Aah: that Titus.

It's LLB's second anniversary, but who's been getting all of the attention?

Titus!

Lately it's been ALL about Titus.

Titus is our chief style consultant and head of security at LLB.

He greets clients with a very (!) imposing "Woof!" (and some of even you get a "Woof-woof!")

and then he inspects you VERY-very carefully.

Stalking you throughout the store, he sniffs and snorts up every scent that lingers on your shoes, toes and pant legs. Dog smells are Mr. T's favorite, because (in case you did not know this yet and  I don't think he always realizes this) he is a dog -- and he LOVES other dogs. Small ones especially. He can sniff them out on you in 30 sec's. His tail starts going and his nose becomes ever so excited. Here goes the tail, back and forth, back and forth. 

At this point, you may look -- but you may not touch. He likes to tease.

Finally (yawn!) he graciously lets you pet him.

SCORE!

Once he is your friend, watch out. He can get VERY excited. 

And when he brings you his treasured stuffed bunny, you're really golden.

Well, he's made such a golden friend in local photographer Kay Taylor this year.

She is the magic eye behind his latest photographs and she coincidentally also met him through Facebook. They have a lot in common. They both love dressing up (dogs, that is), cupcakes and dachshunds, and they both love garden gnomes.

They are best friends now it seems.

Enough to make a mother jealous...

He sits for her like a little star.

He allows her to dress him up in frames....

... and VERY swanky eye wear...

(... and less swanky eye wear...)

... just like her own adorable dogs:

We have big plans for Titus. Stay tuned:)

And don't forget to visit his facebook page off and on, 

he loves new tall fur-less friends and he is always up to new shenanigans! 

See you soon!

xoxo TITUS

(and Beate)

PS: Kay is available to take photos of your dogs as well!

Contact me at LLB for details, or simply visit her website. 

Ciao!

We love cards!

Yes, I am still a fan of snail mail!

Whenever I can I visit and purchase stamps from my little post office out in Whitehall because I am so afraid that one day "Poof!" in this virtual age it will be gone. I love to pull a hand written note from a friend out of my dust covered little mail box, and I get even more excited when it comes from overseas.

Yes, we need less paper in the world... but with all the instant messages and less bulk there also is that moment we forget about because we don't have anything tangible to hold on to and it just evaporates.

But a card! I love a good card. The process of picking it out. There is the thought that went into designing the card that you're passing along. The meaning of what you write inside it. The beauty of it. The sense of humor. Addressing it... sticking it in the mail... someone carrying it off and away... and then having someone on the other side of the country pick up that card again and sharing in what you wrote, connecting with you. Cards can be funny or deep or meaningful -- or just a little "Hello!". And often they can be really artistic. 

I have a whole big box of old cards (or they are displayed on my fridge) and every once in a while I dig around in that box and find people and memories I had put aside somewhere deep inside my busy head.

Cards spread joy. And sometimes you just need to spread some sass.

Or sweetness.

That's why I love carrying cards at LLB. And I've been so excited about what I've found over the past two years. This week I'm adding another wonderful company to our collection.

Cartolina Cards are designed by Fiona Richards in Canada. They are environmentally friendly and really artistic, beautiful and unique (just like our recent addition of Two Trick Pony). 

I mean, sometimes there is just the perfect card that says what you've JUST had on your mind:

Come check them out some time soon: I'm sure you too have someone who's dying to get some snail mail from you! Or, if you're a spring baby like me, everyone's birthday seems to be  happening right now (we like to hang out with other spring babies). We have lots of birthday cards!

We carry

Cartolina

Sheridan Avenue Studios

Pooch Cards

Casati Art Studio

Two Trick Pony

Cavallini

Riveting Notes

Lola & Bella

& more

So see you for some snail-mailin' soon! 

Beate & Titus

PS: You asked what? Of course there are Titus cards!

A day at "La Linea Bella !", photos by Amy Benoit.

