Gallery Notes
Welcome to Frame Gallery’s newsletter archives! Catch up on past issues of our seasonal newsletter, featuring exhibit highlights, artist spotlights, event recaps, and unique gift finds. Whether you’re revisiting a favorite moment or discovering something new, we’re glad you’re here!
Fall 2026
Celebrate local art this season with Frame Gallery! Our Fall 2026 issue highlights upcoming workshops, including Lendon Noe’s Abstract Painting class and our "Side by Side" mother-daughter exhibition with Page Schley and Connie Keetle. Discover our new art partnership with The Blue Chair Tavern featuring Lawrence Ellis’s 3D paper Sewanee Tigers, recap our TigerFest 2026 celebrations, and shop handcrafted fair-trade gifts.
Come celebrate Sewanee artists, Sewanee-inspired art, and so much more! Our gallery currently features works by Laura Blackman, Tom Howick, Diane Jones, Tony Winters, Keith Killebrew, Phil Ponder, Connie Keetle, Lawrence Ellis, Ben Potter, and more.
Abstract Painting Workshop with Lendon Noe
Only two spots left! Join artist Lendon Noe for a full-day exploration of abstraction through color, form, gesture, and intuitive mark-making on September 12 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Frame Gallery!
This hands-on workshop invites participants to move beyond representation and discover how line, shape, color, texture, and composition can serve as expressive tools. Through guided exercises and studio time, participants will experiment with building abstract images using watercolor and other water-soluble media.
Lendon will guide participants in exploring how artists use layering, repetition, contrast, movement, and visual rhythm to create meaningful compositions. The emphasis is on curiosity and discovery — allowing ideas to develop through the process rather than focusing on perfection.
The day will include instruction, demonstrations, individual guidance, and time to develop personal work in a supportive studio environment.
Participants will leave with new approaches to abstraction, a deeper understanding of abstract art, and one or more original works created during the workshop.
Schedule:
10:00 AM–12:00 PM — Introduction, exercises, and exploration
12:00–1:00 PM — Lunch break (bring your own lunch or enjoy one of Sewanee’s local restaurants)
1:00–4:00 PM — Studio time and individual guidance
Who Should Attend:
Open to beginners and experienced artists alike. No previous experience with abstract painting is required — only curiosity and a willingness to experiment.
Registration:
This workshop is limited to 8 participants (only two spots remaining!), and the $145 registration fee includes supplies.
A few paintings from Lendon Noe's "To Sit With a Flower" exhibit are still available for sale in the Gallery and online.
“In Decline” is an oil and acrylic ink on canvas measuring 20" x 40" by Lendon Noe ($1,500).
Side by Side
Page Schley and Connie Keetle: A Mother-Daughter Exhibition
Save the Date! October 2–31 | Reception: October 9, 5:00–6:30 p.m.
Page Schley (L) and Connie Keetle (R) at Frame Gallery Gifts & Art.
Frame Gallery is delighted to present "Side by Side," an exhibition featuring mother and daughter Page Schley and Connie Keetle, both talented Sewanee artists.
The exhibition will include landscapes and florals, with styles ranging from abstraction to realism. Working on canvas and paper, Page and Connie use a variety of media, including acrylics, oils, walnut ink, and Dr. Ph. Martin’s Tech Drawing ink.
While Page and Connie share a passion for creating art, each brings her own perspective and individual expression to her work. Presented together, their pieces offer a special look at the creative connection between two generations, and the distinctive artistic voice of each woman.
Many of you already know Connie as one of our own FrameGals, and we are especially excited to welcome her mother, Page, to the gallery.
The exhibition will be on view from October 2 to 31. Please join us for a reception honoring Page and Connie on Friday, October 9, from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. More details to come!
Afterschool Art Crew
Harriet Runkle, owner of Frame Gallery, will lead Make Art Like Great Artists, a four-class series for eight students from a local homeschool community.
Students will learn about four very different artists and then create art inspired by their work—cutting, arranging, dotting, balancing, and seeing the world in new ways.
Henri Matisse: Arrange colorful paper into bold sculptures and designs
Yayoi Kusama: Explore dots, repetition, and pattern
Alexander Calder: Experiment with balance and movement to create a mobile
Pablo Picasso: Play with shape and perspective to create a whimsical portrait
This series was privately arranged for a local homeschool group. If you are interested in participating in—or organizing—a similar class, we would love to hear from you!
