Using My Time Wisely

Was a busy week, with the start of school and all that. I had a bunch of art related things on the agenda today, but only got to some of them.

This morning I learned that my cousin Todd and some of his family were coming up into the area this afternoon for a cookout. Beyond the usual family stuff, this interested me because I had printed and colored a single panel version of the boardwalk miniature golf print for him several months ago. This was because that particular golf course was a favorite place in our childhood. I had shown him an early version of the whole print and had told him that I was making one for him, and this seemed like a good time to get it to him. I suppose that I could have just given him the print, but with the print being so delicate, I decide I'd go ahead and mat it for him.

So I went down to the basement in my former house (which still has a lot of my stuff) and brought up all my mat and backing boards. If I had more time today I would have set up in the Studio as I did a few weeks ago, but I also had a commitment to gallery sit in Belmar, so my visit to the Studio today was just long enough to pick up my mat cutting stuff, and I hauled it all to the Boatworks. With no visitors around, I grabbed a folding table from the closet and set up my work station. In my bags of mat boards I found two smaller pieces that would be perfect for a window and backing board for a 16" x 20" mat. (a common ready made frame size) I cut the window while it was still quiet, but we had surprisingly large number of people start coming by to see the show, which required my attention. Still, but the end of my shift I had assembled the hinged window mat, with the print mounted in place.

Moments later I was at the cookout. I left the artwork safe in the car until the end, but got it for them as they were leaving. They were very pleased, as it's not only a nice print, but I used images of some of the family in my print, plus there's the giant fish. Still a bunch of other things to get done, but they'll have to wait for another day.