IF: [Winter from my] Perspective

Winter Solstice, Q. Cassetti, 2010, pen and ink/digital Winter from my perspective is a time of quiet, of introspection and study. It is the time to burrow down with ideas, my pens and books and see what happens with the rich brew of slow time, dark days and nights and the white blanket of snow that covers the landscape. From this time, summer and spring leap unbounded and unburdened as the time for fermenting has happened.

Long day today and cannot talk. Spent the morning involved with a commitment I have with the school (as a volunteer) and it took the better part of the day. So, work was backlogged and here I am. Six thirty and the forks are being shown to me. Gotta go.

Tuesday grey day

Winter Solstice, Q. Cassetti, 2010Geekin', oh girl. I have been working on more of these Home Sweet Home pictures and have begun to shorten tasks, work with the marvelous blob brush (shift + b) which fills well combined with the multiply transparency feature. I admit, they are not speedy...but quicker than in Photoshop. Working with these images forces me to think about color (I am using Kuler palettes, saving them, amending them and keeping that color biga going). And, some aspects of these illustrations work better than others as well (from a design standpoint)--so I keep learning as I go.

And then, there is the cmyk, rgb crossover which is always perplexing. When the list of all the tricky things that makes the work work...then, it will be time to hang up the boxing gloves. Ah well.

A loaf of Pain Levain is sitting on my little electric heater right by my right hand. I am going to give it one more rise than what is mentioned in the recipe. I was reading an interesting book about the Brother Juniper Bread Bakery in California, a wonderful philosophical / spiritual journey through bread...and he was talking about letting the dough have its time to grow and develop. He sprinkles in little bits of data and science (I think its all magic, to be honest) which is sticking to the inside of this head...and that you can continue to rise the bread a few times...but to watch it from going too far. The idea is to allow the yeast/sourdough to ferment to deepen the flavor. Makes sense to me.... We'll see. The proof is definitely in the pudding...or slice.

I am thrilled that I got my resume up here ( About Q.)...and that I have current shows, exhibitions etc up versus the time and trial to get my QCassetti.com amended. I am going to transfer qcassetti.com and theluckystone.com to this page to let it all coexist. I am fiddling with galleries (the 2300˚ postcards under the Luckystone is an example of treatment). I originally kept the websites separate as it was preached at Syracuse that art directors/designers did not want to know if the illustrator was a designer and could handle type. I was fearsome about that, but now, I do not care. It is best for me to show my entire work as a whole versus a little bit here and a little bit there. Plus, I find the illustration work for myself. That's where I am happiest.

A mini pile of rush jobs have just popped up in my mailbox. Yeeesh.

More later, I hope.

Love is in the Air!

Block one: I do not wash my socks for they cause me to stick to walls. Block two: I am Spider Fellow, and I have an extra pair of limbs, I am hugging your back [possibly ass] and and am pouring [the word is lovko, which is in a sense clever for a physicial action. And its true... it is very lovko..] from http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2006/07/10/the-history-of-pop-culture-bayeux-stylee/Remember my rantings on Lubok (Russian Folkloric illustration)?  To put it mildly, it rocks my world. The illustrations are funny, woodcutty and often twist the content a bit to exaggerate the idea. Very witty, very Russian and a tad perverse.

Here are the  two links: Lubok>> Sunday Doings>>

And the terrific blog, "A Journey Around My Skull" had an entry on Lubok work as well>>

Lubok-Russian inspired (Russian illustration style) basing these illustrations on current comic book/ science-fiction content. Riza.ru>>Very inspiring to this pen wielder. Brilliant.

Northern Lights v.4, Q. Cassetti, 2010, pen and ink/ digital
Northern Lights v.3, Q. Cassetti, 2010, pen and ink/ digital

Sunday Funday

Northern Lights,v.2, Q. Cassetti, 2010, pen and ink/ digitalTweaking the color...things were itchy last night with yesterday's coloration, so I decided to brighten it up to see where it could go....and I think that this might be better. Learn as I go...and see what happens. Happier is better here. The sobriety of the other one is a bit of a downer. So, I got rid of the subtle/ multiply shadows at the top of the dark area, and in the burst at the top. This is a bit better. I was thinking of recoloring a bit more wildly just to see how it could go. I am, however, obsessed to continue onward with these for a while as they remind me of Chinese papercutting and folk art in general (Ukrainian/Hungarian).