Talented C-Ville photographer Amy Benoit spent the day at La Linea Bella last month. Even though she was under the weather, she was as cheerful and creative as always.

If you haven't been to La Linea Bella: It's Charlottesville's latest addition to a very eclectic group of really great framing galleries. We're lucky to have to much creative energy in one spot for all of these creative businesses to do their magic.

LLB opened her doors in May of 2011. I have a long history of love for framing. In fact, I've been framing for 20 years now. I graduated from the Corcoran College of Art & Design in Washington, D.C. in 1991, where I specialized in printmaking. When I returned to Charlottesville from a one year hiatus on the Outer Banks, framing was the perfect profession to sink my teeth into and I received my initial training at the oldest frame shop in Charlottesville.
I ended up managing another creative frame gallery here in Charlottesville, until in 2010 I decided to focus my energy on my own dream venue, La Linea Bella. It's been a great adventurous trip, a lot of diligent work -- and a lot of fun! In January of this year I took over and expanded into the old "Mystery in  Common" place next door to me and I added a light filled gallery in the front of my new space, I am still in the process of hand finishing the floor in the gallery, it's a work of love in progress, just like everything else at LLB.
Atelier ONE @ LLB is to house art by new local or regional talent.
The rear houses my new expanded open workshop, which I am really excited about.

I look forward to the next 20 years of framing and art adventures and hope you'll join me along the way!

(La Linea Bella is now the home of LLB, Casati Art Studio and Atelier ONE @LLB.)

Amy Benoit, who came to follow me around the workshop this past month, has an amazing eye for color and a wonderful warm sense of humor. And she moves so quietly and quickly around you, you don't even know her keen eye is following you along the way.

Amy usually photographs sweet couples and wee ones, which makes working with her so much fun and so much less intimidating and explains her fresh eye and take on things.

It takes a lot for this busy-bee German to hold still long enough for any photograph. I think Amy captured the spirit of the entire venue so well. It's nice to see it from another view like this sometimes. Thank you Amy for a fantastic visit!

Cheers & Cin Cin to everyone else: to a fantastic 2013,

Beate

La Linea Bella !

Atelier ONE @ LLB:

Casati Art Studio:

In the background: my mascot, Luna the goat.

My companion: magical Titus the Teckel, head of security at LLB -- and chief stylist:

See you soon!!!! Thanks for taking a peek!

Copyright 2013 La Linea Bella ! Fantastic Framing & Art, Charlottesville, VA

Happy Hump Day!

Did you know? 

In China, purple represents spiritual awareness, physical and mental healing, strength and 

abundance. A red purple  symbolizes luck and fame. 

The Chinese word for purple, zi, is connected with the North Star, Polaris, or zi Wei in 

Chinese.

In Japan, purple is the color of privilege and wealth, the color associated with the Japanese

 aristocracy. The word for purple is murasaki, which is also the name of the wisteria flower.

In Europe and America, purple is the color most associated with individualism.

Well, there you have it! At LLB we do love purple... among all the other wonderful colors 

out there. 

Ciao! 

LLB January/February update.

Well, we are finally finished moving in!

The expansion was a success and our new gallery (Atelier ONE) is scheduled to open on 
February 8th from 5 - 7:30 p.m.. 
I hope you will be able to join us! 

My plans to convert the beautiful lightfilled extra space adjacent to our showroom into a working studio/gallery for local artist Stephen Endres changed on New Year's via mutual agreement (great time for new beginnings!), and we both found wonderful new options, mine being the conversion of the space into a gallery for those artists who have been asking me since I opened to show their work. Steve has moved into Firefish Gallery on the Downtown Mall and I wish him the best of luck and success! His work is wonderful, I have worked with him for over 15 years and he left me with a gorgeous set of sketches: I highly recommend him for custom portraits!

Our first artist is Rachel Bush, a talented botanical illustrator who lives in Esmont. She will exhibit her work alongside some wood works by Fred Dodson of Blue River Woodworking.
Fred is actually my neighbor on Allied Street: he's one of those talented McIntire Plaza craftsmen I've been telling everyone about and I'm really excited to be able to share some of his work with you.

