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)