Frequently Asked Questions

During my years in San Francisco I was director of Caldwell Snyder Gallery who represents European artists. My two favorites from Spain made an impactful impression on me; Manel Anoro and Regina Saura. While living there, I would experiment and make paintings inspired by their work, especially Regina. I saw how easily she integrated pieces of paper on to her paintings, and the interesting layers that created, on so many levels. My pieces never ended up looking like theirs, but I used them as a place to start, and my work has taken its own direction from there. As time has gone on, I’ve continued adding more and more paper, and other elements like lace and pearls, crystals and silver leaf.

Most original pieces take at least a week, and those days often go into late into the night. When I start a new piece, I make sure my schedule is totally clear, so I can give all my energy to it. I’ll admit, the beginning can be challenging, but I take it in sections, and try to trust the process. I begin with a rough sketch offering an idea of the composition, and think about color combinations, then try not to get in my own way! I spend about a quarter of the time painting the background, but most of my time is spent meticulously cutting small pieces of paper with scissors to build the subject matter with layers of paper. I believe there is a greater force at work during the creative process, and I do my best to let it flow through me without controlling it to much. The finished piece always surprises me!

I love walking down the isles and looking at all the beautiful options in Hobby Lobby, and there is nothing like seeing the papers in person. But over the years I’ve found many sources for unusual quality paper online. I make sure that any paper I use is archival and will not fade. I’ll also make my own patterned paper by painting or stenciling on colored sheets of paper. I use pages from books or sheet music I find at garage sales or thrift shops. I’ll look for lyrics from songs that will add something special to a piece, print that out, and brush on liquid acrylics to give it whatever tint I need.

Giclee (zhee-klay) is derived from the French word "giclee" which means means spray. What makes giclees different from other kinds of prints is that the inks used are made of high quality pigment. The images are taken from a digitally generated file of my original collage, and printed on a large format ink jet printer. This kind of printmaking provides a luminosity and brilliance that represents the original artwork better than any fine art reproduction technique available today. The colors are rich and vibrant, and will never fade. These quality reproductions rival the original artwork in beauty and detail. When you see them in person, you’ll know what I mean.

My framed pieces are printed on archival paper then mounted on board. I add texture on top of the print with a proprietary varnish that protects the art from UV rays, so there is no need for glass! The canvas pieces are printed on archival canvas then stretched, so the image wraps around the canvas edges, on 1.5” pine stretcher bars. Edition sizes run from 60 to 125. Each piece is titled, signed and numbered and comes wired and ready to hang.

I use a special varnish that allows me to safely collage and paint on top of the giclees. The finished embellished piece will look basically the same from a distance, but embellished pieces will have paint, gems and pearls, lace or silver leaf and always lots of small pieces of paper collaged on top. You’ll see more contrast, and a great deal of added dimension and texture. I often use metallic papers that shimmer and sparkle in the light. These are reproductions, but by adding original elements, each one is unique.

Whether its an original piece or a giclee, you can clean these with a soft cloth dampened with water. I use Golden satin or gloss varnishes that have a UV protectant, and they provide a layer of acrylic that seals the paper. While the art is protected against the sun, its not advisable to put it under direct sunlight for an extended time. The art is safe in bathrooms, as long as it does not get water directly on it. If there are sudden temperature or humidity changes, paper may shrink or contract, but this would only happen in extreme cases.

Still Have A Question?

Email: jenniferpeckart@gmail.com

Call: 512.576.8233