Behold, dragon-puss

Sometimes simple things are best.

I was completely stuck for an idea for one of the books in the book exchange and, earlier in the week, decided phooey. Not one of my more high-toned decisions, but it's been that kind of a week. So, phooey, just Do Something already, for pity's sake. So I splashed some acrylic paint, folded the page over, brayered it to a fare-thee-well, and opened it up again. Not bad, thought I, but it needs something. Uncharacteristically, I let it sit overnight until the paint was completely dry, then splashed in some orange, repeated the folding/brayering, and . . . am sufficiently tickled with the result to feel comfortable passing it along. (Heads up, Katie Jane.)

Maybe I won't learn to paint with all those scary fiddly little brush thingies. Maybe I'll just splash and roll.

clyff dwelling

This was fun.
I've been dithering -- what else? -- about the covers for my contribution to the book exchange. The two books I've received arrived straightforwardly braced with foam core, so I decided to follow that lead and today I cut 2 pieces of foam core to size. But I couldn't bear the idea of naked foam core, so I gelled down some tissue paper -- and I'm completely tickled by the results.

Those of you who do these sorts of things all the time will undoubtedly be all "Yeah, d'oh," but I'm all agog at channeling Clyfford Still, albeit in the most humble way.

So the clothespin people can start their travels tomorrow and I can start on the next thing -- whatever that might be...

Sally forth

15cm/6 inches x 30cm/12 inches
Watercolor, watercolor pencils, conte crayon,

ink jet printing on 140-lb watercolor paper
Figures collaged with Liquitex liquid matte medium.

The clothespin people are almost ready for their adventure. This is something of a departure for me, no textiles. The shortie in the tall-and-short pair right of center needs some definition, and IRL (as opposed to the onscreen scan) this needs a unifying something -- which may be why Tsukineko has given us Walnut Ink. Then it's drying time again, they're gonna leave me . . . But then they'll be back. With some buddies.

In the meantime, tomorrow (Thursday 7/31) I'm taking a class in gelatin-plate printing at the Country Quilter in Somers, then off to Vermont with my drawn-on-looseleaf sketch, a carload of supplies, and much free-floating anxiety. Heigh-ho.

venturesome

I had planned to take a class in paint flinging at the Great River Arts Institute in Vermont next week, but apparently I was only registrant so it was cancelled. Instead I've rented a studio -- how weird is that -- and am going anyway. But what to do? what to do? in my rented studio for two-and-a-half days? I've had this sketch for a hundred years (since it's on looseleaf I suspect I was doodling instead of algebra-ing, or some such). I have a hankering to do Something Big -- physically big -- and I think it has possibilities.

The clothespin people are just about ready for their adventure. They're in the book press -- a stack of 2 The Beautiful Cookbooks, Hiroshige's 100 Famous Views of Edo, and An Atlas of the Universe -- being flattened. The covers are so close to done that I think I will finish them tonight during the ball game. . . and then off to Ohio they go. And then I can post them. I can't say that I'm done being anxious (several people in the exchange are much more accomplished I am) but the fun part of this exchange is dominant.

exhale, dinah

Ever the poky one -- it takes me so darn long to think of something -- but I am now ready to post Dinah's book to the next participant, with this page newly attached:

30 cm/12 inches wide x 15 cm/6 inches high.
Hand embroidery over commercial print fabric,
mit tiny, shiny bits

Now, I need to see what I can do with this . . .and the meroitic alphabet . . .and the clothes pin people . . .
But not tonight. One triumph at a time, that's my motto.

check, it's in the mail

I got an acknowledge- ment of receipt today from one of the folks in my postcard group so, as requested, here's a look at the FRONT of the one I saved for me.

I'm not quite done with my contributions for the book exchange, but I'm thisclose. I decided against beading for the black and white and red page in Dinah's book. Since the books are going to be bouncing around in the mails in three countries on two continents, it occurred to me (in the nick of time) that it might not be the best idea to have lumpy, sharpish things sticking up from the pages. Enter Sequins. The slow-drying glue will have finished working its magic by tomorrow, then I can post a picture and post the thing itself -- yes really -- on Tuesday.

book exchange, now underway

Earlier in the week... okay, in the month... I got the first of the books for the exchange. Aside from being relieved of anxiety about the size of the pages, I was inspired by Dinah's use of my newest favorite colors:

Tonight, I finished the stitching for my page in her book. Tomorrow, I'll do a little beading, and then, on or about Saturday -- I think I can, I think I can -- post it to the next person in the round. Here's a bit of what I've got so far (hand embroidery over a commercial print):

invitational

This is what comes of having a blog:
people find you and ask you to come out and play. I got an email from dinahmow (in Australia, please) who saw a comment I posted on another blog (which originates in England) expressing envy at missing the fun of these pass-along and paste-in make-a-book exchanges. So she's starting one. So, would I like to participate? So I said, Sure.

Enter panic.

The challenge word this month for SAQA is "ancient" so that got me thinking about petroglyphs and I remembered that in the winter I splashed up a bunch of watercolor papers and left them out in the snow. I brought the soaking wet papers in and put clean pieces in between. The soaked papers are not wildly successful but the between sheets are interesting. The picture is a section from one of the between sheets with a little distress ink. Later in the weekend, I'll pick a section to work up for my book -- how odd it feels to say that -- carve some petroglyphs; stamp, stamp, stamp; and see if that looks like anything. Here's hoping...