Running Creek Art Gallery:

Both exotic and down-home

by Gary Bégin - Re-printed, by permission, by West Elbert County Sun, Thursday, January 10, 2008

Elizabeth - Deanna Freng's Running Creek Gallery & Custom Frame Shop has everything from unique pieces of fine art to handmade jewelry and muesum quality glass to protect your special prints, posters, or photos.

Deanna has owned the shop, immediately adjacent to the Elizabeth Post Office off Colorado 86, for six years and might be the only full service custom frame shop in western Elbert County.

She can mat peices up to four feet by eight feet and frame pieces even larger if needed.

"We can take a $20 piece and make it look like a $200 work of art with the right framing," Freng said.

Shadow box, frames to order, canvas stretching, repairs and matting to match are some of Running Creek's services.

Most work can be done in 10 days or less as compared to the month or more time it takes to ge the same customized frame job done at area craft stores, according to Freng.

She also specializes in stretching and framing needle art.

"I have people coming from Aurora, Parker and Castle Rock with their needle art to get it framed here because they know I will take the time and care to do the job right," Freng said.

She also uses acid free matting, besides offering ultra violet protective and museum quality glass, so fabric and colors stay vibrant and true for decades to come.

Deanna also sponsors the annual "Art in the Pines" fall art and bluegrass music festival every year. Her gallery represents about two dozen local artists and includes artists from around the country featuring a large variety of media and styles including "cowboy" art as well as abstracts.

Freng says artists interested in particapating in next fall's show should contact her at the gallery for information.

You can also have a coffee and pastry while you're browsing through the gallery as it shares quarters with the "3C Cowboy, Coffee and Collectibles" shop.

Deanna is a certified veterinary technician and works for the Colorado Department of Wildlife during part of the week collecting trout and salmon specimens and checking them for parasites and disease among other things.