THE ART OF ART
the art of art
June 20, 2011 by Melissa Parsons
About a month ago, there was a post about my printmaking studio class in Sarcelles (a.k.a. the burbs between Paris and that other place (?)). On Thursday last week I collected my prints and said good-bye to my new friends. A few of us exchanged numbers and made plans to meet up soon and talk printing and paint. I hope it happens!
Perhaps the most important thing I took away from these last five weeks was that I can’t get any better at what I love to do if I don’t make it a priority (printmaking, writing, photography, languages). I can’t say that I was productive to the max. Simply having to set aside five hours a week to spend in the train and in the studio marked how important printing is to me.
Printing in all of it’s excitement (taille-douce, collage printing, lino, pointe sèche, etc.) also is a group effort. For one of the presses in the studio, it took two people to turn the wheel…well, there were a few of us who could do it alone, but not without breaking a sweat. (And it’s more fun with two – the chance of bonking heads is HUGE!)
Since I’ve got a move coming up (Strasbourg, here I come), a Master’s research proposal to write (only 5,000 characters) and a wedding to plan (Kansas City!) I don’t know how much time I will actually be able to devote to art or even bathing, but I will try best sketch a bit and wash my hair at least once a week. (Can I get an accountability partner?)
I have already begun the search for a printmaking studio in Strasbourg.
Right now I’ve got a wood plate that I’ve done a bit of scratching on…it’s a copy of a Lynd Ward print from one of his woodcut novels. Maybe it will be done before the move…
I’ll leave you with a final photo of a fellow artist (L) and Lakshmi (R) (the best printmaking prof ever (no hyperbole, really.)). The rest of the photos can be seen on my flickr page.
Melissa Parsons