guest room in progress

Oh, hi there! Long time, no see! Let's do a home decor-type blog post, shall we?

Back in 2007, we put the home office in the room in the northeast corner of the house at the recommendation of our electrician, because it was the only one with grounded outlets. This past October, Bram had the outlets in the junk/guest room grounded, and the day after Thanksgiving we began The Great Room Migration (see that post below from November).



Real estate listing photo, February 2007
I'm only just now noticing that they totally Photoshopped out the breaker box!
... AND the outlet under it!



May 2007



June 2007



Looky here! It's a mood board-type thing! I'm a nerd.


[click to embiggen]

1 walls Behr Garden Wall 730D-4 | trim Behr Swan Wing WF-400

2 artwork from the collection, clockwise from top left | watercolor c.2005 by Jamie Chase | collotype c.1990 | two monoprints on aluminum litho plates c.1990 by Albert Fung | Public Theater poster for Silence, Cunning Exile c.1993 by Paula Scher | painting 1998 by Joey M. Robinson | painting c.1970 by Ange Banko

3 old Ikea linen curtains c.1997 | BlindsMax Timber SolarVue Solar shades - M screen in Deco Flagstone D249

4 Room & Board Hudson Storage Bed | wall-mounted nightstands by James Holmes | old Ikea lamps c.2000

5 silk and wool quilted throw | Fabrics-Store.com 4C22 100% Heavyweight Linen in Mix Natural | latex and memory foam hybrid mattress

6 FLOR Carry A Torch in Ebony

November 2016
Painting over the Thanksgiving long weekend







January 2017
New FLOR carpet tiles and bed



February 2017
New mattress; old bedside lamps; sorting through art to hang (welcome back Silence)



Remaining artwork framed/re-framed, added proper hanging hardware, hung; repaired shades for bedside lamps



March 2017
Sewed linen duvet cover + pillowcases; new pillows; installed blind + curtains on one window — had to stop when inanimate objects began conspiring against me



April 2017
Installed blind + curtains on second window; neatened up



Mr. Holmes is currently making the little wall-hung nightstand boxes. Other than hanging those when they're done, the room just needs a few more housekeeping-type things done (clear out those boxes, re-orient the marble-top, find a home for the wicker chest), so I'll end this post here.

I'll see about doing a full-on, prepped-for-guests reveal post with better pix later. Like maybe in July? ... Stacy??

Goings-on Since Friday

Drawing the Opera

Um, wow, over a week ago on a beautiful Thursday evening, we went to the dress rehearsal for Vanessa at Santa Fe Opera. Of course, one simply must tailgate.



Members of 7000 BC were invited to draw the performance as a part of their "opera meets art" initiative. Was in the back of my head, but luckily Jeff remembered in time for the last rehearsal and arranged it all. Turned out to be a great choice — Vanessa is generally described as being heavily influenced by Seven Gothic Tales, but this production was more film noir-influenced. A minimal set, limited color palette, evocative lighting design made it really visual.







We had great seats, space to spread out. Rehearsal made an even more relaxed, casual atmosphere. The setting itself, of course, is just amazing.

Jeff was there, ran into an Albuquerque-based artist he knew, and Israel joined us with a giant drawing pad. Even I filled a few pages with gesture drawings and notes.

Turned out be an amazing way to experience the opera. In, say, the same way that taking notes at a lecture focuses your attention, I think I wound up concentrating more on the performance. Hopefully again next season.

Oh, and hung out with the designer of the NASA "worm" logo, NBD

Design Corps, the local organization of professional creatives, hosted Bruce Blackburn for one of its Coffee Talks. I know Bruce as the owner of Cheyenne's brother, but he recently got some publicity when a reprint of the classic NASA Standards Manual he worked on was a Kickstarter. Oh, yeah, I backed it.

The Corps' founders are neighbors of his, I'd brought up the idea of him talking, but it was really just a matter of time. So last Wednesday, about a dozen of us sat around with coffee and pastries to hear stories about how this landmark piece of visual communications came about. It was awesome.



So much of it was a product of its time, from the visual aesthetic to the new thinking about government communications. But at the same time, it's clear that a lot about the design business never changes. He was an entertaining speaker, full of sharp observations and commentary.

