Café Centrale

Our second day in Rapallo at the luxurious Excelsior Palace Hotel was a "down" day between busy days Zürich and Rome. Our train(s) trip from Zürich to Genoa by way of Milan was an all day treacherous journey involving no fewer than four trains, an on-foot border crossing out of Switzerland, and no food. It was a much-need rest & relaxation day. My son and husband stayed in the pool while I walked around the small city of Rapallo, 5 miles NE of Portofino (and a lot less crowded!). Along the large open plaza, I walked by a streetside café, where I encountered this woman leisurely sipping her coffee and watching the world go by. The sandwich board caught my eye and only later did I notice the lovely scene I had captured in both.

From a young age, I've been drawn to quiet places, the safety of solitude, interior thoughts. This may seem strange, because I'm actually a very outgoing person. My 1979 Kindergarten report card reads "Karen is very talkative and is making many friends. Sometimes she needs to know when it's time not to talk." I can make friends with almost anyone I meet.

But I'm most drawn to the idea of stillness, harmony, and cleanliness in my work . .

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I print on uxurious, high-end 100% cotton museum quality archival Hahnemühle 100% α-cellulose Torchon paper. The paper is 285 gsm, 92% whiteness, acid-free, lignin-free, and pH balanced.

This heavyweight acid-free paper is considered by gallery owners, museums, and collectors as one of the best available on the market for creating fine art prints.

It has a smooth, delicately textured warm tone surface, and great tactile qualities – it feels wonderfully soft in your hands.

Photographs printed on this paper come out perfectly sharp with outstanding smooth gradations, deep blacks, excellent details, fantastic pictorial depth, and natural, beautifully saturated colors.

My fine art prints are printed using the giclée method. French for "sprayed ink," giclée provides exceptional archival preservation and vibrant dynamic range, rivaling silver-halide and gelatin processes typically found in museums and fine galleries worldwide.

These inks in combination with the highest quality cotton paper guarantee outstanding color reproduction, smooth gradations and fantastic details both in the shadows and in the lights.

This fine art print meets museum archival standards. It will not fade or discolor for at least 100 years, given that you preserve it using only acid-free mounting and framing materials and do not expose the artwork to direct sunlight.

If you observe any fading under these proper display conditions, just contact me. I will gladly send you a replacement print at no charge to you.

From the time you place your order, printing of the work takes about 7-10 business days during normal times (a bit longer during the holidays).

Once I receive the print from my professional lab, I hand inspect each piece, sign it in pencil on the white border, complete the certificate of authenticity, and package it to go. This process normally takes 1-2 more business days.

Finally, I will hand deliver the piece for postage, depending on the delivery method you choose. Shipping time varies depending on your destination.

Once I have tracking information for your shipment, I will be in touch to let you know its on its way.

The print will arrive in a perfect condition, as my packaging is very secure and sturdy. Unless a car drives over it, it's impossible to get damaged while shipping.

Unframed prints up to 12"x16" are shipped flat, and unframed prints bigger than that – rolled in a tube.

The packaging is eco-friendly as I care about our fragile planet and I don't want all these beautiful views that I have photographed to ruin away.

Almost all of my packaging can be recycled.

USA – FedEx (2-4 business days) for $15 USD.

International – FedEx International Priority (2-4 business days). Price calculated at checkout (depending on your location, $20-$35 USD).

Order fulfillment takes 1-2 weeks. You will receive your order after 1-2 weeks + delivery time.

All shipments are tracked. Once your order is shipped, you will receive an email with tracking information. 

I offer 30-day money-back guarantee for all pints.

I'm sure you will love your print. I've never had any returns. However, if it turns out that for whatever reason it's not a fit, just send it back.

I will refund your entire purchase, including purchase and return shipping.

Returned prints must be in perfect, resellable condition and must be sent back in original packaging for safe return.

You can find all the details in my Refund Policy.