French mats

and non French too!

French & Hand Painted Mats are created using inks, powders, gold leaf etc. These unique enhancments add personalized color and texture to your art.........

Erickson & Ripper Gallery

628 N. Washington St. Alexandria, Va.

703 549-1616

send us an email

• Tuesday - Friday 10:30am till 5pm
• Thursday 10:30am till 7pm
• Saturday 11am till 5pm


• Available other hours by appointment

Our original Alexandria location opened in 1994

• Near the intersection of Wythe & N. Washington
• next to Rubini Jewelers, across from Starbucks.
• Free parking on Wythe until 4pm

This is who we are

Don Ripper

I am lucky to have been involved with all aspects of Art as my life upon Graduating from the Corcoran College of Art and Design. My BFA days are 20 years ago, and through that time Jeff and I have risen to the challenge countless times for our clients by giving them the very best in design, conservation, and restoration services. Each experience over the years has added to our unique skill set that has fostered our success.

Artist Statement

I spend time seeking out stimulating life experiences to paint. Most frequently I paint in plein-air along the back roads and coastal towns of the east.

Although my roots are in realism, I rely on a painterly vocabulary that asks the viewer for an emotional connection.

Inspired by Abbott Thayer, Juels Sabastian-Lapage and Lucian Freud, I seek a balance between emotion, tone, and a self directed voice.

I can't remember a time when I did not paint. Painting to please my mom. Painting to woo a girl. Painting to bring out a mood. Now, I mostly paint to better understand what I am looking at, why it moves me, and to solidify my relationship with it.

My process is open ended: direct observation, drawing, tone, temperature, and the movement of paint form the basis of my paintings. My goal is to commit myself to a process that will always force me to discover and nurture my relationship with the subject through the application of paint. My paintings will find their truth as long as I paint honestly and avoid tricks.

Jeff Erickson

After 20 years of being in business, it gives me great pleasure getting to know our clients, share experiences, and help frame their treasures they have collected. On any given day, I get to see art of all kinds from all over the world, and come up with fantastic ways to preserve and display them. It certainly inspires me in my own art, which has been shaped immensely by all that I see.

Growing up as a foreign service kid, I was fortunate to live and travel all over the world. I was exposed to art and culture that has helped shape the person and artist I am today. Being immersed in cultures other than your own, makes you pay attention a little bit more to your surroundings.

At one point, I thought I would become an architect. I loved seeing cityscapes and landscapes around the world. Studying art and architectural history in college, reaffirmed my desire to be surrounded by art in some form.

I have always had the entrepreneurial spirit in me as well. While in college, I owned a landscaping business with a good friend. So, it was no surprise, when I finished college at George Mason University, I would be drawn to the idea of starting my own business as a career. I had known Don since high school, we ran in similar circles and were in a band together during college. It just so happened that we both finished school at the same time, and were contemplating our next step in life. It was a natural progression to go into business together.

Curt Smith

My earliest memories of childhood include wanting to draw everything that I saw. Living on the outskirts of Birmingham, Alabama, the environs offered up a bounty of subjects. From an early age I was encouraged by my family to pursue my creative interests in any and all areas. At the age of 7, I was enrolled in art classes that were held every Saturday at the Birmingham Municipal Arts Building. I continue drawing almost every day, eventually taking up painting in oils. I took every art class offered in high school and helped organize an inter-school show in 1973 in the Prince William County School system.

Following High school I traveled in France for 3 months, visiting art museums and visiting cities and towns where most of the I mpressionist masters painted. Upon returning to the States I moved to NYC where I attended the Art Students League, studying under Will Barnett and Theodoros Stamos. I became interested in the French Fauvist movement of the early 1900's. Their bold brushtrokes, blazing color and almost abstract design were moving away from the conventional "prettiness" of painting at that time. But their insistence on adhering to nature as a base were appealing to me and my own paintings were starting to take on bolder colors and stronger design and pattern.

I moved to Alexandria in the late 1970's. I was included in a number of group shows. In 1983 I exhibited in a 2 man show with my friend, Delaware painter Kevin Fitzgerald. That same year I was given a one man show at Gallery West in Old Town. Among those who own my work are former State Department spokesman Hodding Carter, the American Red Cross and a former assistant director of the Brookings Institute in Washington D.C.

Art installation

We install art all across the country

and locally as well!

• Professional design
• Security fastening
• Very experienced
• Commercial and residential
• We have seen it all!

click through a few of our projects!

Finest Mouldings

We have the best frames period!

We actively search for our unique frame selection. Color, texture, style, period: all of these can come into play when searching for the perfect frame. If you can't find it, we will create it for you!

Let us help you browse through our unequaled selection.....

What is conservation?

and do I need it?

Conservation framing differs from regular framing by employing methods and materials that prolong the life of your Artwork. By eliminating acids, oxidizing gasses, ultraviolet light and harmful mounting processes your Artwork will out live you and become a family heirloom.

You never have to ask for these products or techniques at Erickson & Ripper Gallery. They are our standard. For a very detailed explanation of the science involved with our mat and mounting boards please visit this link

Glazing (glass) is another important element for you to consider. Our new standard for excellence in glazing is “Museum Glass.” It is optically pure (colorless) and combines ultraviolet filtering with the elimination of glare!

For special situations we use the very same glass the protects Leonardo da Vinci’s Ginevra de' Benci at the National Gallery of Art. “Amiran” has all of the properties of Museum Glass combined with Kevlar for the ultimate impact resistance.

Art Restoration

click through a few of our projects!

Kids framing ideas

Go ahead and look!