Yes, it's entirely possible that afterwards I went up to him like a fanboy to get my book signed.

Andy Returns, With the Feltuses

Andy and Liz were back through town with the girls, at the end of a trip through the southwest. Arrived Wednesday after Bandelier and Los Alamos, we hung out at home* and caught up.



Thursday was breakfast downtown, a little walking around the Plaza to point out the highlights, and then off to Tent Rocks. Probably the busiest I've seen it — vacation on out East, though ours was weeks ago — had it pretty crowded on the way up, though most of it seemed to be a local school trip. Nice at the top (above) and on the way back down. Leisurely pace has us out for about two-and-a-half hours. The good folks at La Choza were able to accommodate Josie's new sopapilla obsession, with the both the stuffed and side variety. Soaked out the aches at Ten Thousand Waves.

Friday, late start and early lunch including more sopapillas, then The House of Eternal Return.

Long (long-) time readers might remember Santa Fe art collective Meow Wolf's project, The Due Return. This new permanent installation, in an old bowling alley and now anchoring a new arts district is kind of a conceptual sequel, in that it's a narrative that unfolds through exploration and interpretation. I know a few of the writers on it, was following some of it coming together, but didn't know it would premier to such attention. I'd heard good things from the right people, knew enough to set the stage so we had some fun not describing it to the kids, and just going.

And it was a great time. For everyone I think, and in unexpected ways. There's a kinetic fun to just climbing and exploring and poking around (literally and figuratively). But there's a (heartbreaking) storyline in there, told through everything from video to newspapers, ephemera and, even the setting**. I found myself having more fun exploring than piecing together, but got what I thought was going on, only to hear different interpretations over dinner. Clearly will reward repeated visits.











A few, I was trying to get everyone experiencing it (Josie's calling the phone number that recurred throughout as part of the story), but much better photos of the installation itself in that Times article.

* From the next night, but Wednesday they were still getting be buddies.
** That's the encyclopedia set we had when I was growing up. Still looking for the accompanying folklore/mythology collections.

Back To School

Well, in two days. But some big preparations, the first time I'll be teaching an advanced class.

Steps to Video Stardom, Part 2

A Colorado College* student, a printmaker and filmmaker, contacted 12 Tons about participating in her senior project: a documentary about the small letterpresses of the West. I was the first stop on her tour. We can only hope I sound vaguely intelligent, but I've got faith in her editing.

* Kevin's alma mater, as it turns out.

Talkin' About Talkin' About Comics

Video by my friends at Narrative Media promoting a workshop I'll be running at Big Adventure Comics this Thursday.

TEDxAcequiaMadre Tomorrow (and some radio)

Been working with the TEDxAcequiaMadre team over the past few months, doing some design — spent some time today preparing and assembling the badges I designed.



The sold-out event happens Saturday, but is set to stream at www.ustream.tv/channel/thescreensf

And, through the magic of Technology, I'll be on Mouth of Wonder on Saturday morning … while I'm in the audience at TEDx.

this year’s Spoonflower calendar towel contest

Hey everyone! Are you tired of campaign ads? Wouldn’t you rather watch a lavishly-produced musical number, sung in Hindi? Well then, please vote for my Bollywood Mehndi design (at left, there) that's in the current "Fabric of the Week" contest over at Spoonflower! Trust me, it's more fun than Big Bird with a binder full of women!

All the designs appear in random order, so you'll probably have to page through a few screens (there are 12 total) before seeing mine. You can vote for as many or as few designs as you like (not just mine) by clicking on the images you like best. A green box will appear around the design(s) you select for voting. You submit all your choices after reviewing them. Any and all votes are appreciated! Voting ends Wednesday, October 24



The Coalition for More Fun Through Elaborate Musical Productions is responsible for the content of this post.

Debugging the Font

… the old-fashioned way. Set type and printed today.

"I'm Somebody Now!"

The new Previews just arrived, and a logo I designed for an upcoming comic is in it. Makes me feel like Steve Martin

Out With Mary and Bill

Finally caught up with Mary on this trip to Santa Fe (which turned out to be not that urgent, as she's now staying on for a couple more weeks for more training). A lovely dinner out at Santacafé, out in the courtyard, on Friday.


