Museum-Quality Framing Backed by Decades of Expertise
J.Dewers specializes in picture framing to suit any budget, limited only by your imagination.
- Hours
- Monday–Friday
10am–5pm - Contact
- Call (619) 233-5888
Founded in 1980 in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter, J.Dewers was established as a premier frame shop serving artists, art collectors, designers, galleries, and museums.
In 2000, Janos Novak took ownership, bringing extensive expertise as a designer, maker, and restorer of fine picture frames. With decades of experience, including his role as an Art Conservation Technician at the Balboa Art Conservation Center, Janos completed numerous projects for major museums and collections across the Southwest.
Janos’s unique experience ensures that J.Dewers maintains a standard of excellence, providing museum-quality framing that preserves and enhances your artwork.
Service Offerings
We don’t just make picture frames – we create works of art.
-
Museum Quality Custom Framing
Discover the perfect frame for your artwork, photos, and keepsakes with our custom framing services. We offer a wide selection of museum-quality frames, mats, and finishes to suit any style and budget. Whether preserving a cherished memory or creating a statement piece, our expert team is here to bring your vision to life!
-
Frame Making / Gilding
Enhance your artwork or frames with our expert gilding services. With many years of experience, we specialize in applying beautiful gold, silver, and metal leaf finishes to create a timeless, luxurious look. Trust our skilled artisans to add a touch of elegance to your pieces with precision and care.
-
Conservation
Preserve the beauty of your artwork with our expert conservation and restoration services. We ensure your cherished pieces are treated with the utmost care and expertise. Our skilled team uses various techniques to repair, protect, and revitalize frames, sculptures, and other valuable artifacts, ensuring they last for generations.
-
Delivery Services
We are pleased to offer professional pickup and delivery services for our clients. Our team is dedicated to ensuring the safe transportation and handling of the artworks entrusted to us. All deliveries are fully insured, and our staff is expertly trained in proper art handling procedures to guarantee the highest level of care.
Museum Quality Custom Framing
Expert Design
With millions of possible combinations of colors, styles, and formats, we can help you choose the perfect option for both your artwork and your budget. J.Dewers offers a curated line of hand-carved and gilded picture frames, including ones crafted by our own local carvers and gilders in our studio.
Period Frames
We offer a wide selection of hand-carved, gilded, closed-corner frames in a variety of styles, including American, Impressionist, Plein Air, Western, Spanish, Italian, and other European designs from all historical periods. Janos brings extensive design expertise and a deep knowledge of art history and frame styles.
Custom Shadow Boxes and Display Cases
Custom shadow boxes and acrylic display cases allow you to showcase your passions, hobbies, and memories in a meaningful and personal way. We create beautiful enclosures that protect and enhance your sports memorabilia and other collectibles.
Poster & Photograph Frame Design
We offer custom photo and poster framing with the same care and craftsmanship we bring to fine art. We work with museums and galleries to frame priceless photography collections, using archival materials to ensure lasting quality.
Custom Mirrors
We create mirrors in any size, with beveled or straight edges, tailored to fit your space perfectly. Choose from any of our custom frame samples to transform into a framed mirror—ideal for everything from living rooms to bathroom vanities.
Canvas Stretching
We offer a large variety of strainers and stretchers with keyable expandable corners. We have extensive experience in conservation principles related to canvas stretching for artworks of all sizes.
Museum Quality Framing by J.Dewers
We provide museum quality framing based on Janos’s extensive experience working in the art conservation field for over 16 years. Framing is the creation of a storage container that allows you and generations to come to see the contents. Improper framing is the greatest cause of deterioration of artwork.
Archival Methods & Materials
- Our museum-quality framing includes acid-free, buffered materials to prevent acid damage. pH-neutral adhesives or tapes and 100% rag, acid-free, lignin-free, and fade-resistant boards are used for matting.
- For hinging artwork, we use acid-free Japanese tissue with wheat or rice starch paste, as these are reversible and safe. Non-adhesive methods like corner supports (paper or plastic envelopes) are also acceptable.
- When no mat is used, the artwork is hinged to archival board and framed to avoid contact with the glazing or frame.
- Spacers maintain a gap between the artwork and glazing and are non-acidic.
- UV-filtering museum glass and Optium Museum Acrylic protect the artwork from fading.
