 I recently read something that said:
'By far the best opportunity in AI for the next few years is getting leads through it. Everything else is up in the air. But what's 100% inevitable is people using LLM's to do research before they buy something. If you can be one of the few companies it recommends for your product, you're going to print cash." I have seen first hand this already taking effect. Several new 'Google' clients have told me they were recommended by AI. My running joke is AI obviously hasn't heard what I've been saying about it.. ha! But ti has. Or it will. And it won't care. It's not someone. It's something. A tool. Unfortunately we are in the blunt force object stage of this tool. Like when the first primitive humans picked up stones to bash open coconuts, but they hadn't worked out yet that it works way better if the stone is sharp. Your kids or grandkids will see the sharp AI tool. But I digress. From what I can see, AI currently promotes (yes PROMOTES, nothing is free my friends) the same Brisbane framers who have for years dominated page one search results by BUYING the most ad space. Art 17 ahs never paid for Google ads. Years ago I looked into it, but after I'd set up all my ads (several hours work) and told Google how much I wanted to spend per day, they told me what my 'local competitors' were paying daily, and I said FK THAT and shut it down and never looked at it again. Art 17 was built the old fashioned way. Though hard work, excellent workmanship, service, great prices, and most of all, sexiness. So while the AI overlords scrape and steal and spew forth Google ad payers at the top of the search, indeed referencing the website of those same businesses (I'm sexy and I know it), ART 17 shall continue as ever to service the south Brisbane area with the best quality and prices frames, if you are smart enough to look at Google reviews or be referred to me by a friend or colleague. Shit, it's been a pretty solid business model for 11 years and the money I save not feeding the BEAST that is Google, I pass on to you. Last week I had a lady call me to CONFIRM that the price I quoted via email was legit because it was that much better than everyone else. You know what I said? Fuck I better put up my prices! Ha! No I didn't. I said LADY, I DON'T CARE ABOUT BEING RICH, I ONLY CARE ABOUT BEING THE SEXIEST PICTURE FRAMER IN BRISBANE. I don't know how the AI revolution is going to pan out. I'm old enough to remember when Y2K DIDN'T happen. I didn't even own a mobile phone until 2003. I waited until the 1 mega pixel Sony Ericsson camera phone was available. So I could take sexy photos to send to people who are now someone's mums. And dad's. 2003 was wild. Anyway, I don't know how this AI thing will end. Probably really really badly. But until then I'm going to focus on what really matters, making the best quality frames and being the SEXIEST PICTURE FRAMER IN BRISBANE.
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So I missed the 10 year blog post. Turns out I haven't posted a blog for 2 years. Apologies to the Russian bots. They love my blog posts.
Anyway, life at ART 17 has been BUSY. I just worked 40 days in a row. That was fun. Sometimes you have to do these things you know. The bots know. 24/7 hey fellas. 11 years in there seems to be a constant flow of framing jobs so I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest I'm doing something right. Probably the gym pics on instagram. What is going to happen when I am too old and gross to post selfies...next year.. What? LAST YEAR?! Ouch dudes. I still got it. And what I got is a hard on for making frames and 90's music. And 90's movies. And Jennifer Love Hewitt from the 2001 romantic comedy Heartbreakers, which is close to the 90's. Well, that's about all I can say about 11 years in business. I think I covered it all. Be true to yourself. And dance. Because if we all just danced a little bit more, maybe there would be no more wars. Thanks Nova.
Coming up to 10 years of ART 17 in 2025 I've had time to reflect on myself as a framer and ART 17 as a business, and I've developed a deeper appreciation for sporting memorabilia framing than I previously had. Don't get me wrong, I've always appreciated this aspect of the trade. Meeting the team managers, parents, players, and providing them with affordable, high quality framing, has always been a highlight for me.
