Japanese Woodcuts

I was signed up for a Japanese woodblock class with Andrew Lorish but it got cancelled because of Covid.  I was thrilled when a new date was set for this summer and it got cancelled too because Andrew got Covid.  Several weeks ago the class was announced for this weekend and I think I'm the first person to sign up.  I'm so out of shape.  I really needed something to kickstart me.

The class was held in the Studio 6000 in Sisters Oregon, just a half hour north of Bend.  Much of the equipment was from Bend Art Center which closed about four years ago due to financial woes.  That was a sad day.  A half dozen of my friends from previous classes were also there so it was a bit of reunion too.

Ian says I "spread out" when I'm working but this was worse than normal.  I wanted to carve a second block but only had 30 minutes to do it in.  I worked like a mad woman and made a huge mess with the shavings everywhere.

Andrew rolled out plates of transparent cyan, magenta and yellow.  We used Caligo ink with lots of extender, about five-to-one extender to ink. We inked our plates and printed our cut-to-size Hosho paper with a barren.  He had us print one direction then do a 180 turn and repeat the process with either the same color or different to see how it worked.  These are the first prints finished.  We had four sheets to print and three hours.  We had to work fast.

And some more.

And these are mine.  I like the block I carved in 30 minutes the best.  I printed with just two colors, and l'm not sure I like the prints with three. You have to click for big to see how the colors worked together, just yellow and cyan.

I came home energized and ready to do some more carving.  I have a couple of wood blocks left before I have to order more and I have a head full of ideas.  This is just what the doctor ordered, something to look forward to on the long gray days of winter.

Changes and Progress

I got a text from Clover that she had left an envelope in our mailbox.  It was ten $20 bills, totally unexpected.  I was just happy to know we weren't going to see the hottub on our power bill anymore.  I took myself directly, do not pass go, to our local nursery and bought five shrubs:  forsythia, two varieties of elderberry, burning bush and a quince with peach colored double-blossomed flowers, plus three daylilies.  A friend gave me clippings from her yard and I plan to get a few more.  There's still a lot to be done but that's all I'm going to do this year. 

The move was Thursday evening and they had the hot-tub heated and running by the weekend.  Clover sent me this photo.  The outcome pleases me no end.

Last Monday Alexia and I were back at the High Desert Museum living history ranch and Izzie once again baked a rhubarb pie from the garden.  The pie plate was missing so she baked it in the muffin tin as tarts.  I have a feeling this was pretty true to authentic baking, figuring it out without a recipe.

Izzie started as a volunteer when she was a high school student Alexia's age and now as a college student is hired as a seasonal worker.  It took two people to get the tarts out of the pan with four forks but they were just as good as the pie she made last week, notwithstanding the improvisation.

Alexia and I drove up to Redmond on Tuesday to take a painting lesson with Erik Holland.  His girlfriend moved here earlier in the year and is a nurse at the hospital, and has also joined my bookclub.  Erik decided not to make the move just yet as he's still teaching high school art.  This is his demonstration piece on two-dimensional art. I haven't had time to finish my piece but plan to before Wednesday because we have a second lesson that evening. 

I snapped this candid shot Wednesday July 4rd.  She and I went to Tuesday Morning at the Outlet Mall for yarn because we've decided she's ready to tackle a real project.  I found a shawl pattern on Ravelry that has basic stitches and is also interesting.  I was trying to figure out what we did that day, we tend to keep ourselves pretty busy, so I asked her.  "We bought yarn and then knitted for like five hours."  Yes we did!  We said on Patio A by the water feature in the tree's shade and knitted until could could knit no more.

We were supposed to go to a neighborhood yard party that afternoon but got carried away and the mac-and-cheese that I had taken from the freezer to bake was still sitting on the counter at 5:00, but the potluck started at 4:00.  We didn't go.  But we did light off legal fireworks that we got at Costco, watched an episode or Outlander, then Lex and I went down the driveway to watch the fireworks shot off at Pilot Butte and Grandpa toddled off to bed, keeping terrified Sammie company.  The same people who had wandered up our street looking for a good vantage point for the official fireworks ended up coming in our driveway and watching with us again.  They had guests from out of state so we all visited and watched.  It was really quite fun.  As they left we all laughed because we've never seen each of in daylight and would never recognize each other if we did. 

