Opening the Frame Shop Again

 

Last week I sent Nichole requested information for two items- possible classes in the spring, and a tenants exhibition that may happen sooner.  As far as I know, she has received all this information now, but that means I have work to do.  For the class stuff, it's two classes that are scheduled for April, a basic drawing, and an acrylic painting. I have taught the former there twice before, in the pre-Covid days, the only difference now is that I have fewer still life objects, and the classes then were four week sessions, but these now are 6 week sessions.  Pay still has to be worked out, but I merely had to take the 3 four week sessions (beginner, intermediate, and advanced), and reworked them as two 6 week sessions, the same 12 steps now divided into beginner and advanced.  I've never taught acrylic paints there, but we used acrylics in all the 2D classes I have taken or taught, so I just came up with six weeks of activities that seem important to me, and put that together.  All that was submitted a week ago, as requested.

The exhibition may happen sooner, but there are a number of steps, the first of which happened back in January, giving an intention of being part of it.  I did that, choosing to show 3 framed works.  I haven't put these in writing yet, but I have picked them out. selecting three prints that I don't think I have shown there before.  (used photos on the blog and the blog itself to figure this out)   Two are older works, already in frames, though I will attach the long wires favored by the building for hanging, moved from other framed works that have been hung there.  But one thing needed a new cut mat and frame job, my newest print.  I don't have a frame that will fit this print exactly (it's a little larger than the supermarket prints), but I found one that is close enough that I can adapt it.

So early this afternoon I set off to the Studio to take care of business.  On the way I stopped off in Belmar to get a meatball parm sandwich from the place I think makes the best one, and continued up to Ocean Grove.  I had packed one of my large Belmar tote bags with the framed print I had, various things I could use, and my blues/jazz set of discs. In my Studio, ate half the sandwich, packing half for another day and bringing it to my car (which I figured would be about the same temperature as a refrigerator on a day like today)  then got to work.  I took out my mat cutting machine, and the framed print I had.  It was a collaboration between myself and David Lasky, a tribute to our former art professor, Henry Coleman.  It's not a bad print, but I haven't shown it for a while, and I need that frame soon. 

For music I selected a disc from the book I had, New Moon Daughter from Cassandra Wilson.  This album came out around 1995, very mellow, her variety of jazz singing, a collection of originals and covers of famous tunes.  The album opens with a pretty good version of Strange Fruit but what probably got the most press was her take on Last Train to Clarksville much bluesier and sadder than the one made famous by the Monkees.  Only about an hour, but that's all I would need.  

The original print held by this frame was vertical, but my new use would be horizontal, however, I had taken that into account.  I had to take apart the old frame, remove the wiring, remove the old print, kept what had been the two bevel cut horizontal edges of the window, which now became part of the two vertical edges.  I cut two new edges to be the new long horizontal edges of the window, extending the now two vertical edges to meet them and form new corners, attached the new print to the backing board (I had learned that the reversible neutral glue on the linen tape was no longer holding as well as it had, so I substituted some white glue here.)  Wouldn't do this normally, but it was the only frame and mat board I had to deal with.  And with that done, I put away everything, packed and cleaned up, and took off for home.