The Work We Do: Kristen Asher-O’Rourke, Jamesport Art & Framing

My name is Kristen Asher-O’Rourke and I’m a co-owner at Jamesport Art and Framing in Jamesport on Main Road.

Me and my partner, Cecily Jaffe, opened in November 2018. Cecily originally owned Cecily’s Love Lane Gallery in Mattituck. She had been there for nearly 25 years. I joined about six years ago. We made the decision late last year to move the business over to Jamesport.

A typical day here, for me, is taking custom framing orders from clients. 

They’ll come in with all different kinds of artwork — photographs, paintings, pastels — and from there, we help them in their selection of choosing a mat, a frame. We help them choose different types of glass. Anything we can do to compliment their piece.

We really get to know our clients and what they need. If someone comes in with a charcoal drawing, we want to look at where it’s going in their house, which will help us determine what kind of glass we want to use on it. … And then there’s choosing the mat. Asking clients, you know, what color combinations do you like? What colors will compliment the piece? What frame looks best: something modern or more traditional or antique? Do I want it beachy, so it matches my summer beach house on the North Fork?

We have a glass cutter, which we use to cut mat board, foam board and glass. We also have a dry mount press. It’s a heat-activated board and it goes under the press and the glue makes it flat, so if you have something you never want to roll up or have wrinkled, it goes into the press, it flattens it, it mounts it onto [a] board.

I actually am a photographer as well. I went to the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan.

Often, people who are my photography clients will say, “Hey, do you know where I can get this old frame repaired?” Or, “I have some broken glass, do you know where I can get new glass?”

And I’m like, “Hey, you can see me for that too.” So it works out for the both of us.

Cecily has so much experience in framing. I think it works to both of our benefits, and our clients benefits, that we both have backgrounds in art and photography. Together we’re able to have different visions and create really fun projects together with our clients. You’re going to get better service all around as far as the knowledge and having an idea of what aesthetically will fit best in your home.

“The Work We Do” is a News-Review multimedia project profiling workers around Riverhead Town. It is made possible by Peconic Landing. See more photos every on Instagram @riverheadnewsreview.