This Month’s Featured Article

The hands at Gilded Moon Framing in Millerton have been skillfully preserving works of art for quite some time now. Whether they’re working with colorful Picassos and Matisses with lofty price tags; modern works by Jasper Johns, Helen Frankenthaler, and Wilfredo Lam; or priceless children’s sketches and scribbles, they always put a high level of care and expertise into executing their craft.

Although Gilded Moon Framing traces its history back to the year 2000, there’s been a recent shift, and there’s a new-ish team at the helm. More on that later…

The business’s founders, Jill and Paul Choma have happily devoted more than two decades to their craft, but within the last few years, they’ve been spending more time traveling to the West Coast to visit their children. With careful planning, they put the right team in place to transition their business. 

A brief history: In 2000, Jill began custom framing out of her garage. After doing projects for friends and neighbors, she began taking on work for local galleries, private collectors, and educational institutions. 

Then, in 2004, Paul joined the business in a full-time role, and together they opened the doors to Gilded Moon Framing in the annex of the NorthEast-Millerton Library. The shop was housed in the annex until 2010, when it relocated to its current address at 17 John Street, the former site of Millerton National Bank. 

New hands

Laura Polirer and Kelsey Reed now helm Gilded Moon Framing. Both have been on board for a few years. The duo officially took over in January of 2025 but have been essentially running the business for most of 2024 while the Chomas were traveling. 

In January of 2025, there was a soft launch. “We have slowly been telling our clients about the change as they come in for framing. Most of them are already familiar with Kelsey and me, and we’ve had a very positive reaction from everyone,” said Laura. Other small businesses in the area have also been very welcoming. 

Prior to joining Gilded Moon 

Framing in 2021, Laura was already immersed in the art community. “As an artist myself, I keep up my studio practice at the Cunneen-Hackett Art Center in Poughkeepsie, NY,” she said.

With a degree in visual arts, Laura has worked in a variety of artmaking practices and media. Throughout her work experience, she has learned how to handle, store, and transport artworks. She has also worked for several artists and teachers in Dutchess and Ulster Counties. 

“While exploring career opportunities, I interned at a painting restoration studio in Kent, CT so I had some restoration and preservation knowledge before joining the Gilded Moon team. Jill and Paul encouraged me to obtain Certified Picture Framer status after extensive training and testing on the latest archival framing methods,” she said. 

Kelsey kicked off her career in 2017 when she was overseas in Okinawa, Japan with her husband, a US Marine Corps veteran. “I specialized in framing military memorabilia and meaningful farewell gifts for service members. Having the ability to preserve their respected uniforms, service medals, and ribbons was both deeply rewarding and an honor,” she said. She has a passion for framing three-dimensional objects and a love for hands-on frame building in the woodshop, operating equipment, and refining her craftsmanship (how very Japanese). 

Like Laura, Kelsey joined Jill and Paul’s team in 2021. She learned more in-depth preservation techniques and best practices for protecting artwork and memorabilia and went on to earn her CPF in 2023.

A perfect fit

Before joining Gilded Moon, Laura planned on earning her master’s degree in painting restoration. She aspired to work for a large institution and establish a private business. After interning at the restoration studio, she realized that she can be a bit impatient. 

“Restoration involves spending hours on one painting … and a lot of research and scientific analysis beforehand. Although I was very adept in my chemistry classes, it wasn’t something I found as enjoyable in practice,” she said. 

Although she enjoyed working with her hands, Laura realized that she prefers the collaborative process involved in designing a frame and the result, which is finished in a week or two. In preservation framing, the framer still cares for the piece with the intention that it won’t need further restoration or intervention. “I could see myself doing this for the rest of my life,” she added. 

Unlike Laura, Kelsey had intentions of owning her own framing shop. In fact, when she interviewed with Paul, he asked about her long-time plan. Having her own shop was part of her response. 

“I’d already had experience in custom framing, and I was drawn to Gilded Moon Framing because of their high standards when it comes to preservation and attention to detail. I knew I wanted to be a part of a small community, and when approached about the idea of taking over, it just made sense,” said Reed.

Change of command

Since both were already employees of Gilded Moon, Kelsey and Laura worked closely with Jill and Paul prior to the shift in ownership. The Chomas’ mentorship and training shaped the incoming owners’ skills, values, and approach. “They taught us everything we know,” said Kelsey and Laura.

The duo certainly had an advantage since they were both well acquainted with the clients and production workflow. Eventually, they began working closely with vendors and brainstorming innovative solutions to frame unconventional items. Some of their jobs included erecting a silver matchbox cover that could easily be removed for polishing and a robe gifted from a Nigerian Chief. 

Jill also trained them in the roles that related to the business side, such as filing taxes and running reports, while Paul trained them on the more technical aspects of building custom frames. Laura and Kelsey also gained notoriety through their writing for Picture Framing Magazine.

Now officially at the helm, Kelsey and Laura plan to keep the business in alignment with the former regime – from the level of craftsmanship to their expertise in professional preservation. Of course, some new ideas are on the horizon, including renovating the attic into a usable space. 

 

Their specialty

Gilded Moon Framing’s primary focus remains the preservation of fine art. Whether they are reframing a piece or getting it framed for the first time, the team wants to make sure the artwork is well protected. They’re also available for consultations. They have an extensive selection of frame styles from hand-gilded to stock options that they order in length and assemble in-house. Gilded Moon Framing also offers an array of mat colors, from French style to fabric-wrapped samples. Kelsey and Laura are eager to lend their expertise and offer suggestions, so the framing experience is enjoyable rather than overwhelming. 

The shop carries high-quality cotton rag matboards which are naturally acid-free. The team also works with talented gilders and artisans in New York City, Boston, and Santa Fe as well as with woodworkers in Pennsylvania. 

When available, Gilded Moon Framing aims to sell USA-made, but they also have some stunning imported options that hail from Italy. Tru Vue is one of their favorite brands; due to its high UV protection, they use it for all their glazing jobs. The shop also stocks Tru Vue’s Optium Museum Acrylic, which is considered by many to be top notch in the industry. In addition to being 99% UV protective, it is also anti-reflective, scratch resistant, and static resistant, so it will not attract dust when hanging. 

The shop also has a variety of readymade frames for sale in its Inspiration Gallery. If they don’t have the size customers are seeking, frames can be made to order. Any of their moldings can be made into tabletop frames with an easel back. Gilded Moon Framing also has easel stands available to place wired frames on an end table or mantle. 

For sculptural works, Laura and Kelsey can create acrylic tabletop displays with UV protection. They have framed works on display throughout the shop so they can highlight different mounting techniques, most of which are available for purchase. 

Although framing is their specialty, Laura and Kelsey keep a list of local recommended experts for clients in need of restoration, installation, and shipping. They plan to offer installation and delivery again soon, however at press time, their services were limited to complimentary drop-off at Arnoff Pack and Ship in Lakeville, CT.

With warmer weather hopefully coming soon, Laura and Kelsey have been discussing different ideas to boost community engagement. They are looking forward to being a part of town-wide events such as the Where’s Waldo summertime scavenger hunt, Summer Stroll, and Halloween trick or treating. • 

Gilded Moon Framing is located at 17 John St. in Millerton, NY. Call (518) 789-3428, or visit them online at gmframing.com