Tuesday

The fleeting nature of winter mist . . . the Wistow Trees Collection



The Etching Series - Wistow Trees by Maria Bragoli- Limited edition fine art prints


Inspiration and Origin
The images above form part of The Etching Series - the Wistow Trees Collection, images inspired by the extensive snowfalls which occurred throughout most of the UK in early February this year. I remember my joy one morning when I saw the thick envelopping of hoar frost and mist outside my window. When the more sensible course of action would have been to stay snugly wrapped up inside, I triple-wrapped up, packed shovel, Wellingtons and salt grit in the car, (always best to be prepared!), and drove, very slowly, to the depths of the Leicestershire countryside. A gentle silence surrounded the rolling hillocks of the Wistow area, dogs walked, passers-by nodded, visibility was negligible, varying shades of white to grey, walking within a cloak of white-grey mist, with dark etchings of tree trunks, hedges and fences outlined in the near distance. I was in my element, a three-dimensional monochrome haven, feeling timeless, yet fleeting and changing by the minute.

By the afternoon, the mist had lifted. But I had captured the atmosphere of those fleeting moments 

Development
The resultant series of images, The Etching Series, forms part of my ongoing 'painting by camera' concept, which I first described here in December 2011 -

'Painting by camera' is my term for many of the images that I create,
combining my vision of an image, playing with light and using the camera
as both the canvas and the brushes, where the final image is created in camera
as much as possible.'

The Etching Series develops the concept further by adding manipulation in order to combine the initial capture with the concept I had on the day, of clean, sharply detailed monochrome forms.

Perceptions
Images in The Etching Series - Wistow Trees have been very well received from when gallery owners first saw a preview selection in late winter/early spring 2012. However, before delivering to galleries, i wanted time to develop and extend the collection, until I felt happy with the final results. The current set of 4 images were only finalised in late September 2012 and have been only been on show at at high-end galleries from mid to late October. Viewers comment in particular that the images are striking, calm and contemplative. Other comments are that viewers are unsure what media the images are, whether a painting or etching. This is exactly what I wanted to achieve, the crossover and blurring of traditionally distint and separate fine art forms.

Specifics
A special characteristic of this series is that there is a variation within each limited edition of 150. I produce a small batch of each image at a time, and between each batch there is a variation in tint or contrast and sometimes in minor changes to small details within the image. Tints can vary from soft to mid grey to indigo blue, giving an individual character to each image. This is in keeping with the centuries old tradition of fine art etching now updated within my images

The manipulation of the image and professional standard printing produces intensely fine detail, far more than can be seen when viewing the scene for real, and also, far more than can be seen on a screen.

Along with a number of other images in the same style, each image forms part of a limited edition of 150, on photographic art paper with archival quality inks. Each image is signed and certificated. Within each edition, varying sizes are available, starting from 10 inch x 8 inch (mounted) to around A4 and A3 sizes.

Images are available with pure acid-free mounts, or framed and mounted, in off white solid wood frames, or unwaxed solid oak frames. Frames are sealed with acid free materials and come with cord and fittings ready to hang.

Connections
The rich heritage and symbolism of trees is an integral part of timeless cultures and mythologies. I also support the need for rural and environmental protection as essential to the human spirit. I leave this post with the quotation below.

'Only when the last tree has died and the last river been poisoned and the last fish been caught will we realise that we cannot eat money,' (Cree Native American proverb).

More details and images are viewable by clicking 
on the dedicated page: The Etching Series - Wistow Trees

Thursday

Wistow Trees on show

A selection from the Wistow Trees Collection is currently on display at the West End Gallery in Leicester. The limited editions are produced in small batches, giving a more individual character to the collection.  This means that different galleries have slightly different versions within the same limited edition. Galleries also show a selection of different framing options and these can be changed to suit individual preferences.



West End Gallery - Wistow Trees Collection -  Winter to Spring 2013
107 Highcross Street
Leicester LE1 4PH

Open Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 4pm

Within each limited edition, versions in different tints are available. The limited editions at the West End Gallery have soft indigo tints. Other tints are available within each edition, for example, a soft sage grey, a soft warm woody brown, soft mid-blue, a soft monochrome, or a stronger black and white tint. Please speak to Gillian Geary of the West End Gallery if you wish to see a selection of different tints.

Please note that since each tint is prepared in small batches, if it is not already on display in the gallery,there may be a short wait when ordering to allow me the time to produce a specific tone and size and then to have it professionally printed to my specifications. However, any image which is already in the gallery and in the tint you like, can be purchased immediately from there.

A variety of framing options is also available, including  contemporary off-white framing,  unwaxed, solid oak frames, and a soft cream wash in solid wood.

The Wistow Trees Collection was also on display in other galleries in autumn and winter 2012. These were time-limited shows and have now finished. The West End gallery has more long-term display of my work and this collection, as well as a range of mounted prints of some of my other work is currently available to view in that gallery.