Widespread rumours that Christchurch publisher of NZ art gifts and decor products Image Vault are going to launch their own online store to sell directly to retail customers have been confirmed today by production manager Hamish Bayly. In an email sent to New Zealand Fine Prints Bayly stated "all our products will be available for sale on line". He went on to say that "it will offer an on line option for people who wish to view and purchase from our complete range".
Image Vault, publisher of prints by some of NZ's top selling contemporary landscape painters like Diana Adams, Grahame Sydney and kiwiana art specialist Jason Kelly, has grown quickly to be one of the leading brands in the NZ gift market. Launched by siblings Nathan and Jane Secker out of their Christchurch based family business Windsor Gallery (now sold) Image Vault sells a highly successful range of art cards, prints, canvas prints as well as decals and lampshades through a large network of retail stockists throughout New Zealand (including www.prints.co.nz).
This is a controversial departure from the business model followed by overseas art publishers such as Bruce McGaw or Rosensteils - or local design driven success stories like Icebreaker - who specialise in the publishing/manufacturing side and rely on a carefully cultivated network of retailers to get their products out to customers. Do readers of NZ Art Print News think Image Vault competing directly with their loyal retail sales channel is good business or a bad idea? Leave your comment below.
Showing posts with label diana adams. Show all posts
Showing posts with label diana adams. Show all posts
NZ Prints Video - New Zealand's Top Selling Art Prints in 2009
We have just created a short (1 minute) video celebrating NZ's top selling art prints by New Zealand artists in 2009. Showcases the artwork of NZ painters and printmakers like Dick Frizzell, Ralph Hotere, Rita Angus, Bill Hammond, Grahame Sydney, Diana Adams and C.F Goldie. Find out what was New Zealand's most popular print in 2009!
Painter Diana Adams - her art prints inspiration
A full-time painter since 2001 Adams' training critically includes a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from Lincoln University - an education she claims led and inspired her to becoming a painter of New Zealand's natural environment. Adams’ background as a landscape architect has played a significant role in the shaping of her current style which is delineated by clean precise lines and a close attention to composition. Many of her prints also clearly demonstrate her understanding of the native New Zealand flora which inhabits the landscapes she paints - nikau palms, pohutukawa and cabbage trees feature as key elements in her compositions.
We agree with the sentiments of the curator of her recent exhibition when they write "Reflecting the artist's development into a painter of some maturity and complexity, the latest series of works investigate a range of emotions, including the darker aspects of the landscape and the often disquieting feelings evoked by the solitude and loneliness which may be found in the isolated landscapes that she depicts. All pieces possess atmospheric qualities which reference the prevalent weather conditions and resultant light effects over the landscape - approaching storms and moody skies signaling changeability and the presence of an overwhelming, oppressive power rendering humanity insignificant in the face of natural forces. This can be seen to move Diana’s work past a simple representation of the obvious beauty of the New Zealand landscape and on to a thematic exploration of the moods and emotions which can be experienced through interaction with the environment."
This increasing complexity can be seen in the latest additions to Diana Adams series of prints on fine art paper and canvas - prints of paintings like River's Journey and Sole Survivor.
Canvas Prints - New Zealand range expands
An increasing number of New Zealand artists like Diana Adams are making prints of their paintings available on canvas. At New Zealand Fine Prints sales of canvas prints have tripled over the past year now that we have finally been able to offer New Zealand prints printed on genuine artists' canvas rather than the canvas transfer system we tried a few years ago (and dropped as some of our customers weren't satisfied with the results).
Canvas prints can vary widely in quality from a plastic "poly canvas" which is just plain horrible through to extremely high end archival standard canvas. With canvas prints you truly get what you pay for - the cost of good quality materials (canvas and ink) is very high per canvas print partly because there is no economies of scale as each print is printed one at a time. Our studio uses an acid free canvas with a neutral pH factor. The canvas has great colour gamut and low dot gain. Based upon laboratory testing it is estimated that pigment inks will last 35 - 100 years without noticeable fading.
