So it Begins!

Today was the first day, of the second year, at Cranbrook.

I have been thinking a lot about why I moved here this weekend, and what it's been like.
I moved here because I knew things were going to be difficult either way. I knew that either I was going to miss Mike terribly if I stayed, or I would miss home terribly if I moved.

This has been a lot more difficult than I thought it would be. I feel like I haven't been the best supporter here. That maybe I complain about this living situation too much. Maybe I am doing more harm than good. I feel like maybe this isn't so bad, that if I just focus on the positive this whole thing would be a lot easier. I feel like I am the one making this harder on both of us.

This whole situation has been really difficult for both of us, and on our relationship...and I think that if I had to do this over again I would have stayed home. On the other hand, this experience has allowed me to see that I can make art and make a living. Giving and taking.

I think this school year will be a lot better than last year...I know what to expect. I know how to handle certain situations and that the end is so close. I just want this stress to be done with and over. I just want things to go back to how they were, and I am not really sure if that will really happen.

Blerg.

Anyway, I got a lot of stuff done today, and I am almost ready for this upcoming art fair. It's a two day event in Ferndale, and I am a little worried. I am really afraid that I won't have enough stuff. I think that I would be fine if it was one day...but two?? Eeks. I am nervous...

So I have been doing a lot of printing the last couple of days. One of the ceramic students at Cranbrook also happens to have an Etsy shop. His name is Tim, and he gave Michael this really great screen printing tip. You first print on acetate, then move your paper over to line it up with the printed acetate, then pull the acetate away, bring your screen down, print, and voila! Perfect registration :)

I don't have any pictures of said prints, but I thought I would include some pictures of Chloe. She had a good day of napping on clean clothes straight from the dryer, and she also got some good naps in the sun...ah...what a life.

Early Blog

I thought I would post an early blog today.
Change it up a little.

I was very productive this weekend. Lots of work done.

I am so close to finishing my paintings for my upcoming shows...very exciting and I can't wait to post them up for everyone to see.

I finally watched both the Godfather and the Godfather II and let me just say I feel more connected with my Italian American roots. haha :)

Just kinda spent the weekend at home. Michael got some work done for his upcoming figure drawing class, Chloe napped, and since they cut down all the trees on the side of our yard, we now get a lot of light in our apartment, so I was able to get a good picture of Heather Blackwell's painting.


Jenipher at Cherry-Runway asked me to do a blog interview for her, and of course I said yes! So here it is:

www.cherry-runway.blogspot.com

Anyway, it's time to Chloe for her walk, and then I am going for a three mile run...
Hope everyone had a good weekend :)

Dentist!

I had to go to the dentist today. Just for a cleaning.

I decided that I need to be a responsible adult and take care of my teeth. Going to the dentist also prevents me from having those awful dreams where I slowly loose all my teeth, or they start to crumble in my mouth and turn to dust. Since going to the dentist I rarely have those dreams...

So I got some of my new screen prints up in my Etsy shop!
I actually posted them yesterday. I was really excited :) I am selling the ones that turned out really well, and I am also selling some of my oopsie prints. I feel like they are good prints, just not 100% awesome...so I have those listed too, just not full price :)

Silk screening really reminds me of why I love printmaking so much. There is certainly a rhythm, and a pattern that you tend to get into...and I love that. I love finding that groove and looking up at the clock and realizing three hours just went by :)

On another note, Gigi, of Roadside Scholar asked me to do an interview! You can read it here.
You can read all about me :)

On another note...I went to see The Strangers this weekend and it has to be one of the most scariest movies. Ever. Go see it.

I Did It!

Weeeeee!!

I made my first successful screen print last night!

Now, I just need to make some more.
I'd really like to put this image on the back of a hoodie :) In the lower left hand corner. I am thinking about turning this into a three color print...and the words "I have a crush on you." In French...in the cursive typewriter font that my typewriter makes...I so have a crush on these little typewriters...

I think hoodies have to be one of my most favorite articles of clothing. Along with Jack Purcell's. I just don't feel like myself without those two articles of clothing...

