Countdown to the Magic City Art Connection

Okay. We're now at five days and counting. I've done everything that I know to do, to prepare for the festival. This will be my second juried art festival. I'm a bit punch drunk from printing and packaging and pulling all of my inventory information together. I still have a lot of questions about set up and prep, but I suppose that it's now come down to learning by doing. I received my packet with multiple pages of rules and regulations and, oh yes, instructions on how to pay my county, city and state taxes. (groan) Right now my concern is about the weather and like Zora Neale Hurston "My Eyes are Watching God" (okay, so I tweeked the title a bit). Anyway, Zora was a novelist and author during the Harlem Renaissance. For those who want a bit more info just go to Wikipedia, the free on-line encyclopedia and read an overview on her background and career. Better yet, read her book "Their Eyes Were Watching God" and let me know what you think about it.

I've become very anxious about the weather and I've been in overdrive watching the Weather Channel; trying to catch every local tv weather broadcast (as tho staring at the television set will change an upper level high! ha!) Of course, this weekend has been absolutely perfect...slightly breezy, sunny and low humidity. Rain is predicted for Wednesday night thru Thursday, with a varying percentage of rain from Friday thru Sunday depending on which news broadcast you're watching. How can three different local stations have three different predictions??! I'm confused. For those of you who don't get it . . .my art display is comprised of lino prints - which means that all of my inventory is on P-A-P-E-R. PAPER! MOISTURE! Now do you understand? The thought of my prints being exposed to mist or moisture or morning dew is the ultimate death. And, it ain't a merciful death either. I had already decided that I would pack up my inventory at the close of each day and take it home with me. It would mean getting up a lot earlier in the morning to rehang and regroup but that's no big deal. However, if a shower and or storm passes over during the middle of the day . . .canopy tent or not . . .I've got to have a contingency plan in place so that I can get the prints and framed pieces under cover. Geez. My head hurts just thinking about this.

I had hoped to have my painted tiles ready for display but I ran out of steam. Maybe, by the time the next art festival rolls around I'll have them ready. I'm posting a sample of the tiles. I've taken four of them, laid them on the table and I've taken a group shot. Each has a design painted on it with black glaze. I wanted the image to be as black as my oil based lino block prints, so the glaze (which is actually transparent) was painted with about 5 or 6 coats to create the design.

Painting on tiles is a bit tricky. The key is to have a good brush. An expensive brush; one that will hold it's point. Because my work is detailed, I could not have gotten some of the angles to appear crisp had I used a brush from one of the general market stores. These four tiles have been fired. I loved the way they turned out. As I continue to experiment, I may try to create a "mock wall" with the 6 x 6 inch tiles along with smaller mosaic tiles just to see what it'll look like. Okay, there I go again. . .another project. I need to stay focused on this week. Hopefully, I'll have another post tomorrow night along with the weather report. No need for me to agonize over this by myself, right? (smile)

Gettin' Ready for my Second Art Festival!

I am stoked! Last week I received a call from the owner of the 4 Seasons Antiques and Art Gallery in Bluff Park informing me that all four of my linoleum blocks prints had sold. Thank you! Thank you! I'm in need of additional funds to frame nine more lino block prints for the Magic City Art Festival which will be held at the end of this month. There's a lot of truth in the statement that "it takes money, to make money." Framing is sooooooo expensive. I'm still new with the art festival circuit thingy and it always seems as tho I'm rolling pennies to apply towards framing. Why is that?

Hey, I'm posting the front side of my post card announcement that I'll mail out next week. It's simple but it serves the purpose.

I'm in overdrive these days carving and printing lino blocks. A friend of mine has cautioned me to not become too ambitious with cutting large blocks and to keep most of my prints smaller than my usual 8 x 10 size. So this go 'round I'm focusing more on 5 x7 block prints. I trust his judgement. He has a pretty good feel for art festivals. Just that little bit of information has saved me a lot of time and angst.



For some reason I'm in a raven/pumpkin/gourd mode. Ravens are really difficult to cut. One teeny slip of the cutting tool and your raven has turned into a duck! or a sparrow! It's hard to 'splain (Lucy), but ravens are a challenge. Here's the first print of many that I've already printed. What do you think?

My lawn needs to be cut. Once upon a time I was the homeowner, on my block, who set the bar in keeping the yard mowed and trimmed. Neighbors followed suit within a day or two. However, I've had to REALLY prioritize my time lately. And most weekends and evenings, after work, have not included yard work. Geez, it shows. I feel like I need to "keep up with the Jones'." Where are the teens who used to come around and cut your grass for pocket change? Times have changed.

The ONB/Magic City Art Festival web site should be up. If I was as smart as my kids I could add a link here so that all you'd have to do is "click." Obvioulsy, I don't know how to do it so you'll just have to go to: www.magiccityart.com and check it out. I'm in the printmaking catagory.