A Printer's Life for Me!

Prints in progress

Whew, I had my work cut out for me today.. I literally was cutting lino for about 4 hours to do my key block for my prints. Today was a productive one in the print studio though! I am busy trying to finish my four reduction blocks before the final critique next Thursday. I am feeling very satisfied with how the prints are turning out and am excited to keep continuing this body of work next term! I am so glad  that I have found subject matter that I feel I have been able to successfully continue and will be able to continue. Unfortunately, I won't be in the lab as much next term due to some scheduling constraints, but I will still be taking a credit of special projects in print so I will still get some time in there. It's weird to not be taking a full time print class next term beings as I'm a print emphasis. Maybe a smallish break will be good for me though, re-open my eyes to different possibilities and all that good stuff. I will still have plenty of studio time spent drawing and painting. I have never used oil paints so I decided to take an oil class and then drawing and mixed media, which just sounds like a whole awesome set of projects and fun experimentation! Maybe I can even sneak some print into that class since it's mixed media... oh the possibilities.

Here's a couple of my prints from last term to give a better idea of my current body of work.

Lend Me a Hand  2012 Lino, Chine colle, Hand-coloring

By the Skin of Your Teeth 2012 Lino, Chine colle, Hand-coloring

While I was rolling ink on my blocks and going through the motions of printing this afternoon, I thought about Clark a lot (what else would I think about?) and how wonderful it is to be with someone who may not get my ideas or my process of thinking, but is still supportive and encouraging. That's one of the best things about him , he is always positive and pushing me toward my goals. I hope I am as helpful to him and his ambitions.

Well, now I have to get re-inspired to make two 24 x 36 in drawings for class tomorrow morning.. Ugh, my creative juices aren't flowing freely right now... too much art making for one day I guess.... I have to make a personal narrative in those two giant frames... It's harder than it sounds, trust me.

My-Oh-My!

Week 9 where did you go? I can't believe Next week is Dead week.. Am I prepared? Ha, no! As an art major all of my final portfolios and critiques happen a week early. That means dead week is really my finals week! I wish I had the extra week that everyone else has to study and take care of their grades. It's funny I'm wishing for extensions, while all I hear from fellow students is how lucky I am. Maybe it's one of those grass is greener scenarios.... All I know is that the term feels like it is fast approaching its end and it's both too soon and not soon enough. I feel like I am ready for this break, but I also am interested in my classes and just want more time to delve deeper! I suppose I could on my own time... (wait, what time?)

Ugh, today was really one hell of a day. There was nothing that was exceptionally awful, just one of those days where my mind was just going a million miles over everything and then it was being pulled in different directions thinking about environmental issues, protest, peaceful vs violent, our rights, state rights, ethics, and the whole shebang! It was sort of a disconcerting in class discussion. Add together that discussion, an internal debate about what it means to be an artist and if that's what I really want, a hard day at work, and thinking about Clark's military switch-a-roo and it gives you a pretty heavy mind which makes for a long and tiresome day.

However, there were good parts as well! I got to clean my room and Olive is being the sweetest cat right now. It amazes me how intuitive pets are to what you need from them. Right now, she is purring in bed next to me with her little head on my leg. Thank you my little fluff ball for looking so cute and being my cuddle buddy on these lonesome week nights.

Tea for Two!

Today my niece is two years old! It’s frankly unbelievable how quickly she is growing. I remember rushing to close at my work the night she was born so that I could get to the hospital in time. I shouldn't have rushed since she wasn't born until the wee hours of the morning, but I was over excited and didn't realize how long labor can take. Her birth will be a favorite memory of mine always. Seeing that brand new baby was a highlight of my life and every time I see her I’m in awe of how much she grows and changes. I love you Bitsy! Happy birthday beautiful girl!

Something New

I'm Morgan and he's Clark. We're both full time college students so our relationship is a long distance kind of thing and we have family all over. I decided it was time to join the blog-wagon and keep everyone updated with the everyday stuff and what-not of my/our life! This will be a very new experience for me, since I sometimes don't even update my facebook status all that often. However, I plan on trying to keep this updated at least every week. I am excited about this new little project and can't wait to see where exactly it goes! Oh, and just in-case anyone is curious about the title.... Grae is pronounced like the color and is my middle name.