Blue Chair Tavern: An Art Partnership
We’re excited to partner with The Blue Chair Tavern as a Frame Gallery Art Partner! Through this program, we’re bringing original work by local and regional artists into places around our community where people already gather, dine, and spend time. The artwork will change throughout the year, giving you a chance to discover something new—and every piece is available for purchase through Frame Gallery.
The Blue Chair is featuring Lawrence Ellis’s stunning hand-folded Sewanee Tiger paper sculptures. They’re a perfect way to celebrate this artist and the Sewanee spirit.
So the next time you’re at The Blue Chair, take a look at the walls. You might just find your next favorite piece of art.
Frame Gallery Art Partners — bringing original art into the places we gather.
Welcome Class of 2030!
What a fabulous evening we had at TigerFest last Tuesday, August 25, celebrating Sewanee’s incoming Class of 2030!
With TigerFest taking place the night before the first day of classes, there were plenty of opportunities for the new students to work off some nervous energy, have fun, and make new friends. All the FrameGals were on hand, adding their own creative flair. Connie made the colorful targets for our Paper Airplane Challenge, and Diane created the signs.
Our “I’ve Been Framed” Photo Booth was a hit as always, along with the Paper Airplane Challenge and Chalk the Walk. We were especially excited to meet so many art enthusiasts in the new class and look forward to welcoming them to Frame Gallery Gifts and Art!
Custom Framing Feature
Our latest Friday's favorite framing project surrounds this whimsical, colorful, and playful painting, “The Girls.” We chose a blue-green frame that picks up the beautiful blues and greens throughout the painting, while the frame's pattern and texture echo the details and textures in the girls' clothing.
Let us help you make your favorite painting even better!
Favorite Gifts
Our favorite gift for this issue is the Prosperity Tota, hand-stitched, stuffed, beaded, and strung together by women artisans in the small village of Chota Narena in northern India. These traditional pieces have been hung in Indian homes for generations and are believed to bring prosperity and good luck when placed in a doorway or window.
Each 46-inch-long tota is made by hand from cotton fabric and beads, with a brass bell attached at the end. You’ll see them hanging around Frame Gallery, and we can assure you—they work! Designed to hang straight down, they add a colorful, decorative touch to any room.
Frame-Worthy Feedback
June-July 2026
Summer is in full bloom at Frame Gallery Gifts & Art. This issue brings Lendon Noe's watercolor exhibition "To Sit With a Flower" and companion workshop, a glamorous Joan Crawford custom framing feature, the launch of our first Makers Market on July 3, and handmade table decor from Natural Habitat — plenty of ways to connect with art, creativity, and community this summer.
Summer is in full bloom at Frame Gallery Gifts & Art! From Lendon Noe's thoughtful watercolor exhibition inspired by the beauty of flowers, to a hands-on workshop, favorite custom framing project, and the launch of our new Makers Market, there are plenty of opportunities to connect with art, creativity, and community. We hope to see you soon!
To Sit With a Flower: Paintings by Lendon Noe
Art Exhibit Opening Reception
Frame Gallery Gifts & Art is delighted to welcome Jackson, Tennessee, artist Lendon Noe back to Sewanee for a solo exhibition, To Sit With a Flower: Paintings by Lendon Noe, opening on Friday, June 26, 2026. A reception for the artist will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public. The exhibition will be on view at Frame Gallery Gifts & Art through July 25.
Inspired by Sewanee professor David Haskell's book, Flowers Made Our World, Noe's latest body of work explores the practice of giving a flower one's full attention. Near the end of the book, Haskell invites readers to "play" with flowers and suggests a variety of ways to engage with the natural world. One of those invitations is to "sit" with a flower.
Noe says, “I placed quotation marks around the word ‘sit’ because the experience resembles a form of meditation—a quiet act of observation and presence.” Through watercolor, she has embraced this practice, creating paintings that reflect both the beauty of flowers and the deeper act of seeing them.
For more than twenty-five years, Noe's artwork has explored themes of natural history, ancestry, and place. A sense of curiosity, observation, and connection to the natural world characterizes her paintings.
Watercolor Painting Workshop
As a companion to the exhibition, Noe will lead a watercolor workshop on Saturday, June 27, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the Frame Gallery Studio. Participation is limited to eight students, who will have a lunch break from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Participants may bring their own lunch or enjoy a meal at a local Sewanee restaurant.
