Christmas Is Coming

 Today is Halloween, meaning the end of October.  It may not seem really close yet, but Christmas will be here soon, and I have much to do.  I'm not talking about shopping- that will come later.  I'm talking about cards, something I've been making since I was in Williamsburg, and the current style goes back to Carbondale.  I do save time now by producing a formal Christmas letter with all the year's news, and sending that via email to everyone on my list.  But those people will get the actual card eventually (people who get my cards know that they may not arrive until some time in January) get the emailed letter on time.  However, the design for the card has to be chosen, drawn on wood, cut and printed, and the ink has to dry before the next step.  Then comes the coloring, and the trimming, and then I choose which goes to who.  After that, I quick message (since they already got the full letter) and stuffing and addressing the envelopes.  So you see why I have to start now to get them done anywhere close to the new year.

I decided a while ago that I would do figure drawing twice a month for now, same as I did in Belmar.  And I have already gone twice in October.  Today would have been the 5th Thursday of the month.  Thought about it a while, and decided not to go.  And since I am not ready to do anything in the Studio yet (ink from the last time would not be dry yet) I decided to stay home and start working on my card.  

I bought my paper the other day, so the next step is coming up with a design.  What I have been doing since Carbondale is starting with a famous work of two dimensional art (as much as I love sculpture, and I have taught 3D design 7 times between my two schools, but it wouldn't work as a 2D project), and then changing it to either a winter scene or a Christmas scene.  I brought home a few boxes of art books on my last visit to the storage space, so I got a bunch of those from the basement, the ones in the above photo.  It's just a small portion of what I had on my shelves, but they still represent some of my favorite artists, and many past cards came from these books.  Plus, I made a list of other favorite artists, but those I'll have to find online, which I can only do at home.  

Today I went through all those books, looking for possible images to be turned into cards.  Found a few and noted them, but I will check some online possibilities before I decide.  

Boardwalk Days part 38

 Yesterday I took a little trip down to Brick, with two goals.  One was to pay a medical bill, which I did.  The second was to buy paper suitable for this year's Christmas card.  Only October now, but the day comes up on you faster than you expect.  There used to be many places where one could find the right kind of paper, but most of those either don't carry it anymore, or have closed down.  I decided to try the arts and crafts store where I had gotten framing supplies, figuring they would stock the full size sheets I typically use for this.  But they didn't.  Very little full size paper there.  I settled for the largest size pad of Bristol Board they had, which would suffice for a card stock type of paper.  However, I do wonder if I will ever try to get paper there again.  

Today I did something I was more certain of- go to my Studio.  Had a plan- ink up the recently cut boardwalk block, to see what I had.  If I like how it's cut, I will prepare to print the first proof.  If I don't like what I see, I can cut more off the block after the ink dries.  No plan to take a proof yet.  But while my hands were still clean, I decided to check my paper supply, all those big boxes I keep in my space.  I verified that I had some heavy weight paper that would work for my eventual color experiments, and several sheets of the Japanese paper I use for the editioned prints in this boardwalk series.  

For music I brought some discs from home.  A few days ago was the "birthday" of the radio station I grew up with- WNEW-FM 102.7 fm. (they started broadcasting on October 27th of 1967- get it?)  By tradition they would hold a birthday party that day, which for a while was a big concert broadcast over the radio on their station.  Back in 1990, it was blues guitarist and singer Robert Cray, who at the time was promoting his "Midnight Stroll" album, so much of this show was songs from that album.  I taped that broadcast, and put it on a cd when I had the ability to transfer tapes to disc, and eventually made a copy to keep in the Studio.  Which is how I have a copy available right now.  The radio station has been gone for more than two decades, but the tape and discs I made sound as good as ever.  And since I was not in the Studio on the 27th, I played it today.  I wrote about it a few times, but the best description is back in July of 2019.

