Saturday, February 18, 2017

paper weekend

 this old fabric was a dress.
my dress, actually a jumper. 
i wore it my first year back to work full time in 1994.
that year i worked at st lawrence university bookstore,
 staying until i realized i needed
a somewhat larger income.
so i went to grad school to become a teacher.
this dress was a favorite, simple, cotton, comfortable.
i once slid down a very steep stairwell at the bookstore.
it had a wooden slatted slide rigged for the days that boxes needed 
to be stored in the basement,
pushed down the slide to storage and
where the framing room was (my job).
jenny challenged me to slide, and i did. in this dress. she still tells the story.
this weekend it became a nice edition of paper.
 it was an expensive garment for me
 the tag says c p shades
it's quite blue after beating, 
but this sheet doesn't show up the color well.
the blue is like the blue below
and the pale yellow paper is milkweed fluff-seed fiber
another gift from gin petty.
a few precious sheets.
there looks to be severe cockling, but it's not that bad
the bright sun brings out the ripples.
the gold is more like this,
rich, buttery, with a wonderful rattle.
the blue edition is still drying,
a nice, soft cotton rag paper.
 thursday morning it was snowing hard
snowed all day, too.
 quite beautiful, cold,
but today it's in the 40's and the snow is melting away
 i didn't realize that porcupine has been eating red pine

 this winter, 
leaving a small urine spot
 and a happy trail
behind the paper mill and into the woods.
 at zone 4 the print studio next door has this posted
 i like it alot.
and i'm still messing with this image
and i ran a piece of linen paper through the printer with it.
it's not a success at all, but i really like it,
even in the bright sunlight early this morning.
~~~ 
sunday morning paper results:
three stages of paper
1. very thready with a soft hand
2. pulp beaten longer (15 minutes more) with a bit of the old pulp mixed in
3. full beaten, soft hand, but more paperish



Sunday, February 12, 2017

(handmade, handspun) paper on (handmade) paper

this is the first one
lokta on flax
it reminds me of what jude hill calls a long cloth
an accordion 
and then more have followed
inspired by off-cuts of beautiful handmade papers
and bowls and houses
and landskeins
encolsures for long books can be lovely, too
as well as essential to their protection.
a harvest that continues to become
books and book objects.
a half dozen here.
a valentine came from catherine michaelis
may day press
the event of the week
(besides the *procedures*)
was meeting a bald eagle
on the roadside in the snow
head turned, 
those strong eyes are looking straight at me.
the camera gave out and the phone had to suffice,
there's a barred owl that likes hunting at the place i call home
i just missed seeing it again today.

Friday, February 10, 2017

three things i like, winter count

sighted at upstate medical center on tuesday.
 sighted in russell, tuesday
 sighted daily, my kitchen
for a few days i was really tired
all day long.
today's better.

Sunday, February 5, 2017

grousing around

a ruffed grouse near home eating,
known as "budding"
feasting on highly nutritious hardwood (not sure which tree)
buds. grouse was serious about this, ignoring me in my car far below.
i've been struggling with traveling this year,
in spite of a huge desire to travel and teach,
meet new people and hug old friends.
i love the being there:
Australia, (hand papermaking and shifu and books)
Maine, (Book Arts Bazaar in Portland)
Washington, DC, (GBW contact printing)
Michigan, OxBow and PBI (the Paper and Book Intensive)
Victoria, BC (Shifu and stuff)
Seattle/Olympia (Shifu and stuff and handmadepaper)
Portland (ian)
New Hampshire, Long Ridge Farm (handpapermaking).
i know so many of my friends struggle with juggling travel and work.
traveling means you make rich connections 
which, for me, is HUGE.
So, Australia, where I will be teaching in several venues,
including the Grampians, Cape Otway, Geelong, and Melbourne.
Washington DC, hosted by the venerable Guild of Bookworkers
Victoria, British Comumbia, teaching at ANWG weaver's conference 
called Treadle Lightly,
where I will meet the amazing Jean and Bryan.
 Seattle and another venerable group the BAG (Book Arts Guild) 
and Olympia to do a round-table with the PSBA (Puget Sound Book Arts)
and maybe visit my beautiful son ian in Portland,
 wrapping up the wild first half of the year
at Long Ridge Farm in New Hampshire, making paper.
~~~
 i've been looking for some images that relieve me from the winter
and politics
and i came upon my friend Drew Matott
pressing a post of paper with high school students in Europe.
yes, a people press!
~~~
at HOME the beaver continue their work
which has to be interrupted or the lake drainage
will change.
(which makes me wonder what it was like before)
 lake water plays with vision
 and trees appear.
so much of my work involves fresh water
and plants
 aimee sent me this beautiful envelope made from paper made by her students
learning pulp painting
 st lawrence county is a land of rivers and lakes, here is
the road i drive to home from my house 
secret north country
such a very familiar landscape, 
my home. 
i'm not traveling to CODEX
where an amazing assortment of book arts folks will be this week
showing and selling their work
(though my November, A Map will be there along with Caliban Press).
represent!!
and a favorite maker
Shanna Leino, will sell her tools
and these 
amazing pieces that I found today on her Facebook 
CODEX announcement.
can you believe how cool these are?!
 i'm at home consuming clear liquids
prepping for the ostomy day tomorrow,
there's nothing to worry about
(except it's worrisome).
~~~
 planning and prepping and making delicious things
books and shifu and stuff
to take with me to Australia 
and everywhere else.
oh, and more news:
I completed my income taxes and filed, and
brought in paper for teaching and abaca for oz!
not one mention of politics this time!
too tired to make hot links now--will try to do it later...

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