Janet Cunniffe-Chieffo:
Artist, Janet Cunniffe-Chieffo uses copper canvases to give her still life paintings of fruit, vegetables and flowers an almost three-dimensional look, breathing new life into these ordinary subjects.
"People are attached to the jewel-like images, the luminosity," says Cunniffe-Chieffo, of Denville, NJ. "Painting on copper allows me to capture a strong light and shadow effect. The work seems to glow". Also, using copper makes a painting look beautiful and luminous as when it was first created.
With solo exhibitions, group shows and even teaching under her belt, this New Jersey resident is keeping busy. Cunniffe-Chieffo has been painting for 16 years, but it was in the last few that there has been an explosion of her work. Although she also produces figure work, portraits and landscapes on linen, there is something about the diminutive work she creates on copper that captures her imagination.
