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for the handful of you who may read this silly blog, an update:

I've been slacking horribly with the art-making the past month or so, but I blame it on work and the weather. you know how the American South is rumored to be rather hot and humid in the summer? let me verify: yes, yes, a thousand times yes. I thought that my Texas heritage would give me an advantage, being a veteran of 105°F+ summers, but this humidity is something different. and after waking up at 4am every day, after driving around in an AC-less work van (black pleather seats!) for 5 hours, by noon I'm ready to spend the rest of the day napping and vegetating.

Luckily - and maybe a bit sadly? - this week is my last here. I'll be depositing the majority of my life possessions at my beloved parents' house in Texas and, soon thereafter, departing for a 3 month stint at a bird banding station in Idaho. scarily enough, this next job will entail me, little cityslicker me, living in a tent on a mountain with no electricity, no running water, and most importantly: no internet! (nearby Boise will be my recourse for that last one.)
And, of course, living in a waterless base camp will hinder any printmaking ambitions. I have plans of copious sketch-booking and journal-writing, along with GRE-studying and book-reading (suggestions, anyone?), but my precious carving tools will have to remain in Texas for the time being.

So, dear readers, this starved blog may become more of a repository of occasional posts along the lines of "hot damn look at these birds I netted!" or "dear god almighty it's cold up here!" or even "check out this rattlesnake that was behind my tent this morning!" My apologies in advance.

chipping sparrow

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long time, no blog. life is busy, but I've managed to finish sparrow piece #5:



the aforementioned time-consuming project? it was a bust. it may be salvageable someday, but I'm still too freshly annoyed to mess with it quite yet. I'll add it to the growing pile of Prints to Deal With.

dumb

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I stupidly decided to make a giant edition of a piece I've been working on, and the printing is taking me days. in the meanwhile, please enjoy this photo of a catfish-eating water snake I took today:

foody creativity

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The weather here these days is so beautiful and sunny, it's hard to make myself focus on printmaking. I have a set of small blocks ready and waiting to be carved, but going nowhere. my days are not utterly devoid of creation, though, as yesterday I had my first attempt at jam-making.



now I have to be patient for 2 weeks while the preserves "cure" - but I want instant gratification!

In other news, I had the privilege of being the first interviewee of the Printsy blog! Marissa Lee, aka mLee, was kind enough to do the interviewing and image-picking. I hope the next interviews are posted soon, I want to read about everyone else!

Oops, I forgot: I finished the print for Spudnik Press's exchange. simple, but turned out fairly well (other than some ink frustration).

Printsy frontpage!

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I can't believe it! I finally managed to see a print of mine on the etsy front page for myself!



All thanks to the ingenious creators & members of the new street team, Printsy. Way to go, us!

Also I scanned & listed my reduction print:

It's growing on me, methinks.

busy but with non-art

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Auburn bluebirds are reproducing like mad, and babies are getting fatter and fluffier every day, which is all very exciting except that it means my entire life is devoted to keeping track of them all.



Last week I managed to create & finish a small 2-color reduction print based on a photograph I took. Apparently I simply cannot register my prints without the kento method, so a good two-thirds of my edition went to waste! However a few turned out decently enough and I will be scanning them as soon as, 1, the ink dries, 2, I have a spare moment.

I signed up for a 3D print exchange with Spudnik Press. The special 3D paper (& glasses!) arrived a few days ago, and with the due date already fast approaching, I suppose I should get around to drawing up a few ideas. I seem to prefer napping and vegetating to evening productivity these days.

long time, no post?

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It's been ages since an update!
To follow up on the last post, just a week later I got onto the etsy home page again!



Once again, I didn't get to see it myself, but I got a screenshot from the infinitely kind (and talented) swallowfield.
February & March were good months for my shop, but not a bite, not a tickle, since then! I suppose it's fitting, as I haven't had much time or inclination for copious art-making.

I have, however, been working on a print for a Four Oceans Press print exchange, themed "spring." My image is not terribly original or inspired, but it was a pleasant and colorful project to keep me busy at art.

Not that I've had much time to be busy at art, what with bluebirds hatching all over the place, but I managed to fit in a big fat printing session (6 blocks! 10 colors!), spread out over two days.


I ended up with an edition of 30 full-bleed butterflies, most of which is destined for the exchange. I have listed one of the spares on etsy, for those who may be inclined to enjoy this long-awaited return of spring.