So here's the deal. You probably don't always need custom framing. You may not need it for years…read moreand years. But one day, there'll be one special something. It could be a piece of art, a limited edition comic book, a quilt or a special piece of clothing from a passed loved one, a bunch of pressed flowers...whatever. Whatever that something is, you're going to want it framed a little better than what you can buy off the shelf at Target or Michael's. Maybe a lot better. Whatever. There's only one place to take it. Period. Grapheteria is a small shop with a small team. And they are hands-down the best framers you're going to find. Not in Portland. Not in Southern Maine. Not in New England. The best framers, period. Now, full disclosure, the folks at Grapheteria used to be a client of mine (lots of years ago). And they're definitely friends. And for all that, I write with full confidence that their work is worth every single penny, half penny, sickle, copper, coin, and/or cent you invest in a job with them. Because that's what it is - an investment. Every piece of custom-framed art we have in our home has been handled by the folks at Grapheteria and our home is better for it. Their process is conversational and intuitive while bearing in mind cost sensitivities and design preferences. They will guide young artists to lower cost options to make their work POP for a first show and still stay affordable and can help serious collectors with archival and museum-quality glass to preserve high-end artwork. I cannot recommend Lisa and Jim and their team highly enough. And the fact that Nat Geo photographers, nationally renowned painters and emerging artists all trust work to them should say volumes.

I am from out of town and needed an embroidery piece framed. I saw the other Yelp reviews and…read moredecided to give Grapheteria a try. Well, they could not have been more helpful, instructive and courteous! They said my piece would be ready in 2 weeks, and they were exactly right. When I saw it, I realized that they are very thorough and experts at what they do as the piece came out beautifully. My thanks to everyone for their help in getting my piece framed. It now hangs proudly in my dining room!

Being new to having my artwork printed,I was slightly nervous about everything. Regan alleviated…read moremy fears with her calming way of explaining everything that I wanted to know! Her knowledge, expertise , and handling of my artwork was beyond my expectations! I have and will continue to highly recommend her for any printing needs!

I love working with this company! They suggested options as…read moremy images were not standard sizes, and were quick to check in with me/respond. Would recommend to anyone in the area.

This month, we had the pleasure of working with Arta Custom Framing in Falmouth. We recently moved…read moreto Yarmouth, and had both art and heavy mirrors that needed to be hung properly in our new home. An acquaintance highly recommended this establishment, and we are glad that we stopped in for a visit. Abby talked with us about the items we were interested in hanging throughout the house, explained the Arta process for evaluating the artwork, mirrors and the structure of the walls, and explained what she considered to be most important components in this process. We set up an appointment to review the items within our house, and Paul scheduled a visit early in the week to do the work. We were thrilled with what Paul accomplished, his professionalism and the unique customer interface he brought to the task at hand. On another issue, Abby helped us to evaluate a recent art acquisition that was damaged in the US Postal system, and provided excellent analysis and advice. We most highly recommend Arta, and look forward to working with both Abby and Paul on framing and other art related opportunities in the days ahead.

I had the opportunity to visit the Moss Galleries because my neighbor across the street is an…read moreartist and had an opening there. So close to home! It's a really nice, large space. There's a huge carpet in the middle of the room (at least with the current setup) but I can see how artificial walls could easily be brought in to make even more wall space. Having said that, it would also be a great space for sculptures. The woman working at the desk seemed very friendly, though I did not take the opportunity to chat with her much. I do feel like it's a bit of shame it's in the middle of a strip mall next to Shaw's, but we can't all land primo real estate I guess. Having said that, it's a perfect opportunity to drop by once every couple weeks before/after your grocery shopping. I believe I will do this in the future!

If you want to see (mostly) Maine artists' work, well-hung and well-lit, Elizabeth Moss Galleries…read moreare the places to go. They are welcoming, not intimidating, and the Falmouth gallery has plenty of parking. The line up is always different at the Portland gallery than the Falmouth gallery. Both offer insights into Maine's artist community at the highest levels. Elizabeth is the right person to advise you on choosing art that works for you in your space-- office or home. Their framing services are top notch, but it's the art I go for. I make a point of visiting the galleries regularly. The shows change about once a month and even when I don't want to take any piece home, I do find the work intriguing.

Wide selection of styles and techniques. They had some great art and also do framing. It is a small…read moregallery with tons of art to choose from. Very surprising.Really colorful and happy place. Upstairs they have a full service frame shop too.

I loved visiting this store in Freeport! There are 5 different Abacus locations and this one is…read moreprobably my favorite. It's a wonderful store to find unique gifts and home decor at a reasonable price. The employees at this location are very kind and helpful. They knew a lot about the items in the store and anything they were unsure of they found more information for me. The building itself is beautifully designed and a staple of Freeport history. My only concern was that my older mother had a difficult time getting up the large concrete stairs because there's no handicap-friendly entrance. However, our experience inside Abacus was wonderful. We will be back closer to Christmas time to stock up for Christmas!

This is a lovely store with unique handcrafted art. Items are priced very high, which is…read moreunderstandable, considering time and effort given to crafting the art. The staff was friendly to us. Not much was in our price range, but we enjoyed looking at all the unique items nonetheless!

Lincoln Farm Studio is truly an amazing place! The workshops they offer are so fun! The instructor,…read moreLayne, is incredible and will help you create something truly beautiful that you will be proud to decorate your house with. Not only that, but you leave with the skills to create more pieces on your own. The studio is in an absolutely beautiful setting and a really enjoyed my time there. I recommend everyone try a workshop here it is a great way to spend a day with great people!

Leah framed a black and white computer-generated poster with a white/dark gray matte and a black…read morewood frame. It wasn't cheap, but it was worth every single penny!! Picked it up today, brought it in the house and it up on the wall right away!! Looks fantastic!!! Thank you Leah!! I'll be back!!

I reached out to Little Falls about a 3D NH hiking picture I had. I said specially I did not want…read moreto spend a lot of money over the phone. When I arrived, the owner had already picked out the cheapest option for a custom frame. All black, but did the job nonetheless. She was VERY friendly and had great taste in MSU six (listening to Led Zeppelin). The total wait on the frame was about two weeks. The owner is very personable and does great work. I can not recommend her enough!