Woodcut Returns

My other mission today was to see what was going on with the planned woodcut class.  Went into the day with only one signed up student, but hopes for more.  After all, we had some sudden students in drawing yesterday.

So besides taking care of other business today, I asked what was going on with the class.  Nichole said that we still had just one sign up, though she believed we might get that needed second person.  We had two options- cancel the class or go through with it and hope for an additional sudden student. I decided to take my chances, so met with her again in the afternoon (after I was done with my narwhal task) and told her I would come back tonight prepared for class.  Adding to the problem was that all the weather reports were predicting a massive storm to pass through the state, just about the time that my class would be happening.  Wouldn't be the first time that the first woodcut class in a series would be met with rains and floods.

Went home and had a meal, then packed for class. Still sunny and warm at that time of day.  In response to the forecasts, I had decided to leave my collection of exchange group folios at home, but did pack my woodcut books, as well as an assortment of my own work- some boardwalk pieces, some supermarkets, some saints, and some odds and ends.  Got up to the Studio around 5 pm, an hour before class.  Still hot and humid, no rain, so I was able to safely move everything inside.

Nichole had said that she'd been in touch with Nellie, our visitor last week, trying to sell her on the class.  Late today she told me that she was expected to come visit again, even a bit before class, still not committing to the class.   And indeed she showed up with many questions.  Shortly after that my signed up student, who mentioned she actually owned one of my prints. Had a saint that she had bought at Patricia Colrick's store in Manasquan many years ago, and it was recognition of my name that encouraged her to sign up for the class.  Unfortunately, that was all.  When class officially began, I got out the collection of books so I could get them excited.  Masereel, Ward, German Expressionists, Japanese woodcuts, plus some of my hand bound works, like my Fourth of July book (photocopies but good ones) and my stab bound Trip to Mexico book, woodcuts and text from metal letters.  (one student had done some letterpress stuff up on the old Print Council, so she was impressed) At their request I showed them the catalog I get my tools from and then the tools themselves, hard to find in any stores (though I told them they were welcome to try, as long as they told me where they might find them).  The student who owns a saint described it and I realized she was talking about Frances of Rome- the one with the vintage vacuum cleaner.  Had that one and half a dozen others with me tonight.  They were impressed with the colors, choices and how they were applied. They also liked the colors in the boardwalk prints, plus all the details I had included. And they were impressed with how I handled night time scenes on the boardwalk on in the supermarket prints.  And general characteristic of the two large rolled prints (one recognized the Newark city scape in the upper corner of A New Year for America)- I learned long ago the best way to get students excited about prints is to show them some, others and my own.

The heavy rains did eventually come, but we were safe inside a building that has been surviving hurricanes and worse for over a hundred years, so I wasn't worried. Both decided to think more about their projects and we can cut blocks that they need next week.  I guess the print collection convinced Nellie, because she gave me the money before leaving.  They hung around until the rain had eased up.  If it hadn't, I would have stashed all my stuff in my basement space, but it was dry enough that I could safely move stuff to my car, and later to my apartment.