Important Journey

The day was free today, so I got a lot of errands done.  Never a shortage of things to be done.  One was art related, something that needed to be done soon.  A couple of the jobs I had scheduled for this summer involve teaching linoleum cutting, very much related to woodcut.  Both are relief processes, done more or less the same way, but with different tools and materials.  The first time I taught linocut was several years ago, a workshop that took place in my Studio, and I have some of those tools still.  Contributed them to the linocut class that was held in Belmar back in June.  Didn't lay in a lot to supplies for that one, since the owner of the establishment said she'd provide everything, but she did not acquire everything in time, so my tools and ink and brayers were part of the event.

There may be a second Belmar linocut event at the same place in a few weeks,  but I haven't got confirmation of that yet, so I don't know.  However, there is another linocut workshop event scheduled in Brick in mid August, with a budget for materials, and I'm told there will be 10 participants.  That budget is because they have no tools or materials, so they are my responsibility.  In that way it is a lot like my woodcut class.  A lot of paperwork has been done, and multiple people have confirmed it, which means I have a responsibility to be ready.

Of course I still have the tools, ink, and brayers from earlier this summer, but that's not enough for 10 people. I received a nice stack of unmounted linoleum in the shipment that arrived last week, and I have plenty of ink and paper, but I needed more cutting tools.  Earlier this summer the place had blades and 2 handles, plus linoleum.  Some ink, but mine was better.  I had 4 handles that could hold the cutting blades.  Of the planned 8 participants, 2 had to cancel at the last minute, but I didn't mind, as it worked out perfectly with the total of 6 handles we had, so everyone worked, and everyone finished a print, which is how I like my classes to go.  But four handles will not be enough to keep 10 youths busy next month.

So I used part of today to drive to the best equipped art supply store I know of in the region, the only place that carries any printmaking materials.  Picked up 3 boxes of linocut handles, each with two handles and an assortment of 6 push type blades- gouge type.  Also a box of pull type blades, which can be very effective in this process.  Before that event I plan to try and sharpen a few of the cheapo woodcut tools I have, get them into linoleum shape, so I should be good to go for that workshop in about a month.