Where is everyone?

Hey long time nobody post anything. So here's something kind of type-related. I made a couple of a pieces for a book show here and I've got pictures of one of them, will post pictures of the other tomorrow. An evil union of my two great loves, books and clay. The first one is a conceptual piece, it's called The Lord's Prayer and I've been thinking about it and wanting to make it for a long time. Here's a really crappy picture:

When I started telling people about the piece, they immediately it was some kind of wiseass comment about religion, but I didn't have that intent at all. I've always loved the letters of the alphabet as objects aside from their job of being meaningful symbols for communication of ideas. I chose the Lord's Prayer because it is something that almost everyone is familiar with in this culture.

The first books were really precious, made by hand, and very valuable. Today, anyone can self-publish a book and books can be made cheaply. So that's what was in my head. I wanted to make something that was labor intensive (although I didn't realize how hard it would be).

There are 281 letters in the Lord's Prayer. I made each letter using a press mold, which is a kind of mold with a letter-shaped impression in it. So I had to make a mold for each letter. I found some plastic letters that I used to make each press mold, kind of a lower case Times Roman-like font, the e is about 5/8" tall. The letters were too fragile to remove from the molds, so had to press each letter onto a small piece of clay, wait for the clay to firm up, and then cut the letter free with a sharp scalpel. Even then, sometimes I broke the letter, but after a while I got pretty good at it. Except for the m's and w's, which were miserable.

The dots above the i's are held in place by a tiny piece of high-temperature wire. Wasn't sure if that was going to work or not, so I really glad when it did!

The letters were bisque-fired and then dipped in white slip with tweezers, then fired again. Then arranged on a base, again with the tweezers. I worked on this off and on for about two weeks. I will try to get a better photograph because it's really beautiful in person. The lighting in the gallery is kind of funny.

Miss you all terribly!! Love Beth!

HOME!

Hey everyone, Ally here. just posting an update so that i have something to show for the fact that i am missing everyone plenty, and wishing i was making a broadside.

so i am home, after a wonderful yet interesting experience on the farm in new hampshire. i believe most will have a link to my flickr page but if not...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/37361187@N07/
and my new but not permanent address (mom's)
4010 W 102nd Street
overland park, KS 66207

A friend from the farm forwarded me this...just tossing it out there in case anyone is in the area, which area is still in question...
http://thegreenhorns.wordpress.com/2010/01/29/seeking-letterpress-partners/

I have been working for a company i had an internship with a few years ago, doing web design, reluctantly, knowing that i'd rather be painting or stacking lead. but its a (low) paying job, and jobs are hard to come by. So i suppose i am waiting it out until the next big thing comes around! Which i'm hoping is something like farming, or a somewhat lucrative apprenticeship learning carpentry...who knows, i have WAY too many ideas to focus on just one, let alone FIND where these opportunities may lie. any suggestions or leads, please send them my way.

Since leaving the farm i also (prematurely but passionately) applied for the studio coordinator position at Penland, managing the book&paper, letterpress, and printmaking studios. I didn't get the job, obviously, but was told that i was highly considered, so its ok. I've also almost applied for a baking position in their kitchen, knowing that any job at penland is a dream job. John, when are you teaching this year? maybe some of us can come visit...regardless i'd like to come down to AK and print soon :) and thank you thank you for the beautiful holiday card, its gorgeous.

SO i hope everyone else is having a WONDERFUL new year, and all is going according to plan (if you guys make plans). All the best to whoever reads this!!
xo~ALLY

HATCH!

Yesterday I finally got to see some Hatch Show work in person. There was an exhibit on display at the Durham Museum in Omaha. It was so fun to see the enormous wood cuts and to look at the intricate monoprints up close. I'm definitely a fan of the crazy layering of ink. Their attention to detail is phenomenal. The printers of Hatch have created exceptional works of art. Very cool to see some of Hatch's advertising work. We loved the Airstream print.

As for my press, I just ordered 3 new rollers from NA graphics and am sooo excited to get the press going soon. I have my first wedding invitation to letterpress by April so I'm grateful to have a deadline in front of me. Wish me luck! Hope you all had a wonderful holiday season.

John, Thanks so so much for sending your holiday card. It was just beautiful. I promptly displayed it on my inspiration wall. Hope you and Robyn are doing great!

Look: Sam's Broadside in a Big Show!

Hi everyone, long time no see. Thought I'd pass along this link. Our dear Sam Reynolds from class entered his poster of John in a show (I think at Cathy's urging) and it got in. Of course it did!

