My offset reproductions were added as an option in 1993. My original etchings have become very detailed. My style of dotting on the etching plates to create an image takes weeks and weeks. Once that is completed, the limited edition still has to be inked and printed by hand and then each original etching hand tinted with watercolor and colored pencil. The results are beautiful, but very slow to achieve and thus costly. At the art fairs, I was asked again and again if I had reproductions. The connection with my work was very obvious, very heartfelt, but often the buyer's budget was more limited than their Spirit!
I've never felt that lack of funds should limit access to an
experience. It bothered me that some of the dearest people
who came into my booth had to leave empty handed. If
anything, my artwork is about the sharing of images and
ideas. Its very purpose is to celebrate, affirm and
encourage. We all need and deserve that. It became obvious
to me that the reproductions could be my "art ambassadors".
They have succeeded at that more than I could have
dreamed.
Suddenly my images are available to children who are given the opportunity to choose their first picture at an art fair. To me their purchases are as important as those of fine art collectors. I love that they can meet the artist who made their picture. I have parents-to-be decorating their first nursery. I have teachers who take these to school to have their students write stories about my images. I have people who are having hard times who find comfort in my work. They're not shopping for art, they're reaching out for help. If my reproductions lend a hand, then I've been of good service. That's important to me.
The reproductions are offset lithographs derived from my original etchings. We have four-color separations made from the original using state of the art equipment at one of the best color specialists in the field. We are on-site to approve the proofs, though often it takes several tries to satisfy us. We are on-site again for the printing where additional fine tuning is done on a computerized "keyboard" that controls the ink jets. Again nothing is printed without our complete satisfaction. I'm very proud of how they turn out.
We print in runs of 1000. This keeps the price down. I'm not interested in the "mystique" of a small limited edition for the reproductions. I simply want to create options for people who love my images. It's an expensive process and a big commitment. Because of this, some images you see on this site are only available as original etchings. We aren't able to reproduce everything.
Like the original etchings, each reproduction is hand-signed and titled in pencil. Each, like their original counterparts, comes with a narrative that I have written while working on the image. Some are just a few words describing my feelings for the piece. Others are several lines of more philosophical prose that speak of the deeper meaning of the images. Some of my collectors choose to frame these along with the artwork.
They are shipped shrink wrapped flat on corrugated board. I want you to enjoy my artwork from the moment you open the parcel!