CARLYLE HOTEL | Niki ButcherMiami Beach © 1983
Photographic Story
Clyde and I stayed in a room with a beach view at The Carlyle for only twenty dollars a night! Of course, this was before the hotel’s renovation in the early 1980s. At the time of our stay, the city was planning to demolish several of the hotels in the area, including The Carlyle. I learned there was a group working to save the Art Deco district. I hoped my images could help others see how wonderful the area could look if those great pieces of architecture were painted in beautiful colors that reflected the period when they were built. Fortunately, this movement successfully saved many parts of the district, including The Carlyle Hotel.
The Art of Hand Painting Black and White Photographs
Niki prints her images on fiber-base black and white mat surface paper in the darkroom, then using Q-tips and cotton balls, she applies a thin coat of oil paint over the surface allowing the image to gently be seen through the oil paint.
Archival Print Making
Niki’s open edition gicleé artwork is printed on Sunset Bright Velvet Rag matte finish paper using eight archival inks. A state-of-the-art Epson Stylus Pro printer creates deep, rich dark values that hold subtle detail in the shadows as well as bright vivid colors that are truly tropical.