Then I put out some fresh ink and rolled up the new block.  I did not put as much ink on it as I would if I were printing it, but enough to make sure everything was covered with a layer of black.  In general, I like the results.  Upon initial inspection, I did see a few open areas that picked up some unexpected ink, so I will cut those away after it's dry, and if need be, will tape them again when it's time to print. There are also a few spots where fine horizontal lines fragmented, but those I can fix on the prints themselves.   Results can be seen below:

My original plan was to do a blotter proof on scrap paper when it was done, but then I decided to go ahead and take a proof on heavy paper instead, since I would need something for testing colors anyway.  And from my earlier  paper inspection, I knew I had some suitable large paper in my supply.  Didn't even cut it down, just threw down the whole sheet on top of the inked block.  As I said, not fully inked, so the proof I took was not up to the quality of a finished print, and because of the size and heaviness of the sheet, it seems to have shifted a little on the block, another problem with it.  However, it should be good enough to test out some potential colors when I reach that phase.  For now I put the inked block in my rack, and the test proof in the back of my car- the only place I have large enough to hold the inky print.

When the Robert Cray disc ended, I put on another copied disc, this one being "Kicking the Toybox" by Twang Bang.  Hard to describe, but I got it originally from my former student Tom Huck on one of his New Jersey visits, again with a copy made for my Studio, and the original on my shelf at home.  Tom is the organizer of the Robert Johnson show I've been making prints for the past few years, and I would have already written him about the recent show of new prints except I know from a mass email that he has a big show in Chicago this weekend, and I wouldn't want my mail to get lost in the shuffle.  If you want to know more about this unusual album, I wrote about it back in December of 2021.

Opening Reception in Ocean Grove

 Got a bunch of emails regarding tonight's opening reception for the show up at the Jersey Shore Arts Center, featuring my latest and never before exhibited prints.  Mostly it was about food, as it was mentioned that artists should bring something.  Many said they were bringing beverages and cookies, so I didn't want to get those.   I was hoping for some filled breads at the Joe Leone's in town (something I used to bring to critiques), but the main location in Point Pleasant said they no longer do them on weekdays, so no surprise this satellite location had none either.   So I bought a couple of containers of taralle  (fennel seed and black pepper, not too hot for anyone who would show up I figured), a good finger food for a reception- dry, room temperature, and not likely something anyone else would bring.  Left them out in the car.

Late afternoon I drove up to the building, partly to get a good parking spot, and partly to finish the last bit of my current block.  Accomplished both.  Meanwhile, the show was all installed, so Molly finished her pieces and wired them for hanging, and everyone else got their stuff up as well.  The cafeteria in the basement was full of people, so I waited until I got upstairs to use the restroom. 

So who showed up?  By my count, somewhere between 30 and 40 were there for most of it.  Steve, out tv producer, was there as we had been told, filming things as part of his documentary about the building and its residents. None of the people I had invited showed up (some had replied with reasons they couldn't make it, and with a weeknight opening at the dinner hour, I couldn't blame them), and even a lot of the building artists didn't show. Most of the exhibiting artists were there, such as Molly, so we were able to talk about some things.  Another of our former critique members was there, Michelle, and her mother, who I have had art business with before. 

Jeanne, our director, was by the food table and was the person who put up the tags for each work, and wasn't sure if she got them right.  She hadn't.  Put up the right one for "Cross Roads Blues", but switched the other two prints.  Later I pointed this out and she switched them back.  She said she had no way to know which title referred to which piece, but I pointed out that the title of each print could be seen on the front and back of each framed piece (even showed her when she walked over to switch the tags), but that hadn't occurred to her.  And she wasn't sure what the image had to do with the title of "Traveling Riverside Blues."  Nothing really, as it is based on the lyrics, printed right there under the image, and I didn't write those, but Robert Johnson did.  I suppose she has a lot on her mind right now.

I'm still not sure if my hanging location is great.  Same place as my boardwalk prints had been.  Right next to the main door of the theater, and right by the food at the reception, but while many walked in the area where they were, most just walked past them.  Below are a few shots I got:

I did interact with a few viewers, for example, a man I didn't know but was particularly entranced by my print, "Terraplane Blues," which he said much reminded him of the work of writer Raymond Carver. I haven't read much Carver, but from what I know of him, it's not an objectionable comparison.  Carver died much later than Johnson, so for all I know, he may have been influenced by Johnson as well.  The work will remain up for at least another month, so I may hear some more before this is all done.  Meanwhile, half my taralle were eaten.  Almost all the wine was gone.  

Boardwalk Days part 37

 Only planned to be at the Studio today for a short time before the opening reception tonight, but that would be enough to complete the last piece of this old woodcut.  So I brought the good tools, but left the music at home.  And as it turned out, the last part to be done only took about 20 minutes.