This is Alexia's scarf, and she's a little frustrated because there are mistakes that you can see if you look for them.  My grandmother always said, Who's going to notice that on a galloping horse???  Isn't that the truth?!  She has finally forgiven herself and continues to knit, says it's a fun project.  She's doing great for a first project and I'm really proud of her.  BTW, the Ravelry pattern is River Fog.  I've knitted it for a prayer shawl once and am now knitting it again.

This is my weaving project.  I have a long way to go but I can only weave so long as a time.  I am having to rebuild my strength and tolerance.  Sigh.

Meanwhile, I'm getting my things together to go to my last Ambassador shift (the volunteer who keeps the doors open) at the Bend Art Center.  Bankruptcy has eliminated another nonprofit organization.  I'll post more on that next time when I know more.  We're very sad but are looking at this as an opportunity, a Phoenix-rising-from-the-ashes event.

Life with Snow

Last week school was cancelled Monday through Thursday including COCC, the community college where I take my art class.  I didn't even venture from the house those days, but with three short weeks of school left, I braved the elements to attend last Monday.  They had only shoveled the two ADA sidewalks and cleared the ADA parking lot.  The rest of us were on our own. As one friend quipped, those unshoveled sidewalks could make you ADA. The powder was close to two feet deep and I was sinking up to my knees in places.  I struggled up the slope that really needed snowshoes and realized that coming back down was going to be even worse.  I turned about and went home.  The whole thing took 90 minutes, almost an hour more than normal.  I went on Wednesday and still nothing was shoveled but at least enough people had tromped through that I was able to negotiate the whole shooting match.  The handrails weren't very helpful!

The neighborhood deer have been hanging close these days.  Fish and Wildlife warn us not to feed them because there's no commercial food that won't sicken them since they're not ruminants.  I feel bad but at the same time I'm glad to see them.

In spite of still having over a foot of unmelted snow, the Community Garden group have been meeting, planning and ordering seeds.  Cinda and I went to the church Friday to set up our fundraiser, the Classy Junque Sale.  All proceeds pay for our needs, including the repairs to the greenhouse.  Carol, our leader, was still there when folks came in for the AA and NA meetings and they spent $300 before we even got started!

This gem got the White Elephant award.  It's not wired for a lamp, and in fact, it's nothing but glass pieces affixed together with that shallow glass bowl on top.  The donation was anonymous and absolutely no one knew what it was.  It's at the Humane Society Thrift Store now, taking up space.  The sale was a whopping success.  As soon as the greenhouse is fixed we can start planting seeds, that is after we can shovel out to the greenhouse!

It was snowing again this morning so I played hooky from church.  It's also the first day in a week that I haven't had to leave the house - so I didn't.  I got these towels started but the real pressing need was to finish my sketchbook.  It's due Wednesday and when I woke up this morning I knew I still had eight of the 40 sketches to go.

This was the very first sketch I did and it represents the word "hot."  I have learned so much in this short time that if I were to draw it again, and I might, the bottom wouldn't be flat, but an elliptical shape mimicking the top of the cup.

The words left were the ones I couldn't conceptualize, thus the toughest ones.  I have class tomorrow and my volunteer shift on Tuesday with the notebook due on Wednesday.  I decided to tough it out and finish today.  "Ugly" had me stumped and finally I went with this semi-automatic handgun.

I tackled ignorant and aware, though I didn't necessarily work the words in pairs.  "Ignorant" became an old TV with rabbit ears because I think that people who get spoon-fed news by talking heads don't fall into the category of "inquiring minds want to know."  This became "Aware" - my very first collage.  I found an article in a National Geographic about the Flint Michigan water situation and the piece is probably too preachy to be art, but it sure was nice to tick off another box, plus it was fun.  I taped it onto the page because I read recently that Richard Diebenkorn sometimes would tape paper together, and he's my favorite Abstractionist.

I was really fighting with "pretty."  I put in a print that I did of a canary a couple of years ago but even I know that's a cop-out.  I cut out the shapes of Alpha and Omega from a failed print for "beginning" and "end" and had pieces of the print left over, so I cut them into strips and wove them into this.  It's pretty and even better, it represents me as a weaver.  Sketchbook done, this quarter is in the bag!

