was visiting Four Corners frame shop talking with owner, Charlene Gardner when a lady dropped by with a photograph of her family. She pulled out her photo. Within minutes, Charlene handled the photograph as if it were a treasured masterpiece - and then competently assembled a stack of six frame samples to try. All looked really good. Then with a confidence born of 20 years matting experience, she casually flipped through a thick pile of whites and chose a color that perfectly complemented the photo’s shading.

While Charlene was busy with her client, I decided to look around. Having fun just looking at frames and mats to see what looked best. I couldn’t resist playing with many of the hundreds available, from burled to embossed to metal to distressed finishes.

I soon realized that the art of framing was an awesome responsibility. I wondered, is there a rule of thumb for how wide a frame should be in relation to the photo? Likewise, when it comes to choosing a mat, which of the 20 shades of White - Snow? Antique? Arctic? - would look best?

The value of matting and framing a piece of art is an intense decision. Choosing the colors and textures that will complement each other and that is desirable to the eye. That is why Charlene insists on a home visit with most of her clients. She likes to get a feel for certain elements and architectural lines in the room where the piece will be displayed.

Charlene says she loves to see the different treasures people have, and help them get a good vision of how it should be shown off.

She also creates custom mirror designs for baths, hallways and bedrooms. She also suggests the use of frame molding for architectural home accents such as doors and windows.

Some of the pieces that Charlene has worked with have been highlighted in Architectural Digest, Carolina Homes and many of the local galleries.

The trained and experienced staff at Four Corners are familiar with the proper treatments for all mediums of art. Their combination of implied lines and color seem to hold a piece together and add interest and beauty.

Another service Four Corners offers is photographic restoration, providing repair to damaged photos. What starts out as a flawed family photograph ends up becoming a high quality finished product.

Four Corners frame shop has been in Bluffton for eight years and has recently moved to the historical downtown area on May River Road next to Stock Farm Antiques.

Charlene speaks the vocabulary of fine art picture framing and speaks it fluently.

Charlene and all the staff at Four Corners would like to extend an open invitation for all the community to help celebrate the new location of her shop. Please stop by Saturday, December third from eleven o’clock until five o’clock. This will be right after the Bluffton Christmas Parade and refreshments will be served. Charlene looks forward to everyone coming on by and having a good time.

Happy Holidays!