Boardwalk Days part 26

 My calendar says I am supposed to see my oncologist today, but I got a call from that office yesterday telling me that the appointment can't happen (she's not going to be there), so we moved it a few weeks into August.  Just a follow-up, and the other doctor I see for this gave me some good news in May, so I don't mind delaying it.  What this means is today is now free, so a Studio day it is.  The shed delivery day was switched to today, but other than moving my car and clearing the driveway, I had no responsibility, so I was free to go.  Besides, driving up to the Studio would free up a valued space on our block,   I threw my rock/pop book of discs into my bag with no particular plan, but on the way there I heard a Jayhawks song on the radio, one I knew as it's on the disc I made and had with me, so that became the disc I would listen to today as I worked.  One could always do worse than have the Jayhawks playing while working.  More details on this disc can be found in a post on this blog back in November of 2019.

I didn't have to be in the Studio today, but I had other errands to run in the area, and I always have something to do.  In this case, it was do some more cutting on my latest boardwalk piece, based on Asbury's boardwalk, at least how it looked back in 2012 when I started this one.  So no new drawing today, but more cutting of the sky area in upper left part of the block.  I cut out the area between the building and the light, part of the light, and the space between the plane and the birds. I want to look at the lamp and the birds one more time before I cut them, which I can do from photos I have.  Results of today's labor can be seen below:

Besides the things I wanted to look at again before cutting, I could also feel the heat building (another hot one expected today, with maybe some rain late today), so I decided to end it there. I documented today's work, put everything back the way it was, and headed home for lunch.  

Professional Printmaking part 2

 When I called Mary last week she said she had the necessary paper for her editions, and we made plans to meet this week.  A few days ago she decided Friday would work best for her, so we made that plan.  Today is Friday, so I got up to the Studio around quarter of, so I could get ready, then be by the door to let her in around 10:00.  She was not at the door, but called to say she was just leaving, and hoped to be at the door in about 20 minutes.  She would call me upon arrival.  Did a little drawing then back to the door at the top of the ramp in time.  Got the call just a few minutes past her predicted time and let her in.  She found no useful place to chain up her scooter, so just took it downstairs.  (her thinking was that the elevator in her building could handle it, so our elevator could as well)  Once we got to the basement I showed her the ramp up to back parking lot, and decided that might be even better.  

She had brought the new paper with her, but nothing else.  She hopes to get the third block out of storage soon, but not yet. Meanwhile, I had two blocks in my Studio, so we had work to do today.  I opened up a fresh can of ink for the occasion. Of the two blocks we had to work with, she decided to print the larger one today, her YoYo Ma portrait.  It had been printed before, which does make things a little easier, but it had been a few years.  I had cleared most of my table, and we had decided last week we were better off hand rubbing rather than try to use her portable press.  (might have been too small to print that block anyway)  I had her be the clean hands person, and got started inking the block.  After I placed the paper on the inked block, she took another tool and helped with the rubbing. Not surprisingly, the first proof took the longest, but she was pleased with the result. The second proof went a bit faster, as did the third.  She decided that he liked the third proof best, though I made sure all copies were printed about the same.  (margins were not an exact match, but no one is expected to see all the prints together, and people who are obsessed with perfect margins never get invited to the cool parties) The third one is shown below:

She had decided that she would only print the first block today, so that was the end of the session.  The third proof followed the others into my drying rack, and I expect they will be dry by the time she comes to print next week.  She thought that the wood itself might be flawed, and she may be right- the consistency of some light areas from proof to proof points to issues with the block more than the printing.  Behind glass, today's proof should look fine, and we will start the second proof next week. She feels I am a true professional, and is lucky to have someone of my skills to help her with printing.   I don't know about that, but today's prints are probably better than any she could do on her own.  

