This family owned business offers custom art and photography framing combined with trophies, awards and plaques.

Roger Stitt is the great-great grandson of Captain James Brown, an early settler of what is now Ogden City. Roger’s family has lived in this area from close to the beginning, but since his dad was in the military Roger moved quite a bit and spent his high school years in Florida.With artistic talent and interest from the earliest days, he was able to take a high school class called the Science of Photography. He learned the science behind the chemicals, the how and why of how photographs were made, as well as the ins and outs of paper and ink. This created a great foundation for his future custom art and photography framer business.

Working at Wilson Sports Warehouse, Roger was making about $1,000 a month and he started doing custom picture framing on the side. His dad, who was preparing to retire from the military, was thinking about opening a trophy and awards shop to supplement his retirement. He wanted Roger to partner with him and have a framing shop alongside the awards business. Roger’s brother-in-law made the comment “As good as your framing is, if you can’t make at least $1,000 a month you are doing something wrong.” Roger was convinced and in 1990 Jelsco Awards and Natures Image Custom Framing were born. Roger’s sister Kathy named Natures Image because of Roger’s passion for outdoor photography. In fact, it was Kathy’s Husband Dru who made the comment that persuaded Roger to go into business, highlighting how much of a family affair the business has been from the beginning.

With the ups and downs of the economy, many custom frame shops have disappeared, but Roger has held on due to his quality and the relationships he has formed. He specializes in framing many things from the most precious to the most difficult. He once framed a poster of a gun to be used in a shop that had all the parts detailed so customers could find them in labeled drawers. No one in town would take on a framing job of over 6’ long, but he did. He has even framed quilts. Shadow boxes are another specialty, where with particular pride he showed me his Great Uncle Melvin Javis East’s military uniform that he has in a framed box on his shop wall. He also reminisced about doing a custom box for a Weber County Sheriff who retired and it included his uniform and service revolvers. The family and Sheriff loved the completed project.

Roger has worked with Northern Wasatch Home Builders Home Show, Browning and Winchester, National Wild Turkey Federation, Mule Deer Foundation, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and Sportsman for Fish & Wildlife. Roger also does wholesale framing for several professional artist who choose to sell their work framed. He has several of them who will refer to Roger exclusively for framing of their prints and originals.

Roger is the oldest of five kids. His sister Kathy and youngest brother Roy also work with him. Roy purchased Jelsco from his dad about 12 years ago and the three siblings work together on the business.

The award side of the business has grown tremendously over the years and specializes in all types of awards, trophies, plaques and recognition. One of their strongest sources of revenue are car shows, as they are known worldwide for their car show awards. Even in the dead of winter here, it is warm somewhere and they are going to have car shows and need awards. They sent off 400 trophies to New York recently and have even sent some internationally.

This family owned business is a great source for both custom framing and awards and are a valued partner with our community magazines. Located off Highway 89 in Harrisville.