Launching Teens into Framing at The Frame and I!

Last Friday we were excited to host a group of 10 teens from The Launch Pad, a local teen center. This partnering was a part of their “Dream it, Plan it, Make it: a Maker’s Camp for Teens” summer camp event. Launching Teens into Framing at The Frame and I!

Here’s what that is all about!  From the Launch Pad:  “The Launch Pad’s summer Maker’s Camp brings DIY creativity to your life! Want more independence and opportunity in your life, then join the DIY (Do it Yourself)/Makers Movement with The Launch Pad Teen Center.  This is a 2 week camp where teens will learn skills like black-smithing, wood working, screen printing t-shirts, and even making artisan cheese.  Teens will have an opportunity to complete at least 5 different projects, meet at least 5 skilled Makers/Artisans in the Prescott Community and work in their studios, and even sell what they make on the final day of camp at The Prescott Farmer’s Market.  

Fun with mat cutting! We showed the teens how our electronic mat cutter can make any size or shape of opening.

This is what journalist, Brit Morin has said of the Maker’s Movement, “Makers will continue to be found in fields ranging from food to crafts to technology.  And together, they will push each other forward to invent and build new and innovative things.  Many technologies that will drive this growing population are not event built yet.  In effect, the maker movement has only just begun.”  It is up to all of us to create the future we want and learning how to make is the first step.”

How did the Frame and I help out with the Maker’s Camp? We taught the teens how to put together their own metal frames. They each had made a handmade letterpress print at Sky Long’s letterpress studio, which they (mostly) brought with them to frame.

Russell demonstrates how to put a metal frame together while the teens followed his lead.

We gave them guidance on how to clean the glass, position the art between the glass and backing, join the frames, put the wire on and the tension clips in…

Frame making in progress! Here you see how the back of a metal frame goes together.

Here’s how the finished frames and prints look!

We here at the Frame and I have to say… LAUNCH PAD RULES!  We had so much fun hosting you all. Hope we can do it again sometime!

We had fun putting these together – thanks Launch Pad teens for spending some time with us learning how to frame!

We really admire the Launch Pad for the work they do with local teens. Keep up the good work, everybody!

Have a great week!

-Ida K