Giclée Release and Promotion by Jennie Traill Schaeffer

Homage to Julia, Mixed Media on Panel, 24" x 24", ©2009 Jennie Traill Schaeffer
Original in Private Collection

I'm pleased to announce the release of a new limited edition giclée featuring one of my most-loved recent paintings, Homage to Julia. Painted in 2009, around the time of the film, Julie and Julia, I wanted to learn more about Julia Child and was deeply impressed by her success in the professional kitchen, then a male-dominated arena.

After doing some research mostly through the Smithsonian's fabulous virtual tour of her kitchen, I composed this painting.  Using her Kitchen-Aid stand mixer as a metaphor for Child, I pulled colors and other elements from her kitchen, incorporating the french whisk, a tool she introduced to American cooks.

This painting actually evolved after a clipping from the newspaper was stuck in my studio door by my friend, Linda Hirsch. The clipping was Julia's recipe for French omelettes, along with a column encouraging Americans to get rid of their egg beaters. Child both loved tools that worked, whether old or new. She embraced technology when it worked well. She loved her mixing machine. I felt it was appropriate to collage both of these clippings into the painting.

The original painting sold last year and is now in a private collection in New Jersey. I've had many people express interest in the painting, so now you have an opportunity to own a canvas reproduction.

To celebrate the release of the giclée, I'm offering them now through Christmas* at 10% off the retail price of $125. The 14" x 14" giclée is printed on Fredrix canvas with archival inks and coated with a satin UV-resistant finish. Only 75 will be printed. They will be stretched on 1.25" deep stretcher bars. The wrap of the canvas around the stretchers will be left white. For an additional $20, the canvas wrap can be painted gold. The giclée may be left unframed for a contemporary look, or framed for an additional cost.

Homage to Julia

Limited Edition (75) Giclée 14" x 14"

gallery wrap stretch canvas on 1.25" wood frame

white sides (gold paint for an additional $20 - contact the artist)

Satin Finish UV Coat

$125 (regular price)

10% off through December 25th

*Delivery for Christmas will not be possible due to printing and stretching times. Giclées will be shipped within two weeks of purchase or can be purchased and picked up upon completion at TraillWorks in Newton, NJ.

Back in the Studio

Mini Perker, Oil on Matt Board, 5.25" x 5.25" ©2011 Jennie Traill Schaeffer

$95

I wax poetic to my students all the time about the importance of working outside of class, continuity of production, sketching, etc. But, do I always take my own advice? Unfortunately no. I'm no dummy. I know the importance of prioritizing my artwork, but running a business and being a mom make it challenging at best. Stuff comes up - people walk into the gallery, my son gets sick, I get sick, I'm busy teaching or marketing the business.

Each year since I've run a gallery I've produced somewhere around 25 pieces of original work. And, that's including commissions. Not complaining - commissions are great income and have historically been subjects that interest me or are very much related to my own area of focus: vintage appliances, aprons, and wedding cakes. But, it is truly hard to juggle work/life balance - sleeping, eating, getting my son to and from daycare, spending enough time at the studio. Something's always got to give, so unfortunately when I look at the finances, sometimes it's my artwork.

Ugggh. Enough! Starting this week, I've been in the studio for the first time since early January. I've had great enjoyment and growth in the past when I was disciplined to create a work a day, or at the very least set a clear goal for myself. Maybe by the sheer fact that I'm blogging about this, I will have someone other than myself to own up to. Here's mine for the rest of 2011 - create a minimum of two works a week (no restriction on size, medium, or time), giving me a total of 68 works (34 weeks left of 2011, x 2)! It's a lofty goal, but I think it is reasonable. I'm going to post a weekly blog post of each week's finished pieces. So check back at the end of next week and see what I've done - I need your support! In the interim, you can follow me daily on Facebook or Twitter.

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