It was mostly a little bit seen between the rails on the edge of the block, and a little bit around it.  But with that, this block seems to be done.  The next test will be inking it up and seeing what I got.  If it looks reasonably done, I'll go ahead and pull a proof of it, probably on a heavier paper than I used for the edition, as I may experiment with colors before I settle on them.  I base this on my experience making the boardwalk prints (more than a decade ago now) and in some of the older ones my first ideas for color did not end up as the final version.  The color experiments on that first proof will help me decide how to proceed.  If I like what I have carved, just pull a better proof on the good paper.  If not, make some changes, and if I like how that looks, print the updated block on the good paper, and hope the color works out on that one.  Meanwhile, here's what the whole block looks like now:

As I wrote, next is the experiments to see what I can do with this.  Once this piece is done, I can move on to the next thing, whatever that will be.

I Have An Answer

 Way back in 2016, I was teaching a lesson at my 4 year university when I got a question from a student.  I was showing the well known piece from Seurat, "Sunday Afternoon on the Island of Grande Jatte," probably a thing about color.  The question was, what is that red thing there?  Classrooms there were not as dark as I would have liked, and so the slide was a bit compromised.  But eventually I figured out what they were talking about, but I couldn't give an answer.  I had no idea.  Looked like something mostly red, in front of a big rock.  So I posted the image and the question to my teaching blog for that school, and was open to responses.  

Got none of course, so I mostly forgot about it.  But this morning I saw a video online that said it would explain all the mysteries of this famous example of divisionism (as Seurat called it) or pointillism (as everyone calls it now), so I watched it.  And it did address this mystery object.  Perhaps influenced by this student, I thought of it as a red object in front of a big gray rock.  However, it turns out that this is some kind of hat with a long red tail, on the head of someone facing away from the viewer, wearing gray.  And in the video this was backed up by some sketches of the same figure that make it clear that it's a person there.  Not sure why she is there and facing that direction, but she is.  So now 8 years later, I have an answer.   I posted it to this blog, as my job at that school was ended by Covid, and I doubt there have been many people looking at that blog for the past several years.  

Boardwalk Days part 36

 Nothing more I can do about the show upstairs, so for now it's time to work in my Studio downstairs, and I do have a block in progress.  That would be my latest boardwalk print.  I did some drawing on it last week, all I am going to do for now.  Today it was time to do some cutting.  Brought my good tools with me, along with a few discs from my rock/pop book.  Made a stop at the supermarket on the way up, to pick up a few non-perishables and to scout possibilities for tomorrow night's reception.  Then up to the Studio.  This time there was actually a space available (just the one, and I grabbed it), and went inside the building.  Maybe two more artists had hung work, but not Molly yet.  When I got down to our space I could see that Molly had been there and working on things, if not actually finished anything.  Maybe she worked out a deal with Jeanne to put art up soon, and since the show opens tomorrow, it will have to be soon.  

As for me, my wall looked as it did yesterday, so I was just there to work.  For music I put on a home burned disc of Shonen Knife, a collection of early songs, written about on this blog a few times, as far back as July of 2019.  It occurred to me today as I looked this up, that I have been writing about this disc for 5 years now, and it mostly came from American reissues I have owned since the early 1990's, before I even moved to Carbondale.  Then as now, good music to cut to.  

I started with the lower right corner of the block, and finished cutting the rest of Convention Hall, plus the recently drawn plants, the blocks of stone and dirt around them, and the bottom of the light pole.  Then the bits of boardwalk and sand that remained on that side.  Music still playing, I did a little bit on the other panel, such as the last piece of sky above the horizon of ocean, the bicycle and rider, and some more of that boardwalk.  This was the result:

At that point my disc ended, and while I had brought other things to play, I decided to end the session there, pack up, and go home.  I'm going back tomorrow, a few hours before the opening, and I can finish it then.  Printing can wait until next week.  As I left via the first floor main door I saw a few more people hanging work on the 1st floor.  I guess they also had a deal with Jeanne as well.  I do hope the walls are all filled by the time of the opening tomorrow night, but either way I know my stuff is done and on the wall.  On the way home, another stop to scout food possibilities, then home from there.

