Canberra furniture designer and maker Nicholas Harper on the art of finely crafted timber frames

Bringing hidden talent to the eyes and ears of hungry, art-loving Canberrans is one of my favourite parts of the month. Each time delving deeper into the many realms of creativity to where I now find myself enamoured with the criminally overlooked craft of framing.

Where would artworks be if they weren’t propped up and propelled into the limelight by a strong and supportive frame? Like the overshadowed best-friend in any rom-com, it’s about time framing stepped into the spotlight, and nobody puts it better than Nicholas Harper.

“The objective of framing is to preserve artwork as well as present it,” Harper says.

“There’s real enjoyment in seeing artwork but there’s also real in enjoyment in the art of framing and process of designing and creating a frame.”

Harper honed this niche craft after studying furniture design at the ANU School of Art, Furniture Workshop in 2000.

Since then he’s worked in a shared workshop alongside Canberra design alum Rolf Barfoed and Elliot Bastiananon, participated in the annual Design Canberra festival, loaned his skills to public and private galleries and artists in Canberra and now happily resides in his own shop and workspace, Measured Framing in Fyshwick.

“Working with the guys at Six Wiluna [the shared workshop] was really important for getting me to where I am now and creating a network of woodworkers and furniture makers,” Harper says.

“But I needed my own space and a more suitable space for working with artwork. I’ve got my own studio with framing and machinery there for all that I do, both framing and furniture making.”

And oh boy, does he need the added space. Unlike most framers, Harper creates specialised moulds for frames in-house which translates into the capacity to make any size or shape of frame.

Whole slabs of Victorian ash or Tasmanian blackwood are whittled into fine and unique forms using complex machinery and a sharp eye for detail.

The result is a balanced and carefully thought-out frame that complements an artwork, adding drama where needed and fading into the background where it’s not.

“Every time an artwork comes through our doors for framing, it’s a new experiment,” Harper says.

“Sometimes really simple things need something bold to enhance it and other times you’ll find chaotic artworks need a chaotic frame to match.”

Each individual piece is tested against samples of varying timber and it’s here that I find Harper goes one step further with his material selection as well.

Where possible, Harper uses conservation grade timber, and frequently that timber is sourced from our local environment.

“I really appreciated the process of using trees around Canberra,” Harper says.

“Knowing where the raw material comes from and connecting it back to this community that I’ve been a part of since I was born is a really special experience.”

Embedded in each frame is a respect for art practice, passion for woodwork and a devotion to high-quality materials that brings the essence of Canberra inside the home.

And ever the accommodating best friend, Harper also creates commissioned furniture pieces.

“I really enjoy making but more than that, I enjoy bringing something new into the world,” Harper says.

“And when the design is successful, comes together and works, I get a really great buzzing feeling.”

You can check out Harper’s handiwork through the custom pieces on display at Measured Framing, 3 Wiluna Street, Fyshwick or scope out the @measuredframing Instagram to uncover the true elegance of picture framing.