New Artists, New Friends And A New Beginning At Arteccentrix Gallery
You Can Also Subscribe To Our Feed Via Email At Any Time
The gallery in Governor’s Square has now been open for a week and it has definitely been an exciting six days.
We have met with several of our new artists and for the most part we have some fine examples of their work on display. So, here is a quick summary of some of our week’s news and highlights.
Just prior to opening we had a visit from Bendel Hydes which was my husband’s first chance to meet with one of Cayman’s most famous artisans. Bendel had come to visit the gallery and gave us his candid assessment of how things were looking. Unfortunately we do not have any of Bendel’s work to share with you, but please visit his website if you are unfamiliar with his work. We entrusted into his care my Painting, “Father’s Eyes”, which is due to be auctioned for charity at the Art For The Heart gala event this month.
We mentioned one of our new partners in a previous post – Greg Lipton. We are currently offering four monochrome works by Greg and they are all quite stunning and interest in his paintings has been high. Judging by some of the complimentary feedback it will not be long before he makes his first sale with us. You can view some of Greg’s paintings at his own website through the above link but if you would like to admire them first hand, please call in to see us soon.
We also had the pleasure of meeting with Leigh Pawling a wonderful artist from Kingston PA in the United States and are currently preparing a beautiful nine feet by seven feet abstract work for showing. Leigh is a well established artist in her own right and works in a wide variety of styles. Her work also includes many murals in her homeland and she has recently been selected as one of several artists who will be working on the city of Philadelphia’s murals project which is going to be a huge and exciting venture. Leigh has an excellent website where you can view a good selection of her work and follow her on her blog. Be sure to look out for the impressive piece she has consigned to the gallery in the weeks ahead.
Cayman artist Joseph Betty has also signed with Arteccentrix and at present we have two of his pieces on display, adding a burst of his signature bold and bright colours to the current exhibition. When we make the next website updates we will have several examples of Joe’s work on display on these pages, but again, in the meantime, we invite you to drop by the gallery and enjoy his paintings first hand.
Cayman artist Luelan Bodden has not only consigned several pieces to us, he also did some amazing restoration work on an antique half table for us as an opening gift – thank you Luelan, it looks amazing!
Luelan’s abstract piece entitled “The Sting” is already attracting a lot of attention and is in stark contrast to his very original depiction of an old Caymanian Home entitled “Wattle and Daub” which we guarantee is an original piece the like of which you will never have seen before, painted directly onto a “canvas” which is a work of art in its own right, fabricated from course natural coconut palm. We also have two signature free standing lamps, that Lue has created lovingly from recycled natural materials, recovered from Cayman’s shoreline. The lamp stands are beautifully finished sturdy bamboo with a tactile high gloss finish and the shades have been painstakingly forged from coral and sponges. Again, the description does not do the intricate craftsmanship justice.
Cayman artist Chris Christian was a surprise visitor early in the week and we are pleased to say we now have a single piece of his work – it is one of his own personal favorites and we know that parting with it was not an easy decision for him but his offering adds yet another dimension to the quality and diversity on display. It is a rare chance for collectors to acquire a beautiful piece of work from another of Cayman’s Native Sons artists and, although we say so ourselves, at a very keen market price. We don’t think it will be gracing our walls for too long. A semi abstract piece that depicts a typical fishing scene from Cayman and evokes a feeling of peace, maybe a little nostalgia, it is a warm and relaxing offering in one of Chris’s signature styles of golden hues and warm earth tones. We are delighted to have been given the chance to share his work.
The close of our first day of business was marked by a surprise visit from artist Christel Ibsen and her husband Bob who very kindly brought in a bottle of champagne to celebrate – a lovely surprise and a great way to end our first day in business. Thanks Bob and Christel!
The gallery was featured in the Cayman Compass at the end of the week and brought visitors from as far afield as the UK – we actually met some people staying on the island who were from the small fishing village in Cornwall where my mother and father-in-law lived for almost 25 years and knew of us through a mutual friend! It turned out that their daughter has lived and worked in Cayman for as a teacher for the past five years. A small world indeed and it was a great chance for my husband to reminisce and talk about home for a while.
We also had the pleasure of meeting Carol Hay the owner of Pepper Patch in Grand Cayman. For those who don’t know Carol or are unfamiliar with her Pepper Patch brand of pepper jellies you can get the lowdown in the article from the Cayman Compass in the above link. We were delighted that Carol was interested enough in the gallery to offer some sponsorship in the form of providing for our guests at future shows and events – a great combination of Cayman art and delicious Cayman produced pepper jellies promises to be a “tasty” prospect .
