I got my love for art from my mother who was an artist, but I got my start from a friend who was an artist in NYC, who taught me the principles of conservation picture framing. After I graduated from high school my mother and I moved to Winston Salem. At an art fair, I met a teacher from Wake Forest University that wanted nearly 35 frames. Working in the basement, the order was completed, delivered and installed. At age 19, my first business was born. Quickly I discovered I needed more space and rented the attic of an old townhouse in downtown Winston-Salem. My business continued to grow and as I bought more equipment I rented the entire townhouse and hired an employee. “Jesse’s Frame Shop” had a full line of conservation and custom framing services. Clients included Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art, Reynolds Tobacco Company, Modern Chevrolet, Hyatt House Hotel, along with artists, designers, and collectors. Ten years later I sold the custom picture framing shop to my employee.

In 1988 I established Fine Art Framing to provide framing services to galleries, frame shops, and professional artists.  One gallery with a demand for floater frames inspired me to design my first custom depth floater frame. I went on to design a unique collection of hardwood frames that are all handcrafted and finished.  Later there was a demand for gold leaf accents on hardwood frames, so I then taught myself the art of gold leafing.

I moved FAF into a woodworker’s co-op in Raleigh, NC in 2006 where I had access to new woodworking equipment.  During the eight years with the other woodworkers, I learned a variety of new skills for producing and finishing, perfecting my line of hand-made picture frames.

Early in 2014 my wife, Stephanie, and I purchased land just outside of Raleigh in Franklin Country, North Carolina.  We built a new workshop which improved efficiency and production.  Additional equipment was purchased with capabilities to transform raw lumber into completely finished picture frames giving me complete control of the final product.

We just moved into the new house that we built next to our shop. The commute to work now is across the driveway. The house is a modular home; my wife and I did the interior. We welcome visitors whenever you happen to be in the area.