Yesterday, my stomach was finally at ease. The 2nd Annual Craft Lake City was a long day event and a first experience for me and Emily. I’ve never set up a booth before that wasn’t already figured out. I had imagined this in my head for some time and though it came close, I learned a lot of techniques that would better our display. Also, I definitely need to start earlier. I had new pieces I premiered that were very time consuming – animal head magnets, moleskines, a blackbird cut out the same process as my animal heads – and I wished the quantity were bigger so we didn’t run out. Also new are our letterpress printed cards – which I enjoyed seeing people smile after reading them. I also enjoyed explaining my mounted pieces to intrigued people. It’s a 6 step process:

1) Carve out the image on 1/4″ birch plywood

2) Ink the wood block and roll through press with rice paper

3) Cut out shape

4) Glue paper to 3/4″ birch plywood

5) Scroll saw exact image

6) Sand edges

Thanks to friends and family who came and all those who shared kind words. And big thanks to the boy who gives me 100% support!

By the end of the day I felt encouraged to continue this project and apply for future festivals. Firstly, I’m hoping to rework this website and start an online shop – but after I deep clean my apartment.

Note to self: Invest in a drying rack.

I just got back from a trip to Lake Powell in Southern Utah. It was a much needed vacation although I still worked on packaging cards, buttons, cutting out animal heads, etc. If I could work on a boat all the time I wouldn’t complain at all.

Craft Lake City is in exactly one week and it’s a bit overwhelming. There’s still lots to be done, but the overwhelming feeling also comes from the sudden attention we’re getting. Last Friday, during our all nighter, the folks from Printeresting.org held their second Copy Jam during the 6th Annual Printer’s Ball in Chicago where an estimated 3,000 people were in attendance. Shortly after meeting them at SGC in Philadelphia last March, they contacted me and asked if the Friends Make Prints logo could be apart of their event. After a quick consult with the redhead, we were more than willing to partake. I left for Lake Powell before I could see the pictures and all I can say, I wish we were there:

(Video via Design Chat)

(Pictures via Printeresting.org)

Nextly, one of the most flattering things I have been asked to do is be apart of the 10 (out of 130) artists to be spotlighted and interviewed in SLUG – Salt Lake Underground) Magazine. The article turned out amazing, especially the part where they let my pup Sheila hop in the picture with me and wrote about how important she is.

I am not used to this kind of break and I am very fortunate. Hopefully the streak stays with throughout this week and I get the many things done needed for the Saturday event!

Yesterday I woke up at 6:30am, drove a half hour to North to Ogden to grab my animal head wood blocks. I then went on to drop off Di’s wedding invitations and forgot to tell her Happy Birthday, like a jerk (sorry Di!). Then another hour drive to Logan, where I went to school. I got myself and Emily special permission to use the print studio for the day. I haven’t been able to find a rolling press in Salt Lake City that fits my moose and buffalo (has to be at least 35″ wide!). We’ve been really busy working on products and prints for Craft Lake City which is now exactly two weeks away! Oy. It’s been pretty stressful being it’s our first real event. We’ve talked all year long about how we could make FMP work, a real business. Finally we stopped talking and got to doing. But the most stressful thing is that MisterArt.com forgot to put my 2 rolls of rice paper on their shipping truck for 3 days and didn’t do anything on their end to help a girl out and get it by Thursday! Needless to say my paper didn’t get here on time and I will never be ordering from them again. Two of my former classmates were very gracious to let me borrow their roll or what they had left of their roll. I would not to have been able to get any animal heads done with Brandt and Matt! Thank you boys.

Emily and I didn’t leave the studio until 7:00am. We got a lot done. We wanted to do more, but we had been awake for more than 24 hours on top of her niece is getting married today up in Burley, ID and I have to work back in the city for the rest of today. I dropped Emily off then my pup Sheila and I headed back. After a half hour in the canyon I was dangerously drifting asleep. I took a 40 minute nap in the Brigham City Walmart parking lot as Sheila barked at any noise. She’s such a good watch dog when situations are strange to her, but a horrible listener when I yell, “Quiet! Mommy needs sleep.”

I want these next two weeks to be over with, but take as long as possible to go by at the same time.

I’ve heard scary stories in the letterpress studio about people smushing their fingers in the press. I never understood how until today while finishing up my old roommate’s wedding invites. After printing 400 invites, 100 ceremony/RSVP postcards, I was a little tired to do 400 envelopes. I wanted them done quickly as possible. With the extra flap flapping in the air as I feed the paper across the cylinder, I held on to ensure it eased through the machine until my index and middle finger put a stop to the whole production. They were stuck between the cylinder and a bar that the paper slips through. I thought for sure I was going to lose a fingernail or two, but as of right now they’re still painfully intact. The first thing I thought, I must really love Di, and I powered through the rest of the set.

