When you are passionate about your chosen profession, it shows in the work you do.
This is clearly the case for Nicole Schultz and Jennifer White of Fringe Custom Framing and Gallery. A team with an eye for the abstract, they’re connected to the world of art not only by their gallery but also through their passion for the industry of fine art, and through their love for outside-the-box perspectives as well as their individual creative expertise. Founded in 2014 in the heart of Hyde Park village (on the ‘fringe’ of the city of London), Fringe has had an exceptional two years, growing and evolving into what is now a fully-curated commercial gallery space. The gallery, which used to offer space for artists to rent, is now open to all artist submissions; any received by the gallery are then thoroughly curated before being accepted. White and Schultz have worked tirelessly to curate an inspiring collection, and are proud to represent several regional artists whose work can be found at the gallery.
Much of the work that is shown at Fringe is of the abstract genre, and is of high quality. Schultz and White work mostly with career artists whose rich experience can be seen clearly in their work. The sheer size of the gallery – 4300 square feet – allows for a diversity of exhibits and events – everything from large-scale parties and artist receptions to extensive exhibits of works by the likes of Thomas Ackermann and Jack Winn. Both utilized the uniqueness of the space in their respective showcases of large abstract works, some of which measured 12’ x 7.’ There isn’t anywhere else in the city that can accommodate exhibits of this magnitude, so Schultz and White are glad to remain open about the possibilities of the gallery’s use – or to keep thinking outside the box, you could say.
“We’re working to align what we do with our name, Fringe, by choosing edgier art pieces to showcase and using bolder designs in framing.”
The other side of this local masterpiece is, of course, the framing business that resides within the gallery. Fringe custom cuts each order as it comes in, along with glass and mats, as opposed to stocking pre-cut framing. They’ve established over 700 mouldings for clients to choose from and have worked hard to seek out new and different framing collections unique to the space. To create a truly incomparable piece, clients can add hand-crafted features to their frameworks, such as hand-painted mats, printed spacers in shadow boxes, and hand-painted frames, among many other options.
Schultz and White have had a steady interest in the space from the community, considering everything from business functions and wine-and-paint events to yoga. “We’re excited to move into a new realm with the gallery and continue to show how the space can be multi-functional while still supporting local artists.” It seems that living their passion on the fringe is definitely working out.
FRINGE CUSTOM FRAMING & GALLERY
1742 Hyde Park Road
London Ontario
fringecf@rogers.com
519.204.0404
www.fringecustomframingandgallery.com