Don’t worry though, if your taste buds can’t wait for a gallery show you can find Pepper Patch at a wide range of outlets across the island and it is well worth seeking out. Carol has already converted two more people to her delicious product! A smart marketer and entrepreneur as well as a manufacturer of a fabulous traditional local product and a wonderful lady. So, big thanks to Carol, we can’t wait to spread the Pepper Patch experience to many more people in the months ahead. If you want to know more you can contact Carol on 526-6932 0r email her at chay(at)BrittHay(dot)com
As you can tell, we have met some amazing new people in the past six days and look forward to meeting many more. The response to the gallery space and the work on display has been very positive and encouraging and we thank everyone who came by to see us in our first week. We welcome anyone who wants to just come and browse – as a commercial gallery we are in business to connect artists with buyers but the art is there to be enjoyed by everyone who visits.
Some people may feel that a fine art gallery can be as intimidating as, let’s say, a gymnasium in some ways but rest assured you will receive a warm welcome and we love to see visitors studying and enjoying the paintings and sculptures. Rather than pressure, we hope and aim to offer a relaxing environment that anyone can enjoy and if looking is all you have in mind, do not let that stop you from coming into the gallery to see us. Art for sale is art to be appreciated too.
We should add that we may be able to provide a quality fine art print of the work you most admire, a much more affordable option if you’re budget for art is of a more modest nature. If you see something you like, please ask us if you are interested in a reproduction and, depending on the work in question, we may be able to offer you a more affordable way to own the painting you fall in love with. Our giclee prints are virtually indistinguishable from the original and can be produced in a range of sizes, both smaller and larger than the original work. If you would like to see an example, we will be happy to show you the results that can be achieved, to help you decide if a giclee is the right choice for you.
No doubt we have forgotten to mention several people and stories from our first week but as you can tell it has been a whirlwind of activity from start to finish and left us all exhausted and exhilarated. It is wonderful to know that we have brought a commercial fine art gallery back to Grand Cayman, for its artists, people, and art lovers from all walks of life.
We look forward to seeing you soon.
Nickola & Maurice
Fine Art Gallery Arteccentrix Coming To Governor’s Square
Arteccentrix is excited to announce the upcoming opening of Cayman’s newest and only fine art gallery in Governor’s Square.
The past few weeks have been a flurry of frantic activity and meetings with Mr Bobby Bodden, the owner of the Governor’s Square complex on Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman. Mr Bodden and his staff have worked miracles to ensure that the long held dream of artist and Arteccentrix owner Nickola McCoy-Snell, a fine art gallery for Cayman, will soon be opening its doors to the public.
Since the closure of the Morgan Gallery in Galleria Plaza last year, art lovers on the island have been deprived of a place to view beautiful artwork by the island’s top artisans and the artists themselves lost the invaluable asset of a commercial venue to display their artwork.
With the opening of the Arteccentrix Gallery, a commercial venue for the viewing and buying public and a showcase for the leading artists in Cayman will once again a part of the local art scene.
At present, the gallery space is being fitted out by a great crew who have been working non-stop to create a wonderful environment for customers and artists alike. The opening date is still unconfirmed, but initial plans will see the gallery open from Monday to Saturday from 10am to 6pm.
Arteccentrix - A Gallery In Progress!
We will of course announce full details as soon as they are known, along with an official grand opening at a time and date to be specified. We don’t want to give too much away regarding the artists and the work that will be on display when the gallery opens – we hope that residents and visitors alike will call in to see us and rest assured, there is going to be some breathtaking work to view.
It is our hope that whether you come to buy or just to browse and connect with us, that any visit to the gallery will be a memorable one. We will continue to offer fine art giclee prints all made on the island, as well as original paintings, carvings and sculptures, aiming as we always have to make fine art accessible and affordable for everyone.
Arteccentrix will be the venue for solo exhibitions by a diverse range of local artists throughout the year and has already confirmed that it will host the annual Native Sons exhibition in 2010.
For notification of all Arteccentrix updates become a Facebook fan, subscribe to our newsletter or RSS Feed or add us to your Google toolbar – whichever suits you best! Watch this space for all the latest news news on the opening of Cayman’s newest fine art gallery and updates regarding all events and shows.
Giclee Printing On Canvas : A Guide For Consumers
The term fine art giclee is very loosely applied and overused nowadays. There are a lot of misconceptions, misunderstandings and straight untruths spread around on the internet which can make it very difficult for people to understand and judge the quality of the printed work they are buying, whether as a retail customer or an artist getting into prints for the first time.
