First Street Gallery

This gallery is amazing! They’re a friendly, comfortable, honest and quirky family run business. They make downtown Encinitas a special place to shop. And I actually like my framing more than the art itself…

Jim and Linda are not only amazing people, but they are personally connected to local artists and art events. They support the arts as well as supply the community with great prices, unique framing and first class local creativity!

I am going to the First Street Gallery for more than 10 years now, and I have never been disappointed. I am an art collector and traveling through the world from Asia to Europe on a regular basis, I bring home a lot of different art pieces: aztecan figurines from Mexico, antique laced fans from France, batik artwork from Indonesia, Venetian masks from Italy, African mats and runners, and many oil and aquarelle painting and photography. They have such a deep knowledge of art and an extraordinary eye for the best frame for the specific art piece. Sometimes it is no frame at all, as for the batik works. Once Jim painted a frame himself, because we couldn’t find any frame that really did justice to the oil painting. There is so much more to framing than just putting a frame around the picture and Jim masters it all. His most extraordinary work was the restoration of an 19^th century golden hand-​carved frame that he partially took apart and then rebuild and gold-​plated. So, if you still have any doubts, just go and talk to them. They are the nicest people around.

Beautiful little local art and framing shop run by the kindest folks you’ll ever meet. Linda and Jim Hornung’s shop is the quintessential mom and pop shop and everyone in town sees it as a gem. I have had a few things framed and it was done very professionally and the service was the best I have ever experienced in any art framing business. You go to Aaron Brother’s or Michael’s and you get a snotty teenager rolling their eyes at you saying No, you can’t get a custom frame with that glass or you have to have this extra item and they’re always waay over priced. Linda and Jim do a better job and will do anything custom you’d like for the art you want framed cause they do this themselves and have been for years so they KNOW what they’re doing. You want a canvas stretched? You can’t even get that at Michael’s without purchasing a frame, so I was informed. Jim and Linda will work with you to make sure the art you love and value is treated well and will be cherished for years to come.
I highly recommend you stop in and just talk to them if you have a project you are mulling over because they also have great ideas about what will look best or complement the artwork you have.

Very helpful and easy to work with. They made great suggestions for my piece of art ~ thoughtful, kind, not pushy or overbearing. The prices were reasonable and it felt good to support a small independent business. I’ll definitely be a repeat customer and will refer them to friends.

Owners Jim & Linda Hornung give a personal «Shop Local» alternative to the big box frame shops. They have been a mainstay of the local arts in downtown Encinitas for years, and are huge supporters of the Surfing Madonna project. A share of the sales of their Surfing Madonna shirts, etc. go to support the relocation effort to put the «Save The Ocean» mosaic back onto public display. Their own art work is always fresh and inventive. Definitely a muse-​driven business!

We were so excited to find this Gallery open as we walked past. Fresh artwork greeted us. As we browsed around we had the pleasure of visiting with Linda, her friendly spirit and care assured us that we will definitely be back again for a visit. I walked out the door with a beautiful print of a «Water Carrier» and another print that I will treasure. Now that I’m home, I’ve framed the art and excitedly placed them. A beautiful remembrance of my visit to Encinitas and our walk past the First Street Gallery.

I recently brought in an original oil painting that I had stretched. Great job & a great couple. Happy to support my friendly neighbors.

I am so lucky that I found this place! I needed an oddly sized art print framed and the wonderful people here were able to help me. They helped me fit the piece with a frame that still looks wonderful, but didn’t bust my budget. They were so personally attentive, kind, and professional. I am very, very impressed… also, it doesn’t hurt that they’re a local business. If you need something custom framed, go here a support a great local business!

The charming, personal attention doled out here is why I keep coming back to Jim and Linda Hornung’s framing store. Bring in your ‘artifacts’ and Jim will study them, treat them with great care and converse with you (very patiently) about the best way to frame your treasures.
I still have acrylic boxes Jim made himself, lined in linen for artwork I own. Tight, beautiful and pieces of art themselves, these framed boxes definitely have withstood the test of time. A true testament to Jim Hornung’s expertise and craftsmanship in framing.
A first-​rate framing gallery on First Street in Encinitas… across from the Lumberyard.