I have been meaning to do two things for awhile now, one is finally get around to taking a letterpress class, the second is to check out the School of Visual Concepts here in Seattle.  This weekend, I had a chance to do both at the Type Americana Workshop. On my journey from SVA to SVC I have been procrastinating on the letterpress stuff for a few reasons. One of which is that I am actually terrified of any kind of printmaking. While I love it, it scares me. Last time I fell in love with silk screening, it ended up taking over the whole apartment. Letterpress equipment is a lot heavier and more expensive.  I live on the third floor. I had no room in my life for falling in love again. And no desire to share the bathroom with a power washer and gallons of solvents.

Also, the good people in the printmaking department at SVA did a really great job of convincing me I would die or become otherwise impaired from the process. It seemed like the first half of every class was a cautionary tale into how you can lose your ____ (finger, arm, eye sight, brain cells, etc). Maybe I was just uptight then, and over the years have finally softened to the spontaneous and fun side of print making. After years of trying to get shit to line up and fuss with registration marks, it was a huge relief to have a half day workshop in messy – imperfect – fast paced – on the fly – art making. Very therapeutic.

The instructors Jim and Bill Moran were visiting from the Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum and brought an array of beautiful, wacky, kitschy and fabulous plates to play with. Though I warned them that I was a super duper complete total beginner, they made the process totally accessible, fun and creative. I also cajoled Griffin into going with me. Now we are both smitten and are scheming ways to get back in the studio before their winter quarter begins in January.

Here are a few of our little experiments:

Katsu! It’s here… somewhere. Do we really need more of an explanation? Apparently not.

Things have been super busy this fall, sometimes you just need an impromptu pumpkin patch trip to reset. Fall City Farms did just the trick. Apples + Cider + Pumpkins + Dahlias + Goats & just enough mud on your sneakers to make you feel like you got something accomplished.

Hai Dozo! That’s right. Japanese Garden time at the Washington Arboretum.

My love of biking grows more everyday. Especially with fun surprises like this mural on the Burke Gilman Train. Cephalopods on recumbent bikes? Yes, please. I found a lovely recommended ride from Capitol Hill to Ballard which was the perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon. Iva Jean has wonderful resources for riding in style in Seattle. I am smitten.

Nice view on the way home too…

an unexpected color overlay recently spotted at a local gallery opening here in pioneer square.

Check out my new comic up on gURL.com!

A very exciting and mostly true story about my happy and harrowing forays with roommates over the years. One of these people was not my roommate. Can you guess which one?