Alley Gallery — Attraction in Evanston Township

I've had two opportunities to frame works with Alley Gallery, and I have been absolutely, 150% pleased with them BOTH times!

The first project was actually a huge batch of items-- I'd accrued a number of prints after many years of attending conventions, art fairs, and shows here in Evanston and back in Bloomington, Indiana. Ross worked with me patiently and enthusiastically, and it was really fantastic to get to collaborate on frame selection and understanding different types of frame and glass, as opposed to me making decisions totally unmoored or being bulldozed entirely (I've seen both while watching my mum get items framed back in Indiana). The second project, a shadowbox framing for a moth I'd mounted and pinned, was just as excellent, and the finished product came out looking like it'd fit right in at some sort of really fancy natural history museum!

Both projects were expensive compared to framing at larger operations, such as certain chain stores, but Alley Gallery attend to their work such that finished pieces are perfectly fitted, precisely cut, will protect the framed artwork, and will ideally last for lifetimes. It's well worth the cost to know that my collection will last as long as I do and then some, barring disaster.

Aside from frames, they have a delightfully eclectic selection of prints and posters, handmade magnets, and art by local artists (including some of the staff and owners!). There's also the Saw Room Gallery, a small but lovely art gallery right there in the shop, where rotating exhibits of local artwork in all sorts of media can be found. I like to stop in to see what's new every so often, even if I don't have a new project!

Finally, we can't talk about Alley Gallery without talking about the lovely, iconic miss Jessica, a 33-year-old Amazon parrot who belonged to the founder when the shop was started. She hangs out in the workshop and atop her aviary in the shop itself, quietly watching customers and the staff go about their business. Sweet and charming, she'll greet you with a 'Hello!' and a clever eye, and you may even see her peeking around the Saw Room's entryway to watch you peruse the artwork.

Alley Gallery is one of those places where the love of the owners and staff for their work, for art, and for the community is plainly evident-- there's no pretense, no over-marketing, just true artisans and masters of their craft bringing their work to the folks around them. If you're planning to have framing done in Evanston, I absolutely recommend that Ross, Darren, Jessica, and friends be...

We are longtime customers of Alley Gallery because they provide not only expert framing or mounting of one's item(s), but invaluable expert advice. Our pieces have become heirlooms to be treasured by our children's children. Darren, Ross, Chris and Avram have restored our damaged documents and artwork with unbelievable skill, although perhaps that's not surprising, given that each is himself an impressive graphic artist,. The quality of their materials and work is excellent, their attention to detail, impeccable, their turnaround time acommodates special needs, and their prices are remarkably reasonable. The Saw Room shows the work of talented local artists, always provocative; moreover, the Gallery has hosted intimate musical performances and is a community treasure. It is a very relaxing place to visit, plus you get to admire their parrot Jessica up close. The only problem is they have so many interesting and unique items (cards, posters, handicrafts) for sale, it's difficult to leave without an extra purchase! Alley Gallery really deserves a 10-star rating, but unfortunately 5...

I had a large print that was slipping from it’s frame. I emailed Alley Gallery to ask about their services. Darren promptly set up a zoom meeting with me to discuss the print and I was able to show him what the damage looked like. He came to my place, took the print for repair, and after a few weeks, Darren returned with the print expertly repaired. I cannot be happier with it. He did not try to sell anything not needed, like new matting or a new frame, and the price for the repair was very reasonable. Additionally, Darren took two other framed pieces with him for some much needed repairs. We had another zoom meeting so he could show me choices for matting. His choices were beautiful and it was hard to choose! I highly recommend Alley Gallery for any of your framing and artwork needs. Darren went above and beyond to provide excellent service. In this time of a pandemic, and as a senior, I certainly appreciated not having to go to the...