We also talked about the upcoming show in Asbury, that she wants me to be a part of.  She liked the idea of just showing the prints of mine that she has framed, which makes everything easier for everybody.  If they sell, she just keeps all the money, and I pull new copies of the one she provided them.  I did remind her to account for print costs, framing costs, and the gallery cut in her pricing.  When we finished, I brought her to the ramp from the basement to the back parking lot, and showed her where it let out on the street, and from there she knew how to get back to the boardwalk, and to home.  (she seemed to have more than enough charge to make it home)

Interview Update

 Today I was forwarded another email from Steve Rogers (no, not that Steve Rogers), the producer who was supposed to interview people around the art building yesterday.  What he is saying is that he had a plan, but was surprised by how many artists were there and wanted to be interviewed.  I was not surprised as I saw a lot of tags on the hooks by the front door, far more than I've ever seen before.  And he doesn't like to rush things. As a result, he only got to interview 5 residents of the building.  (no one lives there- they have a rule about that, and the interior cameras with motion detectors were placed just for that reason, though only stray animals were found)  So he promises he will be back when his schedule allows it, until he interviews everyone who wants it.  No announcement of when that will be, so we are in the same position we were yesterday, everyone just has to hope it matches up with my availability. 

In the last email we were forwarded, he said he only wanted to hear from people if they didn't want to be interviewed.  This next time I may respond anyway, just to remind him that there are also artists in the basement.  I have no idea if he wants to talk to me or not, which up to him, but I do want him to know there are also people down there, some of whom are very active.  I still don't know if he knows.

No new work done today, just recovery from yesterday's very long day.  However I did spend some more time looking at photos of those same buildings depicted in this block.  I started drawing it over a decade ago, and there are times I just don't remember what these things in my drawing are, and I'd like to figure it out before I attempt to reproduce them on the block.  It helps.

Boardwalk Days part 25

 A busy day today.  Had an appointment with my neurosurgeon in Neptune in the morning, and the tv producer who is doing a story about our Ocean Grove (technically Neptune) art building was to be at our building in the afternoon to interview any artist who was interested.  Morning went according to plan- got a ride up there early in the morning, and was told what I knew from checking the results of last week's MRI online: I was fine for another year.  Tentative appointment with the same doctor in July 2025.  

Since I didn't have my tools with me, I decided to stop at home first and get them, then drove back up to the Studio.  Went across the street to grab a slice before the noon crowd showed up, then back to my space to eat it, along with chilled soda I had brought from home.  (meanwhile, the old shed was dismantled and taken away) I saw Nichole in the office, now done with her college program and looking for a job, but there today (and the next few) for an archive project about the building.  (she didn't mention a plan to be interviewed by the same producer, who mentioned it in the letter we were forwarded about today)  On the way back to my space I passed Jeanne in the hall.

The plan was that the producer was to interview Nichole, then expect to be done by 2:00 and just wander the building interviewing artists.  Of course, no one in authority was around.  We know he did his Nichole interview in the theater as expected, but no one knew what happened after that.  When Jeanne finally showed up in her office around 3:30, she didn't know where he was, thinking he may have left already.  All I knew is that he never showed up in my space, and I had no confidence he had made his way to the basement.  I don't know if anyone even told him there were artists in the basement- in the past we have been forgotten.  His email said that he would be coming two more times, so everyone can just hope it's a time I can make it.  

Meanwhile, I got work done, because I don't like to waste time there.  With my retrieved tools, I cut out the center line between panels on the latest boardwalk print.  I also spent a lot of time looking at my block drawing and making some adjustments to the drawing.  Benches, bushes- things like that. filled in some more black areas, based on photos of the space I took back when I started this block.  Also changed the pavers in the foreground a bit.  Don't know if this is the final version of this area, but it's an improvement.  Finally I started cutting the image area, in the upper left corner. This is sky and will remain that, so it was a safe area to start.  Results can be seen below:

I also did some minor pencil drawing on the newest Robert Johnson print, mostly to the lamp and bedside table.  I'll document these next time I do major work on that block.

No sun today, but the humidity was still around, and the basement continued to be oppressive.  Having spent several hours in my space working, and having no idea if the guy was coming or even in the building, I decided to pack up and go home.  I let Jeanne know if she wants me to talk to the guy, we need to make sure he knows about it- she admitted his email may have been a bit vague about his plans for today.  I expect to be back later this week to print for money, but that is expected to be a better day.

