Filed under: Drawing, Fleeting thoughts... | Tags: boston, Boston Public Library, drawing, Mixit Print Studio, Somerville
So, today was another oppressively hot day in Boston. Yesterday, it was 104…today, a mere 98. I know. The Sahara Desert is hotter. BUT…do they get 48″ of snow in the winter? Noooooo. (Remind me again why I live here???)
ANYHOO…I went to see the “ReThink INK” exhibit at the Boston Public Library. This exhibit showcased the work of printmakers who have been a part of Mixit Print Studio in Somerville over the past 25 yrs. WELL…the work was so great to see. I have actually had classes with many of the printmakers who were included, such as Catherine Kernan, Jan Arabas, Deb Olin, Annie Silverman, and the list goes on. It was also a treat to see people that I am not familiar with. I’ve got photos of some of the prints from artists that I was not familiar with:
This work by Nona Hershey is titled, “Branches, Spring.” I love the soft green areas behind the strong tree boughs. My photo does this print no justice, but I loved the texture of the bark, and the three-dimensional quality of the interlaced branches. I also love all of the scratchy black lines in the background. It is soft, yet hard. Here is her website. (please look) Next:
Mongezi Ncapheyi
This print is titled, “Migrant Workers’ Hostels.” I loved the repetition. The lines were so delicate. Here is a closeup:
I thought that this was really beautiful. I’m a sucker for lovely lines. Isn’t it so simple, yet so beautiful??? I can’t seem to find his/her website, though. (You’ll just have to see the show in person to take a look at the work…hee hee!) Next:
I loved this as well. This print is titled, “Compressed Crawling.” The rhythmic texture and subtle greys…ahhh. Dreamy. Doesn’t it almost look three-dimensional? Love it. Makes me want to run my sweaty hand across it. (Don’t worry! I didn’t.) Next:
Valda Zalkalns
I can’t find a website for her, either. This print is titled, “Corn Print #1.” There is actually corn embedded in the print. Fascinating! Here is a closeup:
Isn’t that cool??? Maybe I’m seeing a theme here…I guess I like work with TEXTURE. I realize that’s so odd, when my own work is so “clean”. I know someone who always jokes about the fact that I love Cy Twombly, and yet my stuff is nothing like his. I think that this same person was surprised to find out that I’m a messy person. I guess that my clean drawings imply a certain amount of fastidiousness. That’s sort of true…but that’s about as far as it goes with me. Martha Stewart would sob into her monogrammed handkerchief if she stepped into my house…actually, she’d probably keep her face covered like that the whole time! (but no matter) I just make friends with the dust bunnies.
In spite of the fact that my son has created numerous drawings this week, I have decided to show his collection of “rusting iron thingys”, which are sitting in front of the house:
This type of thing typically migrates into the house somehow, but then I have to migrate it back out again (the dust bunnies get scared). That enormous “nail” on the right is about as long as my forearm. Why can’t he collect pebbles, instead? Sigh. I’m hoping that the family’s tetanus shots are up to date…
My own work continues at a snail’s pace. As you have seen with previous posts, I’m experimenting with what direction my work should now go in. Here is my latest drawing:
I’ve drawn the hammer as blurred, or “pixelated”. I’m wanting to have the tool blurred, as if to create anonymity. I also had the hammer beginning to slip off of the edge of the drawing. I was pretty happy with it. My advisor suggested that I reconsider the negative space. HMM! Well, as a result…I’ve been pondering and pondering. I haven’t even STARTED another drawing. Hey, at least I did the laundry, (finally!) Everyone at my house is less grumpy when they have clean clothes to wear. Such fusspots. Go figure.
So, your homework assignment is to go and see ReThink INK at the BPL. If you wanted to…you could also GUSH about my brilliant drawing, but I won’t put that as homework. Think of this blog as OpenCourseWear, much like that of MIT’s…except that I have nothing intelligent to teach you, and I won’t email you a certificate either. Hmm. Maybe I should get back to my art cave in the basement…I think that the heat is getting to me…
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slightly wonky 