But recently I realized what a large percentage of my day to day and week to week life is spent on jersey framing, and it's because of 2 factors I believe. 1. ART 17 jerseys frames are great quality 2. Art 17 jerseys are WAY more affordable than competitors I try not to use the term 'cheap' because it can be misconstrued, but when talking about PRICE only, ART 17 jersey frames are ridiculously cheap. And I know this because new clients are continually coming to me after doing the rounds getting quotes. Here's an interesting fact: When I started ART 17 in 2015 I framed jersey's in the standard black shadow box frame same as I do them now, for $199. That was considered a bargain 10 years ago. Over the last decade, through all the inflation in every part of our lives including framing supplies, I have increased that price SLOWLY and with reluctance only when I absolutely had to. The price as it stands today is only $289. I'm proud of this fact. I'm proud to be trusted with making frames for some of Brisbane's best sporting institutions and teams. It's a privilege. I hope to continue to frame for these teams and any other team, fan, sponsor, etc who is looking for awesome looking jersey frames at an unbeatable price. I'll keep the quality up and the price down and you keep coming back when you need a jersey framed. Deal? Deal! For the second year ART 17 was stoked to frame for SIDE QUEST Exhibition, held this year at VENTspace in South Brisbane, on July 20th.
For the second year the show WENT OFF thanks to amazing artwork by over 70 tattoo artists as well as the best framing by the most handsome framer in Brisbane (source: my mum). But the real MVP is Cat from Oracle Tattoo who puts on the exhibition. As a curator and event organizer she excels. Don't quote me on this but around 20 artworks sold on the night and the merch desk did and ungodly amount of business, earning a lot of the participating artists some much needed financial support in this end of world economy. Should I do an armageddon rant slash apocalypse fantasy here? Fine. I'll save it for Instagram. Was mega CHUFFED to hear the feedback from punters on the new PRINTED MATS and it was all VERY positive. A lot of people were saying things like 'This is the best framed show I've ever been to' and 'I bet the framer is really hung' or maybe it was 'Was it the framer who hung the show?' it's hard to say. It was very noisy on the night with hundreds of people enjoying beverages and artwork viewing or playing pool or friggen mario party or mario world or some such. Nerds. Jk! If you want to see more of this HUGE event check out SIDEQUESTBNE or ART17CUSTOMFRAMING on the 'gram (Instagram). I'll post a blog about the printed mats soon. Meanwhile back to framing the 16 jerseys on my bench! Stay pony golden boys and girls!
Greetings in 2024!
I'm back in the studio and wondering where 2023 went?! Looking forward to continuing the momentum of last year and developing new and exciting framing designs incorporating textiles and paint, as well as enjoying all the custom framing jobs that you continue to bring to me. Side Quest Exhibition was EPIC in 2023 and Art 17 is teaming up with Oracle Tattoo again in 2024 to host the year's most exciting art show. This year the theme is POP CULTURE and with such a broad brush with which to paint I'm excited to see what the artists bring to the show. I'd like to take a second to thank every person who came in for framing last year and wish you a Happy New Year and much success and happiness in 2024 and I look forward to framing for you again this year! As always ART 17 is open and available by appointment so call, text, email or DM on Instagram to book your consultation :) Forever Yours in Frames & Gains, Ash  While it was definitely a 'you had to be there to understand' kind of event, it would be remiss of me not to post a blog to thank everyone involved in making this event the biggest show Vacant Assembly has ever seen (the venue's words not mine).
Estimated attendance is somewhere up to 1k people over the course of the night. When I arrived at 7pm I had to push through a packed crowd to get into the venue. It was nuts.. Cat (Oracle Tattoo) put in so much work to make this event a success and most of the clout is rightfully hers. 6 months of planning, late nights, etc but it paid off 10 fold. Congrats Cat, you were amazing. Shout out Axe from AD Art Hanging and Curation who came in to hang the show. Shout out Eren and crew from Few & Far Studio for working OT to get all the prints ready then working the merch desk on the night when it was overrun with punters. Was an honour to be able to make crazy custom frames for such amazing artists. If you snoozed on SQ23 make sure you catch SQ24. It's gonna be even wilder..  First blog post of the year in May, and May 29th no less..
