by Caroline Gabsewics
Staff Writer
Inside a small old building in Springfield, a company is doing work on the cutting edge of technology.
Bay Street Editions, a sister company to Push 2 Gallery, is a publishing company that works with artists to create reproductions of their original artwork.
There are several reasons why artists want to work with Bay Street Editions.
“We have a real high degree of expertise in doing reproductions,” said Garry McElwee of Bay Street Editions. “We provide them with the marketing and distributing services that they can’t do.”
The publishing company does everything from making the prints to marketing, selling and delivering the prints.
“Once they sign the agreement for us to reproduce their work, we take care of everything,” he said. “They produce, we reproduce.”
When an artist’s work is sold, both the artist and Bay Street Editions get a percentage of the profits.
“What appeals to the artists about us is that they don’t have to do anything,” said McElwee. “Most artists aren’t business people; it is like an artist’s dream in a way.”
Bay Street Editions doesn’t just take the original work, make the prints and give it back to the artist, they take care of the rest of the work, too.
“We want them to keep painting and we’ll do everything else,” he said.
Anybody can order the prints through Bay Street Editions. Prints are also displayed and sold out of Push 2 Gallery. Stellers Gallery in Ponte Vedra can also display and sell the prints, but not the originals.
McElwee and his wife Sandy have about eight local artists that bring them their work to be reproduced. What makes this publishing company different from others is how much they handle marketing for the artists.
“It is a win-win situation for everyone,” said McElwee. “We have the exclusive rights to produce these prints and sell them in the open market to consumers and interior designers.”
Before their work is reproduced there are several steps to make it look exactly like the original. Each time McElwee gets a piece of art he goes through a step-by-step process to make sure every last detail is perfect.
When an artist brings in their art, the first thing the company does is remove it from the frame, he said. Before the art gets scanned, it’s placed on a black wall.
“We only work from original art for two reasons. One, it is a much better picture of the art and, two, we know what the art actually looks like,” said McElwee.
The building must be completely dark before the scanning process can begin. Two large lights called HID lights (high intensity discharge lighting) must be moved around to light up the piece of art to get the same reading all over the painting.
“Sometimes we move the lights around forever,” he said. “At first, it took me about two hours to light the canvas properly. But now it takes about 15 minutes.”
High intensity discharge lighting is fairly new and is designed for this kind of work. McElwee said it is very important that the lights are clean and they have to be flicker free.
There are CCD panels that move across the film plane and it takes about 10-17 minutes to scan a painting. McElwee said he uses the world’s largest digital camera.
“The scanner is the basis of the operation; it captures the image,” he said.
After the scanning is completed, the artwork is put through the computer. McElwee said there is a control box that runs the software to regulate the camera’s exposure, focus and amount of lighting.
“When the image appears we use the control panels to suit the painting we are working on,” he said. “It’s a machine lab, based on science and reproducing colors.”
It is important that they bring out the details. Any retouching or color correction is done by themselves through Photoshop.
“There is a lot of technology and artwork put together,” said McElwee.
He said they may go through three or four proofs before the reproduction is perfect. He will always print one proof right after it has been scanned and before he starts on any touch ups.
“Once it is scanned and I’m happy with it, then we will start the process of proofing,” said McElwee. “With the proofs, we look at the little things and figure out which colors we need to work on. There is always a little bit of something that has to be done.”
The proofs are printed on a Roland FJ 500, a 52-inch ink jet printer. Once they are satisfied with the prints, they are coated with a substance that makes them impervious to water and protects the prints from UV light, he said. The sharpness of the color is created by the software, not the printer.
“The prints will last as long as the paintings,” he said. “It is a great way to reproduce art.”
The prints are printed on the best paper and canvas and the protective coatings are brushed on, rather than sprayed.
“We are doing a level of printing that is not usually done,” said McElwee. “We take our time in putting the ink down, finishing them and framing them.”
Even though Bay Street Editions is currently working with about eight artists they have hopes of expanding to close to 40 or more. But choosing artists whose work they are going to reproduce is very selective.
“When accepting to reproduce artists work, we look for an artist we want to work with and they want to work with us,” he said. “We enjoy the relationships as much as the work and the feedback we’ve gotten is incredible.”
McElwee said they like to know that the artists are good people as well as good artists.
“If any artist comes in and asks to make prints, we say ‘no,’ ” he said. “We work with artists on a different level, we offer a lot more marketing services.”
Not only is Bay Street Editions helping their artists, but consumers, too.
“This also opens consumer doors and people with middle incomes can have nice art in their homes,” he said. “When the artwork goes out the door, I’m happy to know that someone is getting a nice piece of work.”
Another thing Bay Street Editions does with the prints is decide if the prints are going to be limited editions.
“Before we decide if the prints are going to be limited editions, we ask the questions, will it reproduce well, will people like it,” he said. “It’s not so much what we like, it is what will work.”
The amount of each edition can be anywhere from 50-250. The smaller the piece of art, the larger the edition and the larger the piece of art, the smaller the edition. McElwee said Sandy keeps up with the editions. There is a stamp on the back of each print with the edition number, name of the art and the date it was printed.
“Everything we do is signed by the artist and numbered,” he said.
Even though one piece can be done in three to four days, there are some paintings that have been in the building for months because McElwee can’t seem to get exactly what he wants.
“Every artist paints differently and everyone of the pieces of art is a challenge,” he said. “The paintings are here as long as we can keep them here to make sure we get an exact reproduction. We just want to get them right.”
The McElwees have been printing for the past five years and they have been in their building in Springfield for a year. Garry became fascinated with this new technology and he knew this is what he wanted to get into.
He said to do this kind of work, he thinks there should be a deep knowledge of photography. McElwee has a photography background and he makes art from altering Polaroid photos.
“It has been a real good thing for me and I enjoy it immensely,” he said. “All of the people we get to work with, they are all incredible, good, talented people who appreciate what we do.”