There is some backwards forwards insideout, up down, and layers in the thinking around these images which is thrilling as the back and forth keeps the gears spinning.

This week the Etsy adventure begins. Wikipedia says the following about Etsy:

 

"Etsy is a website that provides the general public with a way to buy and sell handmade items as well as vintage items and craft supplies. Handmade items cover a wide range including art, photography, clothing, jewelry, edibles, bath & beauty products, and toys. The site follows in the tradition of open craft fairs, giving sellers personal storefronts where they list their goods for a fee. It has been compared to "a crafty cross between Amazon and eBay", and to "your grandma's basement"." 
"Etsy makes money by charging a listing fee of 20 cents for each item and getting 3.5 percent of every sale, with the average sale about $15 or $20 and mostly sold by women, who tend to be college-educated and in their twenties and thirties. Along with handmade products, people on Etsy sell vintage items, homemade sweets, and craft supplies. Etsy offers multiple options for paying for items, including credit card, money order, and PayPal (which is part of eBay); international sellers prefer PayPal.
Etsy has a permanent office called the "Etsy Labs" in Brooklyn, New York. The site's customer support, marketing/PR, business and communications teams operate out of this office. Additionally, Etsy Labs has a community workspace that provides equipment and donated materials where Labs members gather to make items, take and teach workshops, and attend special events.
Etsy is one of the main members of the Handmade Consortium, a 2007 effort to encourage buying handmade holiday gifts."


My launch into Etsy will be with all the cards I already have printed and boxed, Valentines and envelopes, tattoos and postcards. We will sell the felt balls I buy from Nepal and maybe a wreath  or two as well. I will post Gliclees as well as copies of Memento Mori books which surprisingly folks like and send checks to buy. I have the stuff. There is interest among those that know me and the idea of consolidating and marketing these things in the evolving marketplace is perfect. I have teenage help for the mail and packaging...so why shouldnt we jump in and figure it out before everyone goes to college. Seems like a prime opportunity.

Etsy has a nice (read seemingly easy) interface to set up a shop...and their fees are fair. The grassroots beat sez that Etsy is "coming on strong" which I totally believe. I bought a bunch of nice holiday presents from Etsy--things that were cherished and immediately worn upon opening.

Wonderful Don Kilpatrick (MA, Syracuse 2006) markets his screenprints and lovely sketchbooks through Etsy as Little Buffalo Press  and cleverly uses Facebook to talk to all of us who adore his work and his books. It seems that he clears out his offerings pretty quickly among his friends of FB. And friends, you know, have friends....so the network evolves.

Time for studyhall. More pictures...and the great rising of Whole Wheat Sourdough. This bread is a new one...that needs to actually ferment (read more science less Magic (which is what I believe happens in the Pain Levain)) and takes longer to rise and work with. So the long and slow time...is perfect for this coloration fun. Believe me, I need the time...This is work!

 

Slow Saturday

Northern Lights, Q. Cassetti, 2010, pen and ink/ digitalJust back from Sauders, the Mennonite grocery store in Seneca Falls. It was a beautiful drive with clouds and little peeks of blue sky with gold light casting shadows on the snowy fields and painting the trees dark purple and brown. Beautiful. We bought a cartful of groceries with a lot of flour, butter and the basics. I picked up a package of John Martin Scrapple for my mother-in-law who loves it along with frozen blackberries, dried parsley, teensy potatoes (called creamers) and much more.

They had dried mushrooms (my new add to the mise en place) but Greenstars are better and believe it, cheaper. Mushrooms add so much to any saucy thing--adding so much weight and dimension to the flavor of a sauce. It is amazing, much like the leek, the shift/or add of an ingredient can make so much of a difference.

We have eggplants for Kitty and Alex's favorite eggplant along with all sorts of spices, nuts and add ins. What with the time I have at home, the bottles and cans for cooking have been replaced by single pieces of paper and plastic bags. The whole quantity of our household trash has reduced to a trickle...and the composting and recyclables a bit more weighted.

