Very Good Few Days!

Posted on by Sandy Webster

I woke at three to be ready at five for the lunar eclipse….another blood moon but with the fog preventing the warm glow of the previous moon trapped in the Earth’s shadow. I don’t know why I think it is so important that I watch this phenomenon. Maybe because it will not be til 2025 when this happens again.

A nice walk to the river a few days ago.

Five minute walk from my house and I am in the thick of it.

And yesterday the road past my house was paved.

Two days ago I had finished up my crow wood block. It was less than anticipated. So I have put carving aside for a bit until I get the studio set up.

But I needed to get caught up in something…SOMETHING! So settled down to drawing assorted animal heads to clothe in stitched cloth. I liked the bear best and decided to start with him.  Also a bear has been seen not far from my house coming down from the hills beyond.  I couldn’t resist a couple of paws coming out and a worried look on his face. He might not like that winter is coming and bundled up. The bits that are drawn cloth (shirt and scarf) will be finely stitched cloth to finish clothing him. He makes me smile and I am anxious to see what a fox might be worrying about. And on and on….

The drawing is on a six inch square of paper. Years ago I did a series of small owl heads with a partial moon in a deep blue sky behind. I am now thinking that I need to get those old wood blocks back out, print them and then clothe them from the neck down in finely stitched patchwork robes. A loosely tied cord around some fat middles. Anyway I am ready for some good fun and silliness coming off my pencils.

This morning I went to the big home supply store to get base cupboards for the studio that are counter height for the table top Patrick is making and will bring down at Thanksgiving. They are unfinished solid oak and I bought the side panels to cover that ugly board on the ends. One of the cupboards is 18″ wide and holds three drawers 24″ to the back. The other is 24″ wide and the same 24″ deep with one long drawer and a cupboard door down below. A great space for fitting the sewing machine and the XCut XPress die cut/etching press and beds. Marla will hang the pictures on the walls in the studio and we might add a shelf for artwork.

When I arrived home this morning a delivery person came shortly after. She had to hand deliver my package of a book shipped from Germany. It is the original woodcut images of Olesya Dzhurayeva in the Ukraine. She is a printmaker living in Kyiv. The images of her work through the printmaking groups I belong to on Facebook spoke to me like no others. These are from scraps of wood from her war torn surroundings inked with the black soil of her home.

When I saw there was going to be a small edition of this book, I contacted her to see if I could purchase one to not only help support her, but more importantly to have and hold these images.

It is hand bound in a clam shell box about 10″ by 13″. The colors of the Ukrainian flag are on the inside covers of the clam shell box and the book is covered in a “bitter chocolate” brown cover material from England. Three languages are opposite each of the six prints. The whole thing simply takes my breath away. I will say that Olesya has been in several printmaking exhibits in Europe since her work has become more public.

Here are some of the images of the book. The box.

The book cover with the image that first caught my eye.

And the English text between Ukrainian and German.

And how fitting that her words come today. The day Russians are routed from Kherson and the beleaguered Ukrainian soldiers are greeted so joyously.

Now I need to drop her a line to say that her inspirational work and words have arrived.

Til later….

More Socializing

Posted on by Sandy Webster

I see this Mockingbird guarding the gate to Riverwalk whenever I am walking back from coffee on the corner. Usually he is singing his heart out but as soon as I try to record him, he goes silent. He imitates all the bird sounds he hears and can do quite the musical. Someday I will catch him on a video.

I am continuing to sort the necessary bits for the studio. The other day it occurred to me to use the heavy iron rack I was using to dry prints as a paper holder for in the closet of the studio.

By placing it on its back side and putting its legs toward the back wall of the closet, I created six open spaces of 34″ by 2.5″ and 24″ high. It managed to organize six large portfolios packed with papers.

Now I can see what I have at a glance…and close the bifold doors when I don’t want to look at it. The two cartons of rolled papers fit perfectly beside it. In looking for the felts to my etching press I emptied eight more cartons from the garage this morning and put all their contents where they need to be.

