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Dancing Girls
£80.00
Dancing Girls painted by Tass Bell
1st edition, unframed, numbered, giclée print, limited to 150.
Print Size: 643mm x 433mm
The inks used in the giclée print are not fluorescent and do not glow under UV light.
Includes certificate of authenticity.
This print is of an original painting sized 336cm by 220cm.
Giclée printing is a fine art digital printing method using specialist archival pigment inks and acid-free papers.
Printed and delivered within 7-14 days.
Description
Dancing Girls painted by Tass Bell
1st edition, unframed, numbered, giclée print, limited to 150.
Print Size: 643mm x 433mm
The inks used in the giclée print are not fluorescent and do not glow under UV light.
Includes certificate of authenticity.
This print is of an original painting sized 336cm by 220cm.
Giclée printing is a fine art digital printing method using specialist archival pigment inks and acid-free papers, it requires special handling and care. Please refer to the GICLÉE PRINT INFO & CARE tab for information.
Growing up in the heady atmosphere of the sixties with the Beatles, Pink Floyd, and the Grateful Dead, I witnessed the birth of all things psychedelic, and its influence on musical inventiveness, artistic creativity and fashion. The drab world of the fifties now pulsed with extraordinarily vibrant colours and elaborate swirling patterns. This had a huge impact on my own artistic creations, inspired by the intricate patterns of nature.
During my gap year travels in Central America, I became intoxicated by the glinting shafts of sunlight that filtered through into the rainforest, and by the mysterious ruined temples emerging from the rampant growth of the jungle.
All my artwork has been influenced by these travels, whether it is my ceramics, my printmaking or my current passion, creating immersive environments for events with large UV painted drapes.
I am captivated by the effects that are possible when painting with UV pigments on black fabric, and the incredible depth I am able to achieve in my images, both large and small.
I spend as much time creating the drawings for my artwork as I do painting it, as I need to be able to see the image fully in 3 dimensions before I start. Only painting where the consistent light source hits, and leaving the shadows unpainted, it feels as though I am literally painting with prisms of light.
Apart from the architraves, my drapes are a minimum of 8ft tall. They include views through to the distance in the form of a sunrise or moonscape, giving one the feeling of being immersed in the depths of a magical dreamworld rainforest, amongst the ruins of a mysterious ancient civilization.
I am currently working on studies for a new set of UV paintings inspired by my own ancient Celtic heritage.
My UV History
The first time I came across a fully immersive UV environment was at a party in a dilapidated warehouse in Tyson Street, at the turn of the century. I had missed the whole of the nineties party scene because of a serious medical injury.
It was a pretty dodgy area… my former husband and I walked up the dark and scary stairs, the beat throbbing up above, unsure of what we would find.
Suddenly, we entered a vast room that pulsed with high energy music. The whole space glowed with iridescent rainbow colours with an underwater theme.
I, like most people, thought of UV lights as the things that made white shirts glow with a blue light. I had no idea that UV pigments came in the full range of colours, and that the darkest, dingiest warehouse could be transformed into a magical environment of kaleidoscopic brilliance!
There were huge paintings of mermaids, dolphin, fish and coral, with fish and seaweed hanging from the ceiling. Some of the people were dressed as mermaids and sea spirits.
The uplifting sense of joy and wonder was all-consuming!
We noticed a colourful drape with the name Wild Frogs, and a Bristol phone number, so we had a chat with some of the crew. We arranged for some of the decor crew to visit us near Bath on the way home, where we learned more about the various people involved. We had very young children and really liked the idea of parties closer to home.
As an artist, though working with ceramics, and definitely not a painter, I was entranced by the beauty of the radiantly glowing environment, and I couldn't wait to get involved.
Initially, I joined in with making costumes and props for the different sets of decoration, and only later decided to have a go at painting a black fabric drape.
I had travelled in Central America in the 1970’s and been captivated by the sunlight filtering through the rainforest onto mysterious temple ruins, so I decided to make this my focus.
My first attempts were flat and lifeless, but I persevered. I gradually realised that, if I always painted as though the light was coming from behind my left shoulder, and only painted where that light hit my image, leaving the shadows unpainted, I could achieve extraordinary depth and 3 dimensionality. I was hooked!
Over the years, I have discovered that everyone, from the oldest folk to the youngest children is transported by the magic of UV, whether it is in a fully immersive environment, or simply by visiting my studio.
At events, it seems that all cares and worries can be left far behind as soon as one enters this alternative, glowing, dreamlike world with its pumping hypnotic music and friendly smiling faces.
What’s not to love!
Artist Bio
Tass Bell was born in Cambridge, England in 1955. Growing up, she was constantly drawing and making stuff. After leaving school she spent 3 months travelling in Central America, absorbing the ancient Mayan culture, the tropical colours and sunshine.
