Studio Ruthe

Busy, busy

I'm driving to Chicago on Friday. I was hoping to have the Japan book to take with me, but it's not to be. I started to print it out and, as with the China book, was dissatisfied with the photos. Finally decided I would get a new printer, probably an Epson. I couldn't find it for sale here in Pittsburgh so I'll wait until I return from Chicago to get it and print out. In the meantime I've been working on the cover. At least I should be able to bring that with me. The French knots are all finished; it looks good. Now I have to make it into book cloth.

Lessons I've learned so far: probably not a good idea to put a photo transfer on silk. Some of it didn't adhere properly. Making it into book cloth, adhering tissue paper with some kind of stiffener like Heat Bond or Wonder Under should probably be done first. I haven't done it yet and I'm afraid I'll remove part of the photo.  I tried it on another piece of the silk without the photo and it worked wonderfully. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

I'll be in Chicago for two weeks. Actually one week in Chicago and one week in Door County, Wisconsin for another "art camp" with four artist friends. I should have some computer access part of the time. I'll try to keep in touch.

Door County recap

I haven't done very well about finishing my visit to Door County, and it may never get done. I'm just too busy packing and getting ready to leave. The pictures are posted in a new album in the left column; scroll down below the links to other blogs. Raja wrote a post about. But the best is a new blog by Sandy, called Color me Blanc. She tells about many of the techniques we used and the experiments we did. If you are interested in collage and altered books, this will be a great resource.

More Door County

I began writing on my new toy computer even though I couldn't connect it to the internet. Here is some of what I wrote:

September 17

I am a mass of thoughts and impressions as I wake this morning and don't know how to put them all down. This is so strange to me. This house reminds me of Kentuck Knob, one of the Frank Lloyd Wright houses near Pittsburgh. It has that kind of show house/museum quality. There is even a table and lamp in my room that look like FLW. I think my apartment could fit in here 10 times with space left over. The custom made dining room table comfortably seats 16 and you could probably squeeze in 20. We had an elegant steak dinner last night. I don't remember when I last had filet mignon. And there's more beef on the way. My mostly vegetarian family would be appalled. Here is the sun rising over Lake Michigan.

Not much art today. Lots of ideas; we took a trip to an antique store for books to alter; had lunch at Door County Coffee and Tea for Pilgrim sandwiches, hashbrown bake, triple layer brownie and tea; wound up at Kathy's studio, a wonderful log cabin and separate studio and garage in the woods. Back at Anita's we looked at some of the idea books we brought and decided we were too tired to work tonight. Tomorrow we'll begin.

After dinner, reminiscing, and trying to remember names, (raja says we have problems with nouns that won't remain in our heads), I brought up someone I had worked with who left the area and went to Arizona with her husband and kids, they ultimately returned and she remained with another woman. Sandy was remarkably compassionate saying how awful it must be to hide your own needs for so long then finally come out of the closet. I hadn't thought about it quite that way, preferring to believe one could be first one thing then another. Now that doesn't make sense to me. Sandy was right and I was impressed with her compassion. Here is Lake Michigan from the porch.

And Lake Michigan while walking on the beach.

I've begun posting on my other blog. If you want to know what I did today, go to Japan and China on My Mind.

Back in Pittsburgh, thinking about Door County

Five hundred and three miles from Carol's house to Robin's house. It took me about nine hours this time; there was a big delay in Chicago where they hadn't finished nightly work on the highway, and I made more stops than usual. The trip was otherwise uneventful with another audio book: Out of Mao's Shadow: The Struggle for the Soul of a New China, by Phillip P. Pan, which I didn't finish. It's much longer than the first one and I listened to NPR for the first two hours I was on the road.

My visit to Door County was wonderful, easily the most satisfying four days I've had in years. Anita was the perfect hostess; the environment was beautiful--a great house near the waves on Lake Michigan singing to us; old friends making good conversation and a spacious studio where we could work and talk and listen to music; no cell phones and only occasional internet access. We came together to make artist's books, or it's a good excuse, anyway.

We arrived in the middle of the afternoon, Tuesday, after a pleasant drive. Some of the little towns up here are just lovely. I jokingly said I'd like to live up here and was almost laughed out of the car. The thing about being with old friends is that you can't kid them. They all know how much I need the big city. 

Kathy and Frank joined us for the great dinner Anita made. Afterward, we had a lively political discussion. I think we outnumbered the Republicans, but they seemed to make more noise. Fortunately, we did not discuss politics very often.

I have lots of photos and much more to tell. Tomorrow is another day.