Other updates and things:
Photos from the con last weekend posted at 7000 BC's Flickr, and the inevitable stop-motion movie of Artist Alley is here.


Blatant call to "look at me!"

 

I've launched the website for my comic lettering, and updated the letterpress store with some new products (some of which should look familiar).

Eclipse

Had some Enchiladas of the Apocalypse, then took the dog across the river to get a better "view" of the eclipse. A lovely walk in the shade, especially since the unseasonably warm weather is already getting too hot for her.



Lessee … James Gleick was in town to talk on Wednesday night. It was a brief — just under 30 minutes — talk, plus about 20 minutes of Q&A. And kinda tough to sum up what it was about. Monica noted it was like a preface to The Information, a book that I struggled through, finding far less accessible than his others.

Meet and greet yesterday, plantings have been going on, a more-than-full day helping out at the Santa Fe Challenge last Saturday. Printed up a bunch of cards on Friday to take to ACE. Since there won't be any new comics.



&c.


Update: time lapse of the Santa Fe Challenge, courtesy of Barry at ACFA.

Printing the Cigar Poster

It all started when James, on one of his regular excursions to the cigar shop to get boxes to store printing stuff in, wound up with this wood insert — probably for some fancy gift box — of the various classic cigars. He resolved to print it.

He sanded it down and made it as even as possible, and we spent Friday coming up with a poster for it. I was hoping for bigger type, but when you're dealing with realities of having enough letters to set what you want, you deal with what you got.

It was decided, though, that we need another layer of artwork. We broke to figure out what that could be.

Live on Etsy

The poster that James and I have been working on is now for sale in the new 12 Tons of Letterpress Etsy store — along with some other prints from James. Got few more things to list, and we'll be working on a new poster tomorrow.

Afternoon of Words

The New Mexico History Museum, as a part of the spectacular St. John's Bible exhibit, presented Barry Moser and John Benson in a talk and demonstration today.

I recognized Moser — as you probably will too, if you click that link — kind of knowing and recognizing his work, but not really that knowledgable about it. Benson, a stonecarver … I think I was confusing with someone else.

After the usual introductions, two short movies were played — Moser's, an excerpt from a documentary about his Caxton Bible; Benson's, one that "focused on the work" from the late '70s. The former was a tight overview, actually answering a lot of the questions that pop into your head about something like that. The latter … was kind of hypnotic, with the attention paid to the chiseling of letters out of stone. It looked easy.





Then, in an experiment, they each then demonstrated their skills for the crowd. And proved themselves to be terrific performers, engaging, wry, humorous, inspiring masters of their craft.

Truly an experience to see people so thoroughly devoted to their art.

Also, both New Englanders. Benson, by birth, and totally informed by growing up studying the tombstones of Newport (which looked so much like those of my hometown). Moser, by way of a Baptist Southern upbringing, in his documentary, mentioned finishing having grinders with a friend.

Monica was working, making fonts to upload to YourFonts for their National Handwriting Day promotion. Which, given the inspiration I got today, I need to get going on myself.

Recent Activities

I spent another great afternoon with James, working up some letterpress prints. Plan is to fire up an Etsy store with this and some more of his work soon.

Mon was with Stacy taping another Mouth of Wonder (spotlight on: waffles!). That's on this Saturday at 10:30 MST, or catch it on the web site or iTunes.

learning Google Sketchup

I thought I'd try to visualize what it would look like to get rid of our china cabinet and add some built-in (storage) seating in its place.





Now all I need is a banco, some expensive Eames chairs, a swanky drum pendant light, a new rug, and a Shaker table. Easy peasy!

latest Spoonflower contest!

So, Spoonflower, yes? Fabric of the week contest, remember? It's calendar towel time again!

My entry is called Mod Vine. Please vote for me — voting is open through Wednesday, November 16!

All the designs appear in random order, so you'll probably have to page through a few screens (there are 10 total) before seeing mine. You can vote for as many or as few designs as you like (not just mine) by clicking on the images you like best. A green box will appear around the design(s) you select for voting. You submit all your votes on the last page. Any and all votes are appreciated!