Studio Activity

 Yesterday I finally did something I have been meaning to do for a while- ordered some needed art supplies.  Of course I would prefer going to an actual store and looking through things, picking out what I need, but those days are gone, more a money problem for those in the art supply business and less about Covid, though it may have played a part.  But I had gone over what I had, and what I would need in the near and far future, looked up item numbers online, and selected what I needed.  I got Japanese paper for current and future boardwalk prints, western paper for the black and white prints, a few new watercolor brushes, and several tubes of specific watercolor paints that I will need.  Used up a whole gift card  in the process, so if I need anything else in 2025, it will have to come out of my pocket.  If I don't sell anything, than I don't need to buy anything, so it all works out.

I gathered some things I needed today and drove up to my Studio in Ocean Grove.  One thing I wanted to do was pull another proof of my Love in Vain print. Part of this is because we are having another Open Studio event in about two and a half weeks, and it would be good to have a clean copy of this print.  The last one I made is now in Brooklyn, others have been sold, leaving me with just the one I took out of a frame.  And this has been the most popular one in the Robert Johnson series.  It has been in three exhibitions now, sold a few copies, and singled out.  I don't know if I will sell any more of them at that event, but it couldn't hurt to have one to show.

However I was a little concerned when I got to the building.  There was a big sign by the driveway saying that the front lot was not available, and parking should be in the back. Yet, there were few cars in the front, and I had seen none in the back, which I pass on the way in.  So I pulled into a space in the front, and figured I'd ask inside what was up.  As it turned out, the sign was left from last night, a rehearsal that resulted in parking problems.  I was warned that tonight would be worse, with the actual production going on, but that wouldn't affect me- I planned to take care of my business and go home to lunch there.  I got the block in question, the one sheet of the right paper I had there, and pulled a proof.  Results are below:

The image is fine, and the lyrics are printed fine.   The light smudges at the edges of the paper are also not a problem, as I can tear those edges off.  On the other hand, that big smudge of dark ink by the upper left corner of the border is very noticeable, and not something I can just tear off.  After it dries, I can try to minimize that, but I may have to print another one.  Luckily I ordered extra paper, and that should arrive by early next week. 

I had also hoped to leave next month's rent check.  I had a blank check, a new envelope to put it in, but I couldn't remember the new amount for a month's rent, and this would be the first time I'd be writing a check for that amount.  And no one in the office knew what it was either.  Well, Molly rarely picks them up on time, so she may not even know if it's a few days late.  In Molly's absence, I could at least listen to music, today my Doug burned disc of albums by Hans Rotenberry & Brad Jones, and Alejandro Escovedo, written about on this blog back in June of 2022.