About
Light Rail Street Construction
We are open during Light Rail street construction!
As the construction for the Light Rail continues, we remain open with access to our parking lot and our front door being maintained for our customers. Call before you head over for the most up to date directions based on what streets or intersections are closed or blocked. Your GPS will not get you to our door, but our instructions will! Call 651-291-8820 and we will guide you in. Don't let the heavy equipment or the barricades scare you off! The workers will move out of your way if you ask them. Just tell them you are coming to Master Framers or the Wine Shop. They have been very helpful.
Our Story
Master Framers Inc. was established in 1959 as a full service studio workshop specializing in the design and creation of fine handcrafted picture and mirror frames. In 1974 the company became an anchor in the historic artist community known as Lowertown, a vibrant and growing area in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota. Our staff of professional artists and framers offers over 145 years of combined experience in custom framing, gilding and restoration services. Our showroom is open to all, Monday through Friday, 9 to 6, and we are happy to offer evening appointments during the week. Just call in advance to schedule one with any of our award winning designers.
Our Mission Statement: To be the premiere custom framing and restoration facility in the Midwest by providing the highest quality of craftsmanship available from design concept to completed project by building a relationship with our customers based on knowledge, respect, integrity and trust.
Our Staff
The Master Framers Staff
Our talented staff has over 145 years of combined experience in the framing industry. Roger Nielsen, the owner of the business, who along with Janet Hawn (production manager and lead finisher) developed the business into a leading custom frame and restoration studio in the country. Sue Davis joined the company in 1988, with 12 years experience behind her and a widely known reputation for creative frame design and problem solving. Between these three, there are a number of national and local framing awards. And, all three claim the CPF recognition, meaning they are Certified Picture Framers, having passed a difficult exam required to gain this recognition.
Andrew Webster has been with Master Framers since 1998, and is a key member of the staff in that he can float from the front shop (where he cuts mats, mounts art, is the ruler of the ruling pen and creates fantastic french mats) to the back shop (where he gilds and finishes many of the custom frames).
John Spielman joined the staff in 2006 with a background in interior design. He is our "nit picker" who works on all the frame restoration projects. An excellent detail person, he can piece together all the tiny fragments of a broken frame and finish the repairs to match the rest.
Kevin Kolleth is the newest addition to the crew, coming to us in 2007 after working at at the Detroit Museum of Art, the Walker Art Center and other companies where he gained valuable wood working experience. Kevin mills all of our frames, builds them and does some of the prep work needed to ensure a sucessful finish. Often in a cloud of sawdust, Kevin is a tedious craftsman where second best is not good enough.
The photo, in the front row are Roger and Kevin. In the back row are John, Drew, Sue and Janet.