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GRATITUDE 4: Giclée Print Art Show

Over two dozen local Whidbey artists and photographers are exhibiting their diverse styles and mediums in a unique show at Bayview Corner, which started on February 1st.

We offer this opportunity for our clients once a year as a "Thank You" for their support.  Their support, you wonder?  How do they support us?  It's for allowing us to come in to work every day looking forward to seeing their amazing art.  We love talking with incredible artists, being inspired by the conversations and friendships that have formed, and getting the chance in life to make a living doing something we're truly passionate about.

100% of sales directly to the artists - no commission!

So this is how we say Thank You.  Once a year, we host a gallery show, handle the marketing, coach artists through finishing and framing their work (and pricing!  hoo

boy...that's a big one - believe it or not, most artists have no idea how to price their work...so we try to help with that too), and throw a big reception party for them...

What's different about this show?  Well...here's the kicker:  the artists get to be in a gallery show...without the usual gallery fees – 100% of the sales go directly to the artists.  If they sell their work, they keep the money.  None of this 30, 40, 50...even 60% commission that galleries usually take.  Nope.  Won't have it.  Artists get all of the money from their sales.  Because we love them, and they deserve it.  We wouldn't be here without them...it's the least we can do.

Another thing that makes this art show different from most others is the obvious one, since, you know, we're a printing studio:  all pieces shown are giclée fine art reproductions. Giclées are considered by many high end galleries and museums to be of the same visual quality as the original art. Works shown at the Seattle Art Museum for many exhibits, including reproductions of some paintings in the recent Michaelangelo exhibit, were created using the very same process FBIStudios uses for local Whidbey artists. Many galleries offer these prints as viable alternative to highly-priced original works of art, but at a much higher level of quality and accuracy than traditional limited edition prints of the past.

A little aside, for those that may not yet know:  What is a giclée fine art reproduction?  Well, we wrote up a little history and terminology bit for you, titled (what else?), "What is a Giclée?"...it's a PDF and you can get it on the Fine Balance Imaging Studios website any time if you don't want to click through now.

But if you don't feel

like reading that, here's the basics: a giclée is a fine art print produced on real watercolor paper, canvas, or other substrate, using pigmented inks.  Yeah, it's pretty much a fancy marketing term.  Believe it or not, they were going to be called "digigraphs" by their originators, but that idea quickly tanked because pro photographers at the time (15-20 years ago) knew nothing of "digital" - the only thing digital in their world was their wristwatches...so, the creators of the first "digigraphs" quickly scrambled to rename them "giclée", because, well, it sounds foreign and fancy, and sells better than "digigraphs".  And it (giclée) means "to squirt or spray", you know, in French, so that kinda makes sense with all the ink squirting or spraying onto the paper to make the print (and you thought it was called an inkjet because it used jets?  Ha!  Nope, it should've been called an inksquirt printer...but I bet those wouldn't have sold as well).  But I digress.  A lot. Get used to it.

So now you know. And knowing is half the battle.

In any case, these archival prints will resist fading for over 200 years, decades longer than the offset lithograph process.  In fact, most giclée prints will outlast original watercolor paintings as well as traditionally printed photographs!

Ok, so back to the show...or should I be saying, "On with the show..."?

The featured artists represent all skill levels, and many different kinds of original mediums, including acrylics, watercolors, photographs, oil paintings, and mixed media collages.  Some of these artists are internationally famous, while others are just beginning their careers in art.  The artists range from 10 to 80 years of age!  And they're not all islanders either - while the majority of the 500+ artists we've worked with are Whidbey Islanders, most from around the Langley area, we've actually spread out quite a bit, and now have clients in all four corners of the country - Alaska, New York, Florida, and California.  Ok...so we don't have anyone from Florida in this year's show, but we do have a number of artists from around the Puget Sound area.  And there's some pretty cool stuff this year - some artists are really pushing the limits of what can be done with the giclée process, printing on metal and fabric and doing collages and stitching and assemblages and...well, you get the idea.  When the gallery show launches on the 19th, we'll post some of the new images here.

The Fourth Annual Gratitude Giclée Print Art Show, sponsored by Fine Balance Imaging Studios will run from February 1 – 28 in the Hub, as well as February 19 – 28 in the Open Door Community Gallery, located at the Bayview Cash Store, 5603 Bayview Road, Langley.  On February 20^th, an Artists' Reception will be in the Gallery from 5:00 to 8:00pm.  Call 221-2707 for information or email info@fbistudios.com."