I have flour for the week. I am making a new recipe in The King Arthur Book--not the Pain Levain, but the Whole Wheat Sourdough which is a bit more complicated (but thats not saying a lot).

I am thinking of calling the Society of Illustrators in New York to find out what it would take to create a digital (maybe even taking it to vector) award for the Student's Show. I would like to do a $1000 prize (max $1500) as this is the place to encourage growth and staying on track. It would have meant the world to me when I was in school, but prizes were not given. I am also thinking of prizes for the first years and a single prize for the second years at Hartford Art School's MFA in illustration. Illustration keeps giving and giving to me, I would like to encourage this small community of lovely people through giving to students who may need applause and praise for excellence and effort. Put this on the list of things to do.

Must go for now. There is some reference to search....for more of these home sweet home pictures. I am developing things and feel I am on the front end of this...

Off to Target later this afternoon for shopping with Alex. Maybe dinner at The Nines...!

Quiet Day

Rabbit Run, Q. Cassetti, 2010, pen and ink/ digitalI am trying out new things with this illustrator coloring of a reverse out of these pen and ink drawings. I have an egg started with another planned for tonight's Olympic watching. I like what's happening...and need to look more at the silhouette portraits and landscapes that are out there in cyberworld. I have had some really lovely insights from friends through Facebook and here on this page. My friends really seem to have responded to yesterday's "Quiet Night" by putting themselves in the picture or themselves as woodland animals in the scene. I do not know there this is going...but its happy making--for me, and comfort for my friends and viewers. Also, I like the back and forth between hands, photoshop and illustrator, and illustration and photoshop back again. I am showing you two looksees of the color... I think I prefer the one on the left-- seems brighter, snappier. Plus, I am trying to use the 80/20 per my mentor/ Murray Tinkelman re color and the balance of the image. Yesterday's was more successful I think-- but we are rolling and see what happens.

Made a big boule yesterday afternoon. Its great to be able to make bread--particularly this King Arthur Pain Levain, as its one big mix and then a series of risings and foldings which takes no me time, just sitting time. i discovered I was not allowing my poor boules to rise in a warm enough place. So, yesterday I fired up the Fridgidaire ( my 1940 electric stove that came with the house complete with the "Thermonizer") and had a nice hot top to allow real like rising. And dang, it did. The loaf turned out well along with the requisite texture in the bread along with holes(!) --- And, it was delicious. R. said it was equal to Le Pain Quotidien bread we had in NYC. There's a huge complement! So, the bread journey continues. I am going to keep doing this one recipe until I really understand it, and nail it. The home team continues to eat it...and I can cut the big boule into two pieces to take to the neighbors--so we all benefit. Only trouble is that I broke my pizza stone... and need to order a new one. My brother sent me a nice link that will be perfect. Breadtopia carries that same stone.

Alex has a track meet tomorrow with hopes that we shop for a suit on Saturday. Kitty is charged about our visit to Hampshire soon. School play practices abound.

New ideas

Quiet Night, Q.Cassetti, 2010, pen and ink/digitalI was thrilled to discover this interesting, thought provoking tool, Visual Thesaurus, which for $19. you can access all sorts of ways to connect words with words, which then connects ideas with ideas that one might not have on your own. I found it when looking up names for a company that is just being started and found the more I used this tool, the more ideas sparked about illustration, relationships that are interesting and odd. I cannot recommend this highly enough as it is a wonderful tool for naming, for language and writing as well as a prompt for ideas when one is feeling stale and stupid.

This illustration is the first part of the coloration of the silhouette series (see in The Atelier section above). I did something new (imagine) that produced some interesting results (this piece is not quite done). I took a pen and ink illustration and flopped it in photoshop. Then, I reversed the illustration (what is white is black and black/white. I saved this as a high res jpg (at 600 dpi). I brought this image into illustrator, and started laying shapes of color on top of this original, reversed image. I used the Multiply filter (via transparency) which allowed me to work very quickly to lay in the color/change the color/and then use opaque shapes on top/behind these multiplied colors. FAST. and allowed one to make changes really quickly. I am intrigued by this--possibly moving to single color illustrations (beyond black and white) and laying the color in  on other pieces. I may do one more today just for kicks.

Today begins the egg drawings. You shouldnt see anything for a week or so, and then, Annie bar the door!.

More bread rising this afternoon. Sourdough waffles for dinner to kick off lent. No one wanted them for Fat Tuesday...so we will qualify this as meatless...and take this approach.

We are off to Hampshire (Amherst MA) from March 4-7 for Kitty to have a sleepover and chance to get a full measure of the whole college thing. We will probably talk to the financial aid people and have a chance to visit a bakery that has been used as an example by my agriculture friend that I would like to see.

More later.

Yikes!

Viewmistress!, Q. Cassetti, 2009, collage I'm on a phone call talking with people about a sign in process and we are busy over embellshing embellishment. "Now, where should we move this comma?" All totally worth talking about...just not fifteen minutes before a dinner. Next time, I am going to be too busy...thought I must admit, I learned a bit about how novices think...and what a crabby old bitch I am becoming (am>?)

Entered the Logolounge show today and with that entry, have a place to post my logotypes as they are in process. If you want to see the logos, feel free to go here (and put Q.Cassetti in the search box). Busy day today. No time to talk. We are having a group for dinner. Alex is with a friend overnight. Kitty had two friends last night. Rob is taking a few days off to feel better and do some work on the homefront but also on work related stuff.

I am definitely going to do the egg project starting Wednesday. Just need a little time to figure out some of the symbolism as well as do some research for reference. I am getting charged up about this. Plus, plans are in place to color some of the Hungarian ladies (inspired by the German toys...the flower spinners) working in pastels...That would be a change. Color! Imagine! and sickeningly sweet pastels....! a doubletake? or is it?

The guests are here...

I Love Fu

I Love Fu, Q. Cassetti, 2009, pen and ink/ digitalLife is good when you have a ten pound bag of flour in it. The possibilities are endless. I have two loaves in their new rising baskets on the second rise. A banana bread in the oven with a cake in the offing. We are having friends of K's for dinner, so we have happy gals with metabolisms coming over giving me the opportunity to crank out more recipes from the new "go to", the King Arthur Flour Baking Book. Nary a bum recipe yet.

Am drawing away. It was fun to have a pen in my hand as we watched the Olympics on tv. I am making more pine trees and houses. I came to the conclusion that I am doing these pictures as a way of exploring borders and frames around a central image. I am kind of done with that and am thinking about either getting back into the Garden of Eden work, or work on some egg-inspired art as it is such a huge symbol imbued with all sorts of imagery, meaning etc. Plus, it would be a fun lenten body of work with Easter being the end date. I enjoyed the whole process of the advent images as it had a start and end date-- a real live start and end date, that puts a bit of pressure on me...so I chase things a bit faster and not get hung up on some thing.

I also want to make some pictures around the the Gingham Dog and the Calico Cat, a poem by Eugene Field. I was inspired by two amazingly whimsical and large ceramic renderings of these creatures (my the deep past, a friend had them in his NYC apartment...very Hilary Knight- esque). I have been inspired by them since--and will need to do something about that. Here's the poem:

The Duel
(The Gingham Dog and the Calico Cat
 by Eugene Field
The gingham dog and the calico cat  
Side by side on the table sat;
'Twas half-past twelve, and (what do you think!)
Nor one nor t'other had slept a wink!
 The old Dutch clock and the Chinese plate
 Appeared to know as sure as fate
There was going to be a terrible spat.
 (I wasn't there; I simply state
 What was told to me by the Chinese plate!)

The gingham dog went " Bow-wow-wow!"
And the calico cat replied "Me-ow!"
The air was littered,an hour or so,
With bits of gingham and calico,
 While the old Dutch clock in the chimney place
 Up with it hands before its face,
For it always dreaded a family row!
 (Now mind: I'm only telling you
 What the old Dutch clock declares is true!)

The Chinese plate looked very blue,
And wailed,"Oh dear! What shall we do!"
But the gingham dog and the calico cat
Wallowed this way and tumbled that,
 Employing every tooth and claw
 In the awfullest way you ever saw-
And oh! how the gingham and calico flew!
 (Don't fancy I exaggerate!
 I got my news from the Chinese plate!)

Next morning where the two had sat
They found no trace of dog or cat;
And some folks think unto this day
That burglars stole the pair away!
 But the truth about the cat and pup
 Is this: they ate each other up!
Now what do you really think of that!
 (The old Dutch clock, it told me so,
 And that is how I came to know.)

Good stuff, eh?

And now for the greetings of the day.

I heart Fu, I love You. Be my virtual valentines!

xoxo

 

Love Lock, Q. Cassetti, 2009, pen and ink

Groovin' with Squarespace

As you know, I migrated my blog (1750 entries) from Blogspot to this new place via SquareSpace. What is cool about Squarespace is that it is a very flexible tool for creating a web presence whether it be a blog or a site ...in a very straight forward way. They are continually evolving the tool...so its nice to get into looking at the parts to see how one can modify/change an existing site.

I took on the University of Hartford's  Hartford Art School Limited Residency MFA Illustration site back from a friend who took on the task for a while. I had started this blog in Wordpress thinking that it would be easier and more customizable than Blogspot (which, I will say again and again, is a great place to start to see if you or your content is well suited for the blogisphere). It was more customizable...but it just didn't feel as fluid or as intuitive as I would have liked. What that means is, it wasn't fun; it was always something you had to "work" with versus just getting in there and boogying with the content. So, when Erich heard mentions of Squarespace on the the tech podcast he listens to, I stored it in the back of my head.

Then, coming back from Thanksgiving, the thought became a plan and I put in motion migrating my blog to newer quarters which could accomodate all of my web presences from my illustration page, to the sleeping luckystone page... and the day to day mutterings on my blog. Why not drive traffic to one place? Why be ashamed of being an illustrator (and a designer) which to art directors is despised? I yam what I yam....and that's all what I yam. No big news, but big news for me. I planned the migration for before December and would run both blogs until January 1 when I would focus on the SS. site.

My happiness abounds. Squarespace works (though I am struggling with carriage returns and need to see what the code is to just hand sock them in. Squarespace gives me galleries (like the Atelier) which allows me to post bodies of work immediately. Squarespace also, in less than 10 minutes sucked all my Blogspot content and imagery over to the new home and allows me to back up a copy to my desktop. Only thing I was having an issue with was links and the patchwork of small information that I am recreating.

I did the same with Squint (not ready for prime time but here is the work in progress> I plan to bring over my other pages to merge with the Rongovian Academy, creating a homepage that sits on top of the whole magilla...and doing a page for graphics, work in progress, and illustration.

I am spending time on the Agricultural Entrepeneur work. I am working exclusively with type but trying to put my illustration hat on while working with the fonts to a little success (hopefully more). There are some kernels worth exploring. I think we may be able to do something standout, affordable and memorable. That works for me.

Made another loaf of Pain Levain yesterday. Better and Better. The misty oven is key. And the Biga keeps growing and growing like illustration, graphic design, ideas, thoughts, connections. I started a bitty biga which overflowed it's crock yesterday and have transferred it to a bigger biga jar. I need to double the biga to make two loaves of bread on Sunday...so biga development is happening. I ordered two bread rising baskets (cheapest price) from Breadtopia. I am keeping my fingers crossed that maybe today I might get them!

Was pursuing debossed Moleskines for a client giveaway. Pretty sweet. A bit costly but sweet nonetheless.

Mandy is going back to Hartwick College today loaded down with two boxes of little containers of soup, stews, spaghetti sauce and the like. Its seriously two /three weeks worth of lunches and dinners. We will miss her and her herding pup, Sonata (otherwise known by her Cat On A Hot Tin Roof name, Baby). But, she is back to pick up where she left off in the world of plants, biology and geology. Sounds pretty blissful. I love school.

Snow is not to high here. Enough for the kinder to ski on...

I am hoping that Sunday may be an official study hall!

