Throughout my career as an artist, I have had many people ask me if I produced and sold prints. I have always had to answer this question with a disappointing no, and this has left me feeling like I am neglecting a group of people interested in my work. After all, I myself have purchased prints by some of my favorite painters because I cannot afford a unique work by the artist, and I think it’s great.
As a highly detailed painter, I spend a great deal of time planning and painting the work that I make. There are many layers applied in glazes, which require a certain amount of time to dry. I also strive for a certain level of detail and refinement, so I spend many weeks in the studio completing a painting. Once that painting sells, it goes to a loving home, and I am busy working on the next painting. I often work in a series and I will create work that is in a similar theme. However, if someone loved a particular painting or subject matter, it is possible that the painting has already found a home.
I personally like the idea of a painting having more of a reach and for more people to enjoy that work. After I have spent weeks working a painting, I want to share that work with many people and I hope for many people to enjoy it.
In the past, I have been wary of producing a print that has been created though digital means. I am a bit of a purist, so I have only considered etching and lithography for prints. However, due to the changes in digital media, and the changes in the art world, I have changed my initial thoughts.
Therefore, in late in 2023, I decided that I wanted to produce a high quality archival inkjet print from a painting that I would make. The print would be considered from the start of the painting, so it would not feel so much like a reproduction of a painting that I have created. My paintings of Nintendo Gameboys, have always been popular, so I decided to make a very special Gameboy painting for the print project.
Shipwreck 2023 oil on linen mounted on panel 20x20 inches
I set out to find a printer based in Charlotte that could produce the work to my standards, and also ensure that the print would be archival, meaning made from acid free paper and fade resistant inks. And of course, the color accuracy is very important. Once I located a printer and received an cost estimate, I applied for a grant from the Arts and Science Council (ASC) of Charlotte. So, with generous support from the ASC, and the expertise of Image Control Company (ICC) of Charlotte, I have produced my first print.
Shipwreck 2024 archival inkjet print 14x14 inches (image) 16x16 inches (paper)
This is a limited edition archival inkjet print of one of my favorite oil paintings from 2023. The painting is titled, Shipwreck, and features the original Nintendo Gameboy on a deep maroon colored background. On the screen of the Gameboy is a still image from one of my favorite games of all time, The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening. The image is a still from the opening video sequence in which Link’s ship is mysteriously overcome by a terrible storm. It is a painting within a painting, and I consider it to be a bit of a self-portrait.
The print measures 14x14 inches (image) with a one inch margin. Therefore, the paper measures 16x16 inches. The print is printed on FibaPrint Ultra Smooth Gloss 285gsm IFA49 Fine Art Paper by Innova. The color is both accurate and rich, and I chose a glossy paper that gives a certain polish and strength to the print.
Chris Clamp signing Shipwreck prints