Today's postings
- [Baren 38794] RE: Exchange 40 and deadlines ("Maria Arango")
- [Baren 38795] not woodblock but interesting (Barbara Mason)
- [Baren 38796] Re: earthquake in Abruzzo and call (Colleen Corradi Brannigan)
- [Baren 38797] Baren Member blogs: Update Notification (Blog Manager)
Message 1
From: "Maria Arango"
Date: Tue, 05 May 2009 03:56:24 GMT
Subject: [Baren 38794] RE: Exchange 40 and deadlines
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Pardon the interruption. I see that I have caused some trouble with
tightening the schedule a bit and take full responsibility; this is not
Robert's doing, it is mine as Exchange Manager.
First, I would like to point out there has NEVER been an official grace
period. The deadline as stated in every page of the exchange has always been
flexible according to the coordinator's particular management style. This
has resulted in exchanges that were indefinitely extended, some for as long
as three months past the deadline and the next exchange's deadline for that
matter.
The so called "grace period" has been an unofficial extended deadline due to
the erroneous belief that the coordinator's MAILING DEADLINE constituted an
extra month for participants to get their prints in at the last minute.
This has caused many frustrated coordinators, and right out angry
participants (some mail with expensive Express services in order to make the
actual deadline). I have spared the list from mentioning such interchanges
because we strive to accommodate. This flexibility has been abused to the
point that many participants now START on their prints on the last two weeks
before the deadline, a practice that inevitably results in late entries.
Second, I did mention that the rules had been revised several times. Once
when I took over as Exchange Manager way back when. Every time I revised the
rules pages or the exchange pages at all I notified the list. The last
revision I mentioned that I was making more clear the penalties section and
before that I eliminated the coordinator mailing deadline dates from the
exchanges, starting with 38. Each time I mentioned to the list that the
pages had been revised to eliminate confusion.
I understand that life sometimes inevitably gets in the way. I also know
both as participant and as coordinator that there are four full months to
complete each exchange from the point of initial signing up to the deadline.
In my opinion, waiting until the last two weeks to begin printing lends to
late entries and it is disrespectful to the coordinator and to the majority
of the participants who finish their prints in on time. With so much time
having passed before the "last call" extending the deadline once leads to
extending the deadline again and again and again.
Third, it has always been up to the coordinator to decide when to cut off
the exchange and the grace period and the extended extended extended
deadline. This has caused inconsistency in exchange management, again angry
early participants, and other participants greatly abusing the kindness of a
coordinator and the patience of everyone involved. Coordinators have to plan
to do the collating and colophon during their free time, perhaps a week or
two or three after the deadline. Invariably, speaking from experience, the
plans get tossed out the window as participants get later and later.
We have an exchange schedule and running exchanges into one another causes
problems for participants, coordinators and yours truly. Emails fly back and
forth unbeknownst to the list, complaints, excuses, pleadings, and a variety
of others, which, entertaining as they may be, tend to really make a large
dent on my computing time during the time approaching deadlines, during sign
up, and just about any other time.
I have been slowly tightening the rein on the exchange program and this is
the result. I consulted with several previous coordinators and made the
decision: It is now no longer up to the coordinator to extend the deadline
indefinitely.
I hope this is all a reasonable explanation. If anyone has concerns please
contact me directly at exchanges_mgr@barenforum.org but may I suggest that
time may be better spent printing something beautiful.
Lastly, as we are a volunteer organization, the very exciting tasks of
coordinating can be attempted by anyone and the position of Exchange Manager
is always open to anyone who wants to take over.
Maria
Robert, as I mentioned, in the past there has always been a grace period to
allow people to get their prints in. While cutting out that grace period may
be a good thing it should be done with a notice, far in advance, so that
people can get their work finished and in and be part of the exchange. I
suspect that many of the participants have day jobs and other drains on
their free time.
Perhaps the deadline could be extended this time and the firm deadline could
be implemented in the next exchange.
Clive
tightening the schedule a bit and take full responsibility; this is not
Robert's doing, it is mine as Exchange Manager.
First, I would like to point out there has NEVER been an official grace
period. The deadline as stated in every page of the exchange has always been
flexible according to the coordinator's particular management style. This
has resulted in exchanges that were indefinitely extended, some for as long
as three months past the deadline and the next exchange's deadline for that
matter.
The so called "grace period" has been an unofficial extended deadline due to
the erroneous belief that the coordinator's MAILING DEADLINE constituted an
extra month for participants to get their prints in at the last minute.
This has caused many frustrated coordinators, and right out angry
participants (some mail with expensive Express services in order to make the
actual deadline). I have spared the list from mentioning such interchanges
because we strive to accommodate. This flexibility has been abused to the
point that many participants now START on their prints on the last two weeks
before the deadline, a practice that inevitably results in late entries.
Second, I did mention that the rules had been revised several times. Once
when I took over as Exchange Manager way back when. Every time I revised the
rules pages or the exchange pages at all I notified the list. The last
revision I mentioned that I was making more clear the penalties section and
before that I eliminated the coordinator mailing deadline dates from the
exchanges, starting with 38. Each time I mentioned to the list that the
pages had been revised to eliminate confusion.
I understand that life sometimes inevitably gets in the way. I also know
both as participant and as coordinator that there are four full months to
complete each exchange from the point of initial signing up to the deadline.
In my opinion, waiting until the last two weeks to begin printing lends to
late entries and it is disrespectful to the coordinator and to the majority
of the participants who finish their prints in on time. With so much time
having passed before the "last call" extending the deadline once leads to
extending the deadline again and again and again.
Third, it has always been up to the coordinator to decide when to cut off
the exchange and the grace period and the extended extended extended
deadline. This has caused inconsistency in exchange management, again angry
early participants, and other participants greatly abusing the kindness of a
coordinator and the patience of everyone involved. Coordinators have to plan
to do the collating and colophon during their free time, perhaps a week or
two or three after the deadline. Invariably, speaking from experience, the
plans get tossed out the window as participants get later and later.
We have an exchange schedule and running exchanges into one another causes
problems for participants, coordinators and yours truly. Emails fly back and
forth unbeknownst to the list, complaints, excuses, pleadings, and a variety
of others, which, entertaining as they may be, tend to really make a large
dent on my computing time during the time approaching deadlines, during sign
up, and just about any other time.
I have been slowly tightening the rein on the exchange program and this is
the result. I consulted with several previous coordinators and made the
decision: It is now no longer up to the coordinator to extend the deadline
indefinitely.
I hope this is all a reasonable explanation. If anyone has concerns please
contact me directly at exchanges_mgr@barenforum.org but may I suggest that
time may be better spent printing something beautiful.
Lastly, as we are a volunteer organization, the very exciting tasks of
coordinating can be attempted by anyone and the position of Exchange Manager
is always open to anyone who wants to take over.
Maria
Robert, as I mentioned, in the past there has always been a grace period to
allow people to get their prints in. While cutting out that grace period may
be a good thing it should be done with a notice, far in advance, so that
people can get their work finished and in and be part of the exchange. I
suspect that many of the participants have day jobs and other drains on
their free time.
Perhaps the deadline could be extended this time and the firm deadline could
be implemented in the next exchange.
Clive
Message 2
From: Barbara Mason
Date: Tue, 05 May 2009 04:08:12 GMT
Subject: [Baren 38795] not woodblock but interesting
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Friends,
If any of you live near Portland you might be interested in attending these lectures on early prints of the Northwest
My best to you all
Barbara
The annual meeting of the American Historical Print Collectors Society will be
held in Portland Oregon on May 14, 15 and 16 2009. There will be two lecture
sessions. There are a limited number of tickets to these available free of
charge, but reservations are required. Please call Elisabeth Burdon at
503-234-3538 to make a reservation, or email imprints@oldimprint s.com
The lecture sessions are as follows:
May 14 in Miller 105 at Lewis and Clark College:
1:30 pm. - Brian Oikle - Welcome 5 min.
1:35 pm. - Bill Brandt - Historical Perpective
1:40 - 2:20 pm - Doug Erickson - Writings about Lewis and Clark
2:25 - 3:05 pm - Gigi Barnhill - Prints made after sketches by Capt. Henry Warre
3:05 - 3:20 pm - break
3:20 - 4:00 pm - Elisabeth Burdon - The West Shore Magazine
4:00 - 4:30 pm - Panel discussion - Conservation Tips
Elizabeth Chambers & Marilyn Murdoch
May 15 in the Miller Gallery at Portland Art Museum:
10:00 am Featured Speaker: Dr. Ron Tyler, Director, Amon Carter Museum, Ft.
