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.