so today, I went to the studio

It was hot. I sweltered and it was not a pretty picture. However, I did accomplish something in the couple of hours I was there. Obsessesed with my woods, I am trying a variety of methods for developing images. I screened this image onto printmaking paper and was happy with the resulting two prints. The dye was fugitive on fabric, as it was last week: either the dye paste is too old or the soda ash paste is too weak. Whatever. I am tempted to stick with paper for now.
At lunchtime, one of the other artists and I visited Susan Lisbin, who is a painter, sculptor, and printmaker. We admired her live/work space and had not only a delicious lunch, but had a chance to look at more of her work than we had seen before. I came away inspired and for the first time, thought about taking a painting class. Just for the heck of it, I took out my oil pastels and oilsticks and played around with a canvas when I got back to the studio. And yes,I need a class. But thinking and doing are two different things, so we'll see. This image is square, but I must have cropped it when I took the photo.

That was today's adventure. I may or may not go to the studio tomorrow: depends on the weather, but if I go in the morning it should be okay.

I have been on a reading binge. It has been so long since I was at the library that my card had expired. Really. I took out two huge piles of detective fiction: Swedish noir, Italian, and British. I've already read 3 of the 7 books and it feels so good to escape.

Our weekend in Bethesda was pleasant. The weather was lovely - not the usual oppressive D.C. humid heat. I visited with Dominie Nash for an hour on Saturday morning at her home. I just didn't have time to go to her studio but we'll save that for next time.

getting closer

To tomorrow's Franklin Street Studios Tour. I stayed up really late last night to finish a few more small works (aka postcards) for tomorrow's studio tour. I could have done a few more if I hadn't been so blotto by 1:am.
I have to tell you that this Janome 6500 is a dream: it's the first time in my life I've done a zig zag edging without angst. Not that I needed the edging, since I have double-matted and framed all of these small pieces in 8x10 size. They look beautiful this way (or might, if I could take a picture that wasn't crooked). I think I shall call them "Art for Small Spaces."
Need I say I have my favorites? Marty told me today I have to decide whether I am going to make work for my own walls or be an artist who makes work to sell. I think I can do both - but unfortunately, not with the same piece.

Ran around buying wine and food for tomorrow,tidied up the studio some more, and even brought my mother over for a tour. Tonight, I have more to do but I really want to go to sleep right this minute. That, or caffeine. We'll see what wins.

getting ready

I decided yesterday that I had better start cleaning up and hanging work for Sunday's Open Studio tour. I had brought in my monotypes and collages weeks ago and now I have brought in some fiber pieces, as well. Spent yesterday hanging the work. I pinned some finished pieces to my design wall and left the piece I'm still working on, just as it is. The place looks pretty nice, if I do say so.

Then, today, I brought in some fabric postcards and scarves. The last time I had some postcards at a craft gallery, I overheard people saying "$30 for a POSTCARD?!!" So I double-matted and framed them in 8 x 10 clip frames; now they look like ART and maybe some civilians will buy them. Right now, they are lying on the table that will hold the wine, cheese,crackers,& fruit on Sunday.The scarves did not make me happy, so I brought them home and will decide whether or not to bring them back with me over the weekend. I don't want to clutter up the place too much.

I spent a good part of the afternoon making a price list - the worst part of the whole deal. Some of my studio mates, most of whom have done this before, insist that people come to studio tours looking for bargains and you have to have $15 things and "studio tour" pricing; i.e. - 20% lower than the would otherwise be. I don't make $15 items and am reluctant to lower prices across the board. My friend Lisa Westheimer, who had an open studio last fall, told me that she had a bunch of $5-15 items she wanted to get rid of. Nobody bought them - they bought the $300 pieces. Is there a lesson here? I continue to struggle.

Got back a little while ago from my artists' crit group - 3 painters,a collage artist, Lisa, a photographer, & moi. A young woman, who is a college student majoring in art, brought two paintings in for crit. She told us she has a university professor who looked at a painting of hers and said "I hate it." Can you IMAGINE? The arrogance! Not only useless, but destructive. We were much more helpful to her tonight.

Tomorrow, back to the pricing thing and I really do have to print some fabric...