Posted on

Oxford Hill Frames on SDVoyager.com

A little article by SDVoyager about Oxford Hill Frames and the philosophy behind what we do.

http://sdvoyager.com/interview/conversations-inspiring-sarina-dahlan-dann/

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarina Dahlan-Dann.

Sarina , can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I went to UCSD for Psychology and Visual Arts. After that, I spent over a decade in advertising and marketing for large corporations. Together with my husband, David, we own Oxford Hill Frames. Our company creates custom handcrafted hardwood picture frames for art galleries and frame shops. We make everything right here in beautiful San Diego. He does the hard part – designing and building the gorgeous heirloom quality frames. I manage our marketing strategies and our online platforms. Marketing for a small B2B company is a galaxy far, far away from the work I was doing for Fortune 500 companies. Most of the work is done by building relationships and joining communities. The people in the framing industry are incredibly supportive of each other and we count ourselves lucky to have friends within the community.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Custom framing is one of the last bespoke services in the U.S. In a frame shop, you can bring in most anything you want to be preserved and get framing specially designed to suit YOU. A well-designed frame elevates the art or heirloom and brings it to another level. It is a luxury business in a sense that no one needs framing – it’s not a jug of milk or gas for your car.

Many small shops lost their market shares to big box stores offering the promise of cheaper, do-it-yourself framing. The tradition of preserving memories, highlighting art collections, and curating heirlooms for the home is practiced by fewer people. But, there is a movement toward local, high-quality products crafted with pride and expertise. Traveling, social media and online searches open our eyes to other ways of living.

As a culture, we are becoming better informed. We’re replacing quick fashion and cheaply made clothes with high quality, versatile pieces unique to our personality. We are learning to spend more wisely – choosing things that leave lasting impressions instead of a one-night stand. We’ve learned to appreciate quality over quantity.

At Oxford Hill Frames, we find that partnering with frame shops who embody this same philosophy works well for us. Our identity has always been about beautiful, high-quality handcrafted hardwood frames made in San Diego and that’s not going to change.

Women who are at the beginning of their entrepreneurial journey should find their own philosophy and embrace it. Your business should be an extension of your belief system because if it is not, you may find yourself doing something against your values down the road. KNOW yourself + BE yourself.

what should we know about Oxford Hill Frames? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We create handcrafted hardwood frames for frame shops and art galleries. All our frames are made in San Diego. The frame designs are inspired by various aesthetics: from Arts-and-Crafts furniture to Mid-Century Modernism, and Japanese gates to electric guitars. However varied in influences, what comes across in each frame is the craftsmanship and attention to detail. We hand-select the wood for each frame for the best quality. Woods, from American White Ash to African Zebrawood are allowed to show their true beauty.

Our brand embraces the William Morris quote, “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” We’re most proud of the quality of our work and the service we provide to our clients. We build heirlooms that our clients’ customers can proudly showcase in their homes.

What do you feel are the biggest barriers today to female leadership, in your industry or generally?
Speaking generally, I think the biggest barrier is that some people don’t think there are barriers. Statistics show that there are fewer female leaders in positions of power – in both private and public sectors. Reasons for that are too many to list here. Acknowledging that it exists makes everyone more aware. And awareness is power.

I’ve been fortunate to have had strong female leaders throughout my career. At the Fortune 500 corporations I worked for, I was given opportunities to attend leadership seminars and management classes, as well as connect with colleagues in other companies. In the framing industry, there are quite a few female owners – perhaps because they’re typically small businesses in a creative field. But unfortunately, I think my experience may be an exception rather than the rule. We have to keep making it happen, ladies!

Contact Info:

Image Credit:
David Dann, Sarina Dahlan-Dann, Laurie Diep

Posted on

Craftsmanship survives in the 21st century at Rick’s Custom Framing in La Mesa, CA

Rick store front

Rick Sturdivan has been working in the custom picture framing industry in La Mesa since 1979. After graduating with a B.A. degree in Painting and Printmaking from San Diego State University, he decided this city was a perfect fit for his family. His decision was simple and strategic. La Mesa is 20 minutes by car from most places in San Diego county.

In 1991, after realizing there were no guidelines in the picture framing industry, Rick and three other framers created a board to set standards for what is appropriate for conservation framing. He held multiple positions in the Professional Picture Framers Association (PPFA) and taught a course to the trade on French matting. He is the Yoda of framing.

His store, Rick’s Custom Framing, has been in the same location on La Mesa Avenue since 1999. A lot has changed since then. Over the years, the demographic of La Mesa has become younger. First time parents moved east for the allure of bigger backyards and extra bedrooms. With that influx, more restaurants and coffee shops followed. La Mesa has become, like North Park 15 years ago, “up and coming”.

For Rick, one of the biggest changes has been the framing industry. There used to be 12 frame shops in La Mesa alone. Now, custom picture framing is becoming a lost art.

Consumer trend shifted toward readymade frames. Many small shops lost their market shares to corporate stores offering the promise of cheaper, do-it-yourself framing. The tradition of preserving memories, highlighting art collections, and curating heirlooms for the home is practiced by fewer people.

But Rick thinks the tide is turning. There is a movement toward local, high-quality products crafted with pride and expertise. Don’t believe it? Take a walk down India Street in Little Italy and you will find a myriad of small shops offering artisanal products made locally.

Traveling, social media, and online searches open our eyes to other ways of living. We are becoming better informed. We are replacing quick fashion and cheaply made clothes with high quality, versatile pieces unique to our personality. We are learning to spend more wisely – choosing things that leave lasting impressions instead of a one-night stand. Quality beats quantity. What’s better than recycling is not throwing away the item in the first place.

Rick understands this mindset. It is why he started his business. He has customers who want their art framed with the same high quality as museum pieces (which his shop is an expert at). Many want to preserve memories from their travels and experiences with unique framing. He has customers who are 3rd generation. They come to him because, like their parents and grandparents, want to preserve memories for their children. All want the personalized experience backed by years of expertise. His shop operates from a philosophy that fine art deserves the utmost attention to detail and design. And if you look at one of his framed pieces or talk to one of his customers, you know he lives that philosophy.

Small businesses are fueled by passion, and not a small dose of naïveté. Rick has learned a lot over the years. His advice to all new business owners is to:

  • Start with a business plan.
  • Learn how run the business and understand the financials (Profits & Loss statement, sales projection, return on investment, cost per day to run the business)
  • Learn how to promote your business.
  • Support the community (Rick does it by donating materials to schools and supporting his clients’ causes)
  • Listen to your customers, observe trends, stay nimble.
  • And most importantly, embrace change.

Who knows what La Mesa will be like 30 years from now. But if, like him, small businesses embrace its biggest strength: staying true to its roots while being open to possibilities, we may just see La Mesa emerge to become a hub for local businesses. What will that look like?