HANGING AROUND FRAMING A BELOVED PICTURE OR OBJECT DOES MORE THAN JUST PRESERVE IT.

Byline: Evan Henerson Staff Writer

It seems like a deceptively simple process. If something is important to you - be it a photo, memento, poster or whatever - mount it, stick it behind glass and put it on a wall for all the world to see.

Framing: part art form, part decorative technique, part preservation. When you put something in a frame, you've given it memory status as surely as if you had placed it in a photo album or recorded it with a video camera.

Memories are precious, so treat them carefully, say people in the framing industry. And we're not just talking about things like paintings, diplomas and awards. ``If you love it, flaunt it,'' is the unofficial motto of the Art and Framing Council. That's true for flowers, articles of clothing, even musical instruments.

``Basically, if it doesn't move, we can frame it,'' says J.D. Mahoney, owner of Accent Art and Frames in Woodland Hills. ``I think anybody who has been to a museum knows that just about anything can be displayed. People just don't know how to go about it.''

That's where the professional framer can often step in to offer guidance. He'll want to know what the item is, where it's going to go and probably some idea of what types of items will be surrounding it.

Customers often bring color swatches in to give the framer an idea of what the room looks like. If you're memorializing the war medals of a deceased relative, you might also want to bring in photos of the relative to help tell the story.

The more of an idea you have about what you want, the smoother the process is likely to go, say professional framers.

``I think of a framer as a consultant, a designer,'' says Kim Ahern, executive director of the Art and Framing Council. ``How much do they know and how comfortable are they making you feel? If they're asking you to make all the decisions, I'd go somewhere else.''

Customers who go to the other extreme can be equally challenging, says Mahoney, who has been in the framing business for 16 years.

``The people who have no clue what they want are the toughest to deal with,'' Mahoney said. ``They don't know where the piece is going. They don't know what they want it to look like, and they give you absolutely no feedback. But that's rare. Most of the time, people pretty much know what they like.''

Decoration-savvy customers who enjoy selecting from a plethora of options can get a major charge out of selecting a custom frame. Perhaps the size and shape of the item presents a challenge, or maybe the difficulty is highlighting a small photograph in a large frame.

With shadow boxes - often used to display three-dimensional items or collections - a framer needs to consider the depth of the frame and the amount of light that will filter in. Mounting will pose a challenge because collectors don't want to see their framed item damaged by screws or glue.

Between frame colors and textures, mat sizes and configurations, there are as many styles of frames as there are items to be displayed.

``I've seen someone frame a motorcycle,'' says Ahern. ``One woman has a son who was on a hockey team and he broke all the bones in his body. She framed every cast.''

Awaiting Mahoney's attention at Accent Framing is a Three Stooges tie and two collections of new baby items. During a Monday interview, he was putting the finishing touches on a magazine cover featuring actress Alyssa Milano for the WB network.

``I did a set of bagpipes and (basketball player) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's shoe, which was about 15 inches long,'' said Mahoney. ``I did a rubber chicken autographed by Johnny Carson. Just oddball stuff.''

Life in the shadows

Some suggested items to frame in a shadow box:

For Mother's Day: A shadow box is perfect to display a vignette of baby items. Carefully tack a treasured baby garment to the background, and arrange hospital ID bracelet, birth announcement and baby's first photo in the frame, perhaps adding some cards of congratulation for color or a lock of hair or birth certificate.

For Father's Day: Souvenirs from a family vacation, photos and drawings of his favorite dog, a collection (such as old pipes), kids' drawings and poems.

For a special occasion: A framed collage of a wedding invitation, newspaper announcement, flowers from the bride's bouquet and candid wedding photos for an anniversary; mementos of your child's achievements such as a diploma, scouting badge, scorecards, etc. for a graduation picture or landmark birthday; a theater poster, program and tickets from a favorite show; and baby mementos usually kept tucked away in a box.

- The Art and Framing Council

CAPTION(S):

8 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- cover -- color) Frame it...

flaunt it

Just about anything can be preserved behind glass

(2 -- color) Time stands still in this shadow-box vignette containing antique pocket watches, a vintage book and reading glasses, and a charming old photograph.

(3 -- 5 -- color) Top: A historic photograph in sepia is viewed as a serious work of art in a carved, gold-toned frame. Center: A clever framer cut mat board around a collection of candid photos for an anniversary celebration. Above: The cool stillness of a forest landscape is accentuated by a striking mat and a simple frame.

(6 -- color) This shadow box frames the drama of your golf game, complete with scorecards placed strategically on the matting.

(7 -- color) J.D. Mahoney of Accent Art and Frames in Woodland Hills prepares a shadow-box frame for a collection of baby clothes.

Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer

(8) Professional framers can frame almost anything, such as Sharon Stone's autographed jacked and scarf from ``Basic Instinct.''

Box: Life in the shadows (see text)