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Today it was somewhere in the mid 50’s which gives me mixed emotions.  I love the snow but now it’s gone.  I should be depressed about that but the warm weather feels really good too..ha!As for art I hope to have some pictures of some pots that I decorated for a local artist, James Freeman.  He’s graciously allowing me to use his studio to play around with some of my designs on his pottery.  Wednesday I’m heading over there to pick up some finished pots using a scraffitto technique.  Saturday I’m going back to play around using a cuerda seca technique.  I’m also currently working on large acrylic painting for the Hidden Lake Gardens Exhibition which starts in February.  It’s a large floral which I’m painting in the style of Georgia O’Keefe.  I would much rather use oil but I cant seem get over the smell of turpentine which makes me sick.  I’m hoping to build a new studio soon with adequate ventilation for oil painting.Next week I install some linoleum relief prints for a three person show at the Image Gallery in Adrian.And, when I’m not working or making art I’m reading.  I just finished reading, “The Fly Caster Who Tried to make Peace with the World”, by Randy Kadish.  I write reviews for all the fly fishing books I read on Amazon.com  

Myself, Gerry Church and Janet Graham will be exhibiting artwork at the Image Gallery in downtown Adrian January 15 – February 15, 2008.   The Image Gallery is located at 126 South Main St. in Adrian, MI. 

  Hand painted for Christmas gift.   

 “Cloud Watcher”, Linocut, 8″x10″, NFS….Per my agreement with the people of the Taos Pueblo in New Mexico this image is not for sale.  However, it will be on display at the Image Gallery in downtown Adrian, MI during the month of January.   

Five color reduction linocut, 8×10

Registration:  I used a piece of foam core to register my paper.  It seems to be working well.Linoleum:  Wondercut, first cut.Second CutThird cut50% complete, next comes brown, gold then black.

Last Saturday I spent most of the day at Hidden Lake Gardens taking reference photos.  Myself and other members of the LCVA will be exhibiting our work there in the Spring.  I took this butterfly photo in the flower garden just south of the Visitor Center.  I’ve been thinking about doing a butterfly print for some time and now that I have a good photo reference I started working on it this week.  The first thing I do when using a photo reference is study the photo and sketch it out.  Sometimes I’ll sketch it out two or three times.  Then I sketch the image directly onto the linoleum block.  Some people make a tracing and rub a reverse image on the block.  I don’t.  I probably should because I screwed up my sketch by making it too small.  So, I erased it and drew it again.  The second sketch came out perfect.  I haven’t started cutting yet because I hadn’t decided on how I want the background to look.  I thought about cutting a thousand little circles in different colors…..but I just wasn’t too excited about that.  Then today, while I was watching a movie about Vincent Van Gogh who I love, I was inspired to drop the circle idea and stick with a Van Gogh-like expression of lines in different colors.  I dont know if it will turn out, but it will be fun trying.  Anyway, tonight I have to cut some paper.  I use Rives BFK paper.  I tried about a half dozen other brands and I like the Rives the best.  As for the linoleum I’m using some “Wonder Cut” linoleum from Dick Blick.  It’s more sponge-like and easier to cut but I can tell that I wont be able to achieve as much detail.  I’m not too sure I’ll use it again.  I will be using a reduction process for the butterfly.  I think when I use the last of my linoleum I’ll start experimenting with wood.  I’m using Speedball cutting tools.  They work great for linoleum.  I suppose I’ll have to get some better tools for wood.      

I finally got around to painting this.  I cut and printed this lino during the Artilicious Festival last month.  I was going to print more at home but I wanted to get started on some new images from New Mexico.   

K and I just returned from New Mexico yesterday.  No we didn’t go for the Balloon Fiesta.  We went for the art and to experience New Mexico.  We stayed in Santa Fe but spent most days travelling.  I did a little research before the trip so there were a few places I wanted to visit.  One of my interests was the San Ildefonso Pueblo which is just north of Santa Fe.  I dont think they will mind if I post this picture since I’m not using it for commercial purposes.  It’s a beautiful Pueblo where the residents are known worldwide for their pottery thanks to the late great Maria Martinez.  Anyway we made two trips to Ildefonso.  The first time we stopped by was on our way back to Santa Fe from Bandelier National Monument, but the visitor center was closed.  The Pueblo looked deserted so we decided to go back later.  The visitor center was open the second time but not many galleries were open.  I wondered where they could all be?  Well we stopped in the galleries that were open and purchased a few small pots.  Later that day in Santa Fe we decided to walk through the Governor’s Plaza.  I stopped to inquire about some pottery from a woman who lives in San Ildefonso…stopped to look at some jewelry from a woman who also lives in San Ildefonso.  I realized just then where all the San Ildefonso gallery owners were….in the Santa Fe plaza selling their goods.  Anyway, we had a great time.  I took a ton of photos.  I have enough reference material to spark at least a dozen new paintings or prints.  This photo will remain a photo and will find a home in my living room.