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Focus on: Miranda Smith, Gallery 360
September 22, 2014 By Jennifer Kruger
Miranda Smith
Miranda Smith has worked on a sheep ranch, at a zoo, and in retail, but has found her niche as a custom picture framer and as owner and director of Gallery 360 in Perth, Australia.
One of Australia’s largest independent framers of prints, photographs, artworks, documents, and objects, and a provider of wholesale framing for retailers and photographers, Gallery 360 is the Australian license holder for the Diasec Acrylic mounting process for photographic images. Fujiflex, metallic photos, photo rag, cibachrome and all other photo papers are suited to the process, which creates a durable bond between a print or transparency and high-quality acrylic glass, without smears or blisters. Photographs and digital images up to 2 x 3 metres can be mounted without borders, eliminating the need for a traditional picture frame. According to Miranda, Diasec is the preferred mounting method for many of the world’s top fine art photographers and galleries.
The gallery also has a digital wide-format printer, capable of printing on media up to 42 inches wide; and uses long lasting pigment ink.
Miranda joined the Professional Picture Framers Association (PPFA) – a PMA member association – while an employee of the Gallery. “Having been a member of various professional associations throughout my career, I know the importance and value of belonging to a respected industry association,” she says. “The education and networking possibilities are extremely useful in growing our business. Clients definitely feel confident when passing their items to us, when they see our PPFA membership.”
She attended the PPFA 2010 Convention in Anaheim, held in conjunction with the PMA Convention. “I was amazed at the variety and quality of the speakers,” she says. “I left the event with the mixed feeling of a ‘newbie’ – delighted at all the information I had picked up from classes, and frustrated that I ran out of time to attend all the classes I wanted.” She has attended every year since her first Convention.
In 2009, Miranda joined the committee of the Australia/New Zealand PPFA Chapter and established regular education and networking evenings for other PPFA members in her State. In 2010 she became National Vice-Chair, and held this position for three years. She remains a committee member. “You only get out of the Association, what you put in, so I try to ensure interesting events occur and make contributions to newsletters,” she says.
Miranda became a PPFA Certified Picture Framer (CPF) in 2011. “Studying for the CPF exam was absolutely the best way for me to learn the tried and tested methods of providing the best framing techniques and materials for my clients”, she says. “It increased my passion for the industry and my thirst to constantly learn more. I’m the first and only CPF in Western Australia. My customers like to learn that I have this certification and as word got around, I got lots of referrals because of this.”
The Gallery 360 team has been together for a long time; over 12 of the staff has been working there for 25 to 30 years. The front gallery team is generally separate from the production team. “This enables everyone to concentrate either on sales or production and be trained to a high level in their specialist area,” she explains. “Our sales team does spend some training time in the production area, to gain an understanding of the time and effort required to produce the work.”
Framing services are complemented by a collection of original artworks by local artists, reproductions, decorative wall art, mirrors and other specialized art services, including an art consultancy and valuation service for the corporate and residential market. Gallery 360 worked on the supply and installation of artwork and digital wallpaper at the Engineering faculty at Edith Cowan University in Perth. Artists were commissioned to produce original work, which the gallery staff combined with a range of canvas images used throughout the faculty’s offices, corridors and public areas.
Over the years, the gallery has framed many unusual items. “One of our clients is an entomologist and we framed an active termites nest – that’s a challenge,” Miranda says. “We did the measurements offsite as we did not want termites in our moulding stock!”
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FULL PRESS RELEASE...
September 22, 2014 By Jennifer Kruger
Miranda Smith
Miranda Smith has worked on a sheep ranch, at a zoo, and in retail, but has found her niche as a custom picture framer and as owner and director of Gallery 360 in Perth, Australia.
One of Australia’s largest independent framers of prints, photographs, artworks, documents, and objects, and a provider of wholesale framing for retailers and photographers, Gallery 360 is the Australian license holder for the Diasec Acrylic mounting process for photographic images. Fujiflex, metallic photos, photo rag, cibachrome and all other photo papers are suited to the process, which creates a durable bond between a print or transparency and high-quality acrylic glass, without smears or blisters. Photographs and digital images up to 2 x 3 metres can be mounted without borders, eliminating the need for a traditional picture frame. According to Miranda, Diasec is the preferred mounting method for many of the world’s top fine art photographers and galleries.
The gallery also has a digital wide-format printer, capable of printing on media up to 42 inches wide; and uses long lasting pigment ink.
Miranda joined the Professional Picture Framers Association (PPFA) – a PMA member association – while an employee of the Gallery. “Having been a member of various professional associations throughout my career, I know the importance and value of belonging to a respected industry association,” she says. “The education and networking possibilities are extremely useful in growing our business. Clients definitely feel confident when passing their items to us, when they see our PPFA membership.”
She attended the PPFA 2010 Convention in Anaheim, held in conjunction with the PMA Convention. “I was amazed at the variety and quality of the speakers,” she says. “I left the event with the mixed feeling of a ‘newbie’ – delighted at all the information I had picked up from classes, and frustrated that I ran out of time to attend all the classes I wanted.” She has attended every year since her first Convention.
In 2009, Miranda joined the committee of the Australia/New Zealand PPFA Chapter and established regular education and networking evenings for other PPFA members in her State. In 2010 she became National Vice-Chair, and held this position for three years. She remains a committee member. “You only get out of the Association, what you put in, so I try to ensure interesting events occur and make contributions to newsletters,” she says.
Miranda became a PPFA Certified Picture Framer (CPF) in 2011. “Studying for the CPF exam was absolutely the best way for me to learn the tried and tested methods of providing the best framing techniques and materials for my clients”, she says. “It increased my passion for the industry and my thirst to constantly learn more. I’m the first and only CPF in Western Australia. My customers like to learn that I have this certification and as word got around, I got lots of referrals because of this.”
The Gallery 360 team has been together for a long time; over 12 of the staff has been working there for 25 to 30 years. The front gallery team is generally separate from the production team. “This enables everyone to concentrate either on sales or production and be trained to a high level in their specialist area,” she explains. “Our sales team does spend some training time in the production area, to gain an understanding of the time and effort required to produce the work.”
Framing services are complemented by a collection of original artworks by local artists, reproductions, decorative wall art, mirrors and other specialized art services, including an art consultancy and valuation service for the corporate and residential market. Gallery 360 worked on the supply and installation of artwork and digital wallpaper at the Engineering faculty at Edith Cowan University in Perth. Artists were commissioned to produce original work, which the gallery staff combined with a range of canvas images used throughout the faculty’s offices, corridors and public areas.
Over the years, the gallery has framed many unusual items. “One of our clients is an entomologist and we framed an active termites nest – that’s a challenge,” Miranda says. “We did the measurements offsite as we did not want termites in our moulding stock!”
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FULL PRESS RELEASE...
