People who visit Frame of Mind Custom Framing and Art Gallery, which opens next week in downtown Dowagiac, may likely think they’ve stepped into the novel, A Christmas Carol, by English author Charles Dickens.

Owner and designer Helen Moorman, who relocated her Niles frame shop and art gallery to its new site on Front Street adjacent to Underwood Shoes, makes her Dowagiac debut just as this community’s Old-Fashioned Christmas Celebration gets underway Friday, Nov. 19.

“The timing couldn’t be better,” Moorman said this week, as she continued unpacking. “I’m thankful to be here and I’m excited to meet everyone, including the many artists from your area.”

Her customers next Saturday will be greeted by 19th Century re-enactors, portraying Dickens’ characters Tiny Tim and Father Christmas that were made famous by the Victorian-era novel, which some people credit as having most influenced today’s holiday traditions.

Moorman, along with friend and fiber artist Janine Frizzio-Horrigan, of Niles, will dress in period attire of the 1840s.

Janine, who collects, sells and designs 18th and 19th century apparel, will also serve high tea on Saturday, featuring finger foods that were popular from this bygone era.

With the lead character of Dowagiac’s Old-Fashioned Christmas Celebration being a true-to-life Old-World, Victorian Santa, Moorman wanted to find a way to tie into one of this community’s favorite celebrations.

“From the get-go, Helen is raising the bar, as she offers in-store activities that have a unique and direct tie to the essence of our celebration,” said Vickie Phillipson, program director for the Greater Dowagiac Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Development Authority (DDA).

The 2010 celebration marks Phillipson’s 20th year with the Chamber of Commerce and the DDA, having coordinated and raised funding for Dowagiac’s two-part holiday celebration.

Presented by the Chamber of Commerce and Borgess-Lee Memorial Hospital, Dowagiac’s celebration also includes this community’s most beloved modern-day traditions, the 100-unit Candle-light Christmas Parade that steps off in the downtown on Friday, Dec. 3.

This year’s celebration was underwritten, in part, by Matthew Cripe Dental P.C., Dr. Charles Burling and Dr. Jon Gillesby, Family Fare, Leader Publications and The Timbers of Cass County.

After surfacing with Phillipson’s office in late-July and touring downtown properties with her, in early September Moorman entered into a lease agreement with property owner Paul Pugh on the storefront, which previously housed Chicago Title.

In her position with the Chamber of Commerce and DDA, Phillipson also works with start-up businesses and business owners who are considering relocating their companies to Dowagiac.

Frame of Mind Custom Framing and Art Gallery is one of several new businesses that have opened in Dowagiac’s central business district since October 2009.

“Helen is working against the clock this week, as she continues unpacking supplies and equipment, installs a myriad of frame samples in colors and textures too numerous to count, and places on display the first of her gallery pieces,” Phillipson said.

Frame of Mind was previously located in downtown Niles, adjacent to Majerek’s Hallmark, where Moorman opened her business almost four years ago.

“Helen’s relocation to Dowagiac takes our central business district to a new and exciting level, as her established art gallery joins our growing niche of specialty shops, and fine and casual restaurants,” Phillipson said.

Frame of Mind represents 23 local and out-of-state artists as it showcases the works of acrylic, watercolor and abstract artists; photography; hand-crafted furniture; pottery; jewelry; the designs of a vintage clothing and fiber artist; plus the fun and funky art of Niles artist Nancy Drew.

Along with Helen’s own unique, hand-cut mat designs and framing, she also carries limited editions and prints, table and floor lamps, custom-made mirrors and prints and posters suitable for framing.

The gallery represents the literary works of award-winning children’s author Cheri L. Hallwood, who will also join Christmas Open House festivities next Saturday.

Moorman will present a book signing, featuring the Niles resident, who is a grandmother of six girls.

Her third children’s book, One Wish for Winifred Witch, was recently released by Forever Young Publishers.

Hallwood’s latest book and her two previous works, Winter’s First Snowflake and The Curious Polka Dot Present, received the Mom’s First Choice Award and The Dove Foundation’s Family Seal of Approval.

Moorman said Open House Saturday provides the perfect opportunity for parents and their children to meet and talk with the Niles author, who is expected to present impromptu book readings.

People who visit Frame of Mind next Saturday can also view working artisans Tobye Merrill and her sister, Niki Ruetz, whose works are represented by Dowagiac’s new art gallery.

Their company, Tokiy Jewelry, is known for its modern adaptations of estate jewelry, as the two artists restring antique jewelry, giving it a modern look.

They also work with Swarowski crystals, mounting them on sterling silver.

The two jewelry artisans will present on-site demonstrations next Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“While the opening of Dowagiac’s new gallery coincides with Christmas Open House Weekend, thereby prompting Helen to roll out such special in-store events that feature Dickens’ characters and even a holiday choir, this is likely to be just a sampling of what she has in mind for our community,” Phillipson said. “While seasonal events of the Chamber of Commerce offer the perfect opportunity for merchants to tie into these expanded marketing opportunities, each year Moorman typically hosts several gallery events of her own.”

“When we talked briefly this week about the possibility of a new art walk being added to our events’ schedule, perhaps as a first-Friday evening event similar to our summer concert series on Thursdays, Helen’s eyes lit up much like a holiday tree,” Phillipson said.

With Christmas Open House Weekend now only days away, Moorman is focusing on the job at hand, as she continues to unpack and settle into her new location on Front Street.

When she opens for business next weekend, the community will see only the first of her gallery pieces in place.

By mid-January she anticipates having the gallery completed, as the works of numerous artists take their new position in Dowagiac’s central business district.

Dowagiac’s Christmas Open House Weekend kicks off Friday, Nov. 19, as shopkeepers present their three-day Open Houses and the celebration’s Old-World Market of Antiques opens within Round Oak Restaurant.

Open Houses and the antiques show continue through Sunday, Nov. 21, noon to 4 p.m.

Family events will be staged in and around Beckwith Park next Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., as Dowagiac’s true-to-life, Old-World Santa greets families within the warm setting of Wood Fire Italian Trattoria.

For a full list of activities, call the Chamber of Commerce at (269) 782-8212 to receive its holiday brochure.