Tom Patti’s Framing Space series reimagines the traditional art frame, blending historical symbolism with contemporary glass artistry. His use of shifting color and light nods to centuries of grandeur and power—recalling royal, religious, and cultural significance—while the glass introduces fluidity, transparency, and transformation.

By merging these materials, Patti challenges the rigid boundaries of traditional frames. The frame no longer passively contains the artwork; it becomes the artwork—an active, reflective symbol of history, culture, and aesthetics. Through this fusion, Patti invites us to consider not just what’s inside the frame, but the frame itself as a living, dynamic element of the visual experience.

 The Framing Space series redefines the frame as a central artwork, not just a boundary. By combining gold—symbolic of historical grandeur—with fluid glass, Patti bridges tradition and modernity.

The use of negative space is intentional: the frame doesn’t just surround emptiness, it shapes and activates it. The interplay between solid form and open space invites viewers to see the frame as a dynamic structure, where absence holds as much meaning as presence.