Local picture framer follows Andy Warhol’s prediction and gets 3 minutes closer to his 15 minutes of fame! Jan Marion of H. Marion Framing Studio recently participated in a promotional video for Tru Vue’s Museum Glass® Feeds America program, through which H. Marion Framing will help generate up to $25,000 in donations for Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief charity. Customers will have a chance to win up to $500 in-store, or $150 in Discount Certificates toward future art & framing purchases at H. Marion Framing Studio. (more…)

H. Marion Framing Reaches Out To Creative Talent Of Local Junior High School

H. Marion Framing Studio, the North Shore’s premier art consulting and framing business, is hosting an art exhibition at its Wilmette location in the Edens Plaza Shopping Center for one night only on Thursday, March 12, 2009, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. But the artists there can’t stay too long: they’ve got homework.

More than 80 Marie Murphy Junior High students from the Avoca School District No. 37 will have an exciting opportunity to bring their artwork from the classroom to the showroom for all the public to view. Community members are invited to stop in the store and peruse this eclectic, original collection.

“This is a great way to give back to the community,” says gallery co-owner Jan Marion, who opened the chain’s second location in late fall ’08. “The kids are the real stars of the show.”

Jan Marion and his creative team of art consultants are known for giving back to the local community. In today’s scholastic world, where gym and art are typically the first programs cut from a budget, Marion realizes it’s more important than ever to foster art appreciation among schoolchildren.

Stay posted for information on upcoming art exhibitions at both H. Marion locations in Wilmette and Glenview, IL. - subscribe to our blog!

before renovation

When we first considered leasing the retail space in Wilmette, we were challenged by the expansive wall of windows that took up nearly 40% of the pie-shaped store. We required more display space than our walls offered and so we were challenged to come up with an efficient & user-friendly way to display not only our gallery of framed artwork, but thousands of frame moulding samples as well. We solved this problem in a successful and space-efficient manner: by developing an innovative system that incorporates stacked, hanging panels which slide open to reveal additional layers of fabulous frame mouldings.

With just 815 sq. ft. of space, the new H. Marion Framing location is highly illuminated, with two walls of natural light beaming through the heavily windowed store. These unique features allowed us to implement a dramatic, yet neutral color sheme, and to employ unconventional hanging systems and display easels to effectively showcase a range of artwork sans the walls on which to diplay it. This method of layering creates the illusion of a much deeper and more spacious showroom than actually exists.

“We’ve made creative use of a small space,” explains Marion, “the new store is as visually striking as it is user-friendly. We succeeded in creating a design that showcases our beautiful collections of moulding and gallery of fine art in a way that is inviting from any angle, either from within the store or to window-shoppers and passers-by.” The space is itself, a work of art.

Serving the design needs of the North Shore since 1973, H. Marion Framing first opened up its doors in Wilmette, but moved its operations to other northern suburbs. Now, Marion has circled back to the company’s roots and couldn’t be happier. “It’s a really beautiful space; we’ve risen to the occasion in designing the new store and I can’t wait to share it with the people in my hometown.” says Marion.

Clients trust H. Marion Framing Studios because of employees’ artistic knowledge, use of conservation framing techniques and superior end-product. Regarded as an industry leader in every sense, H. Marion Framing Studios are committed to satisfying their customers no matter what challenges arise.

by John Oberlin

H. Marion Framing took a step out of season, so to say, when the Glenview, Illinois-based art consultant and procurer began selecting healing images for a cardiac rehabilitation facility expansion at St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin. The views of nature seen through the limited editions, prints, woodblocks, etchings, giclées, photography, and watercolor originals reflect the local region’s natural seasonal cycle and culture.

Jan Marion, president of H. Marion, wanted to show more than life at the pinnacle of its growth: a tree full of green leaves or a flower in full bloom. He wanted the whole process of life: “Typically when we do healthcare, our images are signs of life. It’s a tree with leaves on it, not a bare tree in the dead of winter. However, within this facility, we weren’t afraid to illustrate the four seasons. It’s a natural part of the cycle there.”

Read the full article in Healthcare Design Magazine’s Feb. ’08 issue