Boardwalk Days part 24

 I won't be working with Mary on her printing project until later in the week, so today was freed up for doing my own work. I brought with me a disc from my rock/pop set, one of all the A and B sides for the Zombies during their main career. Why?  Because I saw a video reaction to a few early Zombies singles on the web the other day and the band was on my mind. Plus, always good to listen to while in the Studio, and I do have a copy of the disc in the music I have at home.  The reactor very much enjoyed the songs he played, but I already knew the Zombies were an impressive band, which is why they were in those Studio discs to begin with.  My previous writings on this disc can be seen on this blog back in January, 2020.

Today's task was to cut out the margins all around the new boardwalk piece.  I'm not sure if I am completely done with the image yet, but there won't be any changes to the areas outside the panel borders, so that is safe to cut, and needs to be removed at some point anyway.  But the main reason for doing it today is that tomorrow I am expecting some visitors in the Studio, and what they may have seen already is my earlier boardwalk prints up on the first floor. If they want to see more from the series, or something new from the series, or some kind of demo, this is the block to do that.  And watching me cut the margins out is as boring as it can get.

The results of today's cutting can be seen above. Didn't get the space between them done, but finished all the outside, and was bathed in sweat from that.  (heat and humidity have arrived in the basement) I expect to be there for a while before they show up, so I will have time to cut that space between panels then, and they I can give some thought to the images themselves. 

Traveling Riverside Blues part 2

 Today was a nice day, predicted to be the best of the week.  I had no duties to the shed, and Mary had told me she was too busy to do any printing this week (plus the gallery is delaying her show until Mid-August), so I was free today.   Since I had to move my car anyway, I decided to go up to the Studio and do some needed drawing.  To save weight I brought a disc from my rock/pop book tucked into a page of my jazz/blues book, which was a copy of my home burned Breeders disc, which includes all the early albums I have.  I've written about this back in January of 2020 if you want to know more.

The parking lot was nearly empty today, so no problem finding a parking space.  Found my way to my basement space by late morning, and got to work.  I had looked at my photo of the block to this point (on this blog) and knew what I wanted to do.  Molly had been there since the last time I was there, and even left a Pixies disc in my boom box, which guaranteed I would listen to the Breeders, as both bands featured Kim Deal.  Despite the fact that I was working on my latest Robert Johnson project, and blues would not have been out of place. 

This new piece is called Traveling Riverside Blues, and like all prints in this series, is my interpretation of lyrics from the Johnson song of the same name.  The lyrics I chose were, "She got a mortgage on my body and a lien on my soul."  But it's not so simple, as in my research I found that there were two takes of the song, with two different versions of that line. (same words, different order)   I ended up going with the version above.  Then there was the question of what it means.  My interpretation was that a man was singing about a woman who completely controlled him- body and soul.  I suppose this could happen a number of ways, but I thought the way to go would be by means of sex.  It seemed to work for Johnson himself, who had a history of shacking up with women in each town he played in. and it may have been a woman who caused his death.  Of course, I can't do anything too explicit, especially because I don't know where these pieces may go, and I don't want to do anything that may give a place an excuse not to include my piece.  It's happened before.  All my work starts with narrative, and I figured I could tell this story without upsetting the wrong people.

My original sketch for the idea was fairly similar, featuring two people, a bed, and a lamp, with the main difference being that the male figure was elderly.  In the end I decided this was too much, and may cause a viewer to interpret the story as the woman being a prostitute.  I didn't see this as the story.  She has some kind of hold on him (as the lyrics state), but I think he has a hold on her as well, which I guess is why she has come to see him.  Whatever it is, I don't think it's just a cash thing.  Maybe she just likes the power she holds over him.  In any case, I leave it to the viewer to decide what is going on.  I do this when possible, as I feel it causes the viewer to be more engaged in the piece, as the piece becomes about what they are feeling, not what I have come up with.

