An untrained eye may view picture framing as a simple task. But a trip to Canyon Creek Art in Richardson will quickly debunk any preconceived notions about the craft.

Owner Jerry Cornelius has worked in the industry since the mid-1970s when he took a part-time job at a custom-frame shop in North Dallas.

He and his wife, Barbara, opened the original location of Canyon Creek Art in 1995 near Campbell Road and North Central Expressway. The store relocated to its current location at Coit and Campbell roads in 2017.

“From the very first day, I knew I would never do anything else,” Jerry said. “We love the creativity of it all—the colors, the textures, the design.”

Photography, art and priceless artifacts encapsulated by Jerry and associate Elida Capps come to the gallery through a variety of channels. Clients range from families looking to preserve heirloom photos to museum curators commissioning Jerry to frame original works of art for exhibits.

Regardless of the customer, each piece is given the same museum-grade treatment—meaning adhesives never come in contact with the artwork, and all materials used to frame the piece are acid- and lignin-free, ensuring continued preservation.

As technology has advanced, many of the early custom-framing techniques have been replaced with digital alternatives, which is why Jerry and Capps make an annual trip to the Professional Picture Framers Association trade show to learn the latest conservation methods.

Still, certain pieces call for a return to the basics. The business was recently commissioned by Ross Perot Sr.’s private art museum to frame the original deed to Independence Hall, the historic building in Philadelphia where both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were signed.

“We have a computerized matte cutter that is extremely fast, extremely accurate and consistent—every matte we cut is perfectly square,” Jerry said. “But when I did the Independence Hall deed with the scalloped edges, I had to use a razor blade to cut it out by hand.”

Customers can also have their photos and art printed on the business’ state-of-the-art giclee printer—a machine that uses archival inks to create high-quality, long-lasting prints. The scrupulous work of the giclee printer is evidenced by the studio’s showcased landscape and floral photography—each image meticulously captured by Jerry and Barbara.