framing competitions run by the Fine Art Trade Guild and has always finished in the finalist category and has won 4 times. This goes to show the level of expertise that Katie has, this has also been shown by her time spent on the Framers Committee for the Fine Art Trade Guild. Using the experience Kaite has gained to help improve the overall standards for Picture Framing.

Katie is a universaty graduate with a degree in fine art, along with being an artist/sculptor herself. Working with customers to help create the perfect look for the home using mountboard design and colour matching to ensure that the artwork can be put pride of place. As an artist Kaite understands the connection between artist and artwork, offering the best options for artists to have their work framed in a way that allows the work to be shown off in the best way possible.

Peter

Peter is one of the founding partners for Towngate Framing and has helped shape the company into what it is today. With years of experience in the industry as a picture framer and an artist.

Peter has worked with the Fine Art Trade Guild for many years and continues to do so running a couple of its key projects. He has also been Members Warden and Master of the Fine Art Trade Guild, using his knowledge and experience to help shape and bring standards that will ensure artwork is kept safe for many years to come.

Peters love of art has always been with him from a child and the fine art market has always been a place he has been destined to be. As a fine art miniaturist he is a member of the RMS, Hilliard Society and also the Guild Society of Artists, and continues to provide support in any way that he can, even supporting a couple of the committees.