Countdown to Party Time

Not really. I mean, maybe I will go out this weekend. I have been resting and it's been good. But tonight at midnight I found myself listening to the BBC radio making these beautiful little ravioli for the freezer. Of course they are vegan. Maybe I need to get out of the house tomorrow night. Though maybe not until it is above freezing at night. Mayaba did once tell me she was jealous of her introverted friends because we get so much done.

A Little Time Off

Visiting family is great and going out every night is fun too. But there are ten days till school starts, the house is quiet and I haven't made it to the studio this week. Since A. is out of town I have fully taken over the house, moving the sewing machine to the kitchen table for now. It turns out that these little books are too thick for my machine but I mended a shirt and made a peek-a-boo postcard for Ella. Today I ignored all the to-do lists, slept in a little, watched a movie in bed, drove around a little, and actually accidentally did a few things on the list. Home is good.

I Wish It Was Merry Merry

The past two weeks have been a whirlwind of visits; family and friends, roadtrips and bike rides. The last friend-guests left this afternoon, Andy left this morning on the road for a week leaving me and the cat to a quiet evening. It has been fun, the old friends again, tea in New Orleans, New Year's in Gainesville, lunch in Pensacola. But also there is this:
Two weeks ago a friend of mine was killed in New Orleans, in his home. The news reached me a few days later, already en route to my mother's. I missed the second line but saw a clip of it on the news, my friends so sad and strong, playing songs and marching in his memory. Memory. The last time I saw him was the day before he was killed. I haven't talked about it too much. I don't even know what to say here. It brings up everything about my friend Helen's death (four years ago yesterday), all the things without easy answers.
The only answer for now is to be glad for friends close by, for cozy kitchen toasts and all day drives between visits, for family and sun and good things.

My First Polymer

My New Year's postcard is done, the last layer added yesterday using a photopolymer plate to reproduce the type of my favorite typewriter. Close-up views only because these won't go in the mail until next week.

Louisiana in December

This is my favorite month here for sure. It might be too hot to grow anything in August but the week before Christmas, the garden is flourishing. I left the studio early the other day to check on the cabbage and cauliflower and walk around.
I also picked some of the last of the greens which I cooked up this morning with grits and seitan. Time to go go to school and print.

Trades part II

Bryan Kring is a designer in Oakland who sent me this 2011 calendar. This is only a partial shot. I send him postcards every month because I really like his work. Good trade!



Sarah Hayman is first year graduate in printmaking at LSU. Her work is layers of organic forms, stencils, pods, textures. She traded me these two images at the print sale last month and promises to trade more if I can let go of the ceramic nests that are still hanging in the sculpture building hallway.

Keep Writing! Year 3

I love mail. When I moved to Baton Rouge and started college, I wanted to keep in touch with my friends and also give myself a project to complete each month experimenting with different ways of making a post card. For the second year, I asked different friends to collaborate with me. Some of them live in Baton Rouge, others sent me something they printed which I could add to. The card above is a block print and silkscreen by Adam Ross, a high school friend now living in Portland, Oregon. I added letterpress and one layer of silkscreen. Now my list of subcribers is at 120, friends, penpals and people who are receiving these as a gift from a friend. For my third year working on this project, and my last year at school, I wanted to make the cards more interactive. Beginning in February, each mailing will include something for you to send back. Hopefully, I will be include some of these in an art show next winter.
Interested? Send me your name and address. A subscription is $9 for six months and $15 for a year. Trades and sliding scale is available. You can also order a subscription for a friend.
Other examples of cards are at www.gutwrench.etsy.com , under "subscription".
Next month's cards are resting on the drying racks in the print shop waiting for a third color. Don't miss out.