Art Opening tomorrow night at Jennifer Young Studio & Gallery

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If you're in Richmond stop by to see some of my recent paintings of the American South. We'll host an opening reception from 6 to 9 p.m.  The exhibit will continue through the end of January. Jennifer Young Studio & Gallery is a participating venue in the First Fridays Richmond Art Walk. The gallery is located at 16 E. Main Street, just two blocks east of the Jefferson Hotel. Click here to see a map and get driving directions from your location. For more information please call 804-254-1008. Hope to see you at the show! 

"Albemarle Morning" Oil on Canvas, 24"x30"

Southern landscape painting by Jennifer Young

Happy New Year!

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The website and email have been down a lot--not a great way to start out 2007, but all appears to have been fixed now. Here is my first painting of the year! It is a landscape of the blue ridge mountains in Nelson County, Virginia. Please contact me or click on the image for more information about this piece:

 Midsummer Spectacle Oil on Canvas, 30x40"

Sunset landscape painting Virginia mountains

Caring for your paintings and prints

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I recently had a client ask me if it was okay to hang an original oil painting in a master bathroom. Since this is a bathroom that would be used often for showering, I advised against it. It is best to avoid exposing oil paintings on canvas to extreme temperatures and extreme humidity. This is why museums store work in a climate controlled environment. While we all can't go around monitoring the minute temperature changes in our homes, we can still take some basic measures to ensure the artwork is properly cared for. Here are a few tips:

  • Avoid hanging any work of art in direct sunlight for a prolonged period. Prints and works on paper risk fading, even when they are framed under protective UV glass. Oils can actually darken over time if exposed to strong sunlight for prolonged periods.
  • Works on paper should always be hung under glass for protection. UV filtered glass is preferred. However, avoid touching the glass directly to the work of art, as glass may contain some acids and chemicals that are damaging to papers. Professional picture framers use acid-free matting or other materials as a buffer to raise the glass off of the surface of the artwork.
  • As mentioned above, avoid extreme heat, extreme cold, and extreme humidity. All of these conditions can alter the condition of a work of art. Extreme temperature changes can cause painting supports to expand, contract, and warp. Oils on canvas can crack and chip if subjected to these constant insults.
  • Carry oils on canvas by the frame, or the outer edge of the stretcher bars. Avoid looping your fingers under the stretcher bars so that they grip the painting between the canvas and the stretcher. This can loosen and stretch the painting away from the stretcher.
  • Likewise, take care in leaning a canvas to anything, unless you are only letting the outer stretcher bar or frame touch the other object. Any thing leaning on the canvas itself can cause puckering and stretching of the canvas.
  • It is a fine idea to lightly dust your painting from time to time with a clean soft cloth or brush. Dust with a dry cloth only; do not clean with any other substance (like water, solvents, etc.)
  • In the unfortunate event that your painting is damaged in some way, contact a professional conservator in your area, as often repair and restoration is a viable option.

New giclee print offerings

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Here are two paintings I completed recently that I am having reproduced as limited edition giclee prints:

"Off The Beaten Path II"

Painting of Provence

"Along the Route to Dieulefit"

 Provence lavender painting

My giclee prints are offered in limited editions in a selection of sizes from small to quite large. They are perfect for home decor as well as corporate art, art for hospitals and art for hotels. I expect the prints to be released in January 2007. Please contact me if you would like to be notified when they become available, or if you would like any additional information about the prints. To see my current print offerings, please visit this link.  For more information about the original oils shown here, please click on the images above.