My printmaking journey continues. I have been working on reduction prints and registration. My latest adventure is in making a jig for my registration.

I used to eyeball the print when I applied each color. Hoping that my registration was on the mark. Of course it wasn't for the most part so the few that turned out well where a treasure. I have since discovered registration marks and/or a jig is the way to register the print for multiple colors. And supposedly less chance for error.

I went into the garage and found some old pieces of wood. I really don't care what it looks like just that it works. My base piece is 11x24 inches. A bit long for my printing but I didn't want to saw it since I really am limited to space for working in the garage. I usually do sawing outside and it was too cold. I found two pieces of 1&3/4 by 3/4 wood that I did cut off because it was way too long. .

The next step is attaching the smaller pieces to the side of the base in an L configuration. The smaller wood had holes in it so I figured it would just take a couple of screws on each piece and I'd be done. NOT SO! What I didn't figure is that I should have drilled a hole in the base piece so the screw would go in easier. Because what I did was strip the screw when I tried to drill it into the base and it was sticking up a quarter of an inch. As you can see I am quite handy in the garage with tools.

At this point I thought about getting my daughter to fix this mess; however I remembered that the Dremel I have will cut metal. I have never used it that way; but hey there is always a first time. so I proceeded to cut off the heads of the screws. Since the jig will never hold any weight I figured that the screws were in far enough.

I have created the jig and I am actually quite pleased with it and my handy woman work. I actually used it to make a reduction print. AND that is a story for tomorrow.

Thought for the day:
If a task has once begun.
Never leave it till it's done.
Be the labor great or small.
Do it well or not at all. ~Anon

(I am not sure about the well part but done is ok.)

Today

It has been awhile since I have posted here and longer since I have wanted too. Back in the spring I started to be monitored for Multiple Myeloma a cousin to Leukemia. There is no cure but with treatment (when needed) I am told there is longevity in life.

When I was told that this was possibly in my future I really became depressed. I don’t think my friends and family realized how much I was depressed. After surviving breast cancer in 1994 I figured that all my cancer was over. I have been in a state of transition I guess. I am not sure if I developed a fatalistic view or just searching within me for answers.

In the mean time I decided to retire at the end of this year. At the time I filled out the paperwork I was happy and now I am having doubts about my reasons behind it. Of course hindsight is always clearer is it not? I think I thought I was going to die and wanted to live my last few months or years not working. Now I know that may or may not be the case and I need to ask myself: “What do I want to do going forward with my life?” I always thought it was art and I am sure it will be but……

That is the question right? What do I want? I don’t think I know. I am still trying to find the answer to that question.

2nd Saturday

I have a piece in the Born Free “Big Cat Little Cat” show at the Body Tribe in Sacramento. Last Saturday (2nd Saturday here in Sacramento) I braved the elements in Sacramento to be at the opening of the show. When I say I braved the elements I mean the crowds on Sacramento’s Second Saturday Art Walk. Wow it is always busy downtown then. No place to park and people everywhere. I went around the block 5 times and then I decided to park illegally. At least I didn’t get a ticket.

I was very happy with my piece for the show. I did a two color reduction linoleum cut. It turned out pretty good. I am fairly new to printing and I still struggle with printing the lino cuts; but I enjoy it. My piece did not sell that night. They will leave up for the month and see if anyone is interested in it.

In case you are not aware Born Free USA is a not for profit organization pursuing causes in animal abuse and protection. The show is to raise money for their work. Each artist pledges a certain percentage of the sale to Born Free. I pledged 100% so they emailed me today to see if they could keep it and offer it in their online auction. I said sure. I hope it sells for them.

I also visited my Swell Sister Alyson’s show at the Luxe. Her style is changing a bit; but like it. She also had two kitten paintings in the Born Free show. Luckily for me she was only a block away. I didn’t have to move my car. I walked over to her show.

At 9 pm I met another sister Petra and her husband at A Bitchin Space Gallery to see Gayle Hart’s show. She is off the beaten path and I knew I could get a place to park. I am such a baby that way. She is a animal rights activist and her work has a lot of that interest in it.

It was a very busy night and I saw lots of great art.

Printmaking

Hey all here is another update. I've gotten caught up from the two separate weekends in Mendocino. Although they were weeks apart I finally put all the stuff back where it goes. At least in the correct room.

I am new to printmaking with only the last year under my belt in any sort of work. However on my last trip to Mendocino I took a workshop at the Mendocino Art Center (MAC) on photopolymer etching. I love this stuff. You have a steel plate covered in photopolymer coating and expose it to ultra violet light. We used a box at the workshop with tanning bed lights I think; however at home I used the SUN. Absolutely the Coolest!

For the process you create a transfer much like a negative; however what is black is black and what is white is white. Opposite of what a negative is in reality. I created mine on an overhead transparency. The ones they still use in some classrooms that are not completely digital.

At the workshop I came un-prepared (that is another story) and I created a very simple ink wash to learn the process. I copied the drawing onto the overheard transparency on the copy machine in the office.

Here is a picture of the drawing as well as the transparency, the plate, and the print.




By using the ink drawing I was experimenting with keeping the middle values in the drawing and it worked very well. I also did a print from a photograph of a shed door. You get a great deal of detail with this process. Here is a picture of the shed print.
Over the weekend I etched a plate unsing the sun in my back yard. I will take pictures and post soon. If you are thinking about taking a workshop in photopolymer etching I highly reccomend it.

Second Sunday

Today is Sunday and a week into the month of August. My goal is to post once a month. I exceeded that last month so we will see for this month.

