Still Sprinting

These last days continue to be overflowing, in the attempt to squeeze everything possible out of the time left.  However it is a good thing that we are almost done as many suppiles are tired or running out.  

My lab coat has become too dirty to even put on.  It might even be combustable at this point.

I use a phone book when I do a paper wipe on my etching plates.  This is what is left of the Manhatttan Yellow pages.  There has been many inches of entertainment with each piece I use, reading about all the services I didn't know I needed or were even available.  Many kinds of entertainment, clowns being my favorite.  Then moving on the pet stores where you can purchase a live rock.  Might have to get me one  of those.

The next challange is to get it all back in the car tomorrow.

Still Sprinting

These last days continue to be overflowing, in the attempt to squeeze everything possible out of the time left.  However it is a good thing that we are almost done as many suppiles are tired or running out.  

My lab coat has become too dirty to even put on.  It might even be combustable at this point.

I use a phone book when I do a paper wipe on my etching plates.  This is what is left of the Manhatttan Yellow pages.  There has been many inches of entertainment with each piece I use, reading about all the services I didn't know I needed or were even available.  Many kinds of entertainment, clowns being my favorite.  Then moving on the pet stores where you can purchase a live rock.  Might have to get me one  of those.

The next challange is to get it all back in the car tomorrow.

SPRINT TO THE END

It was 17 below this morning so sprinting between buildings is a must around here.  The gentle sound of the sidewalk snowplow wakes me every morning signalling that my way is clear.  The effects of my time here will be long lasting and will continually reveal itself to me.  But for the next days i am focusing on the little things around me that when complete will equal the big thing.

And just to be sure that I can squeeze everything out of these days possible, felt I needed alittle  insurance.

Can always use more brain power.  We have been spoiled daily but the chef's farm to table organic masterpieces.  And since "Asphalt" was local and organic it qualified for a try.  And as suspected, it is dangerously delicous.  

 

Carol Sing & Wassil Bowl

My favorite holiday tradition has always been the Carol Sing the Monday before Christmas.  My parents invited everyone in town over to sing Christmas Carols, eat Christmas Cookies and have the Merry Christmas Punch aka Wassil bowl.  It was all pure joy!

The making of the Wassil bowl would start days before with the slow cooking of fruit and spices making the house quite fragrant.  My job was always the putting a clove in each section of the many slices of lemon and orange.   A few years ago it was time to make the Wassil and my mother opened her cookbook and pulled out a tattered, stained page with what was left of the recipe.  60 years in the making.  If you can make out the ingredients its worth the effort to make, however the mysterious ingredient , Sucaryl definitely dates the recipe and thankfully has a substitute!

Austin and Peggy

Here are some protraits we found recently of my parents.  Like many families, they had us all drawn in pastel, but we had never seen their portraits before.  My mom passed away last nght...and she is with my dad, as it shoud be.  They were married for 65 years.  They used their time, resources and talents well.  Many are the receipents of their kindness and love.  Their lives will be a continuing conversation as to the impact they had all on their path.  

Thoreau said it best....to affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts.  They both showed us how to do that!

People

Pure Joy and cool art!

Adrienne Ginter with her exquisite drawing in pen and ink.

2 self portraits by Rina Dweck. Part of her 365 project...Faces..self protraits all taken on her iphone.

Joe Peragine  

Eric Diehl 

Places

This is my attempt at town planning.

More towns, other worlds.

Is it a village or a town...or both.

Its the Little Things

Many moments here have caught my eye.  Here are some of my favorites.

Hat Hair..theres no way around it.

One of the real necessities of life is delivered by Fred.

And the holidays are wrapped in lights.  The cement truck rotated to complete the experience.  Was the hot spot for a portrait for your holiday card!

These Four Walls

I have been drawing maps for a long time.  Nantucket is such an iconic shape that you can't help yourself from drawing her likeness.  

This map is in the Nantucket Whaling Museum.  Measures 17' x 11'

Since I have been here I have been working on the Map as landscape.    I have always loved the delicacy and ornanment that maps are filled with. In my studio practice I have exploring the juxtaposition of the topography of land mass with the grid of humanity that rests on top.   Everyday it changes and takes me somewhere new.  Here are my studio walls with intaglio, monotype, and paint...places I have been and places I hope to go.  I am interested in where this will take me.

