Update

Update

things are progressing. I finally figured out what I was doing. now it is just a matter of getting together enough pieces to make a complete show. I have three so far. now that I have more confidence in what I am doing I should be able to work faster.

exciting news: I have my post card all designed and ready to be printed! here is the front.

I am really happy with the way it came out! the background is scrapbook paper that I scanned into my computer and then added an overlay of old paper for texture. I drew and painted the rocking chair and the title banner, cut them out, and scanned them into my computer as well. then I put it all together in Illustrator.

here's what the back will look like:

all the information! it's really happening!

I am feeling pretty good about everything today. the last few days have been really good. I've been motivating myself to go to my studio by watching season 4 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer while I work. I'm keeping the season there in my studio so that I can't watch it when I'm not working. so far it's working.

a frustrating turn of events

something terrible has happened. last week my arthritis flared up.

4 years ago I was given the diagnosis of undifferentiated spondyloarthropy, which basically meant that my rheumatologist knew the pain I was suffering with was due to one of the diseases in the spondylitis family but it was too early to tell exactly which one. spondylitis, which is autoimmune, can be bluntly defined as inflammation of the vertebra (spondylo = spine) but many other joints can be involved due to various other factors. I'm pretty sure right now my diagnosis is psoriatic arthritis.

my primary problem joint is my right elbow. other joints affected are my left wrist, the left side of my jaw (and possibly the right side), some part of my left ankle, and maybe a few toes. my back has never given me any problems. until last year. december 2009 I got the swine flu and had to go off my arthritis medicines for about a month (since I have an autoimmune disease I have to take immunosuppressants, which are not good to take when your body is trying to fight off an infection and/or virus). during the time off my meds I noticed that my arthritis was flaring up, which was understandable. but I noticed that my back was starting to hurt too. at first I just convinced myself that it was from staying in bed for a month. but now I can't make that excuse anymore.

this time around, my first flare up since the swine flu inflicted flare up, my back is also causing problems. when I noticed the increasing back pain I was experiencing I thought it might be due to the fact that I spend a lot of time hunched over my desk working in my studio. but the more I thought about this the more it didn't make sense. this is hardly the first time that I have been spending extended hours leaning over my work station. no, I'm pretty sure my spine is just the latest victim of this cruel disease. 

so what does that mean? for anybody who is still reading this long diatribe of dribble let me explain. it means that I am frustrated at my body for crapping out on me at such an important time. but the fact that I haven't simply crawled into my bed and refused to come out shows that I have grown a lot in the last 4 years. I am trying my damn hardest not to let myself get down. sure, I had a few bad days at the beginning of last week. I let myself get angry and sad, but then I got over it and tried to figure out what I was going to do next.

so I'm still working hard, trying to get my show together. but now I have to be more aware of my body and intentionally watch for warning signs. I work best in long hours, generally working until I am exhausted and all that. but now I can't do that anymore. I have to learn to be a sprinter, not a marathoner. well, maybe a half-marathoner.

for all you people reading this (are there any?), will you do me a favor? will you keep me in your thoughts and prayers during this next month?

I'm taking an intaglio printmaking class this semester. It is a five hour class on monday nights. It's pretty rough.

The professor has us using water-based etching ink, trying to stay as non-toxic as possible. I don't like it. Looking back at the intaglio prints I did in the intro class, the blacks are just so much richer with oil-based. And people are struggling getting really dark and rich blacks with the water-based stuff. Sure, it is a lot easier to clean up, but I don't trust it. Not yet.

Oh goodness, I've become that person who only listens to music on vinyl, or only takes pictures with film.

Are there people who only watch movies on VHS?

I hate it when people are pretentious. But I know I can be a pretentious asshole sometimes. I think what pisses me off the most is when people mention that they don't own a TV, like it makes them better than me. Good for you, assface. Have fun being hated by everyone who has a conversation with you.

I thought it would be fun to upload a couple of pictures of my studio space. So here they are:

I may have mentioned this before, but whatever. my studio space is in a classroom that my advisor is using to teach a course on art and liturgy. despite the smallness of it all, it has been really fun. the building normally used for senior thesis studio space hasn't had running water all semester. also, there is no bathroom. also, the only other class I'm taking this semester is right across the hall. and there are often some people in the classroom next door which is used as studio space for 5 other seniors. so it's been fun.

I feel like I should mention that I've cleaned my tables a bit since taking these pictures.

so you have an art show coming up?

yes

what are you doing for it?

I'm illustrating some short stories I've written.

cool, what are they about?

um, they are revisionist historical accounts about how rocking chairs have affected the history of the world around the context of holidays. 

...

printmaking fall semester 2010

intaglio, copper