What's Going On?

Subtitle: The best laid plans....

I've been slowed this past week by a rotten cold... the kind that mostly only makes me feel "off" and tired during the day but miserable at night because I can't sleep for coughing once I get horizontal.

Despite that, and a time out for the Thanksgiving holiday, I did manage to finish carving this:

Many mini linocuts ready to print

Yes, that's 18 (count 'em, 18!) 3 x 5 images carved out of a single 18 x 24 sheet of linoleum. My theory is that I can print them all simultaneously and trim them apart later. Right.

I was all ready to tackle printing this weekend. Plenty of paper... space cleared on the drying rack... ink at the ready. But then... oops! Problem.

I've been using a cutting mat as a sort of tympan instead of blankets. It's stiff, but flexible enough to make a good impression. Unfortunately my largest mat turned out to be not quite large enough. I found a larger one in a store here in town, but sadly at a price double what I could find online. I try to buy locally as much as possible, but economics being what they are at the moment..... (sigh). Online it is.

I'm also going to try some recycled rubber offset blankets.. I've sent for a sample to be sure it's what I want, but I've heard several people say they've used them with good success. Still so many little details to sort out...

So the big experiment is put aside for a few more days, and I've started something new. Not much to see yet, though.

This week my attention turns to a couple of exhibitions. Abend Gallery's 24th Holiday Miniatures Show opens Friday, December 5 in Denver and in a last-minute decision it looks like I'll be participating in Buena Vista's Holiday Art Walk Friday evening and Saturday. Unfortunately it doesn't look like I'll have 18 little birds for the events, but hmmm..... maybe something interesting will have to happen with them online! Stay tuned.