Workshop participants will gather in community to "sit" with a flower and explore a fluid, spontaneous, and expressive approach to watercolor painting. No prior painting experience is required, making the workshop suitable for beginners and experienced artists alike seeking a fresh approach to watercolor.
Custom Framing Feature
Our latest Friday's favorite framing project is an autographed photograph of Joan Crawford inscribed to Clark Gable. The warm matting complements Joan's beautiful, flawless complexion, while the subtle floral pattern of the ivory frame hints at her elegance and grace. A delicate gold inlay further enhances the image, drawing attention to her stunning gown and adding a touch of Hollywood glamour.
What a treat it is to imagine that remarkable era—filled with style, romance, and cinematic magic. Framing pieces like this allows us to preserve not only a photograph but also a glimpse into a fascinating moment in history.
Bring us your treasured photograph, old or new, and we’ll help you choose a frame that beautifully enhances its character and preserves its story.
First Makers Market on July 3!
Our first Makers Market will be held on Friday, July 3, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Frame Gallery. Visitors can enjoy:
Handmade artwork and fair-traded crafts
An art demonstration by Connie Keetle
Independence Day Chalk the Walk activities
Face-making art for children and the young at heart
Frame Gallery's new Makers Market is a celebration of creativity, imagination, and the joy of making things by hand. The market brings together artists, makers, and creative thinkers to share their work, ideas, and inspiration with the community.
At its heart, the Makers Market embraces the belief that creativity is for everyone. From handmade gifts and original artwork to creative art kits and one-of-a-kind treasures, the focus is on exploration, connection, and the simple pleasure of creating. It's a place where process matters as much as the finished product and where experimentation, play, and discovery are encouraged.
We hope to welcome additional makers throughout the summer to display and sell their handmade work. Artists working in any medium are encouraged to reply to this email or contact us to participate.
Stop by, shop small, meet local makers, and celebrate creativity with us!
Product Features: Handmade Table Decor
We're proud to feature products by makers near and far, including these gorgeous hand-printed table runners, tablecloths, and napkins from Natural Habitat! Visit our collection of Sewanee Gifts or click below to explore unique decor and gifts to brighten any gathering.
Summer 2026
Summer 2026 is full of creative energy at Frame Gallery Gifts and Art in Sewanee, Tennessee. This issue of Gallery Notes covers upcoming workshops — including a Whimsical Paper Sculpture Workshop with Harriet Runkle on June 13 and a watercolor workshop with Jackson, TN, artist Lendon Noe on June 27 — plus Lendon's solo exhibition To Sit with a Flower opening June 26, a custom framing feature, the debut of the Makers Market, and an open position on the Frame Gallery team.
Spring has been a busy season at Frame Gallery Gifts & Art as we've been planning new workshops, exhibitions, and creative opportunities for our community. In this issue of Gallery Notes, you'll find details about upcoming classes, a beautiful new watercolor exhibition by Lendon Noe, our new Makers Market, framing inspiration, and an opportunity to join our team. We hope you'll stop by, get inspired, and be part of all the creativity happening in the next few months.
Whimsical Paper Sculpture Workshop
Join Harriet Runkle for a Whimsical Paper Sculpture Workshop on Saturday, June 13, 2026, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in the Studio at Frame Gallery Gifts and Art. This workshop is for all ages, and children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.
Using just three simple folded paper shapes (the tear drop, the accordion, and the spiral), you can create whatever your imagination dreams up. Start with one idea and watch it transform into something completely unexpected along the way. From abstract designs to figures, creatures, and wild inventions, it’s amazing what can happen with colored cardstock, glue, a pencil, and your own hands.
This is fun art, not fine art — and the process is every bit as exciting as the final creation. There’s no right or wrong way to do it, just experimentation, play, imagination, and discovery.
The workshop fee is $20 for adults and $10 for children 12 and under. All materials are included, and the sky is the limit on how big, small, simple, or elaborate your creations become — or how many you make during the workshop!
To Sit With a Flower: Watercolors by Lendon Noe
Art Exhibit Opening Reception
We are delighted to host Jackson, TN, artist Lendon Noe a second time for a solo exhibition, To Sit with a Flower: Watercolors by Lendon Noe, opening on Friday, June 26, with an opening reception from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. at Frame Gallery.
After hearing David Haskell speak about his latest book, Flowers Made Our World, she purchased it, and her watercolor paintings reflect the influence of nature and Haskell’s perceptions.
