springing again

in march the sky is sometimes like this
though snow still covered the land 
(there's much less now,
only patches in shadyplaces)
 it's still pretty darn cold
 but spring is in the air
the deer are moving alot.
 one is hiding against this elevated deer hunting thing
at my neighbor's hedgerow.
 soon i'll be on my way to idaho 
for a talk and two days of kami-ito and shifu making
(see the last post)
i return and head to portland to peddle my wares at the book arts bazaar.
.
i'll have papers and books and prints.
and below,
these prints are really that strong. 
wild color gifts from the pot's alchemy,
even a few eucalyptus leaves harvested 
at codex.
 this little book that i carried home from melbourne that last time
is letterpress printed
(on lousy paper, unfortunately)
but it's cool 
and i'm wondering what would happen 
if i combined some of it with some other imagery...
this is how it begins...
another book.
 our bookish group met and we made little blizzards
all over my table
using up some drawings.
 a ruffed grouse was checking out the backyard 
 finding something left behind as the snow melts
 looking like the local name: partridge
 until there's something to attend to
 then the crown appears
and away with you!
no ruff display on this photo op.
there may be some news
soon.
but not just
yet.

learning printing

i've made lots of flax paper this winter.
one mould,
custom made by britt quinlin the paperwright for a zone 4
and brush gallery project,
makes a dry sheet of about 10 x 24 inches.
the mould is unweildy and tricksy to use.
but i like it. 
working with the expert guidance of melissa schulenburg
i made some collagraphs 
about weave.
my living room furniture as drying rack. 
there was no way i could abandon these to the drying rack 
in the studio for five days,
they're too new and special for me.
and living with them helps me figure out the next steps.
dog kennels re-purposed.
 my living room includes two,
for the visiting setters,
gwen, who has made a happy comeback from her bad spell, 
and tess the princess birddog.
i opened up my sketchbook
looking for pulp stories
 and found this
from two winters ago.
a pulp herbal.
shanna's covered rock holding the page.
at school
the freshman group made 
super mokuhanga self portraits,
here are some of them.
and a warwick press surprise
i found in my mailbox.
a reflection on the times,
a poem, and this lovely, lovely landscape.
it feels like almost nothing in my hands,
so light and airy.
it's been a good week.