- The frame will be airtight to keep out dirt and pollutants, and to stabilize temperature and humidity inside.
- All framing methods are easily reversible without any damage to the art.
Gilding with Genuine Gold Leaf
Janos is a master of gilding (the process of applying gold leaf or gold paint). He has extensive experience studying and working with gilders, frame makers and conservators. He specializes in the fine art of water gilding, which was invented in the Renaissance, and has taught workshops at museums throughout the Southwestern United States.
Conservation & Restoration
J.Dewers specializes in the conservation and restoration of various forms of art including frames, sculptures and wooden artifacts. Janos has worked as a Conservation Technician in a museum conservation lab, which served member museums and public collections throughout the Southwest. J.Dewers also works closely with Sarah Murray Paintings Conservation.
Conservation Services Include
- Conservation of gilded finishes on frames, furniture and sculpture
- Frame repair
- Outdoor Sculpture Collection Maintenance
- Restoration and repair of wooden artifacts
Delivery & Pickup Services
J.Dewers is happy to offer local pickup and delivery services to our clients. J.Dewers is committed to the safe transportation and handling of artworks entrusted to us. We can also arrange for professional art installation services.
J.Dewers does not ship artwork via mail or parcel service but can assist with packaging and crating.
Client Showcase
We’ve framed thousands of artworks. Here are a few to inspire you.
About J.Dewers
J.Dewers is a full-service, custom framing shop located on Morena Boulevard in San Diego. We have been in business since 1980. J.Dewers offers the highest quality preservation framing in the industry. We frame everything – from your precious family photos to museum art collections to enhance and preserve your art. We work with individuals, interior designers, galleries and museums. We carry thousands of moldings and frames to choose from, with a very wide price range.
We carry a large selection of hand-crafted, hand-carved, water-gilded picture frames in styles ranging from California Impressionist, Western, Italian, Spanish and European, and periods from the Renaissance to Contemporary.
We have a wide selection of contemporary floater frames, and acrylic display cases and shadow boxes are our specialty.
Janos Novak
Janos Novak, owner of J.Dewers, has 40 years of experience in frame-making and conservation, with deep expertise in the history of picture frames. He has hands-on experience as an Art Conservation Technician, frame maker, and restorer at the Balboa Art Conservation Center in San Diego, where he worked on projects for prominent museums and collections in the Southwest. Janos brings this extensive knowledge to his business and is a member of the San Diego Art Services Network, a group of skilled art professionals.
Our mission is not only to enhance, but also to protect and preserve your art and collectibles.
Testimonials
Janos is the rare framer with an eye for both quality and value. His decades of experience working with rare, antique frames, materials and artwork make his studio the obvious choice for delicate and unique objects.
Charles E. CastleDeputy Director and CFO, Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego
At J.Dewers all work is performed to exacting museum standards for archival framing of art objects. Janos is a consummate craftsman, knowledgeable and meticulous in the execution of his craft as a maker and restorer of frames.
Philipp Scholz RittermannPhotographer
Janos is a skilled technician with great experience in joinery, finishes and gilding. He is also well versed in conservation standards and is extremely sensitive in finding the right presentation for individual works of art.
John DigesareRegistrar, The San Diego Museum of Art
Ask J.Dewers
Below you’ll find answers to some commonly asked questions.
Don’t see what you’re looking for? Drop us a line.
“The most important thing in art is the frame. For painting: literally; for other arts: figuratively — because, without this humble appliance, you can’t know where The Art stops and The Real World begins.”
What makes our framing process “museum quality”?
Museum Quality Framing Includes:
- Using archival methods and materials as approved by the Library of Congress.
- Preservation glazing with Museum Glass and Optium Museum Acrylic.
- Hinging your artwork with Japanese tissue and starch paste.
- All framing methods are easily reversible without any damage to the art.
How much does custom framing cost and how long does it take?
Prices vary depending on size and type of framing.
The best way to get an estimate is to bring your artwork in and we can explore different price range options. We accept walk-ins or contact us for an appointment.
Turnaround time varies starting at approximately 2-3 weeks for basic framing orders.
Contact Us
We accept walk-in customers or you may call to make an appointment or fill out our contact form below. We look forward to serving you.
- Hours
- Monday–Friday
10am–5pm - Phone
- (619) 233-5888
Drop us a line