I have never designed or printed wedding invitations before but Di and Matt are such amazing and supportive friends, I thought it’d make a great wonderful gift. I have to be honest though, I don’t think I am cut out for wedding stuff. I felt burnt out after shooting two weddings with my holga camera and this, this was another world. So many freakin’ options and so many people to invite. Oy! Luckily I knew how much they love cats and how they will be cat people – married or single – forever and ever. It seemed obvious that their two cats, Monster and Zim, had to be on there. I am more of a dog person myself so that may be the reason why I am not in love with my design. But Di and Matt love the invites and I love those two so that’s all that matters.

Printed on Crane’s Lettra Ecru and Neenah Classic Crest Slate.

Kayo Gallery is my favorite gallery in Salt Lake City, next to Signed & Numbered’s new gallery of course! Kayo is completely running off of donations and their annual fundraiser, Box Paper Scissors, called for nearly 40 artists to decorate a cigar box, inside and out, to be bid on. The entire night people get to see the outsides of the box to judge their bidding on. At 9:30 the bidding ends and the winner gets to open it. The cigar box piece is 100% donated in effort to help the gallery reach their $5,000 goal. I’ve never made a 3D piece and I felt really stumped when coming up with an idea. Then when I had an idea I wasn’t sure if it would translate well. I went with my gut and did it anyways and got a really good response to it last night.

If you can’t tell there are a salt and pepper shaker in placement of a couple of bullets. I titled it, “For an Honest Man,” whatever that means. And I got to use Sculpy and Gorilla Glue for the first time! The antlers, gun, bullets and shakers are all woodcut prints pasted onto 3/4″ birch plywood and cut out with a scroll saw. This piece was quite the experiment with a lot of fingers crossed that it would come out the way that it did. And a Miss Sara bid $100 on it! I never got to meet her, but I hope she likes it!

I’m kind of sad to see it go. I couldn’t imagine being a sculptor or painter who makes one of a kind pieces and never see them again. I miss my box already.

Kayo Gallery is always accepting donations and always has amazing shows.

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In other news, I’ve been promoted to Gallery Director at work! Very excited for future shows, especially the next one for August Gallery stroll! It will be my first one I will organize and I am hopeful the idea is well received. Stay tuned!

Last night was Signed & Numbered’s “soft” opening as Young, The Giant and Steel Train rocked out next door at the Kilby Court music venue. If you need caulking, priming, painting, beam sanding, etc, I’m your girl. I’ve never worked like this before and it’s a great feeling to see all the hard work paid off into such a beautiful space. The grand opening will be on Sunday July 11th, 6pm-10pm, as Maps & Atlases are headlining next door. It’s a fun atmosphere when bands are playing and sometimes you can talk to the band members. For instance I got to talk to Evan from Steel Train:

“So what position are you?”

“Bass guitar. Short stop.”

“I’m an idiot.”

Hahaha. I should just stick to what I know, art. Thanks for all those who came out last night, especially the familiar faces. It’s so great to know I have awesome friends who show support and interest in what I do.

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Oh and in other exciting news, I can finally talk about that mysterious phone call I had over a week ago. SLUG Magazine sponsors the annual Craft Lake City that I recently applied to. They called to tell me that Friends Make Prints has a spot! Then they went on to say they want to feature me in their August issue as one of the 5 artists spotlighted for the event. As I said before, I am stunned and flattered. The interview took place last Friday and I can’t wait to see how the article turns out! Things are looking up for FMP!

A few weeks ago I attended the Mountain Brewer’s 16th Annual Beer Fest in Idaho Falls. I was happy to run into some familiar packaging:

And can you believe it, I didn’t try any of them! I thought it wasn’t right to try it without the artists themselves. By now I have tried “Tilted Smile,” the Imperial Pilsner by my new boss at Signed & Numbered, Leia Bell (she designed two out of the 4 in the Crooked Line brewed by Uinta Brewery Co.). Funny how when I first blogged about these, she didn’t know who I was! And not too long ago she poured me a cup! And it was delicious! I am not a beer lover. I only dare drink it if I can see through it. Thankfully this one was very light and had a hint of sweetness. Highly recommended. I was told I will hate the rest of them. But I still need the collection in my kitchen. I thought I’d start today.