We have listed all canvas prints at the price for the loose canvas ready to carefully rolled in acid-free tissue and delivered in very sturdy packaging anywhere throughout New Zealand or around the world. We also offer a stretching service where the canvas prints are wrapped around a wooden stretcher frame with the border of the image going around the edges. This is ready to hang on the wall - finished with a clear lacquer across the print's surface and with a hanger on the reverse of the print. Stretched canvas prints can be ordered by calling us toll free on 0800 800 278. Shown here is the new canvas print of the popular painting by contemporary artist Diana Adams of New Zealand's highest mountain Mount Cook/Aoraki.
Canvas prints can vary widely in quality from a plastic "poly canvas" which is just plain horrible through to extremely high end archival standard canvas. With canvas prints you truly get what you pay for - the cost of good quality materials (canvas and ink) is very high per canvas print partly because there is no economies of scale as each print is printed one at a time. Our studio uses an acid free canvas with a neutral pH factor. The canvas has great colour gamut and low dot gain. Based upon laboratory testing it is estimated that pigment inks will last 35 - 100 years without noticeable fading.
We have listed all canvas prints at the price for the loose canvas ready to carefully rolled in acid-free tissue and delivered in very sturdy packaging anywhere throughout New Zealand or around the world. We also offer a stretching service where the canvas prints are wrapped around a wooden stretcher frame with the border of the image going around the edges. This is ready to hang on the wall - finished with a clear lacquer across the print's surface and with a hanger on the reverse of the print. Stretched canvas prints can be ordered by calling us toll free on 0800 800 278. Shown here is the new canvas print of the popular painting by contemporary artist Diana Adams of New Zealand's highest mountain Mount Cook/Aoraki.
Framed Prints
Customers have reacted favourably to our initial picture framing trial - where via one of our publishers we offered framed prints from a selection of popular artists like Grahame Sydney and Diana Adams. Just over 400 framed prints were shipped during this trial pre Christmas so we have had plenty of opportunity to refine our processes before rolling out the new picture framing service on a much larger scale. From March 2009 we are now offering affordable and elegant picture framing for all prints in stock. Please contact us or call 0800 800 278 for a quote for framing your chosen prints. New Zealand wide delivery in extremely sturdy packaging is just $NZ20 per order (for any number of framed prints or posters) and delivery is in ten working days. We deliver framed prints world-wide by Airmail at cost - around $NZ 30 - $NZ 60 depending on the destination and size/weight of the print.
The illustration shows how prints were framed during the trial period (this style is known as a "box frame") and we offered three colours of picture frame - white, black and cream. Black is by far the most popular frame colour choice so far...
Canvas Prints vs Canvas Transfer
Prints on canvas by New Zealand artists have finally started being published. The prints we have in stock in our new canvas prints gallery are different from earlier "canvas transfer" prints because they are printed directly onto a high grade artist's canvas using pigment inks.
With canvas transfer the print was bonded onto a canvas like backing using a process rather like laminating. This canvas is usually stretched onto a frame in a way that looks like the picture wraps around the edges. We have always offered eg Grahame Sydney, Diana Adams and Barry Ross Smith prints as canvas transfers ready to hang on the wall out of the box. But we are now looking forward to more true canvas art prints being published as the technology improves and customers start to appreciate the step up in quality that comes with printing directly onto canvas.
With canvas transfer the print was bonded onto a canvas like backing using a process rather like laminating. This canvas is usually stretched onto a frame in a way that looks like the picture wraps around the edges. We have always offered eg Grahame Sydney, Diana Adams and Barry Ross Smith prints as canvas transfers ready to hang on the wall out of the box. But we are now looking forward to more true canvas art prints being published as the technology improves and customers start to appreciate the step up in quality that comes with printing directly onto canvas.
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