printing (again)

Playing with pieces of old prints in order to get ready for the class I'm teaching at LPW next weekend, I made this, which is pleasing on lots of levels.

a list, and help required.

Forgeries, masks, games, double agents (triple agents), clementines in the winter, granny-smiths in the summer, some Borges and Neruda, lots of wandering around Paris by myself, pretend mushrooms and plastic goldfish, nasturtium leaves (like dollhouse plates), red notebook, trains, a photobooth.

The lovely Belgian gave me a new camera for Christmas. The one I had, I'd had since 2002 and then it cost me about $70. It's not bad--it's fine for documentation--but it's about 2 megapixels (my mobile's camera is more powerful) and it doesn't like to focus and it eats batteries like candy. It is such a luxury to be able to take clear photographs, of high quality, and at a large size.

I'm thinking of where my prints will go and I think photography (and the rest of the list above) will be a big part.

I need volunteers from other places in the world who will take a photograph (I'll send instructions) and send me a used train ticket. Any takers?

the complete printmaker

This book, by John Ross, Clare Romano, and Tim Ross, is wonderful. Almost as good as being back in the printshop. Not quite. I really can tell that I've become a better craftsperson because I enjoy reading things like this more than I did when I first began. Some of my trouble now is figuring out how to move away from things that are primarily illustrative. I don't want to stop making figures, but I do want to make bigger work.

I'm teaching a printmaking course at the Leicester Print Workshop in January--chine collée to add color to etchings. I'm really excited for this! I hope that working with students will help me loosen up, too. I think that's my problem (generally).