I can’t drink “Cockeyed Cooper”  the Bourbon Barrel Barley Wine Ale without my friend Travis Bone and I couldn’t even find “Labryinth” the Black Ale by Trent Call. I don’t know him, well not personally, but I need it to complete this limited edition! And when I do, bottoms up.

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I’d also like to announce that the new Signed & Numbered Gallery, located next to Kilby Court music venue, has passed inspection! And thank the lord too because last Sunday when I was painting, I near fell off the ladder from a combination of not eating for 12 hours and locking knees. A lot of hard work went into restoring this space by the crew and Wednesday June 30th from 6pm-10pm is the “soft” opening of the “mini” print show by artists nationwide. Steel Train will be having their show that night at Kilby Court as well! The official grand opening is Sunday July 11th from 6pm-10pm as Maps & Atlases plays next door. Hope to see many friends there! My latest print will be displayed for the first time as well!

Lots of stuff has been going on and it’s kept me from blogging here. I don’t know where to begin, but lets just start with Friday. It was an art-filled day, a perfect day. My third post went up on the Boxcar Press blog with a very motivating interview with Ladies of Letterpress. This internship has been a dream. Conversing with letterpress artists, hearing how they started especially, has been really encouraging. And getting to know the Boxcar folk has been awesome as well. They are good people.

I then worked at Signed & Numbered. It’s exciting every time I work at the store because I’m surrounded by fantastic limited edition prints the whole time. And ever since they were featured in The New York Times, a lot of people have been coming in with interest. In the afternoon I went over to their new, still in construction, gallery to caulk, prime, paint, whatever needed to get this ready for inspection. Just as I wiped paint off my hands, I got a phone call. An amazing phone call with not one, but TWO exciting news for me. The only downside, I can’t tell anybody! I have been sworn to secrecy for about a week which has been so hard! But all I can say is I’m stunned and flattered.

Friday was also gallery stroll night. I have only been in the March Gallery Stroll so it was exciting to be apart of it again with The Holga Show. However, I have to be honest here. It was a little disappointing. Each 5×5 photo was $70, unframed, and the artist gets 60% if sold. They published a book with all the selected entries (I had 3), but the book was $70 as well and the artist gets nothing from those sales. I would rather buy the book to have everyone’s photos than a single photo that I have to pay more to get framed. And I couldn’t even convince myself to buy the book because the book cover wasn’t even designed well. I probably will not be entering next year.

My friend and co-worker Andy and I then strolled over to the Salt Lake Art Center where I was blown away with their exhibition, Contemporary Masters Artist Designed Miniature Golf. It is up, free, and fully playable until September 16th and I highly recommend it!

Then I went over to my friend Travis Bone’s house to help him print a very limited edition of Portugal. The Man gig posters. It was the perfect way to end an art-filled day by watching Travis print and his whole process. He’s amazingly talented and becoming very well-known. Even though we met last year and he’s been doing his thing for much longer, I am proud of him. He inspired me the first time I printed with him and continues to do so today.

Tomorrow is my first day teaching, ever. Through the University of Utah’s Lifelong Learning program, I am putting on a 6 week workshop on toy cameras, focusing on Holgas. It will be taught every Tuesday from 6:30-8:30pm. I have a few seats left so if you’re in the area and can hold off watching the last 2 episodes of LOST to online the next day, it should be a lot of fun! My flickr account shows all of what I’ve done personally so far. The above photo is from 2 Saturdays ago at the Salt Lake Temple. This was my first experience at the temple and I could not believe how many brides and grooms were popping out the door every 5 minutes. There were people every where, so it was hard to get a shot with just these two and it was overwhelming. But I love how most of them turned out.

Teaching, although temporary, is currently my 5th job right now. I am still at Fluid Studio designing, I recently started at Signed & Numbered underneath the oh so talented Leia Bell (her partner Phil Sherburne is an excellent woods craftsman as well) working in their shop full of fantastic limited edition prints, building frames and soon working in the gallery which will be located at music venue, Kilby Court. I’ve been modeling for various artists and university classes and I didn’t want to say anything yet but I can’t contain it any longer: I blog for Boxcar Press as well. I get to interview letterpress artists and companies from all over and help create a resource center of all things letterpress on their website. How stinkin cool is that? Pretty stinky stinkin, if you ask me. I have been waiting to post my first interview, however Boxcar Press is super busy with the National Stationery Show currently going on. I am there in spirit. Sigh. But once their blog becomes more ritual, I’ll be sure to post here too.

I suddenly have become swamped and I love it.