Studio Business

 Had a few plans for what to do at my Studio visit today.  First was check on the leaky water heater and see how it was doing.  Second was to find and photograph a copy of a boardwalk print that I knew was up there, for possible sale to someone who expressed an interest. Third was to print an image on a recently purchased large envelope, for a Fun-Pak I planned to send to Dave soon.  That was enough for one day. 

I arrived and let myself into the Studio.  Looked about the same as it did when I was last there, with a small puddle coming from under the sink and around the concrete platform toward the drain, though this time it looked like it had reached the drain. No sign that any wetness had gotten to any other spaces in our room, though some of Molly's screens had been moved to other parts of the room.  And the plastic basin that was under the hose attachments to the water heater was fairly full.  But no sign that any new water was dripping into it.  Didn't know what any of this meant, so I just reported it all to the office.  Eventually I got the story, and a mop came down again to pick up the puddle.  They still weren't sure how the small puddle got onto the floor- could be a leak from the basin or the heater.  But I did learn for sure that all water had been shut off to our sink and was shown a slop sink in the workroom I could use for now.  I was also told that the building would be replacing the water heater, but it hadn't been ordered yet, so no date was given as to when this would happen.  

While my hands were still clean, I found the boardwalk image I expected to find.  It was actually on my table, along with the block that created it.  I had created two copies of the print around the same time, after getting an order for it from someone who saw a framed version in a show in the building and wanted to buy two copies.  I already had one unframed extra copy, so I ordered the right kind of Japanese paper, watercolors that I needed to complete the prints, and ended up making two nearly identical copies, colors copied from the framed version.  Let her choose the one she wanted, and this one is the other copy.  

With all that settled, I could get to work.  I put on a home burned disc, the self titled debut album from David Poe, and started rolling out some ink.  I have briefly mentioned the Poe album before, but not in detail.  I can tell you he is a singer-songwriter type, and this album is all acoustic, and I have heard an updated version of one of songs on the radio, but have no idea where it came from.   I also know it is good to make art to, which is why I have it now.  

Dave and I have been sending each other Fun-Paks for decades now.  It has origins back in Williamsburg, where a local convenience store (the Tiny Giant) had a rotating rack full of Fun-Paks, which were small inexpensive plastic bags with a cardboard header, and full of really cheap prizes, often with a theme.   Over time it evolved into anything we could find for free that the other might enjoy, whether it be for a few minutes or a lifetime.  Dave often packed them in old used envelopes, and he covered old addresses and stamps with stickers, comics, etc.  I collected a bunch of stuff over the past few months, including a give-away CD, to send him, and last week bought some padded envelopes.  I will decorate the envelope with some original artwork (allowed in our rules, and in this case a recent woodcut), though the bubble wrap inside the envelope makes printing difficult.  I was able to do what is seen below, and left it in my drying rack for now.  Can't print anything on the back side of the envelope right now, so I'll have to figure it out later.  I cleaned my hands and tools in the other sink I was shown. 

All that only took one disc, so after giving the office an update, I headed home.  On the way though, I stopped off at my speech therapy office, to give them one of my extra holiday cards and to update my information for 2025.  No one was there when I got there, but eventually Carol came back, so she got to be the one who opened the card, and she revealed that Nicol would not be in the rest of the week, so everything I was going to give her will have to wait until my next visit.  

Art Continues in 2025

 And why not?  As of now I don't have a real good reason not to make art.  I have no new diseases this year (at least not so far), so just the doctor appointments I already have, and those are fewer this year than last.  There is a slight leak of the water heater in my space, but that doesn't really affect me, and the building says they will take care of that soon, and maybe they will.  

I currently have work up on the walls in the building that holds my Studio, probably through at least some of February, so that's available to the public. As of now I am aware of one other show, but have few details, an exhibition involving at least some of my Robert Johnson prints, now in Brooklyn during the spring, but I don't know anything beyond that.  I am not the organizer, so I only know what I am told.  

As for future work, I do have a new boardwalk piece in progress, and I have a good proof on the right paper.  However, I think first I will test some colors on a practice proof, and if I like the way they turn out, try coloring that good proof. If that works out, pull another good proof and see what happens with that.  If it all works out, it will be exhibited somewhere in 2025.  And though the Nashville show is now off, I do have ideas for a few more Robert Johnson prints.  If I like how the ideas develop, I may do one or two or maybe even three more prints in that series.  This project has roots going back more than 30 years, so I can't say it's done yet.  If nothing else, I will probably print some newer and more complete copies of the Johnson prints I have for the 

Beyond all this I have no plans yet, but one thing I have learned is that in art, things come and go rapidly.  Two of the shows I had in 2024 I knew nothing about when the year began, so it's possible I will have exhibitions in 2025 I don't know about yet.  I will have to wait and see, and when I know something, I will post it here.