Here's a link to the show, there's a lot of cool stuff.

http://www.23sandy.com/Broadsided/artists/reynolds.html

WHAT'S UP?

It’s been so long since I posted anything here that I’ll have to relearn everything.

  To say things have been hectic here is an understatement. Alex has been back a couple more times to haul off more equipment and give me a few more square feet of space but of course I’ve managed to fill that space quickly. One of the big purchases was a huge Vandercook. It will take a 30 by 32 inch sheet! But it was one of the filthiest presses I’ve ever seen. I’ve slowly been cleaning it as I waited for the electricians to do some complicated (and I’m sure expensive) wiring. They finally finished and I was able to turn the press on and run the cylinder carriage down the bed. Christie, one of my apprentices, said it sounds like a tank and it does kinda rumble. Lots of work to do on it before I get it printing but I’m looking forward to printing really big posters.

  Dana Moore, Penland program director, (I think some of you met her) and Julie Leonard, Penland board of directors member, bookbinder, and teacher at the University of Iowa, came down to Little Rock for a long weekend of R & R and printin’. Dana printed some cards and stuff to sell for the Mitchell County (that’s the county that Penland is in) Animal Rescue fundraiser and some stuff for herself. She’d never printed anything before. Julie assisted Dana and printed some type collages she’ll use to cover boxes. Lots of fun, beer, wine, good food and good conversation were had.

  A couple of weeks later we were back at Penland for their annual fundraising auction. Lots of friends to visit with at the auction including Marisa, Sam and Kathy. We also bought a little art too. The auction did pretty well considering the economy. Sam put a copy of that portrait he did of me in the auction but I can’t seem to find out what it sold for, if anything.

  Lately, my life has revolved around grass. No, not pot, hay! I’ve gone into the hay business. I’m almost a farmer. I bought a bunch of fancy hay equipment and am learning how to cut and bale hay. So far, I’ve made about 500 bales. What a lot of work! And I’m not stacking those bales by hand either, I’ve got machinery to do that. But I’m really starting to feel like a farmer now that I’m selling stuff. But, now my life involves the weather; I watch the Weather Channel all the time now. I plan my days by how much sunshine there’s gonna be.

  Oh, and I’ve been printin’ too. Check your snail mail boxes. I’ve got a couple more projects in the works too. If you’re nice to me, I might send you copies.

Old grouch making sure Dana doesn't smash a finger.

 

Dana doing just fine on her own.

Julie at the Vandercook.

Julie and Lamarie making up a very complicated form.

Julie and Dana folding paper and having fun.

Watching deer after work.

The "tank."

A new sculpture, by Ken Baskin, we just installed at Cedar Glen.

Hello, Georgia

Welcome Georgia. Sounds like you really struck it rich. I'm very interested to learn what type faces you've acquired. It Also sounds like you've got a lot of work to do cleaning everything up, including those type cases. Maine sounds like a nice place to be 'cause it's been hotter than hell down here in Arkansas.

  Julie Leonard of the University of Iowa and Dana Moore, program director at Penland, arrived here late yesterday evening (Thursday) and after a nice Mexican dinner, we settled in for lots of talk, but not before feeding our deer. Today, it's off to the print shop for some serious work. Dana wants to learn to drive my backhoe while she's here so we'll have to word that into our schedule.

Hi everyone, sorry I've been out of touch...I'm a neophyte "blogger" too! (does that make you feel better, John?) Also, have been very busy setting up our new Letterpress / Book Arts program at the Corcoran all summer. We were lucky to bid on (and purchase!) Los Angeles' oldest print shop at an incredible price which included a Uni 1 along with tons of type, Hamilton cases, and miscellaneous items that would have taken an incredibly long time to accumulate. It arrived two weeks ago, and we really have our work cut out for us cleaning up dusty old type drawers! Any ideas would be greatly appreciated...

We also purchased 2 4-T's, and found a "treasure" of old wood type in Richmond which arrived as well. Right now, we have an etching studio PACKED with letterpress equipment waiting for the completion of the studio that it will be moved into. It will be a very busy August I'm sure.

Also went down to Knoxville for a family wedding and visited Kevin and Julie at Yee Haw Industries, and Kevin had lots of nice things to say about you John, when I mentioned our workshop at Penland.

Now I'm heading to Haystack School in Maine on Deer Isle, to teach a two week papermaking / printmaking workshop from July 19-31. Anyone up that way, come visit!! Georgia