Monday, June 20, 2016

Linocut in Progress: How deadlines are like math and escapism looks like tango

I did promise that you would be the first to know if I managed to get any ink on paper before I left town again... and I did so you do. Know. Now. You know now. Now know? Whatever. Next sentence, please.

Step 1: As-yet-untitled snow scene, reduction linocut

There is not much to see with just one color printed (and a weird light effect across the middle of the photo), but even so I think it's obvious where it's headed.

It probably seems a wee bit odd to be working on a winter scene in the middle of a heat wave. But then again, maybe not.

I am reminded of my first job when I was in high school: retail clothing sales. I spent many hours stocking (rabbit fur, ugh!) coats in July and swimsuits in February. This piece, hopefully, is bound for an exhibition next January... which needs the first image for the website in September... and I'll be away all of July and half of August. It's like those dreaded "story problems" we faced in junior high math classes:

"If Sherrie is headed to Maine for the summer and is required to deliver a new piece by September for an exhibition in January, how fast is the train traveling that just left New York?"

With everything that's going on right now (my to-do-before-Maine list crept up to 96 items) I was forced to undertake the only practical response. I ran away from home as soon as I hung the freshly-printed linos on the drying rack, and I spent Saturday dancing tango in New Mexico.

Milonga at Two Moon Tango, Santa Fe

Tango and I only met last autumn, and I was the least experienced dancer in the room for the Saturday night milonga. But as with most things that are worth doing, the only way to improve is to just take a deep breath and work at it, so I'm pushing aside my awkwardness and insecurity as best I can and enjoying the challenge and escape of an activity that uses a different part of my brain (and which isn't hard on my wrist and elbow and neck!).

But now it's Monday morning, so I'm home again and back to The List. I've carved out (get it?) printing time this afternoon, so despite our hot weather forecast I'll be thinking "cool." Put on your sunglasses, grab your piƱa coladas and your beach balls and stay tuned for more snow-influenced printing.

5 comments:

  1. Reminds me of the time I said yes to tap dancing. It was so outside of anything I had ever done. Unfortunately I didn't stick with it but it sure was fun. It is 10 am and 110 degrees. I for one am looking forward to more winter scenes. xoxo

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    1. I saw your forecast for this week... brutal! I'm not fond of heat to begin with, but that's just beyond excessive. Stay cool and safe! (Tap dancing! Might try that next, you never know!)

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  2. I have 2 left feet so no dancing for me lol does look like fun tho

    *runs away from math problem* :p send some of the heat here please? sick of all the rain we have had

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    1. Would gladly send you some heat in exchange for rain, we are parched here. Funny old world, innit?

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    2. not going to be a drought here this year, need some sun I think its confusing the plants and you can def tell the birds are sick of it :p

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Linocut in Progress: The Third Act

Time to wrap up this linocut ! And we are wrapping at warp speed (see what I did there?)... because there are deadlines. Exhibition deadline...