A lot of people will be familiar with photography stores and printing shops that offer prints of photographs transferred to canvas but what most do not understand is that this does not necessarily qualify as a giclee print. In fact in all probability it is not even close.
Specialist giclee printing requires a good deal of equipment and time if a quality reproduction of an original Painting is going to be produced. This is why we recommend that artists seek out a specialist when ordering prints of their own work.
The printing process requires that the print maker is familiar with colour profiling and has both the hardware and software, along with the knowledge of how to get the best out of them, to ensure that the finished print will match the original as closely in tone and colour as possible. Working with digital images requires knowledge and experience as well as costly programs if the job is going to be done right. Of course it also requires a wide format giclee printer utilizing specific inks/pigments to ensure the longevity of the finished work.
Here at Arteccentrix we only produce giclee prints for artists. Unlike the photography/print store in town or the local industrial park, we are not a mass production facility, we are a husband and wife team, and each and every giclee we produce is carefully prepared, printed and finished by the same person. We do not print flyers and business cards and everything in between – our printing business is geared solely to producing quality art prints.
For canvas giclee prints, after the image has been satisfactorily edited for best/most accurate reproduction we normally produce an in house proof just to ensure that there are no issues with tones and colours before printing the full size work. Once this is done, the print is allowed to dry for at least 48 hours.
After this waiting period the canvas is cut and trimmed and then sealed with a UV protectant, sometimes sprayed, sometimes applied by hand. Although the canvas used is waterproof and acid free, this sealing process is very important and is what you should expect from any giclee printing service working with canvas. Once the sealant has been applied the print is left to “cure” for at least another 24 hours.
Once the print is fully dry it is then stretched onto stretcher bars – all our prints are gallery wrapped so that they can be hung without framing if preferred. A gallery wrap ensures that the image wraps around the stretcher bars so that no bare canvas is visible. You will see many sites online offering “gallery wrap” on canvas prints advising that you will lose an inch or more of the image by choosing this option! Rest assured that we know how to produce a proper gallery wrap and will prepare the image correctly prior to printing so that none of the original painting is lost. (Services that suggest you have to sacrifice any part of your original painting are doing you a disservice. The reasons and excuses for this could be numerous but laziness, incompetence or “rush jobs” are the most common).
After a very careful final inspection the finished canvas is then sealed carefully in a protective clear bag and labeled ready for sale/delivery.
As you can see, the time and work involved in producing a fine art giclee on canvas is quite considerable. You can now also appreciate that anyone who claims they can produce a canvas giclee in a morning while you do your grocery shopping, or “while you wait” is being a little economical with the truth. Prints on canvas vary hugely in quality so you should never assume that canvas automatically translates to high caliber giclee fine art print.
It is not uncommon to see prints labeled as “giclee” that are, in actual fact, lithographs printed on very poor quality paper. There is nothing wrong with lithographic prints of course, but we have often seen blatantly poor quality “cheap” prints touted as something they are not. This adds even further to the misunderstandings surrounding reproductions and the pricing/quality/value equation.
As with quality, pricing varies enormously but in general you will get what you pay for. there are plenty of sites online that allow customers to calculate the cost of a giclee print on various substrates and in various sizes, framed, unframed etc etc. If you spend time comparing like for like products on a number of sites you will probably be very surprised at the range of prices you are quoted.
Our own research has proved that there are people out there who are ripping customers off pure and simple, others are cheap but not offering true quality and those who are charging a fair price for their labours. Some can offer a complete service from scanning the image right through to framing and others offer less comprehensive services. Whatever your needs, shop around to get the best deal you can for your needs and remember that in the world of giclee printing, the caveat of “buyer beware” should always be kept in the back of your mind. As an artist, If you can get the work done locally we would recommend you do so. This will enable you to be far more closely involved and less likely to end up with something you are not happy with.
We have not yet published our retail price list on the internet for a variety of reasons and promise to do so soon but judging by what we have seen elsewhere we do consider our work extremely reasonable. We have deliberately tried to keep our prints affordable with a high value for money quotient and without compromising quality in any way. As a small family operation we keep our overheads to a minimum and try to pass on our cost savings to our customers.
As a guideline, at the time of writing, a stretched, unframed canvas giclee measuring 24″ x 18″ normally retails at CI$135.00 (that is approximately US$165.00) Bear in mind too that these reproductions are all of original works by well established and widely collected artists. Don’t take our word for it though, shop around for the same item online and see what others are charging.
