Jennifer Zalewski Studio

I have a series of linocuts that have been percolating in my head for a few weeks now, all loosely based on circular Sacred Mandala patterns and sleeping greyhounds. I know, it sounds kind of weird but there’s  a method behind the madness. I haven’t been able to put it all into words yet but that’s my project over winter break. Working in Higher Education, I’ve always been lucky to get at least a week off of work between Christmas and New Years… and this year, it’s almost 2 weeks since my last day of work is the 22rd. I already have my To-Do list going and tops is working on this new series, articulating my thoughts on it (really, it shouldn’t be SO hard… I was a creative writing minor in college. This should be easy-squeazy, right?) and finishing re-vamping my website. Woot!

Anyway, this linocut was an interesting one. I actually sat down next to a snoozing Clifford and drew him, from life, right on the block as he napped. I liked the spontaneity of the process but it was a bit nerve-wracking too. I usually sketch on vellum or tracing paper, so I can turn the paper around and look at it backwards, upside down and right-side up- you can really see glaring anatomical errors that way. A bit harder to do that with a lino block, but… well… we did it.

I inked the block with Graphic Chemical oil based ink- a mix of umber, ochre and a bit of alizarin crimson. Mixed together with a palette knife, it made a beautiful warm brown.

Printing with the Bottlejack Press (aka Red Bomber) that Dad and I built last year. Jack supervised from his warm spot on the  loveseat, LOL!

… There’s nothing more fascinating (and sometimes, disappointing)…then pulling your print away from the inked block, and seeing how it came out. If you are psyched about the block, then it’s usually an “Eeeek! YESSSSS!” moment. Thankfully, I was super happy with how this block came out, and was pretty psyched all evening.

Prints drying upstairs in the Loft. I think I have 7-8 viable prints and I’m thinking of hand-coloring them with watercolor, a la Margaret Preston, a totally rad Australian Printmaker who passed away in the early ’60s but lucky for me- the University where I work has a huge, full-color book of all her printmaking endeavors which have been totally inspirational!

The two shows I’m chomping at the bit to enter- ASATDS and Year of the Rabbit 2011– deadlines are fast approaching. I tend to panic when deadlines approach and considering I’m not really done Christmas shopping AND I promised one of my brothers, a PhD candidate in history, two full-sized portraits of the German Reichstag and Red Square for Xmas… Panicking. Panicking. Panicking.

I may have snowy-white hair by the end of the week. But seeing our region is still buried in snow, maybe white hair wouldn’t be so awful after all. It would be very environmentally matchy-matchy. I kinda like the idea. ;o)

We’ve had quite, quite the weather change here in Central NY. We careened full-speed from fall to winter in the blink of an eye… but then again, that’s the way Mother Nature rolls around here.  Should I be surprised? Nuh-uh.

Thanksgiving Weekend. I work at a local university and there is a huge, huge fenced practice field in front of my building. Brought the boys out for a bit of a romp, and they had a blast…

Cliff’s looking pretty well, eh? Unfortunately – not sure if it was the ballfield romping, the car ride- but he had a really rough 2 days after this. Thankfully he’s back in action, had a second Depo spinal shot, and good to go! We’ll have to remember to take it easy, even on good days.

Now, flash forward to Friday. The snow has started- hooray! I love winter…

But the weekend… man oh man! The snow was coming down HARD and it hasn’t stopped since Saturday. We’ve been getting slammed, absolutely slammed. I know that three of the biggest cities in my area (Syracuse, Rochester and Binghamton) consistently rank among the top 10 snowiest cities in the United States, but even THIS dumping was a bit much. Witness….

Twenty-one inches. Twenty-one inches in only a few days!

Using my new snowshoes, I tried tramping down trails around the backyard for the boys, so they could easily “do their business” but alas… a few hours after making the trails, they would be filled up again. I tried. Well, I keep trying…snowshoeing is hard work but FUN.

This photo, from Saturday morning, is how we spent most of the weekend… working in the art studio, reading, and hunkering down!

“Word on the street” is that a nor’easter will be swooping in this weekend for another big storm… can’t wait!