Jennifer Zalewski Studio

Jen’s official verdict on working with Birch Plywood:

Meh.

First pass on the Untitled Lucy Reduction. The grain in the wood… OMG the grain! I’m not used to it, working for so long with MDF and linoleum. You can’t really see it on the surface of the board, but when you ink  and print… it’s totally there. I’ve tried to make it grow on me, but I can’t.  I’ve talked to my class Professor and some of the Grad Assistants about it, but … well… can’t change the wood. As Dr. Phil would say, “It is what it Is.”

They had simple (aka brilliant) advice: It’s early, so start over on a different type of block. Or… Don’t be mad at the grain, don’t hide it… Let the personality of the wood speak.

My first instinct PRE-class – hitting this snag- would be to throw the block in the garbage, shove the drawing in a drawer somewhere, and begin something else (after pouting for a week or two, of course). But I’m not. Perseverance–I’m learning the art of Perseverance!

Although I love the idea of letting my block speak… I’m kind of not interested in what it has to say, LOL. After all, I already know the conversation:

Birch Plywood: “Lemme show you texture! See my lovely GRAIN. It will get in the way of every detail you want to carve, but that’s okay, because I’m so000 beautiful.”

Me: “No! No! No! No! No!No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! N -”

SO, ALAS… I’m Re-carving on MDF or linoleum today. Wish me luck.

P.S.- If you want to see some mind-blowing woodcuts made from Birch Plywood (OMG how do they do it??) check out Tugboat Printshop. Really stunning stuff!!!

Do you ever do self-evaluations of your projects and progress over the years?  The other day, going through my old blog and computer files, I realized just how many art projects I’ve started and never finished. The reasons vary: I got bored with the design, made a carving mistake, didn’t like the way the ink dried, botched the reductions. I could go on and on. But the outcome is the always the same: when I hit these snags I become discouraged (or bored?) and move to something else.

It’s kind of a bummer to look at your “portfolio” and realize it’s built on half-finished discards, you know?

Sigh.

That’s changing this year. I mean, I’m making it my goal AND I have another impetus: I’m taking an Advanced Printmaking Class at the university where I work. I’m lucky they have such a huge printmaking program (with BFA and MFA options) and so many choices of workshops and classes. I’m limited a bit, of course, because I work during the day—I needed to find something that is evening and/or weekend, which isn’t the easiest. BUT, I did it, and I’m super excited about it. The class allows us to work on our own projects and in our own technique, yet has the structure and accountability I need at this point. If I have problems, I have a professor and 10 other students ( a mix of BFA and MFA candidates) to dole constructive criticism.  And I have a hard & fast semester assignment: Nine (NINE!!!!!) cohesive prints due by the end of April. That’s more than I usually do in a year!!!! So I’m excited, nervous, over-the-moon and shakey all at once, LOL.

Many of the relief printmakers in my class use MDF for their woodcuts, which I’ve used before with varying results. It seems to be a bit too… buttery?… in consistency for me. I go in for a dig with my chisel, and suddenly I’m skittering across the board and leaving a huge divot trail. I just can’t control myself, LOL. I do enjoy linoleum, but only mounted blocks, which limits my size and gets expensive. SO, in the spirit of a new year, I’m trying some new boards: Shina Plywood and Birch Plywood.  The Shina is from McClains, and highly regarded by Moku Hanga artists. The Birch is from my local Lowes, but I’ve heard many woodcut artists love it—so I’m giving it the ol’ college try. It was $8 for a board that was cut into 4 pieces of 12 x12, so that wasn’t too bad! The McClains Shina- bought at the university bookstore- was $9 for an 8×10 piece. Ouch.  I checked it out online and found it MUCH cheaper via direct from McClains… oh well. Live and learn.  I also ordered some unmounted “fake” linoleum from Dick Blicks- EZ Blue Lino, I think it’s called- which I’ve used before with nice results. Along with the lino I ordered a stash of Rives Lightweight paper- I’m usually a Stonehenge fanatic, but looking for something lighter (of course, all I have to do is LOOK at a lightweight paper wrong and it dents/crinkles, so I’m going to have to be extra careful!!!!).

