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Thirty-nine years ago, when Cathy Sherburne went to work in a small
photography shop that did framing as a sideline, she had no idea
that framing colorful artwork, family photographs and contemporary
prints would become her life's work. She simply liked what she did.
 "You could
take a print or painting and work with different mats and frames,
and when you're finished, it's a beautiful piece of art," Cathy
said. "I knew way back then that this is what I wanted to do."
Cathy learned along the way that framing is about so much more than
pictures and art. At the business (Acadian Frame and Art) she opened
in 1985 with her then-husband, Steve, Cathy has framed everything
from newspaper articles to sports memorabilia, including jerseys,
and christening dresses.
"I enjoy seeing the various types of items our clients bring in to
have framed," she said. "Right now, I'm framing a United States
marine uniform from World War II that my client's father wore."
Children's artwork is another popular item that many parents have
professionally framed. "That's what makes it interesting. It's not
just about artwork. It's about preserving the things that are
important in people's lives. And if it's important to them, it's
important to me," Cathy said.
That attitude is what has kept Acadian Frame and Art thriving for 25
years-that and Cathy's eye for design and talent for helping clients
choose the perfect frame for their memories.
In 1998, Cathy's daughter, Anna, who had grown up helping with the
business, began working full-time to help her mother serve the loyal
clients who kept coming back.
"She has a different eye than I have," Cathy said. "I'm more
traditional, but Anna likes more contemporary art and brighter
colors."
"When I started working here, I wanted to do something else, but I
realized I have a flair for decorating. It just fit and evolved from
there. Now I wouldn't do anything else," Anna said. "My mom and I,
although we have different preferences, balance each other."
"My daughter working with me is the best joy in my life," Cathy
added. "Knowing that we can depend on each other is very special to
me. We think alike, but then we don't. We play off of each other."
Together, the mother and daughter combine their talents to fill the
store with art that appeals to all ages. From 1996 to 2000, Acadian
Frame and Art was the exclusive representative for artist Robert
Rucker, but when he passed away, they began showing other local
artists work.
Today, the walls are elegantly covered with the work of artists like
Katherine Rutledge, whose magnificent still lifes and courtyards
draw even the most unsophisticated eye; Hannah Lane, who has an
amazing color palette for her depictions of roosters, beignets,
seafood and saxophone players; Tony Bernard, best known for his
incredible LSU art; and Louis D'Angelo, whose contemporary pieces
are growing in popularity. The framing store is also home to other
local artists, such as Leigh Ann Maddox, Marita Gentry, Alla Baltas,
Keith Morris and Janet Anderson.
But art is only a part of the business that Cathy has so carefully
tended for so many years. Through the years, her talents have framed
the memories of too many clients to count. But for Cathy, framing
never loses its appeal. For her, each thing that someone brings to
have framed is a new challenge. And with lines like Larson-Juhl,
AMPF, Engelsen and Universal-Arquati, Cathy is able to offer her
customers exclusive frames in colorful metals and rich-hued woods,
some decorated with ornate beading and roping.
"First, we ask customers what ideas they have, where the item will
be hung and what colors are in that room," Cathy explained. "It's
very important that the frame belongs in a certain space. Then we
talk about mats and frames, and I show the client samples. After
they make their decision, normally, we deliver a piece of art in one
week."
Aside from personal service, one of the reasons many clients keep
coming back is because Cathy and Anna like to keep prices
affordable. Even larger pieces on canvas are not as expensive as the
art that can be found in similar-styled retail shops. "We want
people to buy things they can enjoy and afford," Anna said. "We want
our customers to be satisfied not only with our work, but with our
pricing as well. It's not about making the most money. It's about
bringing the customer back."
For 25 years, customers have been happily coming back to Acadian
Frame and Art-some to utilize the talent and expertise of staff
members, like Jane Norwood, who has worked there for 13 years, and
others just to visit with the resident dachshunds, Maggie and Lucy.
Maggie, seven years old, is Anna's dog, and Lucy, three, is Cathy's.
"They come to work with us every day and have their own clientele,"
Cathy says. "People come by just to see them."
What began as just a job in a small shop 39 years ago turned into
Cathy's dream come true. Not many people get to spend every day
doing what they love, and Cathy turns her gratefulness for her
blessing into giving back to the community that has been so good to
her. "It doesn't matter what it is, I just enjoy giving back," says
the lady who regularly frames art to give away at silent auction
fundraisers and has been an active committee member of Our Lady of
the Lake Children's Hospital. She has helped with Children's
Advocacy Center's fundraisers, Cancer Services of Greater Baton
Rouge and the Battered Women's Shelter. Cathy works with various
coaches at LSU and Southern University on fundraisers for their
respective programs. In addition, she is a member of the Bengal
Bells. "I always try to give back as much as I possibly can," she
said.
For more information about Acadian Frame and Art, located on
Drusilla Lane next to Party Paradise, please call 927-6129.
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