This Weekend...

FRIDAY:
Took my son to the Castle Spirit Challenge at the Convocation Center. DeKalb won the basketball game!

SATURDAY:
Cleaned, Cleaned, Napped, attended "The Nolan Family Meeting" at Twin's Tavern

SUNDAY:
Lazed about with a headache in the am, painted all afternoon, made a good dinner of bacon wrapped steak, sauted mushrooms and double baked potatoes. Klondike bars for dessert. Added tumbled marble tiles with my prints to my Etsy Shop.

UCC Painting - continued, originally uploaded by pejnolan.

Dragonfly 1.23.2010

Dragonfly 1.23.2010, originally uploaded by pejnolan.

It was a nice weekend. Friday night was the Rockford Midwestern Bienniel awards reception at the Rockford art museum. All day at work I kept thinking about it and each time I did my heart would race and my stomach would do flip flops! It was a lovely evening and many, many people I knew were there. My brother-in-law came, my husband and son came to cheer me on. There were a group of friends from the Kishwaukee Valley Art League, people I took classes with, and college instructors; and of course my brother and his wife. This year the museum grouped the work according to the artist. I was so proud to see mine hanging on the wall of a museum. It was very gratifying! My brother's work was on the opposite wall. Afterwards, we went out to eat at The Mediterrano restaurant to finish off the night. It was perfect. I was so jazzed up, though, I couldn't get to sleep until after midnight.

I woke up late on Saturday - 10:30am! Then Grace and I went for a walk at Northern Illinois University's lagood to look for the great horned owl which nests there every year. It was pretty cold and I couldn't find it. I figured it must be staying inside its nest in a hollowed out tree. I was driving home when I remembered there was a print show going on in the Altgeld Hall art museum. Mr. Bennett had chastised me for not being at the opening reception while I was speaking to him on Friday night. So, I stopped by for a quick visit. LOVED THE SHOWS! They were called the Cannonball Press: Root Hog, or Die! and the Midwestern BLAB!2. The cannonball Press show was of insanely large woodblock prints by the folks at Cannonball Press. I was in awe at the size and complexity and shear fun of the pieces. Take a peek at their work if you get a chance!

The day wasn't over, so I went into the studio and worked on the UCC painting I was able to finish the sleeve and was pretty pleased with how it turned out. Next I printed my Dragonfly woodblock (above)
.
Sunday I made baked beans and went to my brother and sister-in-law's birthday party at my mother-in-law's house. It is always good to get together with everyone to catch up. They are an energetic bunch who revel in good conversation and there are many conversations going on all at the same time! It is chaotic and warm and friendly at the same time.

It's back to work tomorrow...

Dragonfly detail

Dragonfly detail, originally uploaded by pejnolan.

The cuts were made using a 3mm Josei Moku Hanga Maru To (u-gouge) and an X-acto. The finished print will be 7.75" wide x 9.5" high to fit comfortably inside an 8x10 mat with 1/8" on top and sides and 1/4" on the bottom to allow for the title and signature. The paper is still attached to the woodblock at this point. I'm carving away the wood outside of the image area and creating the kento registration marks. Here is what it looked like when the drawing was first applied to the block.

The paper has been removed (above) and this is the last time it will be pristine wood. I'll have to wait tomake a proof. It's already a quarter to nine and it's back to work tomorrow! I was glad to get the carving finished this weekend though!

My Interview with Huckelberrybumpkin

My Interview with Huckelberrybumpkin, originally uploaded by pejnolan.

I am very excited to be interviewed by Trina with The Bumpkin Blog where it's always folksy! They are based in Idaho. If you have a moment, please take a peek! I think she did an excellent job. A Big Thank you to Trina!

I've finally woke up!

I swing from being a creative powerhouse to being artistically dry. Sometimes I'll go weeks without being productive, then BAM! I have a conversation with someone, or go for a walk and something strikes a chord. Then I feel like I can't keep up with everything I want to get done. Basically, I allow myself those times when it just isn't working. The downtime is like sleeping: you're creative body needs it to refresh, renew, and repair itself.

Well, with that analogy I finally feel like I am waking up after months of no art at all. Today I went the the studio and started a new print. The finished print will be 8" x 10". This photo shows the reverse image laminated onto the shina wood with nori paste. It is going to be extremely detailed in the wing area with more loose cuts for the background. I plan to beginning cutting tomorrow! *excitement grows*


I also worked on the UCC painting. The nose is giving me no end of problems. I think what I will do tomorrow is to work on the painting upside down. It is a technique I learned in college. It forces you to use your left-brain to see what shapes are actually there instead of using the preformed symbol of what a nose looks like.
Finally, I have the final products from my very first thrown pottery class to show you. I really, really like the one with the handle. It is a matte finish with celedon and some type of white with brown specks in it. (I forgot what the white glaze was named.)That's all for today. Hopefully tomorrow will be fun-filled, too!