I have a few goals for my class:

1. Work in color- and pull SUCCESSFUL prints in color. These will be either by Reduction or White-Line/Provincetown. I’d love to try Whiteline, but not sure how they’d look with what I have “in my head”—you know how that goes!
2. Will be working mainly with Woodcuts and Linocuts, BUT… I’d like to try a collagraph.
3. Loosen up a bit. I naturally draw realistic, and tend to go pretty tight when I start cutting. I want to simplify my subjects a bit.
4. I want to concentrate more on form and shape, instead of line.
5. Work with new blocks (i.e. the Birch and Shina plywoods)
6. Although the course goal is to have each students’ prints fit one collection at the end of the semester, I’d like to do 3 collections of 3, maybe: Greyhounds, Wildlife, and Landscapes.

Clifford doesn’t hang out with me much in the studio. It’s hard for him to lay on dog beds now- his back feet can’t make that 2 inch rise onto the cushion, and he trips a bit, gets discouraged, and goes to the bedroom (I took my Queen sized bed off its frame, so it lays on the floor for us. Cliff finds that much easier to get/rest/nest on). I feel bad for him, and value the times he IS successful laying on his doggy bed, keeping me company. Sometimes I bring my art in the bedroom just to sit with him, so he’s not alone. His health has been going through ups and downs. He’s happy, that’s for sure- running in the backyard (well, gimpy-running), barking his “happy barks”, carrying his new stuffed maggot around the house like a dzikus, etc– but has needed another depo shot recently which was nerve-wracking for him. He stopped eating dog food a few weeks ago, but is easily bribed with real food, so he’s getting Peanut Butter sandwiches, spaghetti and meatballs, baked and boiled chicken, oatmeal, yams, etc. for his meals now. Solely “people food”. I’m hoping he’ll hold his weight, or even add some with the carbs I’m packing into him! A little cyst or sty has just formed on the edge/underside of his eyelid, which I’m sure scratches the cornea when he blinks and we’ll need to get that checked, as well as bloodwork done, to see if the Depo shots are affecting his kidneys or blood-sugar levels (I guess they can cause diabetes). I’m trying to ride that “One day at a time” mentality which has never been easy for me!!!

Well, it’s been almost a year now since Lucy died. I can’t believe it. The other night I pulled out a picture of her and began sketching, and she just kind of poured out my pencil.  I think she will be my first woodcut for class! Here’s a partial scan of it–not sure why the whole thing wouldn’t come through. Hmpf.  My first reduction cut will be Wednesday! There is a huge Takach press at the university studio, which should be super fun to use~!

Stay tuned…

I just got back from a wonderful 5 days in Gainesville, Florida with my 2 BFFs. I have to admit, the Southeastern United States has never appealed to me as a tourist destination –nope, no thanks. Don’t want to live there, don’t want to visit. I hate the heat- I hate humidity- I even hate sunshine. The idea of poisonous snakes, brown recluse spiders, and dealing with fleas year-round makes my skin crawl. That nice warm ocean has riptides and sharks. I mean really- give me Minnesota or Alaska or Maine or something- that’s my idea of a vaycay. Florida? Not so much. I can’t picture myself there. I can’t picture me and my dogs there. I guess I’m an anomaly, lol.

Then my BFF Trace decides to move to Gainesville. And then Jennifer, accompanied by  BFF Bridget, hop a plane and head to grand ol’ Sunshine State to visit her.

I survived the plane ride(s). Flying is not as traumatic as I remembered it.

I survived the weather. It was about 40-55 degrees the 5 days we were there, which was perfect for me (I LOL’ed at all the G’villians wearing winter coats and boots).

I survived the sunshine.  I realized a little Vitamin D isn’t too bad, after all.

I survived 5 days without my dogs. Thankfully Trace let me take over “dog duty” with her greyhound and cairn, and we took 3 walks a day together. They kindly led me on many tours of downtown Gainesville, and provided me lots of poo to pick up off the sidewalks so I wouldn’t get homesick for my boys.

I survived the crazy, poisonous, creepy-crawly animals that exist in the south-with the exception of a few ticks. They getcha every time.

