Black Friday Giclee Sale

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

While I seem to be running “a day late and a dollar short” these days, perhaps because stubbornly, I want to use my daylight hours for art creating… I did want to jump in on offering shopping specials during this weekend of Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

So, now through this Cyber Monday (29 November) at midnight (well, ok before I wake up in Texas on Tuesday morning), I am offering all of my blog readers

20% off of all available giclée

Giclée (pronounced 'zhee-clay') is a French term used to describe a high-quality reproduction of 2-d art using inks that will last at least 200 years, given reasonable care of your art (ie… little direct sun).

While I do encourage collecting original art, I am fully aware that not everyone can do that. I am very impressed with the quality of my giclée and would love to see people have things around them that move them.

Lately, I have been creating pastels and charcoal paintings/drawings on paper. I have had hi-resolutions scans done of all of these, such as ”The Letter” that you see here. Please note that for an original that is on paper, the giclée will be on paper. Painting reproductions are on canvas. Also, if the proportion is not matched with the original, then please tell me the longest dimension that you want. For example, “The Letter” is a long and narrower drawing compared to a standard 24” x 18” image proportion. So, if you ordered a 24” giclée, the width might be around 15”.

Also, included in this sale are giclée on canvas of some of my images from Italy that are part of my fund-raising efforts to help my kid Rudy get a set of dentures (implants are apparently way too expensive). He has had about four years now without ANY teeth because of a rule in Medicare that says “teeth are cosmetic and therefore not provided.”
Rudy was born with Treacher Collin’s Syndrome and I think he has struggled enough! For more information on this project, click here:
http://www.borsheimarts.com/treachercollins.htm

Details on the Art Sale:
All you have to do to receive your 20% savings, is to visit my Web site and then my contact page. Tell me the title of the artwork you would like to buy and also the size of the giclée. I will send you a PayPal invoice so that you may safely use your credit card online, or you may send me a check, your choice.

I will try to have all images shipped to you before Christmas, but if it is just not possible, I will create a “gift card” to give your loved one on the right date that includes an anticipated arrival date for the artwork.

Helpful links:

• About Kelly’s giclée – including sized and pre-sale prices
  
• Images of Italy – for Rudy
  
• Pastel Artworks Page
  
• Original Charcoal Drawings Page
  
• Contact Studio.
  

Giambologna Florence Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

I mentioned sculptor Giambologna’s famous composition “Il Ratto delle Sabines” in my last post. It is one of my favorite sculptures. The final artwork is in stone and is one of the few original sculptures still on exhibit in the main piazza of Florence, Italy. Unfortunately, that public privilege keeps getting debated as more pollution makes it difficult to protect the marble.

Also, vandalism reared its ugly head recently when someone broke off a finger from Italian artist Pio Fedi’s marvelous stone carving of four figures, which is also one of the original artworks still on exhibit in this same space, the Loggia dei Lanzi. The discovery of the finger nearby is what clued in authorities about the damage. Horrible.

Back in 2004 during my first visit to Florence, I saw Giambologna’s original clay sculpture that was later translated into marble in the Academia. He was seeking to create a perfect composition in 3-dimensions. The spiral was the answer. The composition as seen from each viewing position would entice the audience to want to see what other views were offered.

As an artist it made sense to me that Giambologna did not start out with the famous (in his time) story of the abduction of the Sabines as his tema (theme). Someone suggested this titolo later and Giambologna had to design the bronze bas reliefs depicting more of the story for the tall stone base of his original sculpture.

Yes, sometimes the titles come first, but just as often, they come afterwards, or even during the creation of art. As visual artists, we communicate with a different language that consists of visual and tactile elements, such as line, shapes, tones, and texture.

The images you see here were taken at various times over the course of several years. The first one shows Giambologna’s “Il Ratto delle Sabines” in front of a projected image taken during the famous flood of 1966. I took this during the 40th anniversary event of the flood, November 4, 2006.



This last image is part of my giclée fundraising series to help the young man Rudy Sanchez that I have mentored since 1992. Rudy was born with Treacher Collins’ Syndrome. Years ago, the facial reconstruction doctors removed the last of Rudy’s teeth in order to reshape his jaw. However, through some Medicare law, teeth are considered cosmetic and therefore optional surgery (not paid for). So, Rudy needs $13,000 for a complete set of teeth. His family does not have that, nor do I.

If this image or any of my Italy images appeal to you, please consider purchasing a giclée or more (quantity savings apply) and know that your new artwork will enhance more than the lives that you share the art with. For more information about the art and about Rudy and Treacher Collins, please visit: Treacher Collins’ Art Project

Thank you so much!

