This is the second time I’ve ever arranged framing for one of my own paintings. The first was for a painting I had made on a beautiful piece of walnut wood. I had left part of the intricate wood pattern showing and wanted to do it justice with a frame. Ross, a local (Dundee) independent framer, was a name that kept popping up, so I went to see him at his workshop. I had thought I would go for something deep brown to match the wood, or black perhaps. I had no idea. This was my first time framing a piece, though I had received many photos of my paintings framed professionally by collectors - often in tray frames. Ross casually pulled out a piece of walnut wood and said he could make the frame to match the surface of the painting. It looked absolutely stunning and the painting sold before the exhibition even opened.

I always wanted to go back to Ross to frame another painting, but there never seemed to be the right opportunity. Often this is something a buyer would arrange to match their home. With lockdown lifting, I decided it was the right time and selected ‘From SOBO’. It is a painting that has been around since late 2019, but I had recently repainted in a dusky pink and bright red. It’s quite a strong piece, so I thought it could handle a heavy matte-black frame around it - something bold, yet suitable for different rooms and tastes.

Whilst it was being framed, Ross noticed my scribbles on the reverse and decided to make an open back frame to ensure it could be read. I was touched and suprised to see this thoughtful detail. I absolutely love it!

The scribbles refer to the title ‘From SOBO’. SOBO was the ship that my dad’s dad travelled on from Lagos, Nigeria to the UK to work as a Nurse in North London, where he met my granny. My dad showed me these documents last Christmas and I found it
so exciting! This painting (on African fabric) was inspired by thoughts
of my heritage and where it all began.

Feel free to get in touch if you would like to discuss framing for any of my paintings. I would be happy to arrange framing before sending the work out, or I could give you a few ideas to share with your local framer. It isn’t at all necessary, but certainly adds a lot to the painting - especially with those patterned edges that are such a familiar feature of my work.