I took almost 600 photos of the journey, but won’t bore my 2 blog readers with all of them.  I’ll post a few of my favorites, with the highlights…because the trip was SO FUN. It really was. Florida… well, it’s growing on me. Cold winter Florida, far-away-from-Disneyworld Florida, at least. ;o)

Our Eco-Tour of Kings Bay (Crystal River) with the Aardvark Florida Kaying Company kicked off the vaycay. I don’t have words to describe the trip except: Mind-Blowing, Wonderful, Simply Amazing. We had a brilliant tour guide who knew everything there is to know about Florida ecology, and led us on a wonderful paddle among wild manatees and the most amazing birds: Brown Pelicans, ibises, cormorants, anhinga, ospreys, coots, herons (black crowned and blue), etc…

The manatee frolicked around our kayaks, hamming it up for the camera for close to an hour. It was heavenly!…

The Birding was amazing… I have SO much inspiration for my art, from this kayak trip alone!!…

We went to a basketball game on the UF campus, which was SO much fun (and I’m not even a sports person!)…I think the best part was learning the “Gator Dance”…

…and we had lunch on campus with the Hare Krishnas…

…not to be outdone by the Secret Recipe Whoopie Pies Trace whipped up –from scratch–in her condo for us–

My stomach is growling just looking at the picture, sigh.

We also went to the homestead of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings in Cross Creek/Micanopy. It’s really amazing to see how people lived back in those goldie-oldie days, especially a woman author/hunter/woodswoman. This WAS the unfortunate location we picked up ticks (in the wooded trails behind the house, not the house itself) but we did pick up something totally awesome, too…

Oranges! And grapefruit! Picked fresh from the groves, using the old tools Marjorie would have used. The tour guides let us pick a whole bag of fruit, and we used it to make home-made orange soda and screwdrivers late that night, back at the condo. Tasty stuff!

The picture above is on one of the MKR trails. The views were exquisite- I think worth the ticks we picked up, even. I mean, you can’t beat the Spanish moss and and ethereal swampiness… you almost expect a pterodactyl to swoop down over your head.

Check out this Anhinga (Snake Bird)… we saw him swimming at Lake Alice, while walking through the city to the Natural History Museum...

Totally whackadoodle, right? He kind of DOES look like a snake. No pics actually AT the museum (which was phenomenal), but here are the boys’ souvenirs:

Aren’t they great? Jack got a stuffed snake and Cliffie got a stuffed maggot. Yeah, a stuffed maggot. It was awesome, I couldn’t resist!

Culminating vaycay was a wildlife viewing excursion along LaChua trail, at Paynes Prairie. We saw SO many birds including Whooping Cranes–there are only about 100 mating pairs left in the wild.We also saw herons (Great Blue and Little Blue), ibis, moorhens/gallinules, Coots, Sandhill Cranes, Ibis (white and glossy), Snowy egret, Broad-winged hawk, and some type of vulture. Trace and Bridget spotted a wild horse. From the viewing platform, we spotted a herd of wild bison. And we even saw alligators, despite the cold!  Really cool.

Now, I’m back home in the Great White North. We have almost a foot of snow on the ground. It’s about 11 degrees outside. I’ve had to break out the snow-blower, and shovel the back deck for the dogs. The sunshine and wildlife and Good Times with Friends in Gainesville seems almost like a dream…

Almost 2 feet of snow– gone. The yard is wet, squishy, and dull.  Paws get black pretty quick and the washer is full of muddy towels. I miss the snow, but it’s nice to get a spring-ish reprieve between storms.

I know a lot of folks who refuse to make “New Years Resolutions” and I guess I see their point, but I do enjoy a bit of planning. See, I find that if I don’t set goals for myself, life kind of passes me by… quickly. And then I look back and nothing has gotten done? And where did time go–? The past few days, lots of other artist/craftsperson bloggers I follow have been posting their yearly wrap-ups and plans for 2011, so I’m jumping on the bandwagon too. Here we go…!

MY 2010 GOALS… how did I do? Meh.

