Here Comes the Sun

Happy New Spring! A look back to the International Museum of Folk Art from Santa Fe for this delight. The works there are rich in motif, color, pattern, and yes, whimsy. I got in a short walk today, but didn't see any of these critters. It'll have to climb out of the 30s for that to happen. 
 

Snapshot of Santa Fe

You know I love leaves. On a night to explore, I had the chance to be driven to the historic part of Santa Fe, meander along a stream, and see why it is such a special land. So, leaves, of course, caught my attention. I don't know when travels will send me to return, but I did love the colors of Santa Fe this year.
 

Gathering and Goodbye

Our full house gathered outside for a final portrait, and then this one too. It was a wonderful week in Santa Fe, working with such talented printers. I'll work with Madeline School of the Arts this September in Bar Harbor, and hope I'll have as much fun. A fond farewell to Santa Fe and lovely memories here.
 

Work Week Wonderful

Our spacious room in Santa Fe let everyone have distance to think, recalculate, and maneuver printing techniques for the week. We had few distractions, and there were times when quiet prevailed. As well as some good laughs. Perfect for a weeklong group of printers and their expectations. 
 

Excitement

We really do have fun in the workshop. Day two was starting to print with silk screens, and Carl tackled a print from yesterday with more motifs. There is so much to try out, we do exhaust our energy, but then, it returns after we see the results.

Colors of Santa Fe

The MISA workshop started today with beautiful  colors that surround this region. We're fine-tuning scraping and rubbings on cotton cloth using thickened dyes. Exhausted, yes, but willing to return to do more? Hell yes. Wait till you see what happens in Bar Harbor this September.
 

A Different Light

We're delving into color this week, and it started with the Albuquerque airport. I can't help taking the color, forms, and light that is taken for granted. I hope each day is as nice as this one. We'll see.

 

Just Fabric

At the end of the virtual workshop "Printing Under the Influence" I had a pile of first layers. Many times they need little printing, only adding a background or fill. I like this one and I'll bring it to my Santa Fe printing class with MISA next week. If I have room in the suitcases.
 

New Tricks, Old Dogs

Wendy convinced me there was a better way to apply selective color. I'd resisted for years, then, hey, what is wrong with me? She'd got a silicone brush and it smooths the thickened dye in a painterly scraping way, so I'll be trying that method too. Old dog (that's me) and new tricks (my great class), 
 

Art All Around

 

An after dinner walk in downtown Santa Fe holds enough art for anyone. But the art I love may not be in a gallery, but a functional part of the surroundings. Built in 2011 by Jon Scarricino of the Acoma pueblo, these bollard carvings were a delight.

And So It Begins

Our first printing day at the MISA Santa Fe workshop seemed like it lasted a week. We worked hard, the techniques were figured out, got down the routine, found lots of new tips, and now we collapse, will rest, and start again tomorrow. But tomorrow afternoon is a field trip, so yea!
 

Somewhere Above

It takes a day of travel to have a week of fun. I'll set up the classroom Sunday, greet the gang, and can't wait to print again Monday. We're promised a tour this week, my favorite museum. See you in Santa Fe!
 

Filled, Shipped, Arrived

I'd loaded a box with printing tools, nestling between silkscreens things I'll need in Santa Fe's workshop for Madelaine Island School of the Arts. I'm packing more, but these will be great to use again. Can't wait to dig in to the art and architecture there, and see what forms will follow in printing this coming week.
 

Mark Making

It's been about six weeks since I had the opportunity to see Santa Fe. I know that each blog post is usually about the day's events. But the images from that visit continue to sit in recent memory, in recurring shapes, colors, and lines. It's a visual vocabulary that expands. 
 

Joy of Printing

I can't say how much joy it is watching prints take shape. Yes, we stand all day. Yes, we don't take field trips and stay in to mix color and apply designs. Yes, we work way past quitting time. But, boy do we like printing,
 

Printing is What We Love

 

One fun part of the MISA offering is to see what's up in Santa Fe. We're a block or so away from the center of the historic part of the city and it is rich in culture and arts. But, we're so hooked on printing we'd rather stay and work. Imaging that!

Never Too Much

The International Museum of Folk Art houses an enormous and eclectic collection of folk-art from around the world. Our field trip today's assignment was to gather 5 images for motif, with a selection of three to use in the week's printing class. Good luck choosing those 3.

Santa Fe Beginnings

The start of today seems so long ago. The workshop for Madelaine Island School of the Arts at Santa Fe which I call Go Big, Go Bold started and we printed many different ways. We'll be printing all week, and have so much to try out. 

Art on the Fence

A new art gallery space is underway in Santa Fe. The construction fence is festooned with images of the art that will be seen. My companion thought this a good example of "columns" for structure of the work, and also it reminded them of my printing. Two good points.
 

That Santa Fe Thing

The New Mexico Museum of Art is housed in a lovely building that is about 100 years old. Which, for Santa Fe, is fairly new. An easy walk from my hotel, I came to see the Ansel Adams exhibition, and was impressed with the building's style.