Narendra Chauhan
GCF Guild Commended Framer
Member OF The Fine Art Trade Guild

Narendra Chauhan of Spectrum Photos, Leicester is qualified as a Guild Commended Framer, and is one of the latest people to join the growing number of picture framers who have passed the GCF framing test. The qualification was launched at the end of 1994 to distinguish skilled framers from the semi-skilled and to provide the pubic with a recognised statement of excellence of both craftsmanship and service. To date over 900 framers have qualified both nationally and abroad. The scheme will raise the public’s awareness of standards in framing.

The GCF status is an acknowledgement of excellence awarded by The Fine Art Trade Guild, the UK’s picture industry’s trade association. Framers’ skills, both practical and theoretical, are examined rigorously by Guild Tester: three pictures previously-framed by the candidate are examined, candidates then carry out a number of complex tasks while observed by the tester and also complete a written paper. Framers that pass this test are true professionals and have had to work hard to achieve the necessary standards.

If you think that all there is to framing a picture is joining four pieces of wood think again! An inadequate framing job can damage artwork, sometimes irreversibly. For example, semi-skilled framers may not understand the scientific principles behind conversation framing so may inadvertently use materials that are acidic in nature which will gradually cause the artwork to go brown and the paper to weaken, and eventually the picture may literally fall apart. Many precious and valuable pieces of art have been damaged or prematurely aged dye to lack of knowledge and set of incorrect materials by certain framers. The Fine Art Trade Guild’s aim is to eradicate such practices and the GCF scheme will help achieve this important goal and educate people to expect a high standard of work.