We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Chris Kirkegaard. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Chris below.

Chris, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. To kick things off, we’d love to hear about things you or your brand do that diverge from the industry standard

I like to encourage my clients to participate in the process of making pieces of History, referencing the beauty, integrity and craftsmanship of the past as a foundation for our project together. Variables for a frame can come about through discussion of their travel, museums they’ve visited and seen something remarkable, or even a favorite author or book. I don’t burden the design session with this, just a quick chance to hear how they describe details, etc. I think it’s important that the client shows up in the design and it’s surprising how much of the final look is accomplished by them just sharing some favorite memories.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

One of the most powerful motivators in the development of my craft has been my passion for the historical relevance for picture frames. I sought out the industry mainly for practical reasons as I was an Art Studio graduate and thought it wise to learn how to take care of my future framing needs. Quickly, I discovered the world of traditional frame making through examples I’d come across in museums, galleries, etc. The obvious beauty and sophistication of the pieces captivated my attention and I found myself researching pathways towards developing the necessary skills for the trade. Wonder, mixed with no small bit of doubt, propelled me to dive deeper into the dedicated skills I now possess. Today, 35yrs. into the business, I can see that my constant attention to the excellence of the past, as well as continuing to invest in my skills, has allowed me to differentiate my work from the rest of the field.
Even my most contemporary designs have an edited simplicity that is derived from the past. That said, to have a viable Art related business in the modern world is the challenge. I prioritize taking my client on a bit if a journey with each frame, making sure to also be direct in the process. The work ends up representing the higher end of the industry but my clients come from all walks.

Have you ever had to pivot?

In my first 5 yrs. of business I was buried in a partnership… with a friend , of course. While we both had the desire to be successful, my partner had different ideas for the shop. Where I found myself regularly redoubling my passion and commitment for a higher craft, he was content with a more convenient product. It became confusing to our clientele as to how to access the services they preferred. I was truly conflicted and confused about how to remedy the situation. Discussions regarding the direction of our business and the amount of extra work I was putting in, led to the feeling that I was somehow being disloyal or overly aggressive. An impasse was soon reached. In my 28 yr. old “wisdom”, I decided that I would leave the business and enroll in a Teaching Credential program I had always kept in my back pocket as an escape plan. I enrolled, attended the first day of orientation, and had an epiphany – I would open my own shop. I would overcome my sense of betrayal of the partnership and become the competition. I would hope that our friendship would survive, but I wouldn’t walk away from my bourgeoning passion. I notified the galleries and art dealers I had come to know (many that were true friendships at this point) to let them know I’d be moving on and opening my own shop. I soon got a call from one dealer asking if I would meet him for lunch the next week. I remember being terrified on my way – imagining the rebuke in store for my selfishness. I walked through the door, at a big round table sat all the faces I thought I’d dread to see. Dealers and gallerists were laughing and talking and gesturing for me to sit down. They took turns ribbing me about my fear of going out on my own and “disrupting” the normal flow we all had together. Each one told me a similar story about their experience with mentors or partners. It was the one thing they all had in common and why we were all now gathered at that table. It took a minute to absorb the truth that was in front of me. With nothing but confidence and good will in their advice, they simply explained how they couldn’t wait for the two competing shops to fight for their business. Pricing, turnaround, etc. I started to get it! Also, I realized that I wouldn’t miss the opportunity to show them in full force why I needed to start my own business.

Has your business ever had a near-death moment? Would you mind sharing the story?

The 2008 financial crisis was very nearly the end for my business, things were spiraling for so many people. My clientele consisted of gallerists, independent art dealers, private collectors, interior designers and of course, living artists. I could see each spoke of my business wheel starting to snap. I had been renting an old hardwood mill, a beautiful 4,000 sq.’ shop, for 12 yrs. and employed 7 people. Overnight night it seemed as if the orders stopped coming in and we were just plowing through existing work. As the months went by, I realized my days were numbered in terms of the overhead I was representing . I spoke with my landlords who lived on the property about breaking my mid-term lease and immediately started looking for a smaller space. Things were certainly becoming available as people were closing up shop. Also at this time, I spoke with several galleries about what might be in store for the near future. We laid out plans to extend terms all around so that we could all keep working. We shared many of the same clients in the community and some capitalized on the chance to initiate dormant projects (with favorable rates) that they otherwise might not have under different circumstances. With the promise of continued work secured, I approached my landlord to ask if there were any chance that I could negotiate my rent, lease, anything. Not surprisingly, I was on the hook for the lease. What did surprise me was that they agreed to let me pay for the remaining 2 months of my lease over the next year, with no interest. This enabled me to immediately procure a new smaller shop, keep my employees working – all with a fine reference from my landlord. No real “free lunch” in this story, just a few breaks that added up to surviving.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://c-kirkegaard.com
• Instagram: c.kirkegaardframes
• Facebook: chris kirkegaard