All over the place

 Feeling just a bit all over the place as I review the week that was art-wise.

It seems that a bit of this and that, including a fair bit of preparation for workshops, is my main game at the moment so no real progress on anything to show; let alone anything much achieve or completed.

But life isn't always about achievement; it is also about the journey. A skitty scatty journey at that, but it is about forward momentum.

This was a random act that kind of went nowhere; yet which was a bit of a fun explore. A fellow visited the studio and although tentative at first, found his way into what we did and really enjoyed a number of cards and postcards. We stopped and talked about the grief cards in particular for quite a while.

He let me know he was a parish priest and we chatted about this and that.  He was quite taken by the individual pieces of type and wondered if one could put together some words. So we did.

When flipped you can read the meditation he oftentimes uses.  You can also read that I mistook the C for a G!  

It was a fun thing to try and who knows if, or when, it might be a thing that happens; maybe not these words; but maybe the idea itself will go along with something else...

I am writing an article and need to take the odd process photo; so here is one.

I am teaching calligraphy on pebbles in a few weeks.  I was preparing more pebbles as demonstrations (and to back fill our supply as the word peace was sold a few times this week, along with joy and love - yay!). I took them outside to put the final protection on them, and then of course fell in love with the patterns left on the cardboard...

On Friday a young fellow joined me in the studio for a bit of a play and did some amazing work.  Here's a few of the words he was working with... don't they just pop from the black background?!?!?!?! 

As I cleaned off the rollers afterwards I played around with some stamping I had done earlier for no good reason other than to find out what would happen if...?

 I am preparing some more workshops and will be printing some posters for around the studio - the beginnings of one right here.  Although I think that 's' might be upside down...sigh. Luckily, not yet set or printed!

And even more workshop prep sees me printing these words. 

A life of art is varied and full and I oftentimes do not know where it will go next; but I am more than happy to go along for the ride!

Showings and sale

 We are mid a bit of moving madness here at the moment.

After enjoying our block and our home for 14 years, Barry and have sold our house.  The time is right and we say goodbye knowing this place has nurtured us and given us much happiness.  For sure we will miss the magic of the mountains and the valleys below, but it is time for someone else to enjoy it.

As a result, there has not been much making at all.

A couple of pieces of good news however...

My poster Pockets Are Political has been shown in the fabulous printmaker's magazine Pressing Matters Vol 12.

This is such a great magazine based in the UK - full of interesting and amazing articles - incredible talent and lots of wonderful things to see, read and ponder. I am thrilled to have a wee mention.

On the other side of the globe (New Zealand) both Barry and have pieces on show at the Pumanawah Gallery at he Christchurch Arts Centre in the Love Letters: the Letterpress Poster exhibition.  The show is all about the love of letterpress and would be great see (if one could travel). It has 71 works from New Zealand, Australia and the USA.

After Christchurch it heads to Auckland and to Wellington, so at least a lot of folk in NZ get the chance to see it.  See their FB page for details.

Coincidentally, I sent Pockets Are Political there as well  (world domination is clearly on the agenda - more pockets for women!!!).

And here is the sign that made it all real on the house front.

And a few recent cameos by the mountains before we leave...

This one is smoke haze this morning from the first bushfire of the season...

Doing lots of little things

Here I am, still nudging and cajoling a whole bunch of things along, feeling a bit like my own personal television station, so bear with me as I follow along that analogy.

Here's what I've been up to:

Over on Channel Teaching I am getting samples and books and stitching ready for teaching. Also finding works that could be for sale at the marketplace and also finding, and packing work to donate as a fundraiser.

Sample.

Maybe for sale?

On Channel Commissions I am working out words, layouts and calligraphy; as well as cutting paper and proofing posters for a letterpress commission.

Proofing upper case versus lower case.

Back on Channel Exhibitions you can find me researching loads, playing with different folds, writing words in preparation for printing and testing out new papers. Later in the week, you'll find me planning three more books, wondering how overlocking pages together goes and a whole bunch of weird experiments. As well as preparing for a massive aluminium etching day.

Previous aluminium etching

Pondering cloud books again

Click the remote and head to Channel Projects and I am setting type for a wee book; testing out the solar plates; pondering colours of ink to use on the warm paper; and making more cards for deckled edge press.

Flick to Channel Writing and there I am researching and exploring, making connections and creating a structure and an outline for an article.

Turning to Channel Promotion and I have updated my blog and website with details of exhibitions this year and created and sent two newsletters.

So no one big thing is getting done, but lots of small steps are being taken.

For anyone who knows me, they know my head is so disorganised that I love, and need, to have structure and order in my work.  So I have a folder for every major task/commission/commitment where I update the front cover to-do list regularly.

For whatever reason, it gives me comfort to be be able to grab a folder and find all the details I need about something.

Here's the current bunch of folders.

And for those who may have missed our most recent newsletter, (Barry Smith and Fiona Dempster Art News) you can click here to read it; or subscribe over on the right hand panel.

I'd also like to let you know that as part of our joint initiative deckled edge press, I have produced a series of what I am calling 'grief cards' - for reaching out to people who are grieving.  If you'd like to purchase some, you can find them here, and I am so pleased that they have been well received!

If you'd like to see our latest deckled edge press newsletter you can find it here. You can also subscribe at the contact page of deckled edge press website - here. 

Time for a cup of tea and a lie down! Go well.

An article and more 'creative life' time

I was approached a while back by journalist to see if I would be OK if she were to include me in article she was writing fro the Australian Decorative and Fine Arts Societies journal called 'art life'.  I was more than happy to be included and sent off the images and promptly forgot about it.

On our return from Scotland I discovered a copy of the journal had arrived and the article was contained within.

It is a lovely consideration of books as art, and of different approaches by different women, in the making of their artists' books.

I am very pleased to have been included and enjoyed reading the various stories.

My part is titled "from print to politics" (what a surprise!) and features two of my favourites "A Subversive Stitch" and "Time to Change".

And after sharing the article it is back to what makes a creative life. This is the state of my studio desk this morning after unpacking from the weekend workshop and having to shift and move a heap of things in preparation for a possible re-arrangement of the studio space.

I had planned to just keep printing and preparing a for a workshopI am teaching, but clearly there is a new priority and I am calling this part of the creative life "Supporting a Creative Life".  Tidying, sorting, cleaning, setting up; all of these things form part of the underpinnings to a creative life.  They need to be done in order to do the most important part, the making.

In the past, I have kind of disregarded this element of the creative life and been annoyed and frustrated by it; but I am slowly coming to realise its importance, and am making peace with the time it takes to do.  Soon things shall be clear and calm again and I shall be inky once again.

And as promised a quick look at my finished book - a quarter case binding I think it is called...