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Limited Editions, Unlimited Possibilities

Walking through an art museum gift shop, one is surrounded by mugs, tote bags, puzzles, umbrellas, key chains, and posters featuring the likes of “Starry Night” by Vincent Van Gogh and “The Old Guitarist” by Pablo Picasso. At one time, the common person could not hope to possess such works due to lofty prices. Now, anyone can own a da Vinci or a Monet. Limited edition prints, while still not originals, offer high quality copies without the cost.

Limited edition prints can be created in a number of ways. Lithography began like most things, from very humble beginnings, using basic elements. A desired image was applied onto limestone with a greasy, oily substance. The limestone was then moistened with water, the oily surface repelling the water while drawn to the portions not covered with the substance. The limestone would then be pressed onto paper imprinting the image upon it. This process only produced black and white prints, but within 20 years of its invention, experimentation with color prints was evident.

The process of lithography has been modified over time using plastic and aluminum plates with a photosensitive mixture replacing the oily mixture. The same basic principle applies. The mixture repels water, the plates are put on a drum, paper is fed through and the image transferred. The introduction of computers into the process makes it possible to make a plate digitally, which offers huge advantages - faster turnaround and higher quality. “He Knew Too Much,” a lithography hand-signed by the artist Waldemar Swierzy, is a bold, abstract piece available at the gallery.

Etchings can also be found at Guenther Gallery. To create an etching, a metal plate is covered with a ground. The artist then carves out the desired image with an etching needle to expose the metal underneath. The plate, usually copper or zinc, is covered with acid, which reacts with the exposed metal that has been carved out to make the lines more distinct and able to accept ink. The residual ground is then removed and ink is rolled over the surface of the plate. A moistened piece of paper and the plate are placed in a high-pressure printing press, the ink transfers onto the paper, making a print. The plate can be used over and over again until the integrity of the original etching is lessened.

Serigraphy, better known as screen printing, became popular in the 1930s with graphic artists like Andy Warhol. A piece of fabric, usually polyester or nylon, but traditionally silk, is stretched over an aluminum or wooden frame and placed on top of a sheet of paper. Ink is then put on the screen and a rubber blade is passed back and forth over the screen to push the ink through onto the paper. Using a stencil to cover certain sections of the screen, the ink is not allowed to pass through. Different stencils are needed for each color to create a completed image. Within the walls of Guenther Gallery, a beautifully layering of colors comes to life in “Hill Town in Autumn II” by Hayslette.

Giclées, produced with the most modern process of all of these methods, can be printed at a higher quality than traditional lithographic prints. This is partly due to the wider range of colors. These prints can be produced one at a time because they are printed on an inkjet printer. Since the print is made from a digital replication, the print does not degrade in quality no matter how many times it is copied. “Patched” by Hugo Salinas will never lose its original tones because giclées can be made one by one with no need for mass production, giving the artist more control over the process.

Guenther Gallery in Itasca carries a plethora of limited edition prints, each signed by the artist. The gallery works with both commercial and residential projects to fulfill art, decorating and interior design needs with an array of services - commercial space planning, commercial interior design, computerized mat cutting, original artwork, open edition artwork, photography and custom mirrors. “Additionally, we do custom framing for just about anything,” said Sandy Guenther, President.

While the gallery is only a few years old, “art and design has been a lifelong passion” of Sandy and Eric Guenther. Their dedication is obvious in the work that they do. “When we found a small gallery for sale we thought this must surely be our destiny. Guenther Design Ltd. was incorporated in 2004 as we considered the purchase, but after several months of investigation and research, we decided to start from the ground up here in Itasca.” Guenther Gallery and Design opened on February 14, 2005 and has been thriving ever since.