Clinton Hill Simply Art & Framing

We have had a great experience with Ms. Brown.
She thoroughly walked us thru the process showing us various scenarios how a frame really can add a value the artwork itself.
After couple of minutes talking to Ms. Brown, we knew we were dealing with a professional who loves and understands the art.
She guided us to make the right choices and I can’t wait to see the finished pieces.
I learned so much and will be a returning customer.

Ms. Brown was recommended to me by a dear friend. Let’s just say that I was expecting to meet someone who was nice, warm and friendly. That was not the case. This woman is beligerent, condescending, nasty and speaks to you in a way that is belittling. The process of building my piece for framing was painful It took nearly 3 hours, most of that time was spent with her trying to teach me the «art of framing.» She comes off as a know it all and everything she says is right. However, when the process was finished, I was satisfied with the outcome. But what it took to get there was sheer pain.
She finished the work in 6 weeks as she initially promised and called me for pick up. At our initial meeting, I paid half of the full cost and we agreed that the other half would be paid at pick up.
Long story short and two months later (my fault) I called to arrange final pick up. It is safe to say that during these two months, I kept in touch with her letting her know of my delays. In her defense, I did give her some dates that I would come to collect the piece and never showed. She ended up calling asking me to please come by and make a payment to show good faith. I totally agreed and told her that I would make it in that Saturday. I called her on Saturday to let her know that I would head to Brooklyn, but given that she was near closing, I would miss her. Ms. Brown lost it. She became, more nasty, condescending and threatened to give my piece away to charity. I went on to try and talk to her letting her know that I would come in the next business day. She proceeded to let me know that she is not answering any more questions, or making anymore arrangements and that she has nothing else to say to me. She went on to say that her accountant told her that my piece should be written off and there is nothing else to say and slammed the phone in my ear. I was flabbergasted! My friend who made the recommendation was with me during this call and could not believe that this had happened. I immediately called her back to try and make arrangements and begged her not to give my piece away. She said that at the first of the month, my piece has already been considered for charitable donation and she cannot confirm whether or not it will be in her possession when I return on the next business day and hung up the phone.
I have never felt so humiliated, disgusted and verbally abused. Now, I know I had some fault regarding late pick up, but when you are a business owner and you are dealing with your customer, it does not give you the right to scream, belittle, verbally abuse and be condescending in addition to having the phone being slammed in your ear. Especially to a customer who is paying you for a $ 1600 job!
This call took place on a Saturday. Her next business day was the following Wednesday, today. Previously she had offered a 3 month payment plan, which at that point, I had no interest in. After that call, all I wanted was to pick up my piece and pay in full.
I did that today. ! I walked in, she had the nerve to ask me what she could do for me and asked my name as if though she didn’t know who I was and as if though that phone call never took place. I had nothing to say. I gave her the balance, took my change and receipt, took my piece from her without even looking back. I will never, ever, ever again seek her services and will make sure that I never recommend her to anyone. I have also given a review to the person who recommended her and told her to do the same. Being this rude, nasty, and condescending will get you no where. I am happy that this chapter is closed, never to be revisited.
Hilda T

Ms. Brown, the owner, was extremely helpful during the framing process for a few prints I brought in. She went through each piece in detail and helped me decide between the different frames, mattes, glass, etc. Each piece received a methodical look at to determine the best service it needed (I had some old and faded maps and prints).You should be prepared to wait if she is with another customer and to spend a decent amount of time chatting with her as she really devotes a lot of time to each individual person and order. If you don’t know anything about framing, she will certainly fill you in and help you decide between the massive combinations of mattes and frames. Ms. Brown really knows her stuff and her advice is spot-​on.
It took several weeks to have 2 custom frame jobs and 2 frame services (for pre-​made frames) finished, but it was definitely worth the wait. Ms. Brown and her team did a fantastic job and they all look great. In terms of price, it is a bit on the higher side, but framing is an expensive process in general. Ms. Brown walked me through the different prices for all her frames/​services and was not at all pushy about getting you to choose a more expensive option.
I definitely recommend Ms. Brown and her shop if you want a quality frame for your art.

