Jonathan Reeve Price, The Rio Grande Wetlands: Fire in the Bosque, Aluminum Print, 2019, Signed and numbered, verso.

At first flood, not fire, shaped the flow,

Early spring swelling and overtopping the banks,

Prompting the cottonwoods and willows

To let their seeds fly off in the wind,

Settling on scoured sand, until

The mad river shifted, abandoning trees,

Starving the canopy, making a damp mosaic

Of meadows, stumps, grass, and staggered trunks.

Now fire follows the shrunken stream, dry

Underbrush, deadfalls, drought, and the great suck

Of acequias, wells, golf courses, farms, and Intel,

And, upstream, the fast runoff after clearcut and cattleruns,

Fills the widening river with sand and sludge.

Along the banks, Russian olives drop branches,

Invading salt cedars pile up fuel, and

Shrubs offer fresh tinder, so the first flames can race

From forest floor to canopy, engulfing whole

Treetops, billowing across the river, moving

The tornado too fast for helicopters

or men with shovels to slow, or shape.

After the fire, dirt turns red, emptied

Of mouse, mushroom, worm, and bug.

In this waste, salt cedars, the survivors,

Flower out, and, gobble moisture up,

expand into cleared ground, and make the bosque

One unending woodpile, a stack of kindling

That waits for one cigar or lightning strike.

Humans, ignoring climate, cause, and effect,

Without thought or open space,

We have laid an avenue for flame.

About our Process

To make the print durable and archival, we infuse the image directly into the metal. Unlike an oil painting or a paper print, this shiny, hard surface resists scratches, dents, and cracks.

And it is waterproof. So you can hang it in a bathroom or kitchen, where other prints might risk getting damaged by an accidental splash.

Plus: You don't need to put glass in front of our image, or pay for a frame, as you must if you want to protect a paper print. We think that getting rid of the glass makes the picture more immediate. And removing the traditional layer of glass eliminates distracting glare. Bonus: If you need to pack the picture when you move, you don't have to worry about the glass breaking in the truck.

Hanging your Picture

Because the metal plate is rigid, with a raised square in back, you can hang the picture on a single nail. On the wall, the print has a vivid contemporary look.

BTW: In the past, we offered paper prints for the same price as the metal ones. But collectors told us that when they added a traditional frame with matting and protective glass, their total cost doubled. With our metal print, you avoid all these extra expenses. It’s ready to hang, right out of the box.

Provenance

To prove that you are the original owner of this piece, you may, at your option, provide us with a jpg of your face, to insert, in miniature, into the picture, near my signature. Your smile proves that your print is uniquely yours.

On the back of the print, we always attach a Certificate of Authenticity, containing          the date of purchase, the name of the artwork, a description, date, and my signature. A paper copy accompanies the print, for your files. This documentation helps you prove what museums call “the provenance,” that is, the chain of ownership, from me to you. That’s helpful when you choose to donate the picture to a museum, or sell it through a gallery.

If you prefer to be anonymous, just let us know, and you can opt out of these methods of authenticity. Just let us know your preference when you place your order.

Collecting is personal.

We want you to be able to talk with friends about your new picture. So the print comes with an artist’s statement. We look forward to hearing your impressions, if you choose to email us, at jonathanreeveprice at gmail dot com

Shipping

We package the print in tissue paper and extra layers of cardboard. We ship via FedEx or UPS, insured.

Please allow two weeks for printing, packaging, and shipping.

When you receive your order, please check to make sure that the picture is just what you are hoping for. If you have any problem with the picture, please contact me at jonathanreeveprice at gmail dot com. Within 14 days of delivery, we accept returns for a full refund.