4th Annual Jersey Shore Center Resident Art Show

When I spoke to Jeanne last week, she said that she would make sure that my old work was taken down from the current show, and the new work I submitted for the next show would be installed.  But over the weekend we got a mass email saying everyone in the current show should take down their work and put up their new work on Sunday or Monday.  What does this mean?  I figured the only way to know for sure was to get up there on Monday and find out what was happening.  

So in the morning, I did just that.  All I brought was my camera and my pencil case, which contained my calibration tool, in case I needed to adjust the wires again.  The front parking lot was pretty full, but the handicapped spaces were clear, and I have a hang tag that allows me to use them.  I assumed there would be a lot of people hanging work, but I saw few people in the building, just one hanging work on the 1st floor.  I checked my assigned wall, and saw my old work was taken down, and the new work up in its place.  While I was there, I grabbed a photo of it.

No labels or name tags yet, but the framed works looked fine.  I didn't need to do anything about that wall, but as long as I was there, I decided to pick up the old ones, some boardwalk prints.  However I didn't see them in my space, or in the office.  I found Jeanne in a hallway and she said they were in the office, under the big table.  I went back and found them, taking one with me back to my car, and getting my large tote bag so I could easily carry the other two back to my car, where all three were back together in the big bag.  No cards out yet, so I decided just to go on to the next stop.

That would be my speech therapy office, where the people I interact with always have questions about my art, and art in general.  Normally I would have left some cards with them, but like I said, don't have them yet.  Have an email address for one of them, but she's out of state this week.  However, the receptionist was not, so I got an email address from her, and planned to send the jpeg of the card design to her.  It has all the information about the show, and they even spelled my name right. 

Speaking of which, that card image can be seen below, perhaps even better than one taken with my camera, which is usually how I have to do it (click on it to enlarge):

As the card says, the show opens with a reception on Wednesday, October 23rd from 5 to 7 pm, which may have some refreshments there, depending on what the artists bring.  The show remains up at least through November 30th, though for the last one I was asked to keep my work up, and so it was there for the Punk Rock flea market, and they hung holiday decorations around it, with my work staying up through the spring. This show, like the last one, has my latest 3 Robert Johnson prints, none of which has been exhibited before, so that's a treat for anyone who shows up.  With exterior doors usually locked, I have no idea how many people that will be.  

Redeemed?

 I was up early enough this morning to attend the figure group that meets up in Ocean Grove, so I went up there.  Got my stuff from my basement space, and went to the room.  Again, not a huge crowd, maybe 5 or 6 total, but that more than enough to pay the model.  My understanding is that we had another substitute today for the scheduled model, and in any case she was new to me.  As usual we started with gestures, so I started with pencil in my small sketchbook.  Gradually we moved to longer poses, and for the last two I got out my large sketchpad and charcoal.  The first of these was a 20 minute, but I didn't like the results at all, and never even finished it.  She had brought some props with her, and put on some very loose jeans and a cowboy hat for the last 15 minute drawing.  That one is below:

At first I wasn't even sure I was going to stick around and do it, but I figured this was my last chance to produce something decent today.  (earlier shorter pencil drawings were ok, but nothing to write about)  I liked this last one I did the best of today's work, and others complimented it as well.  The model came around at the end to see it and also liked it, asking to take a photo of it.  Maybe it helped that the person handling the music put on some country-ish tunes during the last drawing, and it put me in the mood.  In any case, I was glad that I hung around long enough to do it, as it was much better than the previous piece, which would have been my last one if I hadn't done this.  I took my own photo of it down in my space later.

After that I decided to go over to the office.  Jeanne was in, so I asked her about postcards and flyers and such.  After all, the reception/opening is in less than a week. However, Jeanne admitted she had nothing, and we would probably have them some time after the reception.  She stated she probably should have dealt with it sooner.  Had to agree there, as promotional stuff should be distributed before the actual show, not after it has already begun.  Things have been released about it to the press and online, so at least we have that, and I'll be promoting it online as well, including emails to people who might have an interest in seeing it.  Not much more I can do.  I will put something about it on this blog in the next few days.

