SARAH
Mixing inks to capture one of my favorite places - the sea. I have yet to go to the beach this summer...or even within this year. It makes me sad that I live so close, yet cannot find the time to make it there. I went to the beach a lot more when I lived in Portland. The ocean is even closer there. But even if I cannot get there, dreams of the sea still inspire me {as well as my pantone guide & paper swatch book...}.
DEBRA
As an artist that practically lives to eat, I'm always wondering about the fusion of food and art, and wondering why I don't paint and illustrate more pieces about food. Well, Echo Curio ( http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=63018571) has an open call to artists for a group show featuring 5x7" pieces to be sold for $30. This was the perfect invitation to the table, so to speak... opening is Friday July 11th at 8:00.
Additionally, I've been dreaming of painting on fabrics with beautiful prints, instead of just looking at the prints and trying to re-create the pattern myself. What a time saver! The results are 8, 5x7" fabric-wrapped canvas panels depicting deliciousness.
DEBRA
I teach Modigliani's portraiture style every year, and when I do, I can't help but be absorbed into his alluring distortion of form. After a rough 2 weeks, I came down with the flu and distracted myself from my own misery by watching a Project Runway marathon. After 3 episodes, I could no longer curb my enthusiasm for creating, and I drew upon the Modigliani aesthetic to create this self portrait on Japanese paper. It is approximately 20x30" in acrylic.
DEBRA
I've never associated myself with the color blue until a recent trip home, spending time with my mother who wants to redecorate her living room in Aqua. Aqua - what a refreshing, earthy, vibrant, simply SPLENDID color. Makes me think "Greek Isles". So I've been doing alot of thinking about aqua, and using it in my work, including May Morning which demonstrates my current favorite color relationship of soft aqua and tangerine. delicious. I did this self-portrait out of the simple enjoyment of just wanting to lay paint on canvas. The most reliable yet challenging subject in these cases tend to be my own reflection.
SARAH
I have been away from here for awhile! But awayness = business, right? For the most part, yes. I have been printing a lot of custom stationery in the last month. A lot! I love how most of the orders are gifts for friends, mothers, daughters, & bridesmaids. They make the perfect gift because it can be so personal - choosing their favorite image to be printed in their favorite color. It shows a lot of thought.
I have been putting a lot of thought into my custom stationery "line". I have no set line of custom stationery. People usually choose one of the images I have already in print - the most popular being the peony & hyacinth. Or people request a completely new image which, if it fits well with what I am already printing, eventually becomes a part of my shop. Currently I only offer gocco custom stationery. My custom letterpress stationery is printed using my vintage wood type.
I would really like to start offering custom letterpress stationery using different images. So in the background of everything else going on I have started designing different layouts for custom letterpress stationery. I am going to include different font choices & colors - but just a few. I want to keep this manageable for me & easy for someone to pick what they would like for stationery for themselves or others.
The process of printing gocco stationery is much different than letterpress. Gocco has a much quicker turnaround because I can create the design, burn the screen, & print as many as I need in one day if need be. Letterpress designs have to be sent out for a magnesium plate to be made so there is a waiting time & it is, of course, much more expensive. But if I have a set of ready to go plates I just need to order the name to be printed. While I wait for that to come, I can print the design, which also allows for the letterpress stationery to be up to two colors.
Well, those are my thoughts on my little printing business for now. Have a lovely weekend! Hopefully I will be back here sooner rather than later.
p.s. How amazing are Deb's paintings below!? Her Landscape Elements series is gorgeous.
Here's my latest piece from the Landscape Elements series. It is acrylic & oil on canvas 22x36". The photograph isn't great, the lighting isn't consistant (I'm somehow the WORST at photographing work...) May Morning, (left) is the other half to this piece entitled February Afternoon (right). The pieces are created as pairs that relate to each other in composition or shapes, but can be bought individually or in pairs. Sort of twins from this Gemini...
SARAH
Well, I disapeared there last week. I spent most of last week preparing for this week so I am prepared for this coming Sunday...! I am participating in stART in the Park - my first craft show of the season. As I have been working on mostly custom design projects this past month I had {& still have} some major restocking to do. But I still managed to print a new design on the press this weekend. Yay for three-day weekends! As you can see in the above picture I experimented with printing on coasters this weekend. I wasted quite a few trying to figure it out, but not to worry - I ordered 1,000 of them. The coasters are a bit too thick for the press so it took some creative problem solving. The press certainly keeps me on my toes. As soon as I think, "Oh. This is easy." the press comes right back at me. I am going to have the coasters at the show this weekend. If they do well perhaps you will see them in the shop next week!
SARAH
Hi. My first limited edition letterpress notes are in the shop today! I was planning to hold them until next week when I add another set, but then I decided why wait? As I plan these monthly updates, I will be a little more organized & have two different cards or flat notes added to the shop at the same time. The photo was from the studio this morning when I assembled the last few sets adding their numbered tags & ribbon. My love affair with grosgrain ribbon continues. I bought the bright yellow ribbon last week & used it all. I will be away for the next few days, however when I return, expect to see another lovely shade of ink on the press.
p.s. thank you so much to julie & kathryn of perfectbound for mentioning designalogue!
SARAH
This pink was not foolin' around. It was wild! But it is oh-so-pretty on paper. Prior to this latest letterpress run I was using transparent white, or mixing white, which essentially makes a solid color more transparent. I am very particular about the color pink I like to print with on my gocco, but I could not achieve it with transparent white & rubine red letterpress ink. The ink played tricks on my eyes. I mean, it looked pink, but I knew it was really transparent red. How do I get pink!? oh. right. opaque white. Geesh! I got my pink, alright. I plan to update the shop early next week with two new limited edition flat note sets.
SARAH
The press & I have some big plans for the weekend. I never quite got around to printing Mother's Day cards for my shop - however that does not mean all the special mothers in my life will not be receiving something from the press. I even ordered a "Happy Mother's Day" magnesium die, so I must use it now or it will sit on a shelf until next year. Nothing like a bit of procrastination to get my creativity flowing. I hope to also print a limited run of flat not sets this weekend as well. I have been rolling many ideas around in my head about my work & the direction I would like to take it in. I believe limited editions is the route I am headed. I grow tired of printing the same things. I need variety. My work needs to be more project-based. That is why I enjoy custom work so much. A new idea {or a new take on a old one} & a deadline. Design. Print. Done. Next!
