"Giclee". Pronounced "Zhee-CLAY". From a French word meaning to spray ink. A method of using computer technology and ink-jet printers to reproduce nearly exact duplicates of original oils. Signed prints are now so 20th Century.
So . . . Tom and I made a loop today up to Prescott and back. We drove north from Goodyear to Hwy 60, NW on 60 to Wickenburg, up through the middle of nowhere (beautiful country) over the mountains to Prescott. On our way out of town we passed the George Phippen Museum, noted it as we passed, but almost managed to get out of town. But just then Carolyn's Mom called on the cell phone. When she found out where we were and that we hadn't stopped at the museum she said that we had to go back. So Mom, it's all your fault.
Some know that we apparently inherited some gene for appreciation of Western Art. I'm not sure exactly sure how Tom inherited it from me but it's probably one of those proximity-for-almost-40-years things. So we double back, park, walk up to the museum, and pay our (reasonable) admittance fee. The person-on-duty explains how it's named after George Phippen as he was the first President of the Cowboy Artists of America, etc, etc. I mention that our family has an original Phippen, currently in the custody of my parents. His face lights up with admiration. Then I see a Ray Swanson canvas over his shoulder and my face lights up and I say to Tom: "look, a Swanson". Then I guess he thought that we weren't just the average Oregon tourist idly stopping by.
The current exhibit is "Greatest Earth on Show" which will be over on Feb 21st. Many oils and a few acrylics, many featuring Grand Canyon themes (including one totally unusual Ray Swanson) but many others as well. On permanent display are a recreation of Phippen's studio and in the back . . . just waiting for me to come in . . . a recreation of Ray Swanson's studio. With all or most of the original equipment, artifacts, and props.
After double-touring the entire exhibition, we mistakenly visited the gift shop. That was where we were first introduced to giclee reproductions. There were several Swansons available. I've been searching on-line for an image of the one who forced us to have it wrapped and placed in the Element but have not managed to do so (see update below). I don't want to unwrap it to take a picture of it yet. Here is one of the prints we have that it will be joining once we get it home:
"Puppy Love"
The new giclee features three Navaho girls with a flock of Churro lambs.
Update: I have found the giclee cut into two parts:
