February 28
"Sligo :: Enniskillen :: Giant's Causeway"
Well friends, I arrived to Ireland safely after some interesting airport times and my lovely pals snatched me up from the airport in the wee early hours. Here are some photos from my journey so far.
Many a beautiful places.
There are lots of other photos here.
February 22
"So Long"
I left Penland this weekend, my two years as a core fellow are up.
I leave for Ireland tomorrow to visit the best buddies and have some quiet times.
Thanks to everyone who made these last two years unforgettable.
February 17
"Postcard Reclamation Project"
So in January I started the Postcard Reclamation Project as a way to reuse and give
new life to all of the old postcards I have lying around my house.
I hate to throw out old mail so this project serves as a way for me
to take something old but dear and reuse it.
THE PROCESS
Artist cards, souvenir cards, and random postcards are partially sanded and painted before being letterpress printed and collated into groups of five. Lots of layers of ink and chance operation make no two cards alike.
The collated cards are packaged with a handprinted belly band that has a description of the project.
Postcards are available on my etsy page.
February 14
"i admire your open mind..."
I found these sort of morbid valentines cards a few months ago at a thrift store in spruce pine.
They are technically called "insult cards"...
Happy Valentines day i guess.
February 14
"the business of business cards..."
In the past week I've printed a lot of business cards...
Take a look. I think their cards fit their artwork.
For Jason Burnett of CakeBoy Industries.
For Mark Boyd of JustMakingStuff
For Justin Turcotte, glass artist
I also made my self new cards and helped Tina Boy print her own cards (which you can see below)
Busy days...
February 13
"via charles bowden..."
"All this vanished reality is blocked from our view by lines on maps,
men patrolling with guns to guard borders, by the demand for passports and visas,
by men sitting in little booths and claiming abstract notions like sovereignty
as we sweat in our cars waiting to cross from nation to nation.
But beneath our asphalt and concrete the earth is whole, united, ferocious, and relentless."
Charles Bowden
February 12
"I have so much to tell you..."
New postcards from the print shop.
Oversize "I have so much to tell you" postcards.
Four color wood type and ornaments.
Set of four postcards with quotations from Kurt Vonnegut.
Cards say.
"If you can do no good, at least do no harm."
"There's only one rule that I know of, babies-- God damn it, you've got to be kind."
"We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful what we pretend to be."
I want to stand as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all kinds of things you can't see from the center."
All are available at my etsy store...
February 11
"Wood Grain"
This week I have been helping my great fellow core pal CHRISTINA BOY
make herself some new business cards and other goodies in the letterpress studio.
She is a fabulous woodworker (and more) so on the back of her cards we printed some wood
grain from a piece of wood she sandblasted.
She also printed some care/information cards for her line of cutting boards that you would receive upon purchase.
Tina made me this sweet spatula, maybe for helping, but mostly because she is nice and I give her prints sometimes.
Lastly, this vintage Late Night with Conan O'Brien video often makes me think of tina...
(because she's german and would totally win this game show.)
You should watch it...
February 9
"DC Show"
Some photos and a blurb from the justseeds show in dc that just closed.
My "lost wild rabbit" print was in the show. CLICK HERE.
February 7
"Circus Hellos"
A few new letterpress goodies fresh off the press.
I love the circus these days, particularly early 1900's traveling carnivale times.
To celebrate it I've made two new Hello Letterpress Postcards on recycled chipboard.
Both available at my etsy store.
February 5
"MB 50 Book"
For those of you who don't know for our friend Mark's 50th birthday a few of us decided
to make him a book- a big book- a zine- whatever you want to call. The goal was for the book
to have at least 50 pages made by 50 different friends and colleagues of Mark's. When we gave
the book to mark on his birthday 65 of you had sent us pages, beautiful pages, and the spine was 4.5 inches thick.
A huge THANKS to everyone who contributed a page to this lovely book. We couldn't have done it without you.
A special thanks to Frank, Kate, and Margaret for making it happen- it is one of the most amazing collaborations
I've ever worked on, and MARK LOVED IT.
February 5
"Hi Fi Cafe"
On Tuesday I installed a little show at the HI FI Cafe in Asheville, North Carolina. It's a new little spot downtown on French Broad Avenue that shares a space with the common market and a weekend year round farmers market. It seems like the best time to visit is the weekend. Check out my paintings and prints if you are in the neighborhood.
February 4
"MB"
My great friend mark boyd turns the big 5-0 today.
Swing by justmakingstuff.blogspot.com and wish him the happiest of days.
Mark- you are fabulous!
February 1
"Much Ado"
Dear February,
You make me nervous.
20 days until I up and move.
23 until I fly away.
and some little mouseys got into my mail storage drawer. stamps and envelopes and such.
that doesn't make me happy.
but in other trades...
A sweet cup by Roberta Massuch holds my business cards beautifully.
Not a trade but a dern good purchase from local potter and all around goody guy Michael Kline.
I'm in the letterpress shop all week printing up a storm but more to come at the end of the week.