Card Factory Open Again

Back in December we were scheduled to have a planning meeting up in Ocean Grove, for discussing and planning art activities in the building for the coming year.  But winter weather forced a postponement of another big event, which took out our meeting, postponed a while.  But over the weekend I noticed that on the building website homepage they listed it for early evening tonight, just shy of the new year.  So that became part of my schedule.

But first, there was art work to do.  Between holidays and grading I haven't been able to get to the Studio or do anything art, except my cards.  And the cards still aren't over.  After coloring the three print paper cards that I thought were salvageable, I decided that they still aren't up to the level I would like.   Since I knew I was going to the Studio anyway, why not just pull some more copies on the Japanese paper?  Ran across an old sheet of okawara that was a bit crumpled and wrinkled, too much so to ever be used for a large boardwalk print, but could function for Christmas cards- smaller and glued down to other stiffer paper.  Folded it up and stashed it in a bag of materials I was returning  to the Studio today- things I had brought home to get the cards done, not knowing if and when the place would be open next.

We are in the midst of a run of gray miserable days right now- dark, cold, damp, windy.  What my old classmate Brian would call a "fine Scottish day", and since he was from Scotland, he knew what he was talking about and meant it.  In Carbondale we had a significant number of grad students from Great Britain (thanks to a program in Scotland) and one thing the English and Scottish students had in  common was a desire to find a way to not go back there.  My Studio being indoors, not a problem once I got there.  The planning meeting was scheduled for 6, so I figured work for several hours, then go up to the 3rd floor for the meeting.

My goal was to print a bunch of the cards on this new found okawara, so I started with that. I had brought a set of cutting tools with me, and made a few adjustments to the block, untouched since the day I did the original printing.

I had planned to make four, but the ink really couldn't be put back, so I made a few extra.  Small, black and white, thin paper- these go fast.  My boom box was still set to CD player, which means likely Molly hadn't been in since the last time I was there, sometime before Christmas.  Started with my live Smithereens disc, and when that ended put on my disc of assorted Billy Childish songs, from various sources I had.  Hard to easily classify him- has had dozens of bands, and put out hundreds of albums, mostly of a low-fi garage rock music.  Also a visual artist who enjoys woodcut, and has published books of them, but I knew him from music before I ever learned of the art.  

Eventually I cleaned up and went upstairs in time for the meeting. (left the prints in my rack to dry) Unfortunately, I was the only one. Other than a few yoga people (wandering around with their rolled up mats), the place was dark and deserted.  Hung there until a few minutes past the start time, but no one showed.  Went down to the first floor, watched a few more yoga enthusiasts come in (braving the rain and wind and cold to get there), but no office people were there.  One last trip to the 3rd floor, but still empty.  Decided to go home, relax, get something to eat.  Once home I checked the web and saw that now the building's home page says the meeting has been rescheduled again.