Meet Ellen Dougan, Owner of E.M. Dougan Art and Framing

I met Ellen Dougan a few months ago when she called me to quote on a project to restore an old photograph. Her shop at 264 Main St. is in a lovely old bungalow style home. Artwork is hanging all around the inside of her shop, along with a few antique mirrors. There are also hundreds of very interesting and unusual frame samples as well as antique frames to choose from.

Timothy Becker: Ellen, where did you grow up and what is your background in art?

Ellen Dougan: I grew up in Torrington and went to the University of Connecticut and earned a BFA degree. I moved to Manchester in 1982 and lived in a Cheney Mansion for a time. I was a potter for a few years and then went on to canvas painting.

Timothy Becker: How long have you had your business on Main Street and what motivated you to open it in the first place?

Ellen Dougan: I owned a frame shop 20 years ago in South Windsor. I closed the shop and opened a studio in my home when my children were small. Now I have big kids. I opened four years ago. This is my favorite building. I have been framing for 25 years, and when I saw a 'For Rent' sign go up on the building, that was it.

Timothy Becker: What type of art do you produce and offer for sale?

Ellen Dougan: I do loose realistic landscapes. I do house portraits and gardens. The subject matter is about light and color. I love painting big paintings. My paintings range from three by five inches to three by five feet.

Timothy Becker: What type of framing services do you offer?

Ellen Dougan: I offer custom work. There are over a thousand frame styles to choose from. I will frame small pieces or just cut a mat. I do big collages and stretch crewel work. I offer frames made of Vermont hardwood, 22-karat gold frames, and a full line of reasonably priced frames.

Timothy Becker: Do you frame work for local artists or offer locally made goods for sale?

Ellen Dougan: I welcome local artists and independent designers to bring in their work for framing. I do offer professional discounts. I am searching for New England crafts to sell for Christmas time, and I would like to get some wooden toys, fiber art and sculpture to sell here.

Timothy Becker: Has digital photography affected the volume of photographs that you are framing?

Ellen Dougan: Yes, people have too many photographs now. People bring in the older photographs that are very precious to them.

Timothy Becker: What advantages are there to custom framing over just buying a frame at a discount store?

Ellen Dougan: I truly believe that you should concentrate on just a few beautiful art pieces. If you select a frame that really fits, you will enhance the art work and the area where you are hanging it.

Timothy Becker: Do you offer restoration and repair of damaged paintings?

Ellen Dougan: I have a person that does cleaning and restoration of paintings. I handle the frame restoration.

Timothy Becker: What is the biggest challenge you face as a business owner on Main Street?

Ellen Dougan: My business is a destination location. People need a reason to stop in. My business is in a house and some people think that they need to knock to come in. I welcome people to come in and browse around the shop.

Timothy Becker: Do you lose business to craft shops around the mall area?

Ellen Dougan: You can get lured in by a coupon. I would be happy to work with a customer that has a budget in mind, but also wants a beautiful quality product.

Timothy Becker: Do you plan to grow your business beyond a one-person store?

Ellen Dougan: It is exhausting being a one man band. I look forward to a time when the business will expand to the point that I can paint more. I have a project in mind to walk the Connecticut shore and respond to what I see, in a new body of work.

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Correction: An earlier version of this story said that Dougan had a Master of Fine Arts degree.