I recently was invited to be a visiting artist and lecturer at State University of New York, New Paltz. It was an unforgetable experience! First, I got to stay at the amazing, and full of fabulocity (it's a word; they use it on their website) Lefevre House. I would highly recommend staying in the red room (but I guess only if you really like red like I do).
I have nothing but great things to say about the students-grad and undergraduate- I met during my visit. They are driven, talented, and really pushing the boundaries of printmaking.
Many thanks to Lis Janes, Rimer Cardillo, Debra DeGregorio, Erin Dinan, and the rest of the Printmaking department for being such gracious hosts. Here are some photos I took during my visit

Today is my mom's 64th birthday. On the left is a photograph taken when she was in art school in Taos, NM, circa 1967, and on the right, a present day photograph of mom working in a friend's studio.
Here is to many more creative years, Mo!

Picaroon Press-looks good on paper

After viewing the NORTHSOUTHEASTWEST exhibition, we walked down the quaint street in The Plains, to see Fleming Jeffries' print and book arts studio and shop, Picaroon Press.
Located in one half of an old train depot, Picaroon has a distinct smell-musty wood with a dash of oil based ink. I really like the way Fleming set the shop up, a large high working table in the center and presses, rollers, and other equipment on the periphery (including an older, and rather temperamental riso machine).

Finding your way out of a paper bag

NORTHSOUTHEASTWEST
An exhibition of cartographic,
geographically-oriented,
and explorer-bound art.

19 artists both local and from around the globe move through space to collect place.

Vicky Mei Chen
Kate Copeland
Warren Frederick
Melissa Hronkin
Fleming Jeffries
Roberta Jeffries
Bonnie Morrison
Megan Mueller
Marte Newcombe
Robert T. Pannell
Christin Ripley
Allison Sloan Roberts
Gretchen Schermerhorn
Catherine White
Tugboat Printshop
Will Work For Good
Hand Print Workshop International

Thursday 10 SEPTEMBER to Sunday 4 OCTOBER 2009

RECEPTION
Saturday 12 SEPTEMBER 2009
4 to 6:30 pm

ZIGZAG GALLERY
6477 Main Street
The Plains, VA 20198
(540) 253-5364
zigzagtheplains.com
Wed - Sun 11 - 5

You can have whatever you like...

I spent last weekend at Emerson Landing Artist Retreat Center, in Wye Mills, Maryland. Expected to open in the fall of 2010, Emerson Landing is going to be an amazing artist residency/retreat center. Although a bit quiet-no sirens, no honking-which was a bit daunting, it was so relaxing and very beautiful. They have a great planning committee, so I'm looking forward to see it come to fruition!

Labano-what?

Inside Look: Folksay/Episode Three: Labanotation from CityDance Ensemble on Vimeo.

Citydance is Washington's preeminent modern dance company. Preeminent is a fancy word for bad-ass. I love them, I really do.
So, a bunch of artists (including yours truly)were invited to create an editioned artist book based on Citydance's 08-09 dance season. I've been thinking a lot about how we can map, chart and document our day to day movements. This labanotation thing just may be the ticket for the guts of my book. Stay tuned.
Oh, you can also read more about the project on Kelly's blog. Kelly O'brien, who is book artist, dancer, marketing goddess (don't all artists need such a godess?) and is the mastermind behind this book arts collaboration/edition. TurningPointe Press

Paper Future Universe

I'm really excited to be a part of this paper art exhibition in Japan. A catalogue of the exhibition is being produced which will include images of all the works along with introductory essays by Mina Takahashi(current editor of Hand Papermaking magazine) and Yasuo Kume, esteemed Japanese paper scholar, and head of the Washi Culture Research Group.
Click here Artists to view the entire exhibition.