Metal prints?  I’m a traditionalist.  I’ve always preferred my traditional fine art photographs over other medias such as canvas gallery wraps, acrylic face mounts or metal prints but I’m beginning to see the light.  Call me a late adaptor!  Last year I had many meetings with the good folks at St. Charles Hospital, here in Bend, Oregon.  They had done their research on the the growing field of Evidence Based Design and more specifically, the role of artwork in the healing arts.  They inspired me to do my own research and the evidence is unequivocal. Artwork( specifically landscape photography) aids in the healing process for hospitalized patients.  In my meetings with St. Charles Hospital, the type of print that would work best for them was the primary concern.  They had a list of logical needs: Central Oregon Landscape photography, safe art work, strong color,  soothing images, cleanable surfaces, and modern clean lines.  We came to the mutual conclusion that Metal prints would be the perfect surface for my fine art photography in St.Charles Hospital.  Below is one of my metal prints  of Black Butte that I will release tonight, for Bend’s First Friday Art Walk.

metal fine art prints, “Black Butte Morning”

More important for me than studies on evidence based design is the overwhelmingly positive feedback I’ve received regarding my metal prints since they have been at St.Charles Hospital.  I have received dozens of kind notes from friends and strangers noting how my landscape photography made their stay more pleasant.  this avalanche of positive feedback convinced me to print some metal prints for myself and…. show them tonight at Crow’s Feet Commons during the First Friday Art Walk in downtown Bend, Oregon.  I’ll be showing 5 new metal prints.

About the Metal Prints…

detail of Metal Landscape photograph

The print quality and detail of my metal prints is exceptional but they are different from my traditional fine art photographs in several ways….

1.In general, they seem to be slightly more saturated.

2. They do not require framing, making them less expensive.  My metal prints have an aluminum subframe on the back of the print which gives them rigidity and makes them “float” away from the wall.  See photo to the left.  The aluminum subframe has has an internal ridge which you can easily attach hanging hardware, making hinging them quick and easy.  Of course, not having framing and matting, these prints occupy a smaller “footprint” on a wall

3. They are very light, weighing a fraction of what my traditional framed prints weigh.

4. They are less reflective…. Not having glass in front of them, my metal prints look good in a wider variety of lighting conditions.

5. The prints have an elegant depth to them, almost as if they were covered with a thin transparent film of water.

6. They have a very modern “clean” look making them adaptable for interior designs that would not cooperate with my traditional fine art framing.