Watercolor Painting Workshop
Lendon will also lead a watercolor workshop limited to eight participants at Frame Gallery the following day, on June 27, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 pm. with a lunch break between 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. Participants have the option to bring their own lunch or go out to eat in downtown Sewanee.
Participants will sit together with a flower in community and then practice a style of watercolor painting that is fluid, spontaneous, and expressive. This painting style requires no prior experience and is appropriate for all levels.
To learn more about artist Lendon Noe, her upcoming exhibit, and the workshop, click here.
Custom Framing Feature
Our most recent #FavFrame surrounds a gorgeous paper piece by our very own Connie Keetle. We floated the artwork to preserve the beautiful deckled edges of the paper, while warm brown matting picks up the subtle earth tones within the piece. The top mat extends the muted blues and grays of the artwork, and a raised mat adds depth and dimension.
This mixed-media work, created with acrylics, colored pencil, and charcoal, is topped off with a rich, dark wood frame that complements the piece's texture and highlights the deep walnut inks Connie makes herself.
Custom framing is at its best when it quietly enhances the artwork without competing with it, and this design does just that—drawing your eye to Connie’s intricate details, rich textures, and beautifully layered surface.
While we framed this specific piece for a customer, more of Connie's paper pieces, giclee prints, canvases, and notecards are on display and available for purchase in our galleries. Stop by Tuesday-Saturday, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm.
Introducing Makers Market at Frame Gallery!
The Makers Market at Frame Gallery is a celebration of creativity, imagination, and the joy of making things by hand. It’s a place where artists, makers, and creative thinkers can share their work, ideas, and inspiration with the community. From handmade gifts and original artwork to creative kits and one-of-a-kind treasures, the market highlights the beauty of creating for the simple pleasure of it.
At its heart, the Frame Gallery’s Makers Market embraces the idea that creativity is for everyone. It’s about experimentation, play, discovery, and enjoying the process as much as the finished piece. Whether you're shopping, browsing, meeting local makers, or finding inspiration for your own projects, there’s something for every age and interest.
You'll also find art workshops, artist demonstrations, and art projects made with upcycled materials from Frame Gallery, offering a fun way to keep exploring and creating at home. After all, some of the best art starts with a little imagination and a handful of everyday materials—just for the fun of it.
We Are Expanding Our Team!
Frame Gallery Gifts & Art is seeking a detail-oriented and creative individual to manage our online shop. This part-time role is perfect for someone who enjoys working behind the scenes to showcase beautiful, meaningful items and to help extend our brick-and-mortar store's reach into the digital space.
This position offers a flexible schedule. Responsibilities include uploading new products, maintaining inventory accuracy, writing engaging product descriptions, organizing collections, and helping ensure that our online presence reflects the spirit and aesthetic of the shop.
The ideal candidate has a good eye for presentation, is comfortable with basic technology and e-commerce platforms, and appreciates art, handmade goods, and thoughtfully sourced gifts. Experience with photography, social media, and online retail makes for an ideal candidate.
If you—or someone you know who lives on or near the Plateau—would enjoy being part of a creative, community-centered business, we would love to hear from you.
Please contact Harriet or stop by the shop for more details.
Winter 2026
Don't miss the current sales, our first exhibition of 2026, and a fabulous line-up of art workshops!
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Winter 2025
December at Frame Gallery is filled with festive creativity! This month’s Gallery Notes highlights the 2025 Holiday Tour of Artists’ Studios and Galleries, our expanded Nativity & Icon Exhibition, and a curated selection of Christmas décor, original art, and one-of-a-kind gifts. Explore featured works by local and regional artists, support community initiatives like the Empty Tables Show & Sale, and celebrate the season with us at Frame Gallery Gifts & Art.
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Fall 2025
Mark your calendars for our upcoming events this month, including Connie Keetle’s “Shifting Views” solo art exhibit opening October 17 and a new two-part European Cityscape painting class with Carole Foret starting October 18, and take a look at our adorable, new handmade gifts.
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Summer 2025
This summer at Frame Gallery: celebrate Martha Keeble’s legacy, explore new icons by Sr. Eliseea, sign up for art classes, and submit work for our pet-themed art show and party! Plus, discover gift favorites like Jacob’s Little Piper Chimes.
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Winter 2024
Celebrate the season with Frame Gallery’s Winter lineup of festive events, from our Holiday Pop-Up and Santa Paws party to the 2nd Annual Nativity Exhibit. Don’t miss art classes, local makers, and meaningful ways to connect with community and creativity this December.
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