If you look close you can see Walley, our beloved dog, keeping watch.  Mike slipped it into one of my bags that I found when I unpacked.  He's the perfect studio mate.  Very agreeable.

Thanksgiving and Good Friday

This is what Thanksgiving looks like at Art Camp!  60 people around the table.  Sparkly sun on the crisp snow.  Local food.  No cooking.  No dishes.  No worries.  

And today..being known as Black Friday...make it Good Friday.  Find artists, bakers, knitters...clever folks around and buy something from them.  A drawing, knitted hat, jar of jam.  And then see how you feel.  Whenever I buy a hand made something as a gift....I end up keeping it because it is special.  So next time I'll but two. One for me and one for you.  

A Day of Printing!

Its been awhile since I have so much time to do any printing.  Startred working on solar plate printing and started a three color print today.  Nothing like easing back in!!!

 Plate one  yellow ochre

Plate two    Cadmuim red

Plate three...black..oops plate upside down.

Its handmade...I never make the same mistake twice....well at least I try. 

Studio Days

I made it here with a very full car and apparenty I did have the kitchen sink and some dancing shoes inside.  

I have managed to get it all in my studio and am off and running!

My new home...quite cozy.

My studio building 

and yes all my stuff....like I have been here for months. 

 

Artist Residency!

I am off today to begin my residency at the Vermont Studio Center, something I have worked toward for some time.  I have had great support and cheering from all around me.  Stay tuned to see what happens.  I will be focusing on printmaking and 50 artists total will be there, which means anything can happen. 

What's in a Color Name?

Color names are nice, but I think it has so confused people.  I buy wine because of the label and many choose a color because of the name. Who wouldn’t want their bedroom to “Peaceful Serenity," when in reality, it looks like the color of blue tape. In my new line of color I’ll have a color called “Sexy Forever.” Borrowing the title of Suzanne Summer’s new book- a best seller for the master bedroom!

The color condiment collection

Studio Containers 

 I think you can learn a lot about an artist by looking at the vessels in the studio that hold paint, brushes and stuff.  I looked around my studio the other day and was impressed by the assortment of tofu, yogurt and crushed tomato containers filled with color for the latest project.  But truth be told if a potato chip bag was a good paint container you might see one of those as well.

Print Exchange

Print Exchange

I recently participated in a group printmaking project.  500 artists, each submitting an edition of 12 prints on the subject "The Drive Home".  

One print to be kept in the Art Library archives in Brooklyn, NY, One print to be in a traveling show around the country, 

10 prints to sent to 10 of the participating artists.  

The best part of it all was that one day 10 prints from around the world arrived...each with their own interpretation of their drive home.  

My image was created by making impressions of the letterpress plates from 1956 from the local paper of the Nantucket Island ferry schedule.    My commute these days usually involves a boat of some kind.  

Here it is to check out

http://www.flickr.com/photos/arthousecoop/9367101810/

The Sketchbook Project

The Sketchbook Project


This project that I participated in had a slow beginning.  Simple idea.  They send me a small book,  I fill it with anything I like, and send it back.  It goes on tour for a year around the country in their mobile library.   But like many ideas...some are too big.  What do I want to put on the world stage for all to see. 

And then it happened....I had been carrying around the book for weeks, no closer to an idea, when my coffee spilled in may bag, making a big mess out of everything, including my sketchbook.   I dried it all off and just tried to forget about it all.   One of the victims of the spill was my day planner.  One  day when I was in a meeting, I had my planner open and the pages were coffee stained...and as always I start to doodle on the pages of the day. The coffee stains quickly became continents!  And there it was, the beginning of my sketchbook idea!  Coffee Continents . Java Worlds....and I soon became obsessed.  I almost hated to sent it away, but knew it had a bigger life than just me. 

I have loved not only the idea, but the actual involvement of global art projects.  Connects us all in a special way.  Here is my book.


http://www.sketchbookproject.com/library/13122#page-slide_1

New Blog!

Hey everyone! Just started a new blog for Mary Emery Design. Check back for updates!

-M