Returning in 1974, she took a two-year arts foundation course specialising in ceramics and printmaking.
In 1976, she started her BA in ceramics at West Surrey College of Arts and Design making large decorative planters, birdbaths, and sculptures. Her supporting study was hand-painted, quilted silks.
In 1981, she moved to Bristol where she produced 5 limited editions of silkscreen prints, featuring birds. She sold at the Bristol Guild and Libertys in London, also having great success selling them door to door!
She married in 1986 and set up Tass Bell Ceramics with her husband, making inlaid, decorative, architectural wall fountains, birdbaths, standing fountains, fireplace surrounds and mouldings.
A disastrous back operation in 1990, resulted in paralysis and returning home in a wheelchair. Switching to designing cast stone fireplaces and decorative mouldings, she became Art Director of Rudloe Stoneworks. Unceasingly working on healing herself, she learned to walk with crutches and then sticks.
In the late nineties, she discovered the psychedelic trance dance scene that was thriving in London, with its dark rooms lit up by extraordinary UV artwork.
In 2000, she helped launch Tribe of Frog, a collective putting on all-night parties in Bristol, and running stages at Sunrise, Nozstock and Boomtown
festivals. Tass soon started to paint herself, and her passion for the effects possible with UV was born, continuing to this day.
In 2019, she was honoured to display her paintings at the premiere of 4 films supporting ecocide legislation, at the International Criminal Courts Annual Assembly in the Hague.
In May 2021, She displayed her paintings at The Visionary Artists Exhibition at the Silk Mill.
Caring for your giclée print
Giclée prints are renowned for their extreme longevity and for delivering near-perfect integrity to the original artwork (colours, brush-strokes and textures); this is why they are displayed in the world's finest museums, art galleries and private art collections.
Correctly cared for, your giclée print should bring pleasure to you and your loved ones for generations.
Please read and follow the care instructions below.
General points for handling your giclée print
Giclée prints should be cared for in the same way as an original piece of art.
This means that dirt, dust, moisture, oils, adhesives, solvents, heat, and anything that could scratch, dent or crease the paper should all be avoided when you are handling your print.
We, therefore, recommend taking your print directly to the framer, in its packaging. However, if you want to unpack your print at home, here are some general handling guidelines:
Use clean, dry hands at all times to handle your print (or, even better, white cotton gloves) as skin oils can stain the paper;
Use two hands to support your print so it will not bend as dents and creases in the print are also likely to be permanent;
Hold your giclée print only at the very edges of the paper to avoid finger-smudges on the face of the print which will be very difficult or impossible to remove;
Use a clean and dry, flat, smooth and hard surface for laying your print out (face up);
Keep your new giclée print covered with the acid-free tissue paper (or the acid-free protective sleeve for smaller prints) in which it was packed by us, until it is framed, to avoid damage;
Don’t use your hands to wipe off any dust as this can also damage the surface of your giclée print – use a dry, clean, white lint-free cloth or a photographer’s lens-brush.
Flattening your rolled-up giclée print
Prepare a flat, smooth, hard surface for working. Clean it of any grit and particles that might bruise, scratch, or stain your print.
Unpack the inner tube from the outer tube; your print is wrapped in acid-free tissue paper and rolled around the outside of this inner tube.
Remove the strips of adhesive tape from the tissue paper and discard them (you don’t want sticky tape accidentally sticking to your giclée print!);
Keeping the print inside the protective acid-free tissue sleeves, carefully remove it from the inner tube and unroll it;
Lay the print out, image side up, on the flat surface;
With the tissue paper still covering the print’s image, place a few clean and dry, smooth, flat and heavy objects (i.e. books) on the ends and around the middle of the print;
Let your giclée print relax over-night, at least – if it still isn’t flat when you remove the books, replace them for a few more hours.
Please never scrape the back of your print over the edge of a table or use an iron, steam, or moisture to flatten it – this will certainly damage it!
Framing your giclée print
We strongly recommend that you get your print professionally framed.
Ask for archival, acid-free materials for mats and backing, as this will add to the life of the print.
Non-reflective glass – ideally UV protected – is also definitely worth the additional investment for displaying and protecting your print.
Displaying your giclée print
As with any valued fine piece, giclée prints should be displayed in indirect lighting conditions and away from any contact with moisture. Prolonged direct sunlight is likely to cause discolouration in your print (as it will with furniture, carpets, wallpaper, etc). High humidity, heat, airborne dust, solvents, adhesives, smoke and other similar contaminants can also permanently damage your print.
In other words, don’t hang them in your greenhouse, your bathroom, your unventilated kitchen or your workshop.
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