Sublimation Products

Over fifteen years ago, when it was in it's unstable infancy, we invested in a sublimation system. The process had serious problems of fading ink along with a high rate of waste during production. We canned it.

Re-visiting the system over the past several months has assured us of the technological improvements, especially the longevity factor. So we put a toe in to test the feasibility of giving it another go.

For those not familiar with sublimation, it's a heat transfer process. Products (like a mug) have a special coating to receive dye sublimation inks which are printed on transfer paper. The paper with the printed image is then heat pressed onto the receiving product where a chemical process transfers the image.

We use to carry some beautiful sublimation mugs not too long ago that were manufactured in Texas. Due to ever increasing shipping costs, our margin of profit continued to diminish until we canned them too. Many of my clients were disappointed but now we can produce them ourselves and so...they're back!

Mugs are back!

There is now a myriad of sublimation products available. However, each one has a learning curve such as heat temperature, timing, pressure, etc., therefore we're limiting the line to a few tried and true products such as a hardboard coaster to go along with the mugs...

Hardboard coasters with cork backing.

...and tile murals. This one is produced on six inch satin tiles. We'll have the option of varying tile sizes to create larger (or smaller) murals.

Tile mural.

The same tiles can be appropriated with a cork backing to serve as a trivet.

Cork-backed trivet

 

 

The most intriguing product and the one that has me salivating is the aluminum panel. This seems to be the latest craze in the art reproduction world and no wonder - the color is spectacularly vibrant! They will hang sans frame with an inch or so profile away from the wall providing a contemporary, clean appearance. Of course we have just begun this project so better photos illustrating the design will soon follow. I especially love the triptych look of the "Harrowing" on the table.

Artwork on aluminum panels.

We welcome ideas and will take orders customized with your own image, size, etc. Feeling very confident in the quality of the new and very improved sublimation process, we'll continue to explore different items as we become proficient with these starters.

Hot off the presses!
Sharon

Two Old Ladies and a Blacksmith

My season of being a hermit never really was. The winter weather wasn't either, and that's why. However, I never feel I'm being as productive as I think I should be.

Our recent trip to Florida was warm and lovely. Road trips. Many hate them but I relish the boredom of miles and miles of tedious city and landscape passing by. My mind calms, the incessant chatter quiets, clearing the way for constructive thought. I can say that some of my best inspiration is achieved while the bland scenery blurs.

Here's my first painting since reentry:

Two Old Ladies and a Blacksmith

I'm always looking through the hundreds, if not thousands, of stable area photos I shoot every year. Searching for inspiration, I always pass over this particular image of complicated dappled light and intricate, overlapping figures. Plus, there was a big post and railing right through the middle of it blocking out the front of the horse. Maybe it was all the vitamin D absorbed in Florida that sharpened my memory of what a great story it portrayed.

Last summer as I was plein air painting by Elmer's Gap, a very old lady rode by on a pony leading a racehorse. Neither track at Saratoga allow ponying so I could only guess that this lady took her horses across the street, circled the main track over to the historic small oval that encircles Clare Court. It's a very good distance from where I was set up. I smiled as I observed her in my admiration, not only still riding but ponying at her advanced age. But what I was really thinking was: this scenario could be me if I hadn't made the shift from race tracker to full-time artist.

Fast forward a month or so, the main meet has concluded but there's still plenty of horses stabled at Oklahoma. Camera in hand, I'm walking around searching for inspiration and - there she is! Her horse, a mare, was getting shod and this old lady was doing her best to hold the mare AND keep an eye on the blacksmith. Her arm was stretched out clutching the end of the shank and in the other hand she swung a rub rag to and fro to keep the flies at bay. Then the mare turned her head to also observe the blacksmith and I fired off about six shots to capture the moment. Priceless. Rare. But affectionately familiar.

Michael and I both chuckled over this as we always agreed that the hardest thing on the track is to work for someone with only one horse. I respect the tolerance and patience of this blacksmith. And I hope to see this lady back at the track next year. I will introduce myself, ask her how the mare is doing and inform her that I was also once a member of the sisterhood of tough, tenacious and determined race track ladies.

Seasoned girl power,
Sharon