Art Images of Italy Winner

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

This past holiday season, I was one of many bloggers who offered prizes for the Menu for Hope V raffle fundraiser for the UN World Food Program. Those who donated funds in the form of buying raffle tickets were able to choose which prizes they would like to try to win.

This morning I mailed out my donated prize: the six giclée on watercolor paper of some of my images of Italy. The lucky bidder was and is . . . Ms. Alison Violano

Congratulations, Alison!


If you like the images you see in the included photo, please know that they are also available as giclée on canvas. I am selling these larger (16 x 20 inches) giclée to help raise money to pay for teeth for Rudy Sanchez, a young man that I have mentored since 1992. Rudy was born with Treacher Collins Syndrome and has been having surgeries to improve his life and his looks ever since he was born. After more reconstruction surgery in his jaw, his family does not have the $13,000 that Medicare will not pay for Rudy to have a set of choppers.

If you would like to help or if you would like to know more about Rudy and Treacher Collins Syndrome, please visit:

Rudy, Treacher Collins Syndrome, and Italy

Savings Account

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

I am so excited! Today “my kid” Rudy and I opened up a bank account to keep track of the funds we are collecting to help Rudy get some teeth. You may remember the fund-raiser that I started for him on July 31st, in which I am selling giclée prints on canvas of some of my images of Italy.

Recently, one of my colleagues and friends who preferred to stay anonymous gave me $150 to help Rudy and then I received another cash donation of $20. This past weekend I received my first order for the giclées. The collector took advantage of free shipping and a quantity discount when ordering four images together. So, we are on our way for helping this young man born with Treacher Collins Syndrome improve his ability to eat healthy food and enjoy his life a bit more.

Rudy felt a bit ridiculous when I asked him if I could take our pictures in the bank to mark this occasion. You would think that he would be used to me documenting our lives by now. In his embarrassment, he started to laugh and could not truly stop until we left the bank. But I like these shots and I hope we can continue to make this savings account grow.

For more information about Rudy and our fund-raiser and to place your order, please visit:
http://www.borsheimarts.com/treachercollins.htm

I will be adding some more images as I get more time. I have more Angels and more Carnivale masks from Venice, as well as scenics of beloved Italian living. Stay tuned . . .

The Mentor Program: Treacher Collins Syndrome

Cari Amici,

Today, the 31st of July, is my birthday. I turn 44 officially at 6:09 p.m. (‘ gotta get that power of three from somewhere!) Mathematically speaking, I should have twice as much fun as when I was 22 and four times the fun of my “terrible twos.” Right? I am looking forward to this . . .

But for now, I want to introduce you to “my kid” Rudy. OK, so he is not technically mine and he is no longer a child. I met Rudy Sanchez Jr. on 13 February 1992 through the City of Austin’s Mentor Program. I was working in image preservation back then and 11-year-old Rudy, along with 13 other children considered “At Risk,” waited in his elementary school library to meet their new mentors. As my co-workers and I walked into the room, Rudy enthusiastically shouted, “Who’s my friend?”

In all honesty and shame, being the queasy type, for that first moment, I had hoped it was not I. However, we still reminisce fondly about that day and celebrate this anniversary each year. Rudy rarely ceases to teach me things.

Rudy was born with Treacher Collins’ Syndrome. It is a facial-cranial birth defect that left his head severely deformed. Rudy has been in surgery more times than anyone I have ever heard of. His first one happened shortly after his birth to repair a cleft palate.


Rudy has a few other struggles, but he has always taken one day at a time. He is more optimistic than most and a smile is never far from his lips. He has learned how to play the drums and the guitar and teaches children at his church these skills. He often helps his parents in their print business and finds other jobs where he can.

Unfortunately, Rudy has been without teeth for about three years now. The doctors pulled out his last remaining teeth he had so that they would have a blank canvas with which to work after they did more surgery to extend his lower jaw. His mother tells me that Medicare will not pay for teeth because they are considered cosmetic. She was told she had to raise $13,000 to buy her son some teeth.

So, Gail Ferris at Modern Renaissance and I are pooling our resources and starting a fund raiser to help Rudy. I am in the process of choosing some of my images from Italy and we will create an edition of canvas giclée prints.

I have been working a lot on a private bronze commission and so I have not had time yet to fully prepare my images and the Web page for this canvas print project for Rudy, but I will be posting more information over the week or so. In the meantime, please visit what I do have online at:

Teeth For Rudy

So, as you add to your personal art collection or give the gift of art to others, know that you will be helping a young man to enjoy the simple pleasures of eating a healthy meal.

Wikipedia’s page on Treacher Collins Syndrome

http://www.craniofacialcenter.com/book/treacher/treach1.htm

http://www.tcconnection.org

The Craniofacial Center in Dallas, Texas USA