A few days before the session I sent the model via email a detailed description of what would be needed, including the specific wardrobe, and the pose itself.  I wrote that I would leave it up to viewers to decide if she was in the process of dressing or undressing, as it really could be either one based on this image.  She praised what I had sent her, appreciating that I had given her detailed instructions and knew exactly what I wanted to do.  Perhaps most other artists don't know or keep it a secret.  

As for today's drawing- I had looked a bit at what had been done already and concluded that the male figure and the lamp were too small, and the bedside table was too tall.  So my first task today was to do some new drawing.  For the male figure I went back to the same source, a sample book from professional photographers, showing off their stuff.  I started with his head, redrawing it at a larger scale, to bring the two figures closer to each other in size.  That ended up being all I did with him, and let the rest of the body stay the same, as foreshortening would require me to shrink the body anyway.  It seemed to look right, so kept things like that.  The lamp and table are just placeholders out of my head, something to put down for now.  I expect changes will come eventually.  One thing I did last night was look at the light and shadows created by the lamp next to my bed, and noted them.  The walls and floor may also change a bit but I'll figure that out later.  The results of today's session can be seen below:

At this point I'm thinking the standing figure is more or less where I want it, the bed and reclining figure are close but may need more work, and the lamp/table and walls definitely need more work.  But there is definitely an improvement from where it was, and I have no deadline for getting this done, so I may as well take my time and get it how I want it.

Boardwalk Days part 23

 Today was predicted to be a hot day, so I figured getting up to the Studio should be done as early as possible.  And so I was, by a little after 10:00 am.  Outside was warm, but inside was not bad at all. I had brought the rock/pop book of discs and from this selected my home burned Gun Club disc.  Partly it was a random opening of the book, but also I knew it ran about the time I was planning to be there.  More details about the music can be found on this blog on a posting from November of 2019.

My main goal today was to work on the boardwalk piece, especially the second figure I drew from the model last week.  I knew this one was the least complete, and I planned changes anyway.  I looked the block over and concluded my plan made sense.  I wanted the second figure to feel like it was a little further away than the first one.  This is already seen with perspective, but to emphasize this idea, I also did it with size, making it a little smaller than the one in the foreground.  Since I knew I had to redraw it anyway, not a problem. I used my camera to look at the reference photo I took that day, but mostly I was looking at the actual block drawing itself, and using that to guide what I was doing.  The new figure isn't that much smaller, but I do think it's enough to let the viewer know she sits just a little further away.  Then I looked at the whole thing and decided the skateboarder needed to be little larger. so as to sit in the same plane as the two women on the benches.  This was done mostly by looking at my original sketch, there in the sketchbook I had also brought with me.  Of course there is no rule that says the figure is the same size as any of the adults, and it could be a kid on a skateboard, but I know the original sketch was based on a full grown adult, and so I made my figure a little bigger.  Next to the guy on a skateboard is the dog being walked, and so I went ahead and redrew that as well, once again using the sketch I had made in my sketchbook weeks ago.  The skateboarder and dog may change in the future, but in my opinion both are improved.  Results can be seen below:

I also looked at my other current block, the new Robert Johnson print.  I like the new figure I drew last week, so other than cleaning it up a little, I left it as it was.  The reclining figure in bed isn't bad, but I may go back and make a few changes.  The table and lamp on the right don't look right at all, so I will definitely change that, but that will wait until the next time I work on that block, probably next week.  As I left the building, I noticed that things had indeed gotten a little warmer, and on the way home, it got hotter still.

Drawing from Life

 As I have written many times before, I do prefer drawing from life when I can, especially for the main figures of a particular image, or at least when what I need is not something I can easily find in photo form. I decided that I had enough to do with planned prints that I could justify hiring a model.  After attending 4 sessions of Joe's figure group, I chose a model who I thought looked as I wanted and could hold a pose for long enough.  Had Joe contact her for me, we made the arrangements, and today was the day.  I had the blocks ready, and got there a few minutes early to prepare the space.  That meant clearing my table and putting the large paper boxes up on the window ledges to block some of the light on this sunny day.  Not completely blocked, but effective enough. Then I went upstairs.  A whole bunch of people came in, going to classes it looked like.  My model showed up right on time.  I showed her my boardwalk pieces on the first floor (since that was one of the things I planned to work on today) and then guided her down to my studio space. Might have been difficult for her to find on her own.

