The Gilt Complex Story
The Gilt Complex is owned and operated by Jason Crafts, the son and apprentice to Peter Crafts. Mr Crafts began his career as a gold leaf gilder and art conservator in 1960, as a young man just 20 years of age. He began working at Swains Galleries in Central New Jersey, a prestigious gallery established in 1868 that employed highly skilled gilders and art conservators for over 100 years. He spent the better part of the next 20 years apprenticing and honing his skills.
In 1982 he established Crafts Restorations in the cellar of his rented apartment in North Plainfield, NJ. From those humble beginnings, in 1984 he moved his family to an 1857 farmhouse in Cape May Court House, NJ. He spent the next 18 years building his reputation as one of the most respected art and picture frame conservators on the East Coast. During this period, his son Jason became familiar with the restoration and framing business, in particular because it was operated from a studio behind the old farmhouse where he was raised. He began to work with his dad periodically, and his interest in following in his fathers footsteps began to emerge.
In 1999, Peter moved the business to 21st Street in Avalon, NJ where it became known as The Gilt Complex. During that period, Jason learned from his father, in preparation for him becoming the owner of the new Gilt Complex on Ocean Drive, in a beautifully remodeled 2500 sq ft building which is fast becoming the "Fine Art Hub" of Avalon. Jason will continue to carry on the tradition of quality and skill defined by his father for over 44 years, along with the addition of many new ideas and plans for the future.