I read these reviews and stupidly decided to take my oil painting to the shop to get the owner’s «expertise.»
What a complete waste of time.
The owner was as condescendingly rude as many of the comments mention.
She started off by telling me what she couldn’t do with my painting instead of the options she could provide. She really wasn’t listening and lecturing me about the «art» of framing. Give me a break.
She did however pitch unnecessary services that would have made me pay more out of pocket.
She’s useless and her taste in frames is outdated and cheap.
Do yourself a favor and head across the street to Blick. A nice salesgirl, Becca, was helpful and advised me on the tools to get in order to frame my painting myself. And it was much cheaper.

I had an okay experience here — I came to get two prints custom-​framed and one poster mounted on foam core. The entire experience seemed to take much longer than it should have, and was definitely a test of patience. The day I dropped my pieces off to be framed, I waited about 45min –1 hr, behind only 2 other people. Right away this should let you know how detailed, methodical and, for lack of a better word, intense the owner is about dealing one-​on-​one with each customer, giving them her undivided attention and painstakingly walking them through each and every single framing option, several times. This should be commended – and I appreciated that once it was my turn I received the same singular focus. However, prepare yourself for this taking about 5 times as long as you think it might.
My only real issue was that I was told I would receive a courtesy call on or before a certain date in March, letting me know my pieces would be ready for pick-​up. That date came and went, and several dayslater, I called to check in – my only real concern was that she had tried to reach me and somehow didn’t have my phone number. I didn’t want my art to be sitting, waiting for me to pick it up without my knowledge. When I called, she basically reprimanded me over the phone for not being patient, and noted that due to weather difficulties she was delayed. That’s totally understandable, but since she told me my work would be done on or before a certain date, I would have appreciated a phone call just to let me know it would take a bit longer. It seems like a one-​person operation, so maybe she just didn’t have time to call – again, understandable, but please don’t accuse me of being impatient when I was told something would be done at a specific time and I called after that point.
When I finally did pick up my pieces, I was very pleased with them and I liked that she provided the hanging materials for the custom frames. I had to separately purchase mounting materials for my foam-​core poster but she gave pretty good suggestions for what to buy. I would still return to this store for similar jobs, but armed with the knowledge that this process may take much longer than we’ve come to expect in such a speedy-​service driven place like New York.

This was by far the best framing experience I have ever had. You have to be patient. Ms. Brown does not know how much you know about framing — listen. She will start at square one… with things you probably already know… BUT…she will come to things you do not know. She will educate you from A to Z, so expect to spend some time there. I wish I had known about her before I framed (probably incorrectly) some delicate (valuable) works badly. Cost… she will give you options. This time, I went top tier. I am glad I did… but, I know that all her options would have correctly protected the pieces and would have been beautiful. This is the place to get valuable items framed properly, whether you live in Clinton Hill or not. I had to wait a long time to get my works back. I didn’t care. I was not in a rush. She is honest. I also had a Tapa I wanted framed. She explained why it was not worth doing that. Perishable textile… moisture…etc. I was disappointed, but she will consult and be absolutely honest. Love her. Will get my Mugal miniatures reframed properly with her. I had them done in Park Slope and they are curling — coming off the backing. Her work is not cheap. BUT Perfect. Protect, preserve, present beautifully. If you need it done well… go here. Cannot recommend more highly. If I could give more stars, I would.

When you’re a small, independently owned business, great customer service should be at the top of your list. I really wanted to support this place, so it’s sad that I feel compelled to write this review.
I called the owner (guessing from the other reviews that her name is Ms Brown?), for a simple question regarding a print that I’d like framed.
She was so rude, short, and unhelpful that I decided not to bother bringing my print in. Won’t be using this place anytime soon.

