Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, April 13, 1995 TAG: 9504200021
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: S-19 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LUCY LEE SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES &WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
This greeting from Delores "Dee" Watson's newsletter sounds as if it's from someone you know. She calls herself ``your personal framer'' and says she'll treat your art with love and appreciation.
``Bring us a childhood memory, and we'll turn it into a showpiece that you, your family, your friends and your child will cherish forever,'' she says.
Even her shop has a personal feel. It's that European-looking stone cottage with the gabled roof that's been on Franklin Road since 1930. It used to be The Pappagallo Shop and, more recently, an insurance office.
Inside, antiques - a music stand, small secretary, rocking chairs - and warm, Oriental rugs blend perfectly with the dark woodwork. The original gallery molding is still intact and is used to display a variety of art. All of the artwork in the three galleries is for sale, but each room has a rocking chair or small settee to encourage ``lots of gazing.''
Watson changes the exhibit in her main gallery monthly. In February, she had serigraphs by Americo Makk, miniatures by the Canadian artist Ingrid Hunt, and signed, limited-edition prints of the federal duck stamp.
South Carolina artist Bill Stroud, whose art probably is familiar to Roanokers who vacation at Carolina beaches, was featured in March. Watson also plans to emphasize local and regional art and will exhibit her own pencil drawings, watercolors and acrylics.
The large upstairs area is empty now, but it is an important part of her plan to offer children's art lessons. ``I don't care how much art they have in school,'' she said. ``They can always have more.''
Watson knows firsthand how important it is to provide outlets for children's natural creativity - she didn't have many such opportunities growing up. Her first exposure to art was through the University of Nebraska's free Saturday morning art classes for children in Lincoln, her hometown.
The main space in the shop is devoted to custom framing - the bread and butter of her business. A member of the Professional Picture Framers' Association, Watson worked at a local framing shop and did framing out of her home for several years. Her home occupation license did not permit customers to come to her home, so she spent a great deal of time picking up and delivering work. She soon found that this was not a cost-effective way to do business.
She said she decided to open her current business, ``to earn a living and to help with the grieving process'' after her husband, Gene Watson, an educational psychologist and founder of The Learning Place in Roanoke, died in 1990.
Shortly after his death, a friend asked, ``What did you do before you got married that you enjoyed?'' Her immediate answer was, ``Drawing.''
Watson began to draw and paint again but still struggled with how to earn a living. Three years ago, driving to Tennessee to visit friends, she had the idea of opening a framing and art shop. She realized ``Art had been an avocation all of my life. It was time to turn it into a vocation.''
The business was launched in November. Although the cleaning, painting and moving were difficult, Watson said her biggest problem was financing. Her loan application was turned down at several banks because she had ``insufficient income and no track record in the field.''
Another hurdle was learning how much to charge in order to cover the extensive labor that goes into framing. Watson says her fitting fees are relatively low, since her profit margin is smaller than that of many frame shops.
She admitted it's scary starting a business at age 58, but then she laughed and said, ``I'm a young 58!''
Dee's Art and Framing is at 2329 Franklin Road S.W. The phone number is 342-2878.
by CNB