A Nice Surprise

Back a few years ago my Belmar woodcut class was running fairly regularly-  3 to 4 sessions per year.  At that time, I was granted some storage space in the Boatworks, a piece of a shelf in the closet/storeroom that was part of the addition that was added to the building.  (the bigger piece of that addition became a multipurpose space that these days is the dedicated classroom space, and my upcoming woodcut class will be held there)  My woodcut class has been put on the schedule a few times since then, but hasn't made enough enrollment to run most times, and not at all for a few years. My attempt at a late spring/early summer class this year also failed to get off the ground, but my one paying student from that class was really determined, let her tuition payment ride, and was joined by several new students for the session that will be starting next week.  That means I will have to order some more materials soon- ink and paper that are essential to the process but just not widely sold in any stores around here.

Besides consumables, this process requires some tools, which I began accumulating in the more popular years, and I still have most of that stuff.  Gouges, brayers, etc.  For example, I had made a number of bench hooks from old scrap wood, a simple device that can be purchased, but can also be constructed and can make cutting easier to do.  A few of my students have been impressed enough to make their own for working at home.  They are heavy and bulky, and between classes I keep them in the Studio, but I had some free time this afternoon, and knowing that I have an available storage bin at the Boatworks, it made sense to start moving some stuff to the location I'll be teaching in.  So I took a ride up to the Studio in the late afternoon, grabbed all of them (have 6, enough for my official class size as of now) and brought then down to Belmar.  Grabbed my plastic storage bin from the shelf and found it wasn't empty.  It contained a tote bag full of inks, large tubes of water based relief ink, all colors.  Could have used this in the spring when my Intro class was working on their collagraphs.  I knew I had once had a large supply, but couldn't find it, and figured I'd have to buy some for this class.  At least the black.  So in one trip I moved some heavy tools and found a nice supply of ink.  Still more tools and supplies to bring there, not to mention the ink and paper I still need to order, but today's effort will make my work next week a bit easier.