I love to take workshops and learn new techniques. This weekend you can watch all the videos on Artistsnetwork.tv for free. You have to sign up but as long as you cancel before the weekend ends you will not be charged. I used to have a 6 month membership and there are some great videos.
Just REMEMBER cancel before tomorrow night if you don’t want your credit card charged.
Click on the image below to sign up.
Thursday night I acquired my first “real” piece of art.
Elvis: the sewing lesson
I joined The Center for Contemporary Printmaking and have been fortunate that several of their classes fit with my schedule. I’m half way through with a beginning printmaking class, and totally in love with the techniques. Of course I really know NOTHING about printmaking. But I’m having fun.
Artist Liliana Porter and Master Printer Anthony Kirk
During one of the 1st classes one of the women who works at CCP told us about their major fund raiser. They have something called the Editions Club. They get a master artist to work with a master printer to put out an edition of 100 prints. These prints are pre-sold, without the buyers knowing who the artist is or what the print looks like .
Once you sign up to purchase one of these prints, you keep your edition number for as long as you want to continue. We were told that several spots were available and I decided to sign up. I was offered number 10/100 and I thought it sounded great. And I’m looking forward to adding to my collection.
Liliana Porter in front of a print by Ann Conrad
Thursday night with much fanfare we met the artist – her name is Liliana Porter and her work is very unusual. If you go to her website, you can see the variety of work she has made. The piece she made for the edition is called ‘Elvis: the sewing lesson’ and I thought it was a good sign since it had sewing in the subject. I have to say the piece is growing on me. I was thinking of having it matted with black velvet and a brassy gold frame, but truthfully I it deserves to be treated with a more respect.
It has thread work which is meant to hang below the paper. I haven’t shown Tom the print yet, since mine is still wrapped up tight.
My 2nd post in 2 days! I’m on a roll!
Too busy to post, too busy too visit blogs, too busy… too busy… too busy…
STOP!!!!
The day job has been out of control for the last 3 or 4 months, more work than there are hours in the day. My few free hours have been filled with obligations and commitments . I decided after thanksgiving that I really needed to spend at least a little time being creative or my head would explode.
So I’ve been sneaking in things. Things like art classes (painting, printmaking, quilting and drawing), gallery openings, studio time at the print shop. There are several other projects in the works that have me excited and I can’t wait until more can be shared.
I’ve also had commitments which I have decided to not renew next year. Since my time is limited, I really feel it’s necessary to make sure that WORK is work and PLAYTIME is FUN!
I’m going to start blogging again. Since I’m saying it out loud, it will be easier to stay honest. I’m looking forward to visiting with everyone again!
So I’ll start with a few photos of some of the prints I made last week. These are made from drypoint etchings on copper plates. I can see lots of possibilities with this technique.
Images are clickable.
The subject was:
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Then I opened the picture
Morgan seems to be adjusting to college life much better than her parents. I’m excited for her and am sure the other members of AOII will be very happy to show her the ropes. I can’t believe it’s only been 12 days since we left her at East Carolina University!
I guess we are going to have to send a few Panda bears down to her.
Yesterday i spent quite a bit of time cutting up soda cans so that i could make sheets of metal that will go through my printer. It wasn’t really hard but it did take time because I wanted to be careful and not cut myself. No cuts or injuries and I managed to reduce 2 garbage bags of soda cans to one small box of metal sheets. I’m not ready to start printing yet, but now I’ll be ready. I was encouraged to do this after getting a YouTube subscription update and seeing that Kathy Anne White recently had a new video Her videos are very informative and I really like her work.
I also have a huge pile of old photographs which my husband recently acquired. He picked up a cedar chest at the dump (or a yard sale), and inside are more than 40 dry mounted photos. They appear to be from professional NY area photographers – if anyone has any clue how I would find out if they are worth anything I’d be very appreciative – you can see the images (and see a few links that i’ve found relating to the photographers on one of my test blogs – I want to warn you, some of the photos are gruesome.
Tonight I sorted clothes that Morgan doesn’t want – either she has outgrown them, or she just doesn’t want them. So they have been put into 3 piles – goodwill (already dropped off), consignment or ebay for the better stuff and a pile that I don’t want to get rid of. This last pile isn’t too big but I have to get a box to store these items.
Tonight I started to work on what I hope will end up being a painting based on my photograph taken at the Winchester Mystery House. I already have the painting I did a few years ago in Marilyn Sholin’s class and using this color scheme, i’ve blocked in the base colors. Below is my finished painting from the class, the sketch I did and the color block painting. I probably won’t have a chance to do any more painting before next weekend, but it was fun to start.
Here are just 2 photos from Morgan’s Graduation yesterday from Staples High School. I’m not sure who is happier – Morgan or me!
Personally I AM THRILLED that I will no longer have the job of Alarm Clock!
Graduate with HAPPY Parents!
A proud Dad!