Boardwalk Days part 35

 First thing this morning I checked email and had one from Jeanne at the JSAC.  It was a mass email to all show participants saying that the receiving of work for the upcoming show would be ideally today or tomorrow. but that the current show she wanted to keep up through Saturday night, when there is a big night happening at the theater, and because she likes work up on the wall.  She and others will install the new show Sunday to Tuesday.  Okay, that saves me from having to ask about that today.  

Shut down the computer and later headed up to Ocean Grove.  With me was a disc from my old studio collection, Beat This!, which is a best of album of music by the English Beat, chosen because I heard a song of theirs on the radio a few days ago.  I wrote about this back in January of 2023 if you want to know more.  Also with me were labels for the framed works in the upcoming show, some clear tape, and a bunch of sketches for the current boardwalk print.  Had plans as well for when I got there.  On the way up I saw that a lot of route 35 south was blocked by a police stop of a large truck.  Hoped that would be gone by the time I was heading home on that road.  

Got to my Studio and the first thing I did there was take care of the frame labels.  All printed, so just cut and tape.  Just took a few minutes.  Results below:

Next was to make sure there would be someone to receive them.  I walked to the main office just carrying one framed piece, the largest one.  I couldn't carry safely all three, and I wanted to make sure someone would be there.  Jeanne was there, and decided she would take the framed prints then, since I couldn't promise I would be there on Sunday, and I can't.  She seemed to really enjoy that first one, Traveling Riverside Blues, but I don't know if she liked the lyric, the image, or both.  (I can only take credit for the image) So I went back to my space and got the other two.  Gets them out of my Studio.  And I told her she was welcome to keep the ones currently up for a few more days.  She claims that a lot of people will be coming on Saturday night and it will be good publicity, but I'm okay wit anything that keeps them out of my basement for another week.  

With that done, time for some new art.  I cleared my table and got out the boardwalk block.  Over the weekend I had done some sketches on paper from the computer.  From photos I took and posted to the internet a long time ago I copied the plants near Convention Hall, and a model in a bathing suit, who seems to be applying sunscreen to her leg.  The latter was originally from a drawing session probably in 2009 (for the then upcoming Miniature Golf themed boardwalk print) and I finally get to use it for this print now.  From the internet I had sketches of people on Asbury beaches, little tiny sketches suitable for deep background in the image.  I added all of these items to my block drawing, the last few things I needed.  I will continue the cutting of that block next week. The sketches on the block can be seen below:

In the lower drawing, my girl applying lotion is the bent over figure on the far right, between the rails.  I decided that was enough work for the day, and headed home.  Luckily, whatever was going on earlier on route 35 was long gone, so I got home quickly and without incident. 

Frame Shop is Open Again

 I have kept up with my schedule, and the next Residents Show will be opening in about a week and a half. I will have prints in the show, because I finished the third print last week, and framed them all today.  I'm showing the latest three prints in my Robert Johnson series, and since all the prints are supposed to be the same size, all the window mats and frames should be the same size.  As a result, last year's frames should be fine for this year.  Time to put that to the test.

I did bring some discs with me from home, which are the discs I had in the Studio in the past, so it's all the same.  Started with the live album I have from the Dream Syndicate, written about back in April of 2020 if you want to know more.  Also brought with me was linen tape, which I would need to make hinges to mount the prints.  Everything else was there in the Studio.  For example, the old frames (still full) were there, my scissors, and a small flat screwdriver just the right size for loosening the screws that allowed me to open each frame.  

First step was pulling out the actual prints to be framed, on my wall, or in my rack.  Next was trimming those that needed it, and using pencil to put titles, edition numbers (all are #1 of their type), and signatures.  I favor a standard format at the bottom of the sheet, though other options are permitted.  (a few weeks ago I told Nellie that it was okay to sign her new prints on the back, since the image came all the way to the edges of the front, and I wasn't lying- I've seen it done that way) Used my Studio scissors to cut linen tape for the hinges, and attached those to the print, and later the backing board.  I cut a new piece of foam core (from materials stored at the Studio) to put on the very back on one frame- the one I didn't have in that Asbury Park show in August.  Even cleaned the plexiglass before putting everything back together.  The only place I noticed any issue was my one horizontal image with lyrics, which used the same frame that I used for a horizontal image with lyrics last time, but that previous one was made a little longer than requested, and the window was cut accordingly.  I decided that cutting a new window mat would take too much time today, and just went with the one I had.  It looked fine and would do.

