Oil Slick

I didn’t realize what grave danger our environment is in until I learned of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. It was one of the first environmental crises I remember hearing about. I saw a lot of pictures of dead birds and turtles covered in oil. They were heartbreaking, but the media didn’t seem to draw the connection that our environmental mistakes hurt humans, too. I wanted to show they also impact us.       -Gina

Artist:  Gina Ledor (2002 —  )
Date: 2019
Medium: Digital painting (Apple Pencil on iPad Pro with Procreate graphic software) printed as an archival Lexjet giclée (pigment inkjet) on borderless archival Hahnemühle Photo Rag Metallic paper.  The iridescent appearance of this artwork on this hyper-metallic paper, which can’t be appreciated online, evokes the rainbow colors of spilled oil.
Dimensions:  Optional.  On paper, the maximum available size is 43.6  x ~67″.  On aluminum, the maximum is 48 x ~74″.
Paper (or aluminum):   Hahnemühle Photo Rag (archival, hyper-) Metallic paper, Lexjet (archival giclée) Metallic paper, UV-filtering aluminum, or any other desired matrix.  The Hahnemühle particularly lends itself to this theme, as it resembles the iridescent appearance of an oil slick.  Its website offers the following description (more details available there):

Hahnemühle Photo Rag® Metallic is a silvery-shimmering FineArt inkjet paper with a specially formulated inkjet coating for FineArt use. The natural white cotton paper contains no optical brighteners and has the characteristic Photo Rag® surface structure and sumptuous feel. Photo Rag® Metallic features a special silvery-shimmering surface finish. The high-gloss premium inkjet coating with a unique metallic effect guarantees impressive printing results with bold colours, deep black and the perfect reproduction of colour and detail. The sophisticated silver metallic effect underscores the image and makes motifs with metallic elements, reflections, ice and glass, architecture and landscape shots, as well as black and white photographs with high-contrast tones shine. Photo Rag® Metallic is acid and lignin-free and meets the most exacting requirements in terms of age resistance.

• • 340 gsm, 100% cotton
  • Natural white, without optical brighteners
  • Sophisticated surface texture
  • High-gloss premium inkjet coating for outstanding printing results with a unique, silvery-shimmering metallic effect
  • Acid and lignin-free
  • ISO9706 compliant / museum quality for a high age resistance
  • Compatible with pigment and dye inkjet systems

Note that the photographs of the Hahnemühle paper do not do the printing justice, because only parts of the photo appear iridescent, whereas in actuality the entire print glows iridescently.  Of course printing on aluminum is rather metallic in appearance as well, but not quite iridescent as on the Hahnemühle.  One advantage of the aluminum is it can be hung inexpensively with hooks on the back (our printer can affix them for you).  Alternatively, for example, we floated the first printing on aluminum of Through the Glass in a contemporary, clean-lined aluminum frame, which looks great but of course added to the expense.
Edition:  This is a limited edition.  The first impressions (as above) have been printed printed by LightRoom (Berkeley, CA), where subsequent prints on paper will also be accomplished.  The projected numbered edition will likely be no more than 100 proofs.
Signature:  Digitally signed by the artist, lower right.
Condition:  Pristine
Exhibition history:
1. The David Brower Center, Berkeley, CA, June 6 – Sept. 12, 2019, on Lexjet Metallic paper, 20 x 26″
2. Burning Man, Black Rock City, NV, courtesy of Dean Hanley, Aug. 25 – Sept. 2, 2019,  on Hahnemuehle Photo Rag Metallic paper, 36.2 x 55″
3. Expressions Gallery, Berkeley, CA, Oct. 26 – Feb. 7, 2019,  on Lexjet Metallic paper, 20 x 26″
Price:  Upon request