Mercury in Retrograde

Life gets crazy sometimes doesn’t it? Crazy expensive. I’m starting to believe all that mercury in retrograde shit I read about in the monthly horoscope columns and I’m starting to believe all the threats about not forwarding email. You know the ones…“this email must be forwarded to everyone you know within the next seven minutes or tomorrow something bad will happen to you!” In the last two months I’ve had a run of bad luck. Well, more like a string of annoying and expensive home and car repairs. Here’s a list:
A broken latch making my Cuisinart unusable.
A broken fuel pump in one car,
A broken computer in the other…why does a car need a computer anyway?
A couple of nasty dents and gouges on the hood of my car (left by someone who apparently didn’t know he or she had done so…probably a Jim-Bob who drives a Hummer and routinely rolls over small cars and children without knowing it).
A swampy bog backyard needing thatching, aerating, and de-mossing.
Moles.
Two lilac trees needing drastic pruning or death by chainsaw.
A broken clothes dryer.
A trickling toilet that occasionally produces a mysterious puddle.
A kitchen faucet that drips enough to fill a watering can daily.
A microwave oven that sparks and glows.
A refrigerator whose doors have decided to remain ajar.
I just have to wonder what sort of bad karma-ish thing I’ve done to deserve this spree of costly repairs and replacements. Hey, I’m sorry I didn’t pass along that important message from the Dalai Lama. Really I am. Ditto on the email about the starving kids who try to sell you perfume but it’s really ether and then they bop you on the head but maybe they are really just your guardian angel and have come into your life for only a season…blah, blah and blah.
On the other hand, maybe I’m a modern day Job, (Jobelle?) and my patience will result in some greater glory…maybe a spot on a home makeover program.
In any case the above list combined with a list of summer activities and obligations has distracted me to the point of madness for I haven’t spent any time in my studio and little time in the ‘art world.’ I did the Artist’s Garage Sale back in June which, despite the dismal weather and my general lack of experience with such things, went well. I have some prints hanging in the Edmonds Library which actually earned a little press action in some local papers. And of course I’ve looked in on a few galleries, museums and shows, but doing so when I’m not working myself only makes me anxious. To be honest, I have been experiencing a rather scary dearth of inspiration and have produced no new work. I’ve pulled out my copy of The War of Art for re-reading and placed an online order for Twyla Tharp’s The Creative Habit. I’m seeking inspiration, comfort or a kick in the ass. But what I’m REALLY hoping is that my attendance in the upcoming EDGE program (for which I have been frenetically preparing) will be a turning point. I’m hoping it will put an end to my home appliance crisis, (seriously, how many other things can break? Wait, don’t answer that.) and put an end to the artist drought I’ve been experiencing. One can only audaciously hope. But, to ensure my good fortune you must pass this along to at least seven friends in the next seven minutes. Just kidding.

Progress V

Here’s the final print. It all came together quite well and I am pleased.

Progress IV

Remember that song from the 60’s sung by Dusty Springfield? It goes something like, “wishin’ and hopin’ and thinkin’ and prayin’…”? Do you remember all the lyrics to that song? …the part about doing the things he likes to do and wearing your hair just for him? makes my skin crawl but that’s another blog entry. Anyway, that’s where I am with this piece right now. Wishin’ I’d done a few things differently, thinkin’ it looks okay so far, hopin’ those bluebirds aren’t too blue, prayin’ it’ll all come togehter with the next, and final, run through the press.

Progress III

Last night I printed the skin tone, and the redish-brown breasts of the blue birds. I decided to underprint the entire figure for a more consistant black when I print the key block. This was the third pass through the press. When it’s done, this piece will have had five runs through the press. Registration is my greatest challenge and with each pass through the press I worry a little bit more about whether, when the print passes through the press the last time, everything will line up. Sometimes the black lines in the key block covers any imperfections in the registration. Sometimes the registration is hopelessly off and those unfortunate prints end up as proofs at best and in the recycling bin at worst. Sometimes the registration is perfect and I feel like the luckiest girl in the world. Because all three of the these options occur with each and every edition, I generally print twice as many as I hope to have in the final edition. This time I’m working with twenty and hoping for an edition of 10.

Progress II

On a snowy, spring Friday I printed the next color. It’s not the best photograph, (I really need to set up a place in my 100 square foot studio to photograph my work, ha!) but I think generally one can see what’s happening. Usually at this point in the process I love what I see…the freshness of the color especially. As the print develops I pass through several love-hate stages. My next decision is whether to underprint the entirety of the figure on the left, except for the areas that will remain white. If I choose to do so I will need to carve another block, which is not entirely a bad thing as it will give the green-blue ink plenty of time to dry.

Green-blue + orange.

Progress

I’ve been spending time in my studio lately working on two projects. One is hush-hush for the moment, (I don’t want to jinx myself) and the other is a relief print of an image I’ve been toying with for some time. Following through on an intention to document my progress I submit the following:

My working sketch.

The key block.

The orange block.

I’ll be posting additional images as the print develops.

New York Haikus

Wedding in New York
Beautiful bride, handsome groom
Sure hope they make it

You know I’m kidding
Of course they’re going to make it
Can’t you take a joke?

A night at Ustavs
Saris, flowers, rings on toes
A blend of cultures

Candlelit wedding
An altar of white roses
Hope they don’t catch fire

Food, spirits, music
Fancy moves on the dance floor
The Best fam’ly rocks

Dance the night away
Mom takes a turn on the floor
Her new hip works well

Open bar, dance floor
Brothers and sisters can’t help
but be obnoxious

If the day should come
When my children choose to wed
You can pay me back

After the wedding
A visit to the Waldorf
Looking for Brad Pitt

The party’s over
Let’s get out and take a walk
First we need Starbucks

A stroll down 5th Ave.
Pashminas are everywhere
I think I’ll buy some

Blend with the natives
Try to catch a friggin’ cab
Fuggetaboutit

Buy a subway pass
How many tries does it take
So aggravating

Time for all to leave
Goodbyes are never easy
Lets do this again