OK, it is done:  I have entered three prints in the Corvidae Press sponsored juried show Printmaker’s Hand III (September at Northwind Arts Center). This involved much agonizing: none of my entries were accepted last time, and it is the same juror. Oh well, just $45 & much stress 🙂

Update: none of these submissions were accepted 🙁   Very depressing!

After my first try at poly litho with this new drawing was so unsatisfactory, I cleaned & redrew both poly litho plates, using a micron pen this time (not a fat “ultra fine” sharpie!).

The micron pen seems to work well:  I have to be very aware of the lines blending with the laser toner but the plate charges (with ink) very quickly. But I think this pen, like the sharpie, will not hold up well when cleaned, so I may have two editions of only four prints from each plate … I was too short of time to print more with the show deadline today.

I used a new tin of Dark Umber, rather than the old black ink used on the first plates. This was nice, not as stiff, so I did not need the burnt plate oil amendment or have to work the ink quite as much!

This gave me time to do the color mono print work.  This time I painted the color directly onto one of the poly litho plates, which made registration a breeze! It was a bit of an experimental rush job, but I like the effect. I will probably add color to a couple more of the prints, maybe with that red dress although not sure with the brown ink.

I modified a portable chess game box that I found discarded without chess pieces to create this small reliquary. It is 2.5″ x 5″ x .75″ closed, & opens up flat to 5″ x 5″. Thought I was done with the first two images, but I could not leave well enough alone, so kept going. Not a big improvement, I am afraid!

I replaced the chequered chess board outside pieces with sections of an enhanced monoprint, also used to line the inside of my box.Then I added the “artifacts” on the inside, which include found animal teeth, a shell, a stone, and an intricate seed pod. So now here is another of my personal “spirit boxes”: something of a small shrine. This one is small & portable enough to pack to take traveling :-). The magnetic latch & hard plastic will allow me to store a few small items safely inside: maybe a pair of earings?

This is another more complete piece that started as a monoprint, now titled “Encounter”. I had no idea where this piece was going until I added one of the dog figures using a stencil made from contact paper… the piece took off from there, and I like it now. Not sure if these are feral or fully wild “dogs” 🙂