Pots to the People - Check! Fun and we raised just over $1000

Big Ink printmaking -  Check! 3 large prints are now drying in my office and I'm trying to figure out how best to get them framed. I am so very very proud of myself!

DRAGON - THE LAST PROJECT TO RULE THEM ALL. (or at least last project standing) Working in it! If JoAnns was still in business, or if I could find my sewing supplies, I'd be much further along in making the dragon body. Instead I wait for amazon to drop off a new rolly cutter, and piece together scrap fabric for the body as I wait. And also designed some 3D printed feet for the dragon which will take forever to print and will not fit the first time. But that's how I roll.

No photos yet of Dragon, but soon, Soooon my pretties, sooon.

14 days ago I went glamping/camping/crafting at an event called Figment Alpha. There I ran the first test of my lifesized Tsuro "Game of Dragons" game. And started making 2 more papercrafted/paper mache dragon heads. The game test informed some improvements. The heads are still a work in progress. (also while there I finally learned how to progress from a chain to the next step in crochet. That step took both 20 minutes and 50 years to learn.)

TOMORROW I have a fundraiser at the local beer garden. It's called Pots to the People, where we offer $35 handmade pottery items that come with a complementary drink ticket. We have 67 "pots" of various shapes & sizes. Funds raised support my non-profit Dover art league. I'm anxious but we're ready to rock it. I have 4 volunteers to help man the station! Also, the league is so fortunate to have on staff someone who translates my sketches/ideas to fabulous fliers. Check out this fab "power to the people" riff

The DAY AFTER TOMORROW I will be at the Delaware Contemporary Museum to print my first woodcarved block. Before then I need to sand and brush the board, but everytime I go to do that I start carving a bit more. I'm pretty sure the border isn't carved deep enough, but we shall find out Sunday! My ex is looking after my kid as I spend the day printing. I can't think of a better way to spend mother's day!

Loaner cat for scale. Also, shag carpet is great for hiding wood carving curls & scraps.

12 Days(ish) from now I go camping with 1200 of my best hippie friends. This is where we will play Human Sized Tsuro for real - I have it on the schedule for 1 or 2 hours every day. For that I am making a 10+ foot long dragon as decoration. It is SO NOT DONE. I so want to be spending all my time working on it but (see above) this weekend is already spoken for. Next Tuesday I'm working an election from 6AM-9PM. Today, and next Friday and Saturday I work my museum job. Arrrrgh, I just want to focus on Dragon! It is so not done that I don't even have photos. Le sigh, art life is stressful. But also wonderful and it keeps me busy,

In 21 days I print my first woodblock hand carved print at Big Ink at the Delaware Contemporary Museum in Wilmington. If it was tomorrow I would have something to print. It's done enough. But when is enough enough? I still want to crisp up some lines, clean out some chatter, and make Dante's coat better. (that's the character's name, Dante. With head on fire.)

I'm forcing myself to put that on hold for a week or two -- but not 3, because yo: 21 days til printing! Got other things to do: today is get the grant application to rebuild my Dover Art League's pottery studio submitted, and work on that Tsuro dragon game project that due in 5 days (see last post)

Anyway, some photos of the carved block, then I'm off the write my grant request.

April 23 - 6 days from now! I am bringing human sized Tsuro to Alpha. And apparently dragon crafting, because I told the coordinator that I would have crafting. I have a minimum viable version 90% complete! Minimum viable means:

1. rules (done. Printed and laminated)

2. 36 handheld tiles - done. Wood with lines burnt into each. Past Ursula made these on the laser cutter years ago for no particular reason. Yay past me!

3. 36 matching 2'x2' tiles - done. Cloroplast with vinyl lines

4. Mark the sets to match up the handheld & the large tiles -done as of tonight! 

5. Capes of various colors to mark the players - aquired from Amazon

6. Frame with start points marked - not started. Will be made from furring strips. I'm shooting for getting that done Sunday. 

Oh yeah, I also made a paper mache dragon head, but that's not really part of minimum viable. Still needs painting. I'll probably make that, and decorating the back of the tiles as the craft.

Photos:

The things I have to do. Note to get my thoughts in order.

As I'm apt to do, I committed to some things. Projects. Adventures. All these things have reasons and backstories. But now they are all lining up for attention and I need to make more of a schedule.

Tomorrow: Don't forget your doctors appointment! Also find a dentist & schedule an appointment!!

April 23 - 25 days from now I'm going to Alpha  which is kinda like adult summer camp for artists. I'm bringing human sized Tsuro board game, where humans are the pieces instead of pawns, which means I need to make supersized Tsuro. Also this will come with a side of dragon themed crafting. The things I still need to do for MINIMUM VIABLE is FINISH 35 human sized 2'x2' tiles. So far I've finished 1 and 5 quarter tiles. Probably won't work on it much until next week, but sometimes I'm inspired and get at it. One of the reasons I'm doing this project is to prep for Playa del Fuego (see below), which is towards the end of May.

May 1 - 33 days from now applications for Delaware's "Community Reinvestment Fund"  are due. I committed to putting in an application to revamp the Dover Art League's pottery studio. The room needs a floor without holes in it, and walls that reach the ceiling, less dumb use of space and other things of that ilk. Plan to get a draft grant request done this week. 

May 9 - 41 days from now is Pots to the People. I talked my Dover Art League into this fundraiser -- we are bringing 30-50 pottery pieces to the local brewpub. There we offer them up for $35 which includes a drink ticket. Check out the cool flyer/poster in the link - the Art League staff of creatives are amazing. I mentioned I wanted a "Power to the People" vibe, holding a mug, and wow. Anyway, now I just have to arrange staffing, signage, transport, and assist in getting all the pottery items made/glazed. This week, line up staffing. 

May 10 - 42 days from now is Big Ink at the Delaware Contemporary Museum. I have been following Big Ink for some time on Insta, and kept saying "if he ever comes to Delaware, I'm signing up!". Well, last fall I noticed he scheduled a Delaware date, so with some trepidation, I signed up. So yeah, working on that project. For Big Ink, you sign up to make a 2' x 3' or larger woodcut for printing. Mine is going to be Limbus Company fan art of a sort. I started carving a few days ago. This week: carve ~1hr per day.

May 23 - 52 days from now is Playa del Fuego. I'm bringing Dragon Themed Art project wich includes Human Sized T'suro and a 10' Dragon. I need to make a 10' dragon at some point between then and now. "Need" is the word here, because I applied for an art grant which included making the 10' Dragon. I got the grant, now I have to deliver. This week: do nothing more on this except the stuff mentioned for Alpha.

Late November 2026 - like 235 days from now I'm installing two large storefront windows for the Winter Window scene at, you guessed it, the Dover Art League. I decided one of the two windows will be a 10' hibernating dragon. Which is why Playa del Fuego art grant was for a dragon, which led to Tsuro and then Alpha. I hope 235 days is enough for it all to come together. (There is also a second window, which I plan to be Snow Queen themed)

oh yeah, I also have a date in a couple of weeks. I wonder if he'd be up for making a paper mache dragon instead of, dunno, dinner & a movie.