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by Jonni Hill
Staff Writer
Gina Gigli, as unique and individual as her art work expresses, will be one of 13 Markleeville artists to open their studios to the public on Oct. 8-9 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days.
Just in time for the fall colors to dress the valleys and canyons of Alpine County with festive arrays of golden yellows and vibrant oranges, Gigli will be presenting to the public, her first giclée limited edition of 25 prints. This newest artistic venue in Gigli's prestigious career of hand-printed limited editions will be for sale at her studio/gallery during the tour.
The process Gigli incorporates in her work is centuries old and barely touched by modern technology.
"I fought the concept of giclée prints." Gigli said. "Once I have etched the plate that creates my original image, yes, there are copies of that work done on a hand-drawn press. But that image will wear out and once that happens; there isn't a way to produce any more. This process makes multiple originals, (They are considered multiple orginals because her husband Ruggero Gigli, Villa Gigli Press and printer of her original work, must re-ink the plate for each print.) Each one is individual."
Gigli will now offer a "new twist" to her traditional printmaking with what she calls her etched collage giclée. First, artist Gigli etches and aquatints her abstract images onto zinc plates, using brushes and twisted steel scribers, etching ground, lacquer sprays and nitric acid.
The next step in the process, Ruggero, hand-prints the limited edition onto various shades of white imported Italian Magnani rag paper.
Now, Gigli will create original collages by ripping selected pieces from her trial-proof etchings. She reassembles these paper fragments into entirely new compositions by overlapping the torn edges, pasting with archival glue and hand-rolling the papers securely onto acid-free foam core.
In the fourth step of the process, Gigli hands over her original collage to Michael Nelson at Grafx 8 Media Group. The original collage of Gigli's work is scanned and printed in a limited edition of prints on pH neutral 100 percent acid free, 140-pound Hahnemuhle German Etching paper using pigmented inks with a life expectancy of more than 100 years.
The Giglis are a perfect working combination. Chef and printer Ruggero, who was born in Florence, Italy, grew up surrounded by artistic masterpieces. A baker in his youth, he immigrated to the United States in his 20s, becoming a citizen and business owner.
California artist and author, Gina, attended Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, earning a B.A. degree from the Colorado College in Colorado Springs. Known at the time as Jane Green, she began her career in oil painting.
In 1969, Jane Green married Ruggero Gigli and became known as Gina Gigli. Together they discovered the art of etching, with Gina producing the plate and Ruggero the print.
The Villa Gigli Collection opens each Saturday and Sunday, May through October, featuring Ruggero's handmade bread and pasta and Gina's etchings and masks.
The Gigli's, along with other artists on the tour Sandra Baenen, Todd Branscombe, Jeff Brees, Kathy Caldwell, Peter Chope, Susan Flakus, Kay Jobst, Ellen Martin, Charles Muench, Carolyn Vaughn, Jennifer Vaughn and Mark Vaughn, will all be on hand to welcome the public to their October studios tour.
A free map of the tour will be available at the Alpine County Chamber of Commerce. For information, call (530) 694-2253 or go to Web site www.charlesmuench.com.
Staff Writer
Gina Gigli, as unique and individual as her art work expresses, will be one of 13 Markleeville artists to open their studios to the public on Oct. 8-9 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days.
Just in time for the fall colors to dress the valleys and canyons of Alpine County with festive arrays of golden yellows and vibrant oranges, Gigli will be presenting to the public, her first giclée limited edition of 25 prints. This newest artistic venue in Gigli's prestigious career of hand-printed limited editions will be for sale at her studio/gallery during the tour.
The process Gigli incorporates in her work is centuries old and barely touched by modern technology.
"I fought the concept of giclée prints." Gigli said. "Once I have etched the plate that creates my original image, yes, there are copies of that work done on a hand-drawn press. But that image will wear out and once that happens; there isn't a way to produce any more. This process makes multiple originals, (They are considered multiple orginals because her husband Ruggero Gigli, Villa Gigli Press and printer of her original work, must re-ink the plate for each print.) Each one is individual."
Gigli will now offer a "new twist" to her traditional printmaking with what she calls her etched collage giclée. First, artist Gigli etches and aquatints her abstract images onto zinc plates, using brushes and twisted steel scribers, etching ground, lacquer sprays and nitric acid.
The next step in the process, Ruggero, hand-prints the limited edition onto various shades of white imported Italian Magnani rag paper.
Now, Gigli will create original collages by ripping selected pieces from her trial-proof etchings. She reassembles these paper fragments into entirely new compositions by overlapping the torn edges, pasting with archival glue and hand-rolling the papers securely onto acid-free foam core.
In the fourth step of the process, Gigli hands over her original collage to Michael Nelson at Grafx 8 Media Group. The original collage of Gigli's work is scanned and printed in a limited edition of prints on pH neutral 100 percent acid free, 140-pound Hahnemuhle German Etching paper using pigmented inks with a life expectancy of more than 100 years.
The Giglis are a perfect working combination. Chef and printer Ruggero, who was born in Florence, Italy, grew up surrounded by artistic masterpieces. A baker in his youth, he immigrated to the United States in his 20s, becoming a citizen and business owner.
California artist and author, Gina, attended Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, earning a B.A. degree from the Colorado College in Colorado Springs. Known at the time as Jane Green, she began her career in oil painting.
In 1969, Jane Green married Ruggero Gigli and became known as Gina Gigli. Together they discovered the art of etching, with Gina producing the plate and Ruggero the print.
The Villa Gigli Collection opens each Saturday and Sunday, May through October, featuring Ruggero's handmade bread and pasta and Gina's etchings and masks.
The Gigli's, along with other artists on the tour Sandra Baenen, Todd Branscombe, Jeff Brees, Kathy Caldwell, Peter Chope, Susan Flakus, Kay Jobst, Ellen Martin, Charles Muench, Carolyn Vaughn, Jennifer Vaughn and Mark Vaughn, will all be on hand to welcome the public to their October studios tour.
A free map of the tour will be available at the Alpine County Chamber of Commerce. For information, call (530) 694-2253 or go to Web site www.charlesmuench.com.
