As part of our ‘Riverside BIA 40 Years, 40 Stories’ series we’re pleased to share this story from Dimensions Custom Framing and Gallery, celebrating 20 years in business in Toronto in 2020. But before we being, here’s a message from Dimensions’ owners, Ellen and Wendy and their dog Hudson:
20 Artists, 20 Charities, 20 Years.
We hope this message finds you and your loved ones safe and well during this unprecedented time.
It’s been 20 amazing years, marking an important milestone for us as we look back on our growth, accomplishments and relationships built with clients, and in the community.
Some of you have been with us since the beginning, and some of you are new to the Dimensions family. Together you have helped to build our business and we are grateful for your support.
We are truly honoured that you have chosen to share your personal stories with us. You have trusted us with your most cherished possessions, knowing that we are committed to you and what we do. It brings us immeasurable satisfaction to know that our creations will have a place in your homes and hearts for years to come.
This anniversary offers us the perfect opportunity to thank each and every one of you for your business and loyalty. We promise that when we have defeated this pandemic and we can congregate once again, we will celebrate!
Stay tuned for more information on our 20th Anniversary Celebration and Art Auction.
20 Artists, 20 Charities, 20 Years.
We miss you and look forward to carrying on where we left off.
Wendy, Ellen and Hudson
Original location at 800 Broadview Ave, Toronto
Location now at 732 Queen Street East in Toronto’s Riverside neighbourhood
Now Wendy and Ellen had another interesting story to share from the very beginnings of their business. Read on for that story…
The Story of the Hidden Teacup at Dimensions
Inside Dimensions Custom Framing & Gallery at 732 Queen Street east in Toronto’s historic Riverside neighbourhood, if you look carefully, you’ll find something interesting and out of the ordinary framed and displayed high up in a notch, formerly meant for a joist, in the original brick wall toward the back of the gallery.
Dimensions, run by artistic director Ellen Davidson in collaboration with co-founder Wendy Palmer, is celebrating 20 years in business in 2020 and the framed teacup which inaugurated Ellen and Wendy’s business all those years ago also has much more to it special meaning. It preserves the teacup and saucer that belonged to Ellen’s grandmother, a tea lover, who holds a special place in Ellen’s heart. The cup, with a nature print from England, has Ellen’s lipstick mark on the cup along with Wendy’s Tetley tea bag inside it.
Given as a gift by her grandma, Ellen wanted to preserve the cup. She neither wanted to use it nor lose it. Therefore, framing it became an unconventional yet ideal and artistic solution in this situation, safeguarding the cup for 20 years and counting. Looking at this nostalgic teacup at times makes Ellen misty-eyed as it makes her feel that her grandmother is always watching over her.
The framed teacup, in spite of being displayed much higher than other artwork, has aroused curiosity of many gallery visitors and serves as an exemplar of their approach to custom framing that ‘Anything can be framed at Dimensions’, even the things that one cannot imagine sitting inside a frame. It has tickled the fancies of many who were inspired to frame things that were special to them, or items that reminded them of cherished memories or a loved person, or objects that held emotional and sentimental value – be it treasured heirlooms that were passed down or a special item that was a part of the family history.
The ‘Anything can be framed’ idea portrayed by the framed teacup encouraged one customer to frame her husband’s baby dress while another framed the scissors that her mother used as a seamstress. Dimensions has also helped people to frame silk scarves, snake skin, a playlist from a concert, to a pocket watch along with its original box among so many other cherished items.
The hidden teacup thus continues to fire the imagination of many, 20 years on and counting.
What do you visualize inside a frame?
The ‘Riverside BIA 40 Years, 40 Stories’ Series is part of how we’re celebrating the 40th anniversary of this incredible neighbourhood of community-builders.