The only thing remaining is to add labels to the back, identifying the works, the artist, etc.  Not specifically asked for, but I always put them on.  However, that requires a computer, back at home, so I'll add those next week.  Won't take long.  And with that, I was done.

The first disc ended, so I went with a shorter one, Henry's Dream by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, something I've written about on this blog before.  Eventually I put everything back where it was, just with new prints inside the frames.  I stopped by the office to talk to Jeanne, but later found her in the basement hallway.  I don't know if the office will be open on Monday or not (holiday), but she said Tuesday was fine for delivery.  I also asked about the current show, in which I have three other pieces.  At first she thought I was offering to take down other people's work, until she finally realized I also have work in that show.  I was told many years ago that no one would ever care about my situation as much as I would, so if there was anything art related that I cared about, I should make sure it got done.  I guess I will make sure those works upstairs make their way to me next week.  

Boardwalk Days part 34

 Back to work on the boardwalk today.  I had brought my good tools, and my collection of pop/rock discs. The latter was planned, due to things that happened recently.  Today was destined to be a Pixies sort of day.  First, I saw a reaction video over the weekend to two songs from the Pixies last studio album (in their original incarnation), Trompe Le Monde.  It's probably the album of theirs I have listened to the least, partly because it was the most recent of theirs, and partly because it's probably my least favorite.   Not that  it's a bad album, because it's not, but it does have the feel of their last effort.  Later I learned that one song is actually a remake of one from their original demo, but not released yet.  It's a loud album, but I don't know if that was a producer decision or the band's idea.  Not many biblical references this time, but the UFO thing is still a part of it.  While not my favorite Pixies album, I did feel it was good enough to make a copy to keep in the Studio, which is why I have it now.  Then yesterday Dave sent me the video for the new Kim Deal single.  Kim was the bass player and back up singer (plus an occasional lead) for the Pixies in their original form, but even then she had a side project, The Breeders, who had their first album come out while she still had a few Pixies albums to go.  When her main band broke up in the early 90's, she did the other full time for a while.  I had the early Breeders releases (vinyl and cassette) and put the first 3 on a single disc a while ago, with a copy for the Studio.  I've listened to it from time to time and even wrote about it back in January of 2020 if you want to know more. This new single is credited as a solo project, though it does sound like work she did with the Breeders. 

So today I was continuing work on the current boardwalk print.  I still haven't checked that photo I have of the large plant, so I cut around that today.  However, there is a lot of detail in Convention Hall, so the hour and a half I put in was very busy.  I finished most of that building, and the tall street light on that side. What this tells me is that I need to deal with the two main uncut areas soon- that plant and whatever I am putting on the beach in the other panel.  Meanwhile, what I did today can be seen below:

While there today I checked on all the proofs from last week, and all seem to be absolutely dry.  It looks like they will be safe to sign and frame later this week, so I am on schedule for the upcoming show.

So What Next?

 I have finished the third print in my latest group of Robert Johnson prints.  The big question is whether or not I do any more.  I originally put together a list of several possible songs to adapt, even writing down some of the lyrics, and sketching out some ideas for the art.  Of these songs, I eventually did prints for 5 of them.  (the sixth one I did, Cross Roads Blues, was not on this original list, but so many viewers knew the story of his soul sale at a crossroads at the opening for the first show, that I decided to work out an idea for that song)  I will be showing the next set of three at a show in a few weeks, and the question right now is should I do any more.  In favor of continuing is that I have exhibited or will be exhibiting all of them, and have sold a few of them as well.  In favor of ending things (for now at least- this project has its roots going back 30 years) is that I have done most of the ones I had wanted to do, and I haven't heard anything yet from the organizer of the planned show in Nashville.  

