Pauline Solon
Beautiful open and limited edition prints

Bali Ants

Something that’s not mentioned in any of the brochures I’ve read about the ‘Paradise Island of the Gods’ that is Bali, concerns the ant population. These tiny creatures constitute, as far as I know, one of the largest communities in Bali.

I am often reminded of their presence, especially early in the morning, as I walk into the kitchen to prepare for the day ahead. In the dim light just before the sun’s glorious rising and if I am still not quite awake, and fail to check the floor, I will find myself immediately wide awake as I become their latest feast.

These tiny creatures descend, en masse within minutes to scavenge even the smallest traces of food. Flour, crumbs, oil, sugar are like magnets that draw them by the zillions, especially before it rains. Left to their own devices they are amazing garbage collectors.

However to walk into their midst in the early hours of the morning, is to become an irresistible delicacy, as they swarm, with lightening speed on any available part of one’s anatomy. Their consequent sampling of your flesh, has the power to set one hopping and slapping them off as they rush in all directions to taste the enormous food package that has arrived in their midst…. surely a gift from their gods!

Out comes the broom. Their orderly pathways are disrupted in what for them must be a cataclysmic event. However the speed with which they re-organise their marching columns is a miracle to observe. It doesn’t take long for them to come back, unless one uses some noxious substance, such as kerosene, to disguise their way.

There are so many different types of ants here. There are red ones, black ones, brown ones, big ones, small ones, each with a different Life’s Purpose. There are those who bite and those who don’t. There are the white ones that eat houses unless one takes the drastic measures of extermination. If you don’t, you may come crashing through the floor or alternatively have the house come crashing down on you.

The older Balinese people have a wealth of knowledge concerning each type of ant.  They have names to describe whatever attribute each species possess. They are more that happy to share their knowledge with anyone interested enough to ask.

Enough for now!

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What is a Giclée Print?

A giclée (zhee-CLAY), is an individually produced, high-resolution, high-fidelity, high tech reproduction done on a special large format printer. Giclées are produced from digital scans of existing artwork. Also, since many artists now paint only digitally, there was no “original” that can be hung on a wall. Giclées solve that problem, while creating a whole new vibrant medium for art.

The Giclée is quickly becoming the new standard in the fine art industry, and is widely embraced for its astonishing quality by major museums, galleries, publishers and artists. A Giclée Print is quite simply the closest replication of an original artwork that is currently possible.

Giclées can be printed on any number of media, from inkjet canvas to watercolor paper to vinyl, to transparent acetates. Giclées are superior to traditional lithography in nearly every way. The colors are brighter, last longer, and are so high-resolution that they are virtually ‘continuous tone’, rather than tiny dots. The range, or “gamut” of color for giclées is far beyond that of lithography, and details are crisper.

Since giclée printerscan use media in rolls, large print sizes are available, limited only by the length and width of the roll. Billboard sizes are possible. Giclées are typically sold by the square inch or square foot.

In giclée printing, no screen or other mechanical devices are used and therefore there is no visible dot screen pattern. The image has all the tonalities and hues of the original painting. Giclée is a French term meaning to spray or squirt, which is how an inkjet printer works. However, it is not the same as a standard desktop inkjet printer, and is much larger.

HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR GICLÉE:

Giclée prints should be handled with the same care one would with any valued fine art piece. They should be protected from water, solvent-based materials and abrasion. You can extend the life expectancy of a Giclée fine art print by hanging it away from direct sunlight and moisture.

Under no circumstances should you wet your print. Also, please avoid tape or solvents coming in contact with the coated print.

Giclées printed on Fine Art Papers should ideally be framed and mounted on acid free boards under UV protected glass for maximum durability. The paper of the print itself needs to be handled carefully to prevent absorption of oils and/or marks from fingertips.

Giclées printed on Canvas are treated with special coatings to protect them against dangerous UV light invisible to the human eye and to preserve the integrity of the print. Always clean your canvas print with a dry, lint free cloth or soft brush. Never use a wet or moist cloth to clean your Giclée canvas print.

A little extra care for your Giclée fine art print now will allow you to enjoy your purchase for many years to come.

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