Had an amazing experience at Clinton Hill Simply Art & Framing.
I had a number of pieces that I’d collected over the years, which I finally took in to have framed. Ms. Brown, the woman who runs the store (and whom I soon discovered was is a bit of a celebrity in the art preservation world), took the time to work with me to ensure I understood precisely exactly what I wanted, as it was my first ever time taking art in for framing.
Ms. Brown spent over thirty minutes clearly and carefully explaining different approaches to framing, and then had me explain my own personal taste so that we could talk about the way in which to best present each work of art (I’d taken in in three prints). After that, she had me pick several styles of frames off the wall (two walls are covered nearly from floor to ceiling with frame samples), and then to select various mats so that we could get a feel for various combinations, as well as for the way in which the finished product would look. After going through mats and frames, we spent another ten minutes discussing the positive and negative characteristics of various choices of glass.
By the time I’d left, I had a completely new (and unexpected) appreciation for framing and a deeper connection with the art I’d bought. I picked up the newly-​framed art last week (Ms. Brown packed it carefully so that I could carry it the ten or so blocks back to my house without much trouble), and finally hung it on the wall. When I look at it I now, I take pride not just in the work itself, but also in the way I decided to present it. The art now presents something about both myself and the artist, a phenomenon that I would not have understood, realized, or appreciated, if Ms. Brown had never taken the time to carefully guide me through the framing process.
I never really post on Unilocal,but I was so appreciative of the experience that I felt like I needed to let people (besides my friends) know about it. My only advice is to give yourself at least 30 minutes to get in and out of the store, as it will likely take some time to (a) figure out, (b) communicate exactly how you’d like to frame your artwork, and © check out.

It was a struggle dealing with Ms. Brown a, real nightmare.
I was amused by the variety of postcards in this store, and decided I would purchase 5. I asked Ms. Brown how much they would cost and she say’s «It’s 6 for 5.25» after I mentioned I only WANTED 5, and would give her 5 bucks. She say’s «just get 3, and that’s 3.25» and i’m like… «no I want these 5.» So she takes my money $ 5 and then begins to «scan» the post cards, as if I’m trying to get over on her. I hold all 5 post cards up in the air, and she then insists that I bring them to the counter although I’m halfway out the door. Fine. I begin to bring them to the counter as Ms. Brown is now saying the 5 dollars is not enough. At this point i’m frustrated that she’s verbally telling me different prices and figure to get into the «kill’um with kindness» attitude and smile as I walk back to the counter. She then acts like she is studying the post cards, and eventually my friend just passes me a dollar and I walk out the store.
I enjoy supporting local stores in this day in age, but I walked out of Clinton Hill Simply Art & Framing wishing it was a chain store I could contact a manager or somebody to report Ms. Brown and her stank attitude.
Places like this wont last.
P.S.
The credit card limit is $ 35 which is unbelievably high. I understand majority of her customers come in for art framing, but if you’re also going to be in the line of work of selling post cards you should take into consideration the lower ticket value. At least 5, or 10… no? Most people would argue that «The credit card company would take everything if the company allowed small purchases on credit.» Reality check, they’re postcards. She’s probably making a killing off people like myself who buy them. Get with the times, sharpen your attitude towards randoms, and potential new customers. Local mom and pop stores are supposed to bring more to the table than major conglomerates not be worst than them.

The woman who I spoke to in this shop was extremely combative to the point where I just walked out because she made it very clear that she didn’t want my business. Very strange, as my objective was getting a plain white mat cut, which one would think would be a super standard request for a frame shop.

Convenient and easy to find. Great customer service and good selection of products.

This is the spot and Miss Brown is the one.
I recently got my hands on one of my favorite prints from Jacob Lawrence. I knew this was a piece I wanted to hang on to forever. I had never had a custom framing job before, but I knew the look I wanted (more or less). Miss Brown really brought my vision in to focus.
She walked me through all my options and explained each one of them. She explained the differences between glass and plexi, she told me about the importance of acid-​free backing, she told me about my mounting options… everything!
Talk to her, give her your ideas, but listen to her experience. Remember– she does this everyday. She’s a pro.
Remember though, it’s her business and she provides a service, but respect her space. This ain’t hobby lobby or something. So don’t come in there barking on your cellphone or letting your kids tear around the joint.
And I’m thrilled with the final result. I’m already planning my next visit.

