Next Project

Seems like it's time to start a new print.  I have a plan for what it will be, so the first step is to prepare a piece of wood.  The next one will be the same size as one of the supermarket prints (or near to it) to take advantage of the large number of frames I have that fit that size print. Two reasons for this- the stores that I used to buy frames from have all gone out of business- I'm sure that I could find other stores that carry them (came from a separate business that made them) but that is a bit of work.  Plus, framed work takes up space, more than is required for proofs, so using frames that I already have and don't need right away keeps me from adding to that clutter.  So with that in mind, I chose a size, and the chunk of plywood left from the last one was big enough to accommodate it, and I cut off a hunk this afternoon.

No Molly around while I was there, so it was a music time, and today I had brought with me two albums from the Iguanas.  This is a band I learned of through television.  My all time favorite police show is Homicide: Life on the Street, produced by Barry Levinson and airing back in the 90's.  One thing it was known for was creative use of music from outside sources, often included at full volume- over what would have been silent scenes.  One late 90's episode included a fake documentary, made by one of the characters, a guy who video taped a lot of stuff for news programs, and after one of those videos helped them crack a case (and the tv news program fired him for helping the police), the squad hired him to tape everything.  Twice during this episode we got lengthy segments of a song that resulted in the network's switchboard being overloaded, so many people called to try to find out what this song was.  (if I knew the number, I might have called, too) The internet was just getting started in those days, so it took a while for me to track down this information, but I learned the song was "Boom Boom Boom" by the Iguanas, and that it was on an album called Nuevo Boogalooo and eventually I acquired a copy, along with another album from the same band, Sugar Town.  Had those with me in the Studio today.  Classifying the band is not easy- actually from New Orleans, and do occasionally show a hint of zydeco, but not a lot.  I see the biggest similarity to the Neville Brothers, but with less percussion, horns, and keyboards, but a lot more reference to criminal life, and more basic rock and roll.  Good to listen to while working in an art studio.

Besides preparing a piece of wood, I also finally repaired the plastic sheath that holds my large metal ruler/straight edge (40 inches) and heard a lot of noise coming from the rebuilding of the new tintype studio down the hall.  As for my new piece, I'll save any description of what I have planned, along with images of the block, until I have something drawn, which will likely be very soon.