I had sent her a long list of wardrobe and props to bring, which she replied that she appreciated getting.  She had everything I had told her about and was ready to go quickly.  I set up the tripod easel with clamp light and we did the standing pose for the Robert Johnson print first.  We tried various positions of her standing pose next to this light until I found one that gave me nice shadows and light on her, while matching the light and shadows on the reclining figure in bed.  I think it was successful.  Results of where I am at today can be seen below:

After a short break and the putting away of the clamp light and turning on of the regular fluorescents in the room, I gave her a chair for the sitting poses.  She also used the opportunity to change into the clothing for the boardwalk piece.  She also asked about food in the area, and I gave her a list of all the fast food places across from our building in various directions, and more variety and higher cost if she wanted to go up the street into Ocean Grove, or into Asbury Park.  

Then we got to the boardwalk print.  Here I wanted her to sit down on what would be seen as benches, portraying various characters. She had brought some clothing to change into.  I offered to show her to a more private place to change if she wanted, especially as our windows are now clear and at ground level, but she said she didn't mind crouching down low, and my presence in her underwear was not a problem since she had posed nude for me before.  (her words) She changed into one set of clothes, then the other, sitting in the chair at the proper angle, positioning legs, arms, and props as I directed.  Result are below, the two figures in the lower left corner:

I think the one in the foreground is fine, but I think I will make some changes to the other figure, certainly making her a little smaller, and maybe fixing other things as well.  What it needs requires putting the block down on a table and working with pencil and eraser, and that just wasn't possible standing and holding pencils and erasers, as I was doing.  But I did have enough to get started, and with her permission I had taken reference photos of each pose, so I can go back and fix things as needed.  

All this took a little less than the two hours I had booked, but I paid her the full amount anyway, then led her to the front door, from which she could see her car and decide where she wanted to go for food.  The model had much praise for the work I had done, but she is hoping for more work, so I don't take that seriously.  I took the above photos of the various blocks in their new form, then went home to organize my stuff for later, and take photos of the blocks.  I put the room back the way I found it this morning.  May be a while before I get to working on these, as I have a bunch of other things to work on, but when I am ready, I have something to work on.

Professional Printmaking

 Back in 2007 when Molly and I started this studio, she talked about wanting to turn it into a regional print center.  I built tables and cabinets, drawers. selected bright and bold colors, and we worked toward that goal. Molly held a bunch of classes, but then she stopped that.  She hates committing to things.  I've taught a lot of classes, but mostly in other places, only using the room twice for that.  Once was as a substitute when we couldn't use the Belmar Arts Center as planned, the other was a class to be held in a location in Ocean Grove, as the organizer wanted it.  Molly's press has been used a few times, and she was paid for that- an edition we pulled together for a student who was unable to pull the prints herself, and she rented it a few times to other artists, who came in to make prints on it.  But that hasn't happened lately.  Mostly she just piles things on top of the press, the tables, the countertops, etc.  I have my table, my rack, my tack board, and a few shelves, and that's enough for me. I no longer pay half the rent.  To be fair, the building has also planned a print center, but that was two directors ago, and it still hasn't happened yet.  Molly and I still use our space for personal art making, but that is just about all. We have been there longer than almost anyone else, and Molly remarked recently that it is without any kind of business plan.  Perhaps that is because we don't try to run it as a business (making a recognizable profit), but just as a place to do our messy work.  

But that doesn't mean I don't try to make some money now and then.  Today was another such opportunity.   A few years back a former student asked me to pull some prints for her friend, now almost elderly, but with an upcoming show.  I did that at the student's house in Bradley Beach, on her portable press, which she since donated to the building in Ocean Grove, for that print center that hasn't happened yet.  At least I knew where it was.  That same former student has a new home (a tower for seniors in Asbury Park) and a show opportunity of her own (also in Asbury) and wants prints pulled.  She called me about it a few weeks ago, and I can do that in my space, so why not?  It's a paying job, and I could use one of those right now.  She has the blocks made, said she had paper and could buy ink, and I have plenty of tools.  All she would need is a ride from her place to our building.  She has a deadline of the end of the month for her show, and today was the day we planned to start the printing process.