If you are an artist having prints of your own work made that you intend to resell you have to consider your own profit margins too and how much you can command for prints of your work. So, as an artist you should really be looking to work with someone who will offer you a wholesale deal if at all possible.
Arteccentrix is currently the only service of its kind in the Cayman Islands. We are here to serve artists, retailers and direct customers, negating the need for work to be shipped overseas as has always been the case in the past. We only use the finest quality acid free archival papers and canvas – we do not do cheap alternatives.
(Due to our close working relationships with the artists at Arteccentrix, we sometimes produce signed limited editions as well as hand finished prints on occasion or if specifically required. All signed limited editions would be numbered, hand signed by the artist and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity also signed by the artist).
Further note for artists:
In order to produce a truly high quality print, a high resolution digital scan or photograph is essential if a printer is to do your work justice. At present we do not offer scanning or photography services. We do aim to change this in the future but for now, you will need to provide the digital images for us. Digital photographs should preferably be in RAW format – this will mean large file sizes. If you have a quality DSLR camera and tripod there is no reason you cannot produce these yourself. The ideal is to produce three photographs, one correctly exposed and one on either side, one stop up and one stop down. A lot of DSLR cameras have this facility built in. The alternative is to ask a professional to take the photographs for you. If you have access to a high resolution scanner, even better!
If you have any questions at all, please contact us and we will do our very best to help.
Artist Renate Seffer Prints
Renate Seffer is a self taught professional artist who has lived on Grand Cayman for over 12 years. Born and raised in the South Victorian coastal town of Hastings in Australia she now considers herself very much a Caribbean artist.
Drawing inspiration from her Caribbean surroundings, Renate’s subject matter is the result of a combination of her keen interest in local culture, her travels, love for the ocean, fascination with colour and an intense imagination. Renate’s work is charged with energy and spontaneity and projects raw emotion that allows the viewer an insight into her creative and expressionist process, giving her the unique ability to communicate through a universal language of colour and imagery.
Artistic talent is part of Renate’s family history. Her Czech grandfather was an avid painter, her German father a musician and metal smith and her Scottish mother a pianist and established fine artist. It seemed almost inevitable that Renate would be destined to follow in their creative footsteps. Acknowledging this was her mother who understood the importance of nurturing in her an appreciation for the arts from a very early age.
Renate has exhibited widely and has taken part in numerous solo and group shows in Grand Cayman, Canada, the United States, England and Spain and her work can be found in corporate and private collections across the world.
Renate and her husband, Mikael Seffer, a talented artist and designer in his own right, can be found online at RenArtWorks.com and operate a physical gallery in West Bay, Grand Cayman where visitors are always given a warm welcome.
Arteccentrix has been proud to work with Renate on several projects and below we are featuring a selection of her colourful and uplifting paintings as high quality giclee prints. There will be more coming soon so please call back frequently for updates. All other enquiries can be sent using our contact form whether they be for prints, originals or commissions.
Heritage Kitchen12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
Island Taste12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
Off The Dock I12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
Off The Dock II12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
Stories I12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
Stories II12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
The Almond Tree12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
The Edge12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
The Wall12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
Island Hopping12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
Mangrove Harmony I12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
Mangrove Harmony II12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
Artist Sue Widmer Prints
Sue Widmer B.A. (Hons) A.T.C. was born and brought up in Lincolnshire, England. She Trained at Leeds College of Art and Cheltenham College of Art where she received a Bachelor of Arts with honours in art and design, followed by a post graduate certificate in Art Education.
Susan is married with three children and came to the Cayman islands in 1982. She presently runs the senior Art department at the Cayman Prep and High School.
The Majority of her early work has been exhibited through the Visual Arts Society and in recent years she has been working mostly by commission from all over the world and has also taken part in several group shows on Grand Cayman in commercial arenas including the recently closed Morgan Gallery.
Working primarily in acrylics, Sue attains vibrancy and colour in her work, inspired by everyday living in the Caribbean. Her portraits and island landscapes and scenes offer the viewer a close and personal experience of island life and have grown tremendously in popularity in recent years.
Prints of Sue’s work are always available on both canvas and paper in a full range of sizes and a selection of her artwork is now available on archival quality fine art paper in 12×9 sizes. Click on any image below for a larger view.
For other formats and canvas prints all enquiries can be sent using our contact form whether they be for prints, originals or commissions.