Here is a picture of the tree in out back yard. I am predicting that it stays like that for at least another week before our landlord decides to do something about it. We called him and told him about it, and he told us to call the power company...so we did...and the power company told us that they were unavailable at this time, and that they would call US back...yeah...

I thought I would throw in some pictures of Chloe today too! I know Buddy really likes seeing them. So here she is moments after chasing a squirrel up a tree. Then the squirrel sat in the tree teasing here for a good 10 minutes. Poor Chloe :)

The Internets Are Back!!

Yay!!

I am connected to the world again.
Thank God.

It got to the point that we were trying to get a connection by sticking our computers out windows...but it's back, and the router is in OUR apartment! So now, when I lose internet, I don't have to wait for my neighbors to get home and re-connect it.

So the last few days have been interesting. Our neighbor had to go out of town, so we have been dog sitting his dachshund, Georgia. It's been a lot of fun, and now I want another dog :)

I have been making a lot of work. Which is good.

We received our screen printing equipment yesterday! We tried to get some screens prepped last night, but we put too much of the emulsion on...so we are going to start over tonight. I know that this is going to be a learning experience, so I am trying not to get my hopes up too much about our first few attempts. Silk screening has a learning curve that can be really difficult, but I am determined to figure it out.

I am sure there will be updates :)

Anyway, I need to get some work done today, so that I have time to work on the screens tonight.
It's good to be back!

Panera!

Panera is where I have been using the internet the last couple of days.

I ordered an ice latte yesterday and the lady looked at me like I had just asked her for a cup of dog food. She had no idea what I was asking for. She asked, "You mean an iced chai tea?"

So I had to kinda explain it to her...

Other than that their sandwiches are pretty good.

So yeah, Portland still looks like it's not going to happen. Things have been a little slow in the Etsy world lately and tickets are getting unbelievably expensive....

In other news, we get our screen printing equipment on Monday!!!
I am so excited. Also, today while taking out the trash I noticed a heap of silk screens in the dumpster!! One of the pluses of living in an apartment building full of other artists is the amazing amount of stuff you can find in the dumpster. :) So brave Micheal jumped in and saved 7 screens that hadn't even been used yet! What a great find.

So maybe, just maybe, this screen printing thing will be a total smash hit and I will become a millionaire over night and be able to fly to Portland as planned after all :)

Hope everyone is having a good Friday, and have a good weekend.

Drawing, Screen Printing, Art

March so far has been good.

I had a bit of a melt down this morning, but I am feeling a lot better now.

There are certain things that I have begun to realize since moving here. One being that I feel as though I have changed quite a bit. I can't really put my finger on it, but I feel different. Like my attitude towards certain things has changed, but I can't think of any specific things. It's weird.

I think I might have strep throat, but I am trying to convince myself otherwise. I have been doing myself with herbal nasties, and drinking lots of emergen - C as well as taking lots of vitamins. I think it's working...I know it's working!!

I have been watching this great documentary about young hip artists, and I think it's called The Run Up, I could be wrong. Michael returned the dvd before I had a chance to memorize the title. Anyway, it's a little hipster for me, but it's really inspired me to get back into drawing and I really really want to do some screen printing. I feel like if I am going to purse graphic design, I want to learn all aspects of it. I also want to be able to rely on making art/design with more than just my computer. The idea of bringing a handmade quality to graphic design is so appealing to me, and I want to make that a huge part of my work.

Printmaking is really where graphic design began, and I want to remind people of that. I also want to include book arts as much as possible in my design work.

So I did a drawing of the steel bridge today, and found myself rediscovering how much I love to draw. I love all the materials I used too. The illustration board has such a nice surface to draw on, and I love love love Micron pens!

I would love to turn this illustration into a screen and print it. I am afraid my lines are going to be too small to get a good screen, but I think if I can find a really fine screen, it can be done. I hope. Now it's just a matter of finding the money to get all the right tools. I love art, and making it, but it can be so expensive...

While I was gone Michael built me these great new shelves for all my shipping supplies. I was able to get a lot of stuff off the floor of my studio, and it looks so much better now. He rocks! So there is Thursday. Done and done.