I found the portable press, on a wheeled cart so we could easily move it from the kitchen of the old cafeteria to my basement studio.  It was crooked on the cart, but I figured we could fix that once we got it to my space.  I figured wrong.  It was too heavy to move, and the cart seemed too small anyway.  How did this work at Mary's house?  One thing I found was that turning the wheel of the press did not so much cause the press bed to move, but the whole press to move on the cart.  Kind of dangerous, but we decided to try it anyway.  She had two blocks, but expected to eventually have a third.  We pulled a test proof on newsprint, which looked as good as any proof on newsprint does.  Started it on the press, but finished with some hand rubbing.  On to one on the better paper.  The size was good, but it was much heavier paper, too much so to hand rub.  So we gave up.   Mary will order some new paper, and we will try again after that.  

She has offered me a chance to be part of this show, in a gallery on Main in Asbury, a few blocks from the Jersey Shore Arts Center.  I don't know if the gallery knows this yet, so I'm going to wait and see on that.  Any exhibition opportunity is a good thing, and it would have to be something I have framed already, as I doubt I have time or materials to frame anything by the end of the month.  I'll worry about printing these new proofs of hers first. 

With all this going on, I didn't get around to taking any photos of today's labors. Since we had nothing to show for it, not really of any consequence anyway.  

Studio Business

 I decided to go up to the Studio today.  Didn't really need to, but I did have to move my car, so I figured I may as well go there.  I also knew I'd need to go the store soon, and I can always find things to do when I get to Ocean Grove.  Brought the jazz/blues book with me today, and from this I selected my home burned copy of Gil Scott-Heron's The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, mostly because of a reaction video I recently saw on YouTube of some of the same songs.  I wrote about it back in September of 2021 if you want to know more.  Once again, no Molly, so I could listen to music.

What I wanted to do today was test out an idea I had for the next Robert Johnson piece.  In my plan for the piece, I see a lamp next to the bed, and this partly lights the figures in the piece. I won't have a bedside lamp there in my Studio, but I'm thinking a clamp light facing downward clamped to an easel I have should substitute nicely, and today I found that it did.  A photo of my experiment can be seen below:

I did look at my two drawn images there, but decided to make no changes today.  Both will be added to when I have the model in next week.  I took a few minutes to delete unneeded photos from my camera, then began the trip home.  Won't need the lamp or bulb until I use them there next week, so left those behind.  

Traveling Riverside Blues

 I decided to do a little more work on the latest Robert Johnson print, since I had to do this section anyway and I don't need the model for this part. She comes in next week.  I will save the story until that session.  After all, my prints always begin with the narrative, so there is a plan, but I'll explain that plan in the future.  No Molly today, but evidence she has been there since the last time I was in.  But that meant I could listen to music.  What I had with me was my home burned copy of Californication by The Red Hot Chili Peppers, which I wrote about back in June of 2020 if you want to know more.  The reason- I haven't listened to it in a while and there are only so many discs I have access to right now. And it's good music to make art to.

Today I put in the central figure, a reclining man, adapted from a photographic reference.  Not my favorite way of working, but such will do for a background figure, a minor part of the image.  I will work from a live person for the main figure, who will be drawn on the left side of the block, but that's next week.  To the far right is just place holder stuff, which will be drawn with more detail and values selected in the future.  I also did some re-lettering of the lyric text, which is an improvement, but I don't know if it's the final version.  Today's results can be seen above:

On my way out of the building I was stunned by the very tall crane hanging over the landscape of Asbury Park, seemingly much taller than the buildings around it would require.  I suppose I could have walked a few blocks over to investigate, but I didn't feel like it and settled for this photo.

See what I mean?  If I do find out what it was doing, I will report it here.