August started out with a bang. My daughter Bethany came to visit for a week. I haven’t seen her in a year and half but we talk on the phone several times a week. It has been three years since my two daughters have been together and I must say it was an excellent week. No arguments and we spent many great hours the three of us together.

Bethany flew in on Friday the 31^st and I picked her up at the airport and we left for the North Bay. I dropped her off at her aunts in Sea Ranch and I went up to Mendocino for a workshop in photo polymer etching. It was a great weekend and I spent some time with my ex-sister in law on the way back down to Sacramento.

My younger daughter Lacey took four days off and the two girls hung out together. I t was an excellent week for all. But most importantly I have two beautiful daughters that I love a great deal and spent the last week with them. Life does not get any better.

Next post will be about the workshop. I loved it and plan to do more print making using this technique.

My goal was to update my blog at least once a month and I find now maybe once a week is doable. I will wait and see. I am not changing the goal as yet; but may exceed it.

Since my last blog I spent a long weekend in Mendocino with my Swell Sisters. It was our summer retreat. Retreat is an interesting word and I may have thought that the weekend would be spent together discussing or collaborating on art. However I think retreat to the others meant to to just get away with women friends.

I discovered at this weekend that I may be in the wrong woman's group. Not because the women are not wonderful and accepting: they truly are very accepting. It is because they are so much younger than I am. Most are in their thirties and forties and I am in my sixties. Once we move beyond art as a topic or interest I am lost. Perhaps it is me and I am feeling my age.

I think we go a long time and don't think about our age even though we look in the mirror everyday. Then we are in a situation and it hits us in the face. I am not ready to drop out of the group; but perhaps limit my participation.

Enough thinking. Mendocino is beautiful. If I could move there tomorrow I would. I like the coolness of the day and the big fire at night. (no heat in the 1850's house) Interestingly I had never been to Mendocino until June 20th when I went to the Art Center there for a workshop. I am going again the first weekend in August for a workshop. Three visits in three months. Maybe that is a sign.

Saturday

Today is Saturday and of course I am off work. I word for the state and will be furloughing two days a month starting next month. We are a little behin=d many of the other state folks. The CSU put it off and can't any longer. We are almost 600 million le4ss in funding than the previous year. It is bad. the campuses are not accepting any more students for spring (or winter for those on the quarter system). I try not to think about it because I have not control. Why worry about what I cannot control.



On a lighter note: I went to Port Townsend last April and it was beautiful. I actually went for an Art Fest put on each year by Teesha and Tracy Moore. Three days of workshops and we stayed at the fort for four nights. Too Cool! Very basic accommodations but so much fun. Like being in the college dorm. The woman across from me was from Norway, two doors down they were from Canada and I met a woman from Ashland Oregon on the way up. We all had a wine social at night with show and tell about our workshop we participated in that day. I hope to go again next spring We will see if I can afford it. I think it is very affordable for what you get; however if you don't have the money then nothing is affordable.

July Beginning

I am baaaack! Where have I been? I really don’t know. I haven’t been blogging that is for sure.

I just felt I didn’t have anything to say on a regular basis. I don’t consider myself a writer or a chatterer. I am not the person that walks up to strangers and carries on a conversation. This is not to say that I do not communicate because I do.

I guess it boils down to the fact that I do not consider myself interesting enough to blog about ME. However I am trying to change my attitude about myself.

So is blogging doable? Yes: people do it every day.
Am I capable? Sure: I am physically able to type and spell words.

I have decided at this point to at least update my blog once a month. I know die hard bloggers out there are saying “A MONTH!” However that is the minimum and when I do more than I have exceeded my goal. That is a great motivator I think.

Anyway here goes: recently I have been concentrating my art on print making. I took a beginning print class in the fall of 08. We started with linoleum cuts and I really like the reductive cut process; however the printing part is where I really need the practice. I also got involved with spray paint and stencils. (I am still not sure how that related to print making in a print class.) I love the variety art allows us and plan to continue spray painting in the future. I am not keen on the toxicity of the paint and fumes; however I like the process.

I really think process is the key. If you don’t like the process you won’t continue.

I took a print lab class and it was basically independent study. The group was very diverse in print making and I was able to get a lot of good information and help from others in the class. I love the synergy in an art class and I was introduced to wood cuts, silk screen, etching, collagraphs, and monotype. I felt like I needed to be a sponge in the class because there is so little print making being done in the Sacramento area. At least that I can find.

I am continuing with collagraphs and monotype at home and want to do more dry point etching. There is just not enough time in the day.

Well it has been two months and no blogging. What is up with that? The last two months have been busy. I had some work showing at the Marco Fuoco Gallery in Sacramento in the months of November and December. It was the first time I showed my work in a real gallery.

The month of December was the Swell Sister Show at the Coffee Garden in Sacramento. We had a great time at the 2nd Saturday reception with music and great munchies. The sister’s work was very varied and wonderful. We hope to show as a group again this year. I painted new shoes for the event. Pink!

January (2nd Saturday)I had three pieces at Body Tribe for the non-profit organization Born Free USA; AVES Show. Very busy night with two other sisters were showing independently across town. Sacramento is a great place for art. You can always find something you like OR don't for that matter.

I go back to school in a couple of weeks and am looking forward to spending time in the print lab on campus. This will be independent study in the studio. I am looking forward to it.

That brings us up to date. I am doing some work on paper. I am trying to get back to drawing more. I feel I have drifted off somehow. Many of my Swell Sisters are doing a 30/30 show. Thirty pieces in 30 days. I decided not to do the show at this time although I am trying to do the 30 pieces. Keeps you working if nothing else. I will post pictures soon.

Maybe in 2009 I will actually sell something.