I gave my notice at SMART last Thursday.  My last time to read to my kinders will be the first Thursday in April.  I cannot tell you how much I'll miss my kids and the whole experience.  However granddaughter Delaney Jane is due in three weeks, my foot surgery is April 11th and then we'll be watching Delaney on Thursdays and Fridays when DIL Julia goes back to work. 

Still Waiting

We are halfway through the semester which means its time for our midterm.  The 9:00 class assembled this pile as a still life study for both of our classes.  At first it felt like they were punishing us, but they have to draw it too. We're to pick an area to focus on, not draw the whole thing.

This is the area I chose and I wish I had zoned in on a smaller area.

This is where I left off on Monday.  I asked my instructor if I could skip Wednesday and attend my book group.  "What book are you reading?" he asked.  He was fine with it and I'll finish up this Monday afternoon.

This is my current warp.  I was short on colors and didn't think this through carefully enough.  There's a big problem with the values - just hope they attract buyers.  I called the orthopedic center and found out that my insurance approved my surgery last Monday so hope to hear from them this week.  I suspect this is the last warp I'll have time to weave for the next couple of months.

These are the colors I'm short on, all of my favorites.  Webs is backordered on Stone Green, a color that I use in many colorways, so I'm trying to come up with some alternatives now that I have received these eight colors.

The cupboard looks pretty bare, even after I plugged in my new yarns.  I called Eugene Textile today and order three additional colors that I'm limping along without.  I'll be lucky to sell enough at Fiber Market Day the end of March to cover some of my costs, but I remind myself that I'm lucky to have a hobby that pays for itself.

These are the previous towels, waiting to be hemmed.  I'm trying to get as much weaving as I can before I'm stuck with a surgical boot for six weeks.  Ian says he doesn't mind that he'll have to drive me during that time.  Gerry Sharp, one of my friends at SMART (the program where we read to kinders) has said that she would be glad to pick me up and bring me home during those six weeks.  I hope to wind several warps while I'm passing that time, including some Campbell tartan dish towels.

I read some where that at the beginning of the year you should turn all your hangers around backwards, then after you wear and launder your clothes, put them on the hangers turned the correct way.  At the end of the year, pull out the clothes whose hangers that never got turned around and take those clothes to the thrift store.  So I'm one month into this and wearing an awful lot of the same clothes.

In Limbo

We had a substitute teacher today as our instructor was out of town.  He told us that we would be doing three 45 minute sketches.  He must have thought we were advanced students because the subjects he arranged were tough.  The exercise was to draw the negative space, not the actual figures themselves.  I didn't bother taking a picture of the first study.  The second one was a grouping of three chairs and a stool.  It was hard!

The last study was a pile of six pillows and we ran out of time.  Some of the students stayed on to finish theirs but I felt like I understood the challenge and hope I don't have to do it again.  This is the fourth week of our ten week class.  

I am still waiting for approval from my insurance to have surgery on my left foot.  I met with the surgeon on the 17th and all I know is that he's going to remove two neuromas and put a pin on my second toe.  I'll be in a walking cast for six weeks after that, which means Ian is going to have to drop me off at the beginning of class and pick me up at the end, since the only car we have is stick shift.  Also hanging over my head is my booth at Fiber Market Day on March 30th.  I have no idea how this is going to play out.  If I have to I can place my things in our Guild book and just forfeit my entry fee

I've been hustling to get this ten-towel warp woven, thinking that any day now I could get called to schedule surgery.  All I know is that he does procedures on a Thursday so I know I'm good for this week.  When I came home from class today I decided to gamble that I'll have the next two months to weave and ordered ten cones of yarn from Webs.  I'm super low on colors, and have only been able to come up with one more warp with the yarn I have.  We'll see how it goes, but I'm  hoping to hang in there until April 4th.

The Winter of my Discontent

The Morton’s neuroma in my left foot has become so painful in the last couple of weeks that I have to limit walking to what’s absolutely necessary.  Which means I’ve been doing a lot of knitting and reading.  This is the sweater I’ll give at my granddaughter-to-be’s shower.  I’m pleased with how it went through the washer and dryer - Malabrigo Rios.

I’ve started another sweater from Swans Island wool which is machine washable in cool water but the instructions say to dry flat.  I’m disappointment and would not have bought it had I realized that ahead of time.  I’ve decided to dry it on low and accept the results.  A baby sweater needs to be easy care.