More later>>

Quick note today

Moe, Q. Cassetti 2009, DigitialHad a great meeting yesterday with a new business entrepeneur. It was a lot of good ideas floating around, getting me fired up. I hope to have some time this week to reallly put my head down and give him the extensive looksee he deserves. Anyway, its keeping the gears spinning amidst the desktop project clutter that is nipping at my ankles. He showed a lot of interest in type...which was fun...and we both seemed to see through the same eyes on that...so maybe, just maybe, I can make him happy.

Lots of house activity. We have a new closet which was deadspace going into the old servant's kitchen...which now has become our little hearth to gather around when its cold. We finally have heat/radiators in that same room, so its a bit warmer and a lot more friendly even without the woodfired cricket blazing. The wood cookstove is getting ready to hook up. Just a few more tweaks and some fireproofing, and we are done.

I made a cibatta yesterday (along with its own, cibbatta biga) which turned out to be fine. Not spectacular, but fine. The other biga is brewing and bubbling. There is snow promised today...upwards to 7" which we deserve as we didn't get the snowfest they had in New Jersey, Philadelphia and points south.

Everyone brought home reportcards that were all very good. Kitty's attitude and work is great. Alex is the same with a 100 in Music Theory complete with a twinkle when he talks about it. We may be engaging (just a littlebit) but we will take it.

Just finished up American Illustration. Lets see if anything hits them. I hope that Moe does... After the judging which, selfishly was a tremendous kick to see what was out there, I came back on the bus saying I need to get back into the direction Moe and Curly pointed. Should be fun...but a lot of drawing...

Biga Bonanza

I must admit quite openly, that if you want to begin to bake bread that tastes like anything, please do not consult any other book than The King Arthur Bread book. My little happy biga, bubbling away, when added to the Pain Levain recipe created a bread that was, for a beginner, sublime. It looked, acted and tasted like sourdough!. And the make it now/later pizza dough was a hit really tasting and behaving like pizza dough. I think I am on to this.... the biga, the dough, the resting overnight in the fridge....soon the floured baskets, the spray bottle (none to be found in Ithaca in the beginning of February). I predict 25 lb. sacks of flour soon.... and baskets, and crocks galore of biga, baby biga, rye biga, and beega biga. This is infectious stuff....so much so, that my superbowl guests are screaming and I am being the bad hostess (as usual) and talking to you!.

A pleasant and high rising night to you.


Vampires, Zombies, Sushi, Multi pointed Bucks, Girls and Blobby folk

Mexican zombies recreate Michael Jackson's Thriller dance for "Thrill The World: A Global Tribute to Michael Jackson" in Mexico City. Photo: AFPHad a really nice trip to New York. The bus trip down was really pleasant with a beautiful day out the window. I sat way up front with the driver and had a clear view of the road which was really pleasant.

I was given the absolute treat to stay with a friend's friend along with this dear friend. We had the nicest visit with dinner and chat which was so fun I didn't want to go to bed. Then, the next morning, down to the Society of Illustrators to catch up with Anelle, an old business colleague from Estee Lauder and then the jurying with a really terrific group of illustrators: Scott Bakal, Jackie Decker, Heidi Younger, Ron Cala and Alan Witschonke.

There were over six thousand entries for this Student Exhibition. Each juror is given a computer work station with 1200 plus images that they should vote either yes or no. The images are randomly generated so each juror sees a different group than the others. There are four more sets of jurors to review these same illustrations. At the end, if there are images with fours and fives, they get in. We needed to reduce the pile from 6000 to 100 pieces, so the competition was tight. There were lots of the same content: vampires, zombies, sushi, multi-pointed bucks, girls and blobby folk. There were girl on girl actions, fantasy girls, and some sweet little animals. Lots of Michael Jacksons, and Michael Jackson zombies. There were many images inspired by linoleum and wood cuts, along with some printmaking techniques. I was the most charged up about that. Plus, it was telling to see so many very graphic illustrations....which gives me a bit more permission to change channels again. To that, I am going to rolll out the work I did at Hartford (Moe and Curly) and work that direction a bit more. After seeing all the portraits the student work showed, it gave me a bit more confidence with my portraits...and the Moe portrait is going in a new direction that I need to pursue. It was a tremendous opportunity for all of us.... Thank you Thank you.