Brac Cat12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
Captains Hat12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
Cocktails & Cake12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
Double Six12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
East End Palm Trees12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
Farmers Market12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
Heritage Kitchen12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
Fruit Lady12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
Northside Treasure12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
Rush Hour12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
Serenity12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
East End Beach12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
My Paradise12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
Rum Trucks12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
Miss Lassies12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
Artist Gordon Solomon Prints
Gordon Solomon is an artist and musician born in George Town, Grand Cayman.
In February 1999 Gordon had his first exhibition with the now well known group of Caymanian artists, “Native Sons” where he demonstrated his talents with a collection of mixed media of oils and pastels.
In April of 1999 the National Gallery challenged Gordon to design the exterior of a vehicle during the annual “Cayfest” art exhibition. Gordon rose to the task and with his knowledge of graffiti and a selection of brilliant oil paints he created what many considered “magnificent” and “a masterpiece”. The car has since been on display at various functions on the islands.
At the beginning of 2002 Gordon was employed with the Cayman islands Marine Institute as their Art instructor. During his time there he took on the task of illustrating the past and “present” history of the Cayman Islands on the walls of the school, a project that took four months to complete with help from his students.
In December of 2002 Gordon was the recipient of The Cayman National Cultural Foundation’s “ Artistic Endeavour Award”, a great accolade for demonstrating great potential in his field of art.
At the beginning of 2003 Gordon was commissioned to paint a mural on the outer wall of the Martins Creative Empowerment Youth Centre. He has created several other murals including work for The Mango Tree restaurant, The Globe Bar, The SDA Church and The Macro Matrix. He has also completed several commissioned murals for private homes.
During 2003 Gordon spent six months developing his skills in fine arts at the University of Superior Art in Cuba and in September 2005 his solo show at the Westin Casuarina Hotel received much critical acclaim. He also exhibited work in the National Museum, Art at Governors and The Visual Arts Society and entered his art for the annual McCoy Prize competition.
More recently Gordon has had a solo exhibition in New York and has participated in many more group shows in the Cayman Islands including several at the Morgan Gallery including the annual Native Sons show and his talents continue to reach ever wider audiences around the world.More about Gordon and his work can also be found at his website GordonSolomon.com
Selected prints of Gordon’s work will be available shortly so please check back soon. All enquiries can be sent using our contact form whether they be for prints, originals or commissions.
For Original Paintings By Gordon Solomon Click Here
Hope Town12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
Nautical III12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
Bougan Walk12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
Bougan Heights12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
Blood & Sweat12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
Birch Forest12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
King's Gate12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
Humility12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
Red Destiny II12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
Red Destiny I12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
Egret Rising12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
Ponciana In The Yard12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
Smiling Back At You12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
White Shoes12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
First Time We Met12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
Stella's Groove12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
Nautical IV12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
Nautical I12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
Road To Return12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
Soon Gone12X9 Paper Matted
Price $50.00
About Arteccentrix
Arteccentrix Gallery, based in Grand Cayman, and offering original Cayman art and prints by top Cayman artists, is the brainchild of Cayman Islands artist Nickola McCoy-Snell and is run in partnership with her husband.
Already widely known and recognized for her own fine art work, Nickola recently founded Arteccentrix in Grand Cayman to showcase both her own artworks and those of other leading fine artists on the islands to introduce them to a global audience.
Arteccentrix can offer both original artwork and high quality giclee prints on archival museum quality substrates such as canvas and fine art paper. Reproductions can be produced in a range of sizes so please contact us with your requirements and we will be happy to work with you.
All printing is done in house by Arteccentrix using only the finest quality materials and printing equipment found nowhere else on the islands. Because of this we can offer extremely competitive pricing to both wholesale and retail customers. There are no minimum orders, so if you want only a single print we can accommodate you. You can be sure that every print we make receives the attention to detail it deserves. We only produce quality giclee prints and your job will always be produced by the same printmaker.
If you are a local artist seeking to sell your own reproductions, or if you would like us to represent you or work with us in this field we welcome all enquiries and you can reach us using the Contact Form on this site. Artists wanting to learn more about the world of giclee reproductions can read more at the following pages:
Commissions for original pieces can also be negotiated via Nickola, both for her own work and that of other local artists featured here.
Please remember to Subscribe to Arteccentrix to ensure that you are the first to know of new original paintings, signed and numbered limited edition prints as and when they become available plus all the latest exhibition news.
As well as our online business we have a very active offline presence in the local market too so if you are resident on Grand Cayman we can be reached by phone as well as email and we will deliver all over the island free of charge. So, whether you are looking to treat yourself or want to give art as a gift, contact Nickola and tell her what you want.
We also offer wholesale prices for retailers and artists so if you would like to discuss your requirements we would love to hear from you too.