1. Finish 2 pieces of art per month. Was doing okay until Lucy died in March.

2. PROJECT: Continue working on my portfolio of Greyhound Art. See above.

3. PROJECT: Begin working on documenting the Wildlife of Upstate New York in linocuts. See above- I did get one done, but that’s it.

4. PROJECT: Continue working on documenting the Landcapes of Upstate New York in linocuts. Nope.

5. My website: Combine that and my blog onto one site. I hate having them in separate places! Why am I paying for a domain name again-?? I just renewed my hosting plan and am going to start the process realllllly soon-! Yes! I did get this done!

I have personal goals too (lose that extra 10 lbs., (almost- I hit 6 lbs I think), eat healthier (well, this is an ongoing battle!), get Jack certified in animal-assisted therapy (no, although I have begun training for his CGC, which is the first step!), keep Lucy and Cliff healthy and limber on their NSAIDs (2010 was a bad dog year, except for Jack’s adoption. ‘Nuff said).

Okay, so my 2010 Goals were kind of… unfulfilled. Lucy’s death was difficult and I struggled creatively for a long time after. I hope things will go better (canine-wise) in 2011 but with a senior hound in the house, nothing is guaranteed. One day at a time, right?

Without further ado…

2011 GOALS…

Art Goals:

1. Two pieces of new art per month- I’m stealing this from last year. It’s certainly do-able (barring any canine catastrophes…).
2. Re-do my website- I love having my blog and website together on WordPress. I mean, it’s SUPER easy and convenient- there are thousands of templates to chose from with all sorts of neat plugins. I’m working on new content for my new site now and hope to roll it out at the end of the month…
3. Order “real” business cards, design a logo, etc- I’ve always made my own biz cards, but I’ve been hearing sooo many folks on the Etsy Forums who are enamored with Moo and Moo products. And I need to design a logo, too.
4. New “stuff“– not sure where this will go yet, but I’d like to work on a line of greeting cards, etc.

Personal Goals:

1. Fitness. This fall I began working out 5-days a week, running, kickboxing and a little weight training. Although I’ve never been obese, I’m definitely on the very-very-very high end of what I SHOULD weigh, for my height. My BMI is high and my doctor lectures me for it (sigh).  And I’ve started exhibiting some of the signs of pre-diabetes (another sigh). One of my old neighbors had diabetes and the effects were so awful he committed suicide –he lost his sight, then was told his circulation had deteriorated and he needed to have both legs amputated–I guess he freaked and hung himself. I wouldn’t mind doing the insulin shots but I’m really not, um, excited about the possibility of becoming a blind paraplegic you know? I hate the jiggling under my arms and around my stomach when I mow the lawn. I hate huffing and puffing like an idiot going up the one measly flight of stairs at work. Talk about embarrassing. Sadly, I realize that I’ve gained almost 40 lbs since graduating from college 11 years ago–and how the heck did that happen?? I mean, 40 lbs? That’s a Samoyed for God’s sakes. So anyway…  I’m continuing my running and training for a 10 mile Road Race this summer. I know I can do it, even if it makes me throw up LOL.
2. Volunteering. I want to amp it up.* Help more with dog transports, and get back involved in a local pet therapy group with Jack. On New Year’s day, I did my first transport of 2011 (yay!) and I believe therapy evaluations are coming up later this month, so I’m on track…
3. More Estrogen in the House. (LOL). Am looking to adopt a girlie (canine, of course) after I get back from my vay-cay in Florida. I’ve flirted with the idea the past few months and think the time is right, if I can find the right gal. Might be a Greyhound, might be a mutt, might be another breed I’ve been salivating over lately but will DEFINITELY be a rescue.
4. Writing. I love writing- I was even a Creative Writing minor in college. I have SO many ideas swirling around in my head for a book and I’ve never started in on any of them with any effort. That’s going to change this year!

Well… hmmm. I think that’s it for now. We’ll see how they roll out as the year progesses. Any other artsy/craftsy peeps planning their Goals for the Year out there?

Jen

*Some pics from my January 1st Pug Transport! We had to get 3 little victims of foreclosure into a good, safe rescue group over in New England. They were relayed across 3 states and I helped drive a local leg. Here’s Sissy, Mugsy and Porky- what sweeties!: