Boardwalk Days part 28

 We were forwarded an email early last week saying that the tv producer was coming back on Monday.  However, I learned that Jeanne was on vacation for this week, and would not be around to make sure the guy knew to come to the basement, since last time I never saw him, and Jeanne thought that he may not have been down there at all.  So I took things into my own hands and sent him an email.  He replied that he had been downstairs at some point, and he was planning to start there today, so I figured I better get there on time.  And I did.  Actually got up there close to 1 pm, which gave me time to clean up a little, and get the blocks out from all the boardwalk prints, since that had piqued his interest.

I had also mentioned in my email that I would be working in my Studio today anyway, because I don't like wasting a visit, and I had plenty to work on.  So once I got everything organized, I took out my latest boardwalk block and started cutting.  Had my good tools today, as well.  Don't know when he arrived at the building, but he showed up in my Studio maybe around quarter after 2.  I was busy working, so I didn't really pay attention.  He asked permission to film, and of course I gave it.  In his email he had said he would try to resist his tendency to get into conversions with the artists, but was clearly interested in art in general, and he had many questions about the process.  He asked if having someone talk to me as a worked was a problem and I said it wasn't, as it isn't- we printmakers are used to shared spaces.   He was curious about working backwards, but I'm too used to it to have it bother me.  As I have said many times, cutting out a backward shape takes the same amount of time and effort as a forward shape, so once you get use to drawing things backwards, the rest is easy.  Besides, I check everything in a mirror before I start cutting.  And he is fascinated by boardwalks, so we had some conversations about those, including my point that arcades just aren't as fun as they used to be.  He agreed.  He also noted my tendency to rely on past memories for lots of my ideas.  That's probably true, as I haven't even been to a boardwalk in at least a decade, though I did point out that I did a lot of visits and research around the time I began the series.  He did mention that he would be curious about progress with this current piece and would like to see it again on a future visit.  I don't see a problem with that.  As he was leaving he asked for directions to Bobby's space, and I showed him how to get there.  He also said he may contact me to get images, since I have all that stuff right now.

So with the filming and interview done, I got back to work on my new block.  Before and after his time there, I had been working on the left panel, finishing that controversial street lamp, then the restaurant (which he recognized from its days as a Howard Johnson's), including a lot of the mesh gates around the ramps, and then some of the foliage around the base of the restaurant.  For now I skipped the benches and figures on them, but I'll get to them soon.  Below is an image of today's progress:

I had on some music of course, from what I keep there, and when that ended, I decided to clean up and start for home.  Since he is planning a few more visits, I'll wait until I know something about when it will air before I say anything more about the show, but when I know something, I'll post it here.