This year has blown by

Just finalized my essay and sent it off to Mark for a final check, specifically I want to make sure my bibliography is the way he wants it! I've always used the official style guide as specified by the prof/school, like MLA, APA, etc. but there apparently is no specific one here. Mark provided samples to follow.

And that's the end of assignments for this year of the program - oh, except for the Framing Statement which needs to be posted to our blogs on June 6th. 

After this week we have a month long "break" (where we will all be working flat out to get work finished!) then a workshop on April 25th and a final critique on May 2nd. Then we all have our solo shows towards the end of May and June.

I've got a lot of documents to prepare - the show catalogue (will be an A5 book/pamphlet style in full colour with all works listed with  photos,) guestbook, invitations, posters printed and distributed, handouts/business cards, and also print and package prints/note cards/post cards to have at the show for sale.

I will print what I can myself as my printer is very good. And I don't need high volumes. I can print on demand if I need to restock anything.

I've started promotion on social media, and Devonport Live is also promoting it.

I've got work spread all over the house... I'm currently using the dining table for my A1 print assembly, we're setting up tables in the spare room so I can have a space to frame/mount things and store the work that is ready to go, I've got work waiting for further details piled all over my room - on top of my press, under my desk, on top of shelves... 

This is my third go at A1 offset printing. This one will be woven with the third pull off that image.

The second pull is going to be used to create an unframed, embellished, mixed media piece. Hopefully my plan will work - random spots of weaving with paper, silks, wool; beads and other appliques; embroidery; it is all experimentation. Hopefully I won't poke too many holes in myself.

These will be the base for some mixed media stuff - I think... it is four A3s pulled off the A1 plate.

This was the sheet of newsprint I was using to clean the plate and roller off with... Will be using it in paper weaving on 3D objects.

Last week I did another A1 printing session. Went with attempting an actual scenic landscape which I think worked out. I need to go in to the print studio this week to pick it up - it was all too tacky to bring home last Thursday - I have nowhere to put them here to finish drying!

I also used the newsprint sheets I was using as blotting paper to make abstracts using up the ink I had left at the end of my session. I'm hoping they will be interesting enough to use - even if they don't make it into my show, they can still get used up in other projects.

I've bought some wet strength tissue paper - and it is strong! I want to make paper lanterns with it. Will print on it, then weave, hopefully into shapes that I can hang or stack.

In the old days I would blast through projects like this, but, my eyes only work for maybe four hours on a good day, then the ability to hold focus is gone. Applies to the computer as well as working with physical materials. 

But I think I am having fun now... finally found something that works even when I can't always see it clearly or don't end up with what I thought I wanted. What I've been ending up with, lately, is actually cooler than I thought it would be.