My apologies! Time gets away from you when you're old ya know ;) I've been busy! Art 17 is now the proud owner of an A2 flatbed large format scanner. Hoorah! So stoked to be able to offer our clients PREMIUM large scale flatbed scanning at reasonable prices. Seriously. Check out the prices for large scale scanning in Brisbane.. It's W I L D. Check out the Scanning page in the menu and hit us up next time you wanna make prints of that new artwork or scan an existing artwork or photo!
Well it finally happened. After many comments by existing clients and friends and then a comment by a new client, it was time to update my photo on the website.
RIP Pink haired Ash! 2022... Where do I even start... I'd like to start by thanking everyone who had framing done at Art 17. Everyone who commissioned custom painted work (SEE THE NEW CUSTOM PAINTED FRAMING GALLERY IN THE MENU!!!). And anyone who supported Art 17 in any way. 2022 was our biggest year yet. Sure I worked more hours than any year previously, but that doesn't make it less successful! Who needs a social life when you have endless amazing custom framing designs to conceive of and build!? The big change in 2022 for Art 17 was the influx of jersey and memorabilia framing. I'm proud to be the best priced jersey framer in Brisbane and will continue to remain so despite having to raise prices slightly due to continuing supply price rises. I believe the reason for the sudden popularity is due to several prominent framing shops closing down in 2022 and the fact the vast majority of Google searches end with the words 'near me'. I've been paying attention to the Google business data I've received in the last 6 months and most of the searches finding Art 17 are people searching 'jersey framing near me'. I'm thankful for the clients who have left Art 17 Google reviews because those reviews bring in new clients from further afield based on them alone. So if you are reading this and have left a review, thank you! Looking forward to 2023... In the new year I will continue to develop the custom painting styles that have been popular in 2022 as well as expand into new territory. I will endeavor to use exciting techniques and designs to accentuate the artworks that come into the studio where appropriate and I will always take a step back and apply subtle framing where appropriate and allow the artwork to do all the talking. I will continue to love the interactions and process of designing framing concepts with clients and make it exciting and interesting for both myself and the client. And mostly I will continue to have fun and make the framing experience fun for every person who comes to Art 17. For what do we have if we have not fun!!! Much love, Ash Seventeen  You've created a monster because nobody wants to see Ash anymore they want Ash 17 so this is what I'll give ya.. Ha!
2022! Where do they years go dudes? Far out! Well anyway we are back in the studio from next Monday Jan 10th and ready to R O C K! The 2022 logo is PINK and PUNK and homage to my favorite punk band in my teens and early twenties, NOFX! The new work shirts with the PINK PUNK logo will be arriving this week so you'll be seeing them around the studio from now until 2023. So keen to get into more custom work this year. MATBOARD FADES are ALLLLLL THE RAGE so don't be a frame in a cage my dudes! Hit the contact form on the main page to get in touch or slide over to INSTAGRAM and check out what we're up to and hit us in the DM's. Looking for ward to working with you this year you beautiful people!  Hi team!
Turnaround times at ART 17 is generally 3-5 weeks. And while that is a little longer than most framing shops, ART 17 isn't your standard framing shop :) I'm changing things up a bit in the studio this year to make sure every customer gets the best service and quickest turnaround possible. This means most of the work I take in now will be 'first in first served'. I will do my best for existing clients and referrals with URGENT orders to make this happen, but priority will be given to executing framing jobs in the order they came into the studio. Along with this I will be ONLY taking consultations on Tuesday/Friday/Saturday unless discussed otherwise. I AM TRULY HUMBLED AND GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT! These new practices are aimed at giving you the best framing experience and product possible and if the ART 17 Google reviews are anything to go by, that's exactly what you get and why you come back :) Much love, Ash xx |
AuthorAsh is the owner and Trade Qualified Custom Framer at ART 17 Archives
August 2026
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