I decided that the green bedspread set did not go as well with the newer rug moved to the bedroom, so dug out the grey one again. Then added some pillows lying around to pick up the natural wood tones. The felted throw from Bridgette in Tasmania was just what the cats needed….especially Sadie who has taken it over.

Today I took a walk on the dam…

Last Thursday I was taken to the college near here to see a student show…all graphics, which I find problematic to find the mark of the individual artist…

BUT it was so nice to meet the department head and printmaking instructor. And being around all that earnest energy of art majors was very inspiring. Our conversations will continue in the near future as I will be returning to visit classrooms and see more exhibitions.

Tomorrow it is back to movie night with a couple of the morning men, Wine, pizza and a movie in good company. A good way to take our minds off the election that closes voting about the same time. Fingers crossed that common sense prevails.

Til later…..

A Very Social Four Days

Posted on by Sandy Webster

I went to the neighbors to meet more of those who live here on the circle. It was quite a nice gathering, Lots of food and wine and getting to know each other. I seem to be the one with the clever garden out back. They appreciated my ANZAC cookies and requested the recipe.

A bear was seen where I walk to the river. But I was not deterred.

Yesterday I had time to get back to the Meadow Book.

And last night I joined a few of the men to watch a movie where we meet for coffee each morning. We shared pizza and wine. What I liked the most was how they laugh out loud and cheer on the good guys. I have missed that sound….men being amused out loud. I will go again if asked. It was just three men and myself. The wine was superb (the one who brought it has impeccable taste). But the second glass poured for me from another bottle attracted a fly. I watched him swim around for about a half hour, decided I did not need to fish him out to sip from where he was enjoying his last breath. I thought he needed his privacy to drown himself in the second best wine of the evening. And I did not, in any way, want to call attention to his peril at the risk of interrupting the laughter and running commentary of the fellows around me.

I walked home in time to meet up with family on our Wednesday evening phone call. But did stop to take a few pictures on the way.

And today I was pleased to be asked to go with one of the men’s wives to an art exhibit at a nearby college where she used to teach. She wants me to meet the teachers there who might want to use me as a resource for printmaking/book arts/ journaling. So I just need to be ready by 6:45. I can do this.

Til later….

FIVE Days Later!

Posted on by Sandy Webster

I decided to wait an extra day before posting. Major changes in the house this morning as I begin to unpack more “studio things”. The guest room furniture is packed into the garage waiting to go back north. In its place are familiar things.

This is the start of moving off the dining room table. And while help was here I switched area rugs between bedroom and living room. Once the warm toned shades went into the windows of the living room, I felt the rug there was too cool. But in the bedroom with the grey curtains and so many works in graphite, it made a better match,

I wanted to walk the dam the other day because it has been so long since I have.

And then back here to the river…..

I especially love this next one.

Magical doors in trees…

I like the female figure guarding the entrance above. And the recessed door with its peephole below.

And then the walk back home..

To my first camelia bloom.

The new mixer came. It is so light with some great German engineering. Even has a low speed that is low and a terrific storage feature for accessories and the cord! The mixers today have mostly wire beaters. I prefer the flat blade type because they will slice through the butter I thought had softened enough.

And the gas man came and started up the fireplace. Waiting for a dreary day now.

Thursday I went to the poetry group’s monthly meeting. I enjoyed it and hope they invite me again. It was nice to hear their words and see how they are placed on a page.

They asked if I wrote poetry. I said,  “Yes, but only on cloudy, dreary days, Not because the words are about dreary things but because the sun is an intrusion into my thoughts with its spinning around lighting things up as it goes. It (the sun) shines spotlights on things that call for the attention I am trying to give words.”

That got the response of, “hmm”. You know the kind of “hmm” that wishes they hadn’t asked.

So whether I get asked back again is unknown at this time. But a friend gave me a new ballpoint pen yesterday and I am ready to see if it can keep up with me. I can certainly thank the poetry group for getting  me in the mood.

The other day I came back from a walk to find, tucked in my door, an invitation to a resident’s home tomorrow evening to meet more neighbors. How nice.

I am looking forward to it. Home baked cookies or a bottle of wine would be nice to take along.

More later….