Our showroom has a fresh coat of paint and has been brightened immensely by the addition of those large windows in the gallery. We've finally converted the old shower in the corner. As you might know, La Linea Bella! is located inside the old Virginia Tile location and we've inherited all of their beautiful tile work ... along with that model shower, which is now a beautiful nook for favorite-moulding display.

Titus has moved his office (and his countless toys) over into the new sunny section of LLB and is enjoying the gallery as a running track and ball-chasing-field. His favorite place to lounge: the center of the large star I painted on the gallery floor. Go figure.

Our workroom has expanded immensely as well (yay, room for more equipment!) and I have added some art, and Jon and I are so excited to have this new light & energy filled space to work in!
My own studio has moved into the rear of LLB so I may start working on my art again.

I finally got around to designing and building that lovely antiqued jewelry cabinet for our beautiful KiraKira jewelry (Suzanne was quite excited to see it): I am adding more photo frames and have come to realize how much fun it is to work on wedding photos and mementos after I got to work on friends' and clients' new and vintage pieces this year. So I have added a page to my website to help with questions and inspiration.

KiraKira Bridal and Spring Jewelry.

Roma LAVO (available in ready-mades or custom frames.)

I look forward to seeing everyone on February 8th for the opening and celebration of our new space. Rachel has even made arrangements for some classical guitar music for us. This is her first show: she is super talented and we are very excited for her!

Thank you to my wonderful "wing man" Randy (man with angel wings, that is) who helped me with the muscle-work of knocking out walls and moving tables. Without his help... well, I don't know what I'd have done. 

I look forward to an exciting 2013 full of creative projects.

Thank you all for a wonderful 2012!

See you soon!

Beate (and Titus!)

Progress!

I've been busy painting our new digs: Titus has been helping me of course, and things are starting to take shape.

I'm really excited about all the light we have in our new space.

As usual, things are taking a tiny bit longer than planned, but the excitement propels us every morning to drive into town and jump right back into action.

I'm planning to re-open around January 7th, if everything goes according to plan. In the midst of this all the projects have just kept rolling in, so I expect another busy year in 2013.

Thanks to all our friends again for all of our fantastic adventures in framing in 2012! It was an exciting year that led to the decision to expand La Linea Bella! -- and to move my own studio back into town.

Plans for the front of the new space are also starting to take shape, and we have our first art show at LLB planned for February.

Stay tuned for details, and we will see you soon!

Beate & Titus

Atelier 1 & Atelier 2 -- coming in January:

Things are taking shape. I am beyond the mind boggling stage of what-ifs and everything is falling into place.
We are officially moving and expanding into the adjacent space on Allied Street!

 The front of the new store will house a working gallery/studio occupied by Stephen Endres, a Master Portrait Artist based in Charlottesville. You'll be able to visit him there, see his new work, and follow his creative progress. His work & skills are awesome, I think you'll really enjoy his studio. He'll be there by appointment or by chance, your pick.

The rear of the new space will house our expanding workshop and I myself will move my studio into the back of the main part of La Linea Bella so I can start working on your commissions and other art again -- and catch up on some one-on-one time with the other side of my brain.

We're really excited and are looking forward to putting the connecting doorways back in.
(Thanks in advance to my wonderful & skilled other half who has been by my side helping me plan this move and who has graciously agreed to aid in the remodeling process!)

All of these buildings on Allied were connected at some time and you can completely tell that they are beckoning to be re-connected. There is a tremendous creative energy over in this area, I hope you'll come and check it out some time. Word is that there is a great new consignment clothing store moving next door (Welcome Melissa!) to join the rest of the creative clan at McIntire Plaza.

More info to follow as we begin moving and expanding the gallery.

Happy Holidays! Much work to do, rolling up my sleeves.
Growth and more (creative) growth. Always a welcome thing!

Beate