I got the Bartlett yarn skeined and washed.  This is actually weaving yarn so you can see the spinning oil on the skein in back makes the yarn look like linen or twine.  After washing it blooms and doubles in the volume.

I’m in the process of swatching now.

The first week of my drawing class is over and we have nine weeks left.  It seems like a tall order to become proficient in that short space of time but Bill Hoppe assures us we’ll be happily drawing by the time the class ends.  Last Wednesday we drew lilies and our shoes.  I was wearing snow boots that day as you can see  The hike up to Pence Hall is murder on my foot.  I have an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon this Thursday and hope he’ll at least give me another cortisone shot for some temporary relief.

I’ve finished the Classic Drall towels which is simply Turned Twill in little squares.  They seem drab compared to the turned taquete towels I like to weave.  I think I’m going to use a profile draft and come up with another configuration of them.  The towel on the right is variegated yarn that I bought when I first started weaving.  I bought three cones thinking they’d be so useful and versatile.  I have yet to find a way to use variegated yarn in a way that I find pleasing.  I still have two partial cones left and they’re going to the thrift store.  The dust on top tells the story.

This Christmas cactus didn’t bloom in December, but it did bloom like this in October for my birthday and now again for the new year.  My son was impressed and wanted to know the secret to my success.  I have no idea.  It’s lucky to be alive given how often I forget to water it. It’s so pretty.  I really need to be nicer to it.
We’re going to see the matinee showing of Kiss of Spiderwoman at the theater where we have season tickets.  None of our friends want to see it and I’m not sure I do but it won six Tonys so it did something right.  This is the theater company’s most ambitious production to date.  They’re even going to have a ten-piece orchestra - don’t know where they’re going to put them in that little space but it’ll be memorable for sure.

Much better!

Our weave/study group is studying block weaves which was our topic of study about two years ago. Many of us, myself included, still couldn’t claim to have a clear understanding. At our last meeting we submitted for comment our profile draft, weave structure and choice of yarns to Patty, our study leader. I chose 8/2 Tencel and turned twill for my project. She said she thought it would be pretty, but when I came home and put the profile draft in my weaving software, it was absolutely too busy to be an attractive scarf. I was stumped and that’s when I decided to weave the overshot table runners.
This last month has been pretty busy but our group is meeting this week, tomorrow in fact, and I don’t want to lose to opportunity to solidify my understanding of block weaves, so Saturday I found a profile draft in Strickler’s eight-shaft book and put it in my software. Then I wound a dark purple warp and got it beamed on.  Sunday I threaded and sleyed the reed and by then it was too dark to see. Monday morning I wove this far and I absolutely love it! II had to idea what it would look like.

I had some time this afternoon so started on a new towel.  I chose a weft with the exact same value instead of a lighter one, and these are much more pleasing to my eye.  I might even try orange on the third towel!

Monday afternoon I went up to the local community college to attend an art class. I knew it was full and I was five on the wait-list but I just threw myself on the instructor’s mercy, and hallelujah, I’m in! For the first time in twenty years I am attending college, and I even have a parking permit to keep tickets off my windshield. Yes, I got one.  The class is Drawing 1.  I’ve put off learning to draw long enough. The next ten weeks are going to be very busy.

I finished this sweater for my granddaughter-to-be and will gift it at the baby shower next month.  It’s Malabrigo Rios and while I love the look of the yarn and enjoy working with it, it seems too heavy for a baby sweater.  The yarn I’m knitting now is from Swans Island, gauge 25 stitches to 4” and I like it much better.

I just ordered another cone from Bartlett Yarns in Maine.  I like the hand of the cloth when it’s finished and I like the feel of the wool in my fingers.  The hitch is that I have to skein and wash all of the yarn before I can start knitting.

This is the sweater I’ll knit with it, another Heidi Kirrmaier design.  I’ve gotten spoiled with the perfection of her patterns so when I first started knitting the Swans Island yarn, I chose a sweater pattern from Ravelry.  It was cute and seemed to have a lot of happy knitters.  The errors by the time I had knit 2” made me throw in the towel.  Instead I’m going with a pattern from Garn Studio called Baby Fir Jacket.

It’s much easier to follow and this is how far I got starting this morning.  Much better when the instructions are better!
Tomorrow is going to be a full day, weave/study in the morning in Redmond and art class in Bend in the afternoon.  I’m going to eat cold pizza in the car for lunch, I hope it doen’t snow!