The History of 1966
Snapshot: 1964 |Brian Hourican and Eric Martin
In 1966 Erik was partnered with Brian Hourican in the debut of "Something Special",
borrowing $400.00 from Erik's mother to get their operation operating. It was a successful
partnership that would last the rest of
Erik's life.
In 36 years of business they never had to advertise. It was all done by word of mouth.
They were called the "gods of framing" by other framers. Anything another framer found
difficult or could not do, "Something Special" could and did do.
Nothing was impossible! Something Special does framing for private collectors, galleries,
designers; framing for the Oakland Musuem, Judah Magnus Musuem and Ames Gallery, among many others.
Keep in mind Erik was and Brian still is very opinionated. Erik and Brian turned all their
craftmenship to make each frame just right for each artist. Each frame was a personal project
complimenting the work, that was placed inside its borders. Each frame blended with it's contents as if
to be part of the artist's signature. Each frame was a labor of love and an exercise in personal
taste and commitment. Customers would walk in with their works of art and say, "frame it!"
Without further direction, these artisans would mold and blend their ingenious designs to fit
the genre and the elegance of the work within and the tempermant of the buyer. These two men
were great problem solvers.
Erik and Brian worked together as a team, with the grace, polish, and precision of two professionals performing
everyday in Carnegie Hall. Their frames would live on in countless homes, in art museums as personal
monuments to the imagination and ingenuity of these two gifted men. Their devoted customers say,
"Erik and Brian are always with me. I can't look at my walls without seeing their impact on my
life." Their frames turn a mere house into a home, a place of reflection and fun!
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