One new thing that happened today is that I watched the latest episode of HBO's "The Penguin" and it closed with a version of a Robert Johnson song.   The song was listed as "Me and the Devil" by Gil Scott Heron on the episode, but instantly I recognized some of words as being from Johnson's song, "Me and the Devil Blues", which would have been first recorded back in the 1930's.   Heron died a few decades ago, so I know it's not recent.  From the comments for a video of the song I found on the web, this version has been used in several shows over the years- I just happened to see this one.  Why I note it here is that this was one of the songs on my original list, but I never came up with a visual that I liked.  I do like some of Heron's music from the 1970's (see this blog) and I have some appreciation for records he made in the 90's, I had not heard this one before.  There was one lyrical change- Heron changed one line from being, "Gonna beat my woman until I am satisfied" to "Gonna see my woman until I am satisfied"  I guess there are some lines that even Gil Scott Heron wouldn't sing.  Doesn't affect me, as that wasn't the line I was going to adapt anyway.  The fact that artists have continued to make their versions of these old songs, and over 300 people decided to leave comments, there is at least some interest out there in these songs.  Maybe I shouldn't be leaving it just yet.

Meanwhile, I have other things to work on.  I can continue to work on the boardwalk print I was trying to finish before I pivoted to this last Johnson piece to get it done for the Tenant show later this month.  And from there, I can continue that series, as I had ideas for a few more that I never got to.  Given some suitable wood, there is no reason I can't draw some more.  One was going to be about the effects of Hurricane Sandy.  That event occurred decades ago, but the damage caused by hurricanes in the south has brought that back into the news lately.  Something to think about.

Short term I have to deal with framing and delivering these Johnson woodcuts, and then I have a boardwalk print that is started and still several weeks away from being finished.  And I may have to put that on hold to do a holiday card in time to be posted here for Christmas Day.  So I don't have to decide anything right away, probably not until 2025.  But today I was thinking about it.

Print Shop

 If nothing else, I do know something about printing.  It's why I was hired to print woodcuts for a show this past summer, and it's how I was declared an essential worker back during the Covid crisis.  Whatever else I know, I do know how to print blocks of wood on paper.  Which is how I found myself in the basement of the Jersey Shore Arts Center today.   We are scheduled to have a show open later this month, and the work for that show to be turned in the week after next.  I plan to use the same frames as last time, and the prints I plan to show are the same size as the previous prints shown, so the mats are already cut to right size.  I finished and cut the last block last week, and printed a good version of it earlier this week, so all that remained was pulling two new proofs of the two other prints planned for this show. 

Which is what brought me there today.  One thing about woodcuts is the printing ink (and I always use oil-based ink which stays open longer and dries a much darker black) takes several days to be fully dry, and it is definitely better for the prints to be completely dry before they are framed.  (I know some things about framing as well, but we'll get to that next week)  So today was the day to print those last two copies I wanted.  That means the proofs will be completely dry by late next week, so I can frame them and they will be ready to submit well before the 14th, which is the day they start accepting work for the show.  I completed the two other prints months ago and even had a successful proof of each if I needed it for the exhibition, but I wanted a better, cleaner proof of each.  Prepared the blocks yesterday while I was there.

This morning I started by preparing paper, which was just tearing a sheet of Rives Lightweight in half to make the two pieces of paper that I needed.  For these last Robert Johnson prints, of course I had blues music, in this case the home burned copy disc I made of Robert Cray's live show broadcast on the radio.  As it played I marveled that this disc still sounded pretty good considering that the show itself was taped back in 1990, which will be 34 years ago later this month.  The radio station that broadcast it has been off the air since last century, but the music is still good.  It was written about on this blog back in October of 2021, and probably many other times as well.

Each block has been printed before, so it went well and there were no surprises.  I got better proofs of each print, and I assume they will be dry in time to frame for the show.  Here's a photo to today's work:

So that step is done now.  Nothing more I can do until the ink dries, and I'll have to wait a few days for that to happen.  So I'll take the weekend off, and be working on something else early next week.

Figure Drawing in October

 For a few days I have been debating whether to go to the drawing group this morning, or to proof the other two blocks for the upcoming show there in our building.  Even this morning I still wasn't sure.  But in the end I chose to do some figure drawing.  I was up in time to do so, and I knew I could print tomorrow and still have it dry in time to frame everything before the first day that they are accepting works.  (I don't know if for sure, but it makes sense to me that work submitted earlier in the week of delivery has a better chance of being hung in a more visible space on the wall) Plus, I knew I could complete a step or two of the pre-printing after I was done drawing, since I had to go down to my space anyway to return some of my materials.  I brought my small sketchbook and pencils, pencil eraser and sharpener, charcoal, and cutting tools, plus my camera to document the completed work.

