Framer of Fame / Feature 01

Frame de Art

35 years of creativity.
A community full of connections.
And imagination that keeps growing.

Meet Brian Hart, Bri Campbell, and the team bringing Colorado’s stories to life, one extraordinary project at a time.

Brian Hart and Bri from Frame de Art in Colorado
Location Denver, Colorado
Established 1991
In conversation with Brian Hart
Framer of Fame feature No. 01
Behind the frame

A small shop. A lasting impact.

Brian Hart opened Frame de Art on March 15, 1991—his wife’s birthday—at just 25 years old. Before taking that leap, he spent six months learning the craft at another frame store after his regular job, without pay.

Today, the shop has grown from a smaller location near Denver University to a larger, two-floor space. What hasn’t changed is Brian’s commitment to creative design, great service, and giving back.

Store Manager Bri Campbell brings another dimension to that vision. Her skill with Valiani technology helps the team turn ambitious ideas into one-of-a-kind creations.

“We’re busier than ever, but we never take that for granted.” Brian Hart • Owner, Frame de Art
Here at Frame de Art we don’t just do framing, we CREATE! Using the template from @paperglitterglue, our Store Manager Bri Campbell made this one-of-a-kind Halloween display! Haunted house using all @CrescentBrands mats, our incredible Valiani computerized mat cutter, and tons of imagination from Bri!
Beyond the expected | The Most Creative Valiani Project

Where Matboard Meets Imagination.

One of my favorites is a project Bri created for Halloween last year. Using a template from Paper Glitter Glue, she created an entire haunted house display using Crescent mats, our Valiani computerized mat cutter, and a lot of imagination.

Each year, she designs something that most people wouldn’t even attempt! Her creativity with Valiani is incredible. This October will also mark 11 years for Bri at Frame de Art.

In conversation with Brian Hart

For Frame de Art, the best part of framing has always been the people.

We had the pleasure of chatting with Brian about how Frame de Art got its start, what has kept him passionate about custom framing after all these years, and the role Crescent products and Valiani technology have played in helping his team push the boundaries of creative design. He was also quick to recognize his talented team, including Store Manager Bri Campbell, whose skill with their Valiani computerized mat cutter has helped bring some truly one-of-a-kind projects to life.

Getting Started
How long have you been in business, and how has your business evolved?

We opened on March 15, 1991! Before that, I worked for six months every night after my regular job at another frame store, without pay, hoping to eventually open my own shop.


Our original location was much smaller and near Denver University. Our current location is larger and has two floors offering enough room to store extra moulding and customers’ pieces before we frame them. We love our current location. We’re right on a busy street, which makes it easy for customers from all over the Denver area to stop in.

Community & Business
What made framing your passion?

Working with all the customers and the community has been the best thing about owning a small business.  Every home has art and photos hanging on its walls, so it’s a great feeling knowing that our work is in so many homes across Colorado.

What has changed the most about the business in the last five years?

The cost of doing business has increased substantially, which makes it more important than ever to stand out. For us, that means continuing to be a leader in new framing designs while always providing great customer service.

As a business owner, how do you partner with the community, and why does that make a difference?

We love showing that a small business can make a difference in its community. We stay involved with our local Chamber of Commerce, serve as the official framer for the largest art show in Denver that has international awards, and support the annual Western Stock Show.

We also never turn down a nonprofit that asks us to donate a gift certificate toward future framing. Giving back has always been important to us.

You’ve worked with Crescent for a long time. How did that relationship begin?

We’ve been buying Crescent products ever since we opened in 1991! All our local suppliers offered Crescent, and it has been our number one choice for matting with our customers for over 35 years.

After more than 35 years in business, what are you proud of?

We take pride in finding a solution for every customer’s artwork when they walk into our showroom. With the Valiani, we haven’t had to turn down a single project because of the limits of a customer’s vision. We always do our best to maximize what the machine can do so that each customer loves their project when they pick it up.

Over the past 35 years, we’ve made a meaningful difference in our community and nonprofits. We plan to be here for many more years to come.

We’re busier than ever, but we never take that for granted.

What would you tell a shop owner who thinks their business is too small for a CMC?

We got our first CMC machine back in 1994, just three years after opening.
We would not be as successful as we are today without our Valiani.  It is one of the most important pieces of equipment that a picture frame store can own.  You really can't be successful without one, and I would never go without our Valiani.

Creativity & Craft
How do you talk to customers about the materials you use in their framing projects?

We explain the importance of using all acid-free materials while also showing all the possibilities of color combinations and how mats can enhance their artwork in many ways.

What keeps you choosing Crescent, and what would you miss most if you switched?

We would miss the color choices and know that each mat comes with consistency and quality. We love the new Nebula Series!

When did the Valiani come into the shop, and what were you using before it?

We won our Valiani just over five years ago as part of Crescent’s 25th anniversary celebration. We loved the app that scanned the mats, and we were even able to get free blades for years.

We had a different CMC before, but the Valiani lets us get really creative. There are endless designs that enhance our customers’ artwork.

What can you create and sell today that you couldn’t before having the Valiani?

Our store can offer more design possibilities than almost any other frame store in Colorado.

I also must recognize our Store Manager, Bri Campbell. She knows how to maximize the potential of our Valiani. Her designs are incredible, and they help set us apart from other frame stores in the area.

Bri won second place at the FrameWorx Expo in Chicago and showed the many facets of what is possible using our CMC. She is always wowing our customers with one-of-a-kind creations that we proudly show everyone online and when they enter store.

What is one of the most complicated or creative projects you’ve done with the Valiani?

One of my favorites is a project Bri created for Halloween last year. Using a template from Paper Glitter Glue, she created an entire haunted house display using Crescent mats, our Valiani computerized mat cutter, and a lot of imagination.

Each year, she designs something that most people wouldn’t even attempt! Her creativity with Valiani is incredible. This October will also mark 11 years for Bri at Frame de Art.

More Framer of Fame stories

Every shop has a story.