Truth or Consequences is located just a few scenic miles from the Black Range, which is where the Gila National Forest / Wilderness area begins (from our perspective, anyway). And so it follows that the US Forest Service Ranger Office for the Black Range is located right here in town, up on Date Street.
We’ve done a bit of framing for them in the past, but nothing on the scale of the two panoramic photos (one color; one black-and-white) they brought to us a couple of weeks ago. They asked for a basic dry-mount, as they just wanted to get the photos onto the wall in their office.
That idea presented some problems, though, because pieces of this size, mounted on foamcore, will warp (specifically, “bow”) under their own weight.
Andrew talked the guys (Zone Archaeologist Chris Adams & District Ranger Larry Cosper) into wrapping a frame around the outer edge to keep the corners square and the surface in-plane.
Once that was settled, we started worrying about the surface of the photos, being exposed in an office setting.
Why go to the expense of mounting something so big and beautiful without covering the front? Condensation, fly specks, anything that landed on the surface of the photo emulsions would be stuck there for life.
So another call to Chris & Larry went out, and we got approval to add non-glare plexi, sandwich-style (please note, sandwiching is not generally recommended in framing circles, and it’s a definite DON’T! with original artwork – however we do it aplenty when budgets don’t allow for spacers or mats on things that can be replaced, like photos or posters).
Here’s the finished product. Anyone can go and admire them in person at the District Office (1804 N. Date), Monday-Friday. Pick up some maps and other information while you’re there!
If you want to have a look at the Black Range, head south from T or C on I-25 then exit east on Highway 52 toward Silver City, and boom, there you are. Charming Hillsboro, a wonderful place to visit, is on the edge of the Black Range. Things get more mountainous from there.