Got to the room and found the room was pretty empty, only 5 artists including me, so plenty of options for seating and setting up.  New model for me.  Not particularly exciting to draw, but she did fine.  At the request of the artist who usually handles the timing we skipped the 30 second gestures and went right to the one minute gestures.  No complaint from me.  Shortly after we started, a sixth artist showed up, but this didn't affect me.  I used pencil for most of the drawings, only breaking out the charcoal and related materials for the last 34 minute drawing, our longest.  

As is typical, during breaks then model walked around to see the results to what the artists had done.  (some do this still nude, but this one dressed first)  So she saw all I had done.  She had some praise for everything, but her favorite thing, and the only thing she asked to photograph, was the final charcoal drawing, which can be seen below:

On the other hand, my favorite drawing from today's session was this 20 minute pencil drawing done just before the charcoal, and that one is seen here:

After things were done I headed downstairs to my space to document the day's work and to do a little to prepare for tomorrow's printing. I found the two blocks quickly and removed the tape from the one that had a lot of tape on it.  Then I used my cutting tools to clean up all the odd bits that required me to tape over the unwanted ink on that block.  The other block had no tape on it, but I still spent a few minutes cutting some tiny areas that had picked up ink.  Assuming I am careful with the inking, these two proofs will be the cleanest of all proofs taken of these two blocks, and should be suitable for showing. I chose not to prepare paper, as this would have required me to clear off my table, and pull out the box containing clean paper, and I didn't feel like it. That last step can wait until just before I ink the blocks.

Traveling Riverside Blues- Finished

 Went back to the Studio today to try to finish this latest Robert Johnson print.  Of course I brought my blues discs with me, while the altered block and my previously torn paper was already there.  I also brought my cutting tools, just in case I needed them.  I had come up there yesterday to cut more on the block, and I hoped that would be enough, but there was no way to really know without actually printing it.

My hope was to print two copies, one with the lyrics, and one without.  The former would be for the upcoming exhibition there in our building, and this print with lyrics should fit well in the mat I cut for last year's Tenants show, and used again recently in the Asbury Park show, my take on "Love in Vain."  The latter would be to send to Tom as an update on my latest Robert Johnson prints.  I decided to start with the one without lyrics first, as the image had to work there, before I would show it anyway.  And if it worked, I could do the one with the lyrics for the upcoming show, which would be collected the week after next.  

I started by putting on some vintage blues, in this case my home burned copy of two old John Lee Hooker albums moved from vinyl to a disc.  You can read about this disc on this blog back in October of 2021.  Then printing.  I don't know if the practice I had printing Mary's woodcuts for her show in August helped, but this seemed to go well and faster than the other prints done in this series.  Meanwhile, Molly showed up again, to pick up her recent product I guess.  She didn't stay long, saying she was taking things down the street, and she would be back soon.  Meanwhile I continued with my hand printing of the changed block.  (Molly agreed that the female figure in the first proof was too dark, but liked the rest of the image) After I finished printing that second proof I compared the two, and decided that the new version was much better. I also saw improvement with the other areas I had changed, but I knew to look, and none of those were as problematic as the female figure.

Printing the proof took only about an hour or so, so I decided to go ahead and print the next proof, the one with the lyrics.  However, before anything else, I inked up and printed the lyric section on newsprint.  I figured the image was printed once before so I should print the lettering once.  Based on that, I had to trim a few small bits around the lettering, but mostly it was fine.  I had a slightly larger piece of paper prepared already.  The only real difference was that instead of taping over the text, this time I was taping around the text.  Otherwise, inking and printing is the same process. 

The John Lee Hooker disc ended, so I put on a Buddy Guy disc I had made for Texas, which you can read about back in February of 2020 if you want to know more.  Printing this one was also not too difficult.  Probably helped that it had been printed before- first last Friday, then earlier today.  The resulting print also looked acceptable to me.  Below is the version with text, which is likely the one I will frame for the upcoming show:

With those two proofs completed, I decided this print is done.  I still want to pull two new proofs of the other two Johnson prints I plan to show this time, and getting them done later this week means they will be dry in time to frame for the show.  I may print other proofs of this one as well, to have available, but at least I am done with it in time for this exhibition. Molly never came back, so after putting everything back to way it was before I got there, I locked up and left.