A photograph, a letter in their handwriting, medals or a small object can be framed in memory of a person. Paper is hinged on acid-free board and objects are held with no glue.
We frame things kept in memory of a person: a photograph, a letter or a recipe in their handwriting, medals, a funeral card, a watch, a pair of glasses, a pin. Paper items are framed flat behind a mat, a border of card with an opening. Objects go in a shadow box, a frame built as a shallow box so that items with thickness fit behind the front sheet. Every mount described here can be undone, so each item can be taken out later in the state it went in. The work is done at 1242 Davie Street.
Handwriting and paper
A letter, a recipe card or a signed card may be the only example of a person's handwriting that a family has. Pen ink fades in daylight, pencil smudges when anything rubs it, and old paper turns brown where it touches acidic board. The sheet is hinged: small tabs of thin paper hold its top edge to the backing, and the rest of the sheet hangs free. The backing and the mat are acid-free, made so they stay free of the acid that browns paper. No tape or glue goes on the sheet.
We recommend UV glazing for anything handwritten. Glazing means the sheet of glass or acrylic at the front of the frame, and UV glazing filters ultraviolet light, the part of daylight that fades ink fastest. A recipe card with kitchen stains can be framed as it is, with the stains. Our page on letter and family document framing covers two-sided sheets and fragile paper.
A drawing made by hand is framed with the same care as a letter: acid-free board, UV glazing and nothing stuck to the work. Ethereal Duet is a coloured pencil drawing on artboard, 70 by 50 cm, of two hummingbirds among orange and pink flowers.
A medal hangs from its ribbon, and the ribbon is held by stitches or a hidden support behind it. A watch rests in a well, a hole cut to its shape in the board, or is held by thread loops around the strap. Glasses are held at the bridge and the arms by thread loops. A ring or a pin is held by a small loop. No item is drilled, bent or glued. The box is built to the depth of the thickest item, and spacers, thin strips under the edge of the frame, hold the glazing away. Service medals have their own page, medal framing.
One frame, or a set for the family
Several items can share one frame: a photograph in the centre, a letter beside it and medals below. When several relatives each want a frame, a matching set is another way. Each frame holds a print of the same photograph with a different item, or a copy of the same letter, in the same moulding and mat. Moulding is the shaped length of wood or metal a frame is cut from. A print shop can make the copies, and the original then goes in one of the frames or stays stored flat in the dark.
A matching set is easiest with pieces of one size. Midnight Sanctuary, an oil on canvas of a small church beside a pine tree in snow, is 30 by 40 cm, and several small paintings in our gallery share that size.
A funeral card is small and printed on both sides. It can be mounted so the side with the photograph and the dates faces forward, or two copies can show both sides. A folded order of service can be shown closed, or opened flat at the page you choose.
Where to hang it
Choose a wall that gets no direct sun and is away from a kitchen or a bathroom, where steam makes paper ripple. A hallway, or a wall beside a window, gets less direct light than a wall that faces a window.
What changes the cost
The outer size, the number of openings in the mat, the depth of the box when objects are included, the glazing and the moulding. A set of matching frames is quoted frame by frame. You get the quote at the counter, after the layout is agreed and before any work starts.
What to bring or send
Bring the items you are considering, with paper kept flat in a folder. You can choose at the counter which items go in. If you live outside Vancouver, send a photograph of the items and the size of each. A frame in memory of a pet is covered under pet memorial framing, and the method for objects under shadow box framing.
Walk in at 1242 Davie Street during opening hours. Enter your email on this page for a 10% framing code to show at the shop, and see custom framing for everything else we frame.
How it works
1
Bring it in, or send photographs
Walk in to 1242 Davie Street during opening hours. If you are not in Vancouver, send the dimensions and a photograph and we will work from that.
2
We look at the actual piece
What it is made of, what condition it is in, and where it is going to hang all change the answer. You get a straight recommendation and a price for your piece, not a rate card.
3
It is made by hand and fitted
Cut to the piece, using conservation materials, and finished with hanging hardware rated for the actual weight.
Common questions
What can be framed in memory of a person?