I’d like to express my appreciation for Ms. Brown and her frame shop.
As an artist with a studio nearby, I’ve been collecting pieces of glass to work with. Ms. Brown has been extremely helpful, and will go out of her way to help me look through stacks of chipped or broken glass that she isn’t using.
I’m glad there are still business owners like Ms. Brown in the area who support the local community.

Really disappointed. I won’t be back.
Allow me to be very clear. This review is not about Ms. Brown’s artistic knowledge or creative ability, but about her lack of customer service and courtesy. I have been a resident of Clinton Hill for more than 10 years and typically take my framing work to a Gallery in Brooklyn Heights. I wanted to support a local business, one within walking distance of my home. Unfortunately, today’s attempt was a bust.
I went in to have a children’s book cover custom-​framed. I went in with my sons, ages 3 and 5. When we entered, Ms. Brown was assisting a customer. While we waited, my sons thoroughly enjoyed the store’s vast jazz postcard collection. After another few minutes Sam came out, introduced himself, and began to work with me; he was perfectly pleasant. Unfortunately, as Sam began to walk me through the wood frame options, Ms. Brown spoke up about her inability to work/​concentrate with all of the «noise» around her and ushered us to a corner in which to quietly work and wait. That was enough for me. My boys were not being loud. Sam and I were speaking at a reasonable volume. Unfortunately, this overwhelmed Ms. Brown. Her inability to «tolerate» the «noise» which we were making and the way she spoke to me/​us, sent me back out of the door. No matter how good her work may be, her behavior was inexcusable.
Interestingly enough, the Gallery’s Unilocal profile reads, «Good for Kids: Yes.» Ms. Brown may want to reconsider that status. And, given what other reviewers have shared about her creative process, she may want to consider working by appointment only. My slot is available.

I went in having a vague idea of what type if frame job and at what price I wanted. Ms. Brown was incredibly helpful and very personal. She spent an hour helping me research frames. This frame shop has the humble welcome of a mom and pop shop, but very professional. I highly recommend coming here for your frame jobs

This place is great!
Ms. Brown is super knowledgeable, funny and honest about framing. I took a really old Elvis Costello concert promo poster that I found on the streets of Amsterdam that had years of damage from sitting in a basement, and she made it look fantastic! Not sure if it’s worth much, but sure looks like a collector’s item now!
Just a great little shop run by a woman who loves her work.

I am a return customer and every visit gets better and better. The most important element to my experiences going to this shop is the fact I learned something. All the more reason to go where the owner and staff are SKILLED and EXPERIENCED.
I had finally found and purchased an original art piece by my favorite artist, Raymond Pettibon. Something I had always wanted. I knew it was something I needed preserved and protected. Enter Ms. Brown… she not only has the top materials for that gallery level framework that looks so classy, but she also takes pride in her work and schools you on the process. She even challenges your tastes with various options you might not of even thought of.
If you value your artwork or prized possession piece, do not hesitate to frame it, protect it and do it right. It takes the piece to the the next level in every way. Ms. Brown is a seasoned pro and you will be glad you made the trip.

she’s very condescending and just a little annoying when it comes to getting what you envision
I want to like it, since it’s a small business and she’s obviously been doing this for a long long time but she’s difficult
I would not mind paying more if she just shut up and let me explain what I needed

It’s all about Ms. Brown!
Sure, you’ll pay a bit more than at Michael’s or wherever, but at those places you won’t get the blunt (but kind) and seasoned advice about materials, looks, colors and prices. Ms. Brown is the greatest.
I got a print framed here that I know will stay on my wall forever.
Oh yeah, set aside some time. Don’t just bluster in. Be ready to have a conversation about the right options for your print with Ms. Brown. Worth it.

I come here not just fr the quality f of the work but even more for the quality of the advice on frame type, color, and glass. This place is the tip top!
I come here not just fr the quality f of the work but even more for the quality of the advice on frame type, color, and glass. This place is the tip top!