We finished up early-ish, so I had the chance to take a 4:30 pm bus getting me back to Ithaca around a quarter to 10. Saturday took Kitty and Alex outside for a ski and snowshoe camp out/ sleep over. We did a bit of shopping for lamps at Target and bought a friend a wedding dress (used once) for NOTHING...and glamorous doesn't even begin to describe how she looks. Perfection?

The biga (the bread starter I have had for a week) made a loaf of sourdough bread today that looks really good (too hot to try). I have pizza dough in fridge (the King Arthur Bread Book is invaluable). We are celebrating the Super Bowl with chicken wings, pigs in blankets, chips and dip, pizza and dumplings. I have more biga in the making...I would like to get good at this.

Must go. Have some work to take care of--but wanted to say hi.

Sunshiny morning

Love Letter (Liebesbrief) for Katharina Martin, Philadelphia Free LibraryThis little cutwork valentine is a present to all of you. Again, this is from the extensive and rich collection of the Philadelphia Free Library, a resource for inspiration and elucidation during dark days and long nights. However, with Valentines Day on the horizon, and a brilliant morning filled with blue and lavender shadows, bright sun spiking through the trees, Nature provides us the push and inspiration to take another step forward in our lives. It really is wonderful outside.

Gotta make this short. On to NYC via Shortline bus for a quick visit to the Society of Illustrators to help judge the Student Show.Not much to pack as the journey is short...and I have all my batteries and back ups ready so I can work with my phone on the bus along with the wonderful Kindle to read the lightweight books (intellectually speaking) that are such good reading for this sort of thing.

Got the crash and burn book done for The Museum of Glass and quickly ordered 25 from Lulu yesterday. Lulu has a nice new little patch you can add to one's acrobat to save all the files exactly the way they want them. So the normal futzing was reduced signifcantly....after finally saving the files to have them have rich blacks (which I always forget) and tweaking all the abbutments that happen to make it look more than the comp it really is. Phew. Did a quick schematic layout for a tradeshow and also finished up a nice quick book (20 pps) for my big client that took the layout that was rejected (many months with an agency) for here to there...

Jim O'Brien sent me a sketch book we are going to send back and forth to each other. I was wary that it would be anything more than another job, but am delighted to see that its a little prompt, a little goad and a little treat to work with him on this...inspiring and perhaps a mini channel changer.

Gotta go. Need to recheck my bags, get some money, have a conference call and hope on the big bus. I hope its not crowded! More later hopefully from my phone (forgive the blunders and botches)...!

Rush Around the Clock

Cutwork (Trees and Birds),ca. 1825, Anonymous, From the collection of Free Library of PhiladelphiaToday I need to tie up loose ends for two rush jobs. One goes to a printer (with files for the varnish plates etc--which, in 30 years of work, I have never, ever had to do....maybe verbal direction or a tissue, but never cutting the plates....I may resist). The other we need to output for an uber rush presentation which will be a handcut job for the first one, and subsequently, a small pile of Lulu books.

Pricing this quicky on Lulu made me think about doing another little handout book with the Fraktur work (maybe the silhouette work folded in as its derivative of Scherenschnitte, or Fraktur derivative cut paper work ("cutwork"). I pulled up a series of rectangular shapes based on the pages for Lulu, and one of the A sizes fit the best. They can bind 32 pps and more as a perfect bound piece. So....theres a thought.

Am prepping for my bus trip tomorrow afternoon. Getting things charged, projects tied up, underwear washed, lists for the kids (outdoor camping trip gear), and more. Should be a fast time, but a little oasis on the bus should be fun. It will be nice to see Jackie Decker (who has a lovely new website of her extrordinary work. Ron Cala, Martha Rich, and Alan Witschonke will be on my panel. There are four groups of five people to judge the work. I am a big fan of Ron's from Facebook and have always been an admirer of Martha Rich's work. Alan Witschonke is someone new whose work from the googling is a real inspiration. A quick adventure I might say!

Good news. Kitty was accepted into Hampshire College with a small grant of money to help. We will be going to Amherst in early March for a sleepover for her. I think we have the college she wants to go to. Now, should she accept immediately or wait until March? No one ever said this was simple, did they?