A photograph, a handwritten letter or recipe, medals, a funeral card and small personal objects such as a watch, glasses or a pin can be framed in memory of a person. Paper items are framed flat behind a mat, and objects go in a shadow box with depth. Several items can share one frame, each on its own mount with no glue.
Will a handwritten letter from a relative fade in a frame?
A handwritten letter from a relative fades more slowly behind UV glazing, on a wall away from direct sun. Pen ink reacts to daylight as time passes. If the letter is the only one you have, a print shop can copy it at full size. You can then frame the copy and keep the original flat in an acid-free folder in a drawer.
Can a recipe card with stains on it be framed as it is?
Yes, a recipe card with stains on it can be framed as it is. The card is hinged at its top edge to acid-free board, with no glue, and the stains and worn corners stay visible. A mat can cover a torn edge or leave the whole card showing. That choice is made at the counter with the card in front of you.
Can several family members each have a matching memorial frame?
Yes, several family members can each have a matching memorial frame. Each frame uses the same moulding and the same mat, with a print of the same photograph or a copy of the same letter. A print shop makes the copies. One frame can hold the original, or the original can be stored flat in the dark while every frame holds a copy.
How is a watch or a pair of glasses held in a memorial frame?
A watch or a pair of glasses is held in a memorial frame by loops of fine thread that pass around it and through the board behind. A watch can also rest in a well cut to its shape. No glue or drilling is used, so the object lifts out when the threads are cut. The box is built to the depth of the thickest object.
Can a funeral card be framed so both sides are seen?
A funeral card can be framed so both sides are seen when you bring two copies. One copy shows each side, and the two lie next to each other behind two openings in one mat. With a single copy, one side faces forward and the other lies against the board. The card can be taken out later, because no glue holds it.
Where is the best place to hang a memorial frame at home?
The best place to hang a memorial frame at home is a wall that gets no direct sun and is away from steam. Daylight fades photographs and handwriting, and damp air makes paper ripple. A hallway, a study or a bedroom wall beside the window suits it. UV glazing adds protection on any wall you choose.
10% off your custom framing when you show this code at our shop
We frame, stretch canvas and reframe by hand, in our own workshop inside the gallery at
1242 Davie Street. Enter your email and your code appears right here. Show it at the
counter and we take 10% off the job. The code does not expire.
Send the measurements, what it is made of, and a photograph. We will tell you what it actually needs, including when the answer is that it needs less than you expected.
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In-shop offer · 1242 Davie Street, Vancouver
Get 10% off your framing at our shop
Add your name and email and your code appears on the next screen. Show it at the counter
and we take 10% off any framing, stretching or reframing job you bring us. It does not
expire.
Exceptional Service and a Truly Memorable Art Purchase
I had a wonderful experience with Van Art Hub Gallery. I came across two pieces by Melina Ghaemi — *Mad Mirrors* and *Small World in the Hands of a Stranger* — and immediately fell in love with them.
I contacted Van Art Hub Gallery, and they were incredibly helpful throughout the entire process, from arranging the payment to organizing the shipping. At first, I was a little skeptical and nervous about how everything would work, especially since the paintings were still in Iran and it was shortly after the war. But the gallery handled everything with such professionalism and care that my concerns quickly disappeared. Amazingly, they were able to get the paintings to Canada in just two days!
The pieces are absolutely captivating. Even when I picked them up from the frame maker and was simply carrying them to my car, several people stopped and asked me about the paintings. That says a lot about how striking and special Melina Ghaemi’s work is.
A big thank you to Van Art Hub Gallery for making this experience so smooth and enjoyable. I truly appreciated their professionalism, communication, honesty, and integrity throughout the entire process. I would happily work with them again and highly recommend them to anyone interested in purchasing art through the gallery.
I got my order today and your work is really good. I didn’t expect to get a certificate for this painting, it was a surprise. Thanks for caring about small details.
The support team was really helpful and followed up nicely, wich I really appreciated. The painting is just like the photo – great quality and very detalied. I just wish it arrived a bit sooner, but honestly it was worth the wait.
I received my painting today. The support team was great and very responsive. The artwork is exactly what I was hoping for – even more beautifull in person. Truly a valuable piece. I’ll definetely order again. Thank you!