Worth, Texas - Views and Visions: Prints of the American West
11:00 - 11:45 am. John Laursen, coauthor of Wild Beauty - Carleton Watkins: Early
photographs of the Columbia River Gorge
__
If any of you live near Portland you might be interested in attending these lectures on early prints of the Northwest
My best to you all
Barbara
The annual meeting of the American Historical Print Collectors Society will be
held in Portland Oregon on May 14, 15 and 16 2009. There will be two lecture
sessions. There are a limited number of tickets to these available free of
charge, but reservations are required. Please call Elisabeth Burdon at
503-234-3538 to make a reservation, or email imprints@oldimprint s.com
The lecture sessions are as follows:
May 14 in Miller 105 at Lewis and Clark College:
1:30 pm. - Brian Oikle - Welcome 5 min.
1:35 pm. - Bill Brandt - Historical Perpective
1:40 - 2:20 pm - Doug Erickson - Writings about Lewis and Clark
2:25 - 3:05 pm - Gigi Barnhill - Prints made after sketches by Capt. Henry Warre
3:05 - 3:20 pm - break
3:20 - 4:00 pm - Elisabeth Burdon - The West Shore Magazine
4:00 - 4:30 pm - Panel discussion - Conservation Tips
Elizabeth Chambers & Marilyn Murdoch
May 15 in the Miller Gallery at Portland Art Museum:
10:00 am Featured Speaker: Dr. Ron Tyler, Director, Amon Carter Museum, Ft.
Worth, Texas - Views and Visions: Prints of the American West
11:00 - 11:45 am. John Laursen, coauthor of Wild Beauty - Carleton Watkins: Early
photographs of the Columbia River Gorge
__
Message 3
From: Colleen Corradi Brannigan
Date: Tue, 05 May 2009 07:43:54 GMT
Subject: [Baren 38796] Re: earthquake in Abruzzo and call
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Hi Eli and Baren Members,
the earthquake was in L'Aquila about 50 km
from the art center... many villages were affected but the news mostly
talks about L'Aquila city which was devastated and lost MOST of its
churches and art. Just type in google the words terremoto and l'aquila
you will see how many horrifying images come up - also check yutube...
For the time being here the situation is very unstable but with some
artist friends here we are organizing some art courses of different
kinds to keep the children busy. If anyone of you would like to help
and come to teach art, I offer free accommodation in the art center. I
will be away in the month of august but other times are ok. Until the
end of this year I doubt that the situation changes. Whole families now
live in tents around the area and they need some kind of support.
I
might also host a non profit show and auction prints for raising funds
to keep these art courses going.
I will let everyone know
Colleen
the earthquake was in L'Aquila about 50 km
from the art center... many villages were affected but the news mostly
talks about L'Aquila city which was devastated and lost MOST of its
churches and art. Just type in google the words terremoto and l'aquila
you will see how many horrifying images come up - also check yutube...
For the time being here the situation is very unstable but with some
artist friends here we are organizing some art courses of different
kinds to keep the children busy. If anyone of you would like to help
and come to teach art, I offer free accommodation in the art center. I
will be away in the month of august but other times are ok. Until the
end of this year I doubt that the situation changes. Whole families now
live in tents around the area and they need some kind of support.
I
might also host a non profit show and auction prints for raising funds
to keep these art courses going.
I will let everyone know
Colleen
Digest Appendix
Postings made on [Baren] members' blogs
over the past 24 hours ...
Subject: New Woodblock--Watching Fish at the Zoo
Posted by: Amanda
I've been very interested in images of water and underwater creatures lately. In fact, I'm planning a big series of woodblock prints (and possibly an artist's book) based on Haroun and the Sea of Stories, one of my all time favorite books. I've done many sketches for this project, but still have a long way to go before I'm ready to start into the blocks, so I decided to work on another set of blocks in the meantime.  This based on some photos I took of Owen at the zoo last year. I still have some work to do on the drawing, but I'm itching to start carving, so I may just jump in. I will do it with a different block for each color, and I think if I start with orange that will give me the most information to transfer to the other blocks. In case anyone wonders, the Speedball Press is no longer available and will be going to a good home this week.  |
This item is taken from the blog Amanda's Art Blog.
'Reply' to Baren about this item.
Subject: Where do balloons come from?
Posted by: Andrew Stone
 It's funny that since I started doing woodblock prints, many of the images I've done were mined from old sketchbooks. Lots of drawings, still lives, doodles and life drawings that I kept or always liked have been reemerging as subjects for my prints. When I was in Italy, I opened an old moving box that was full of art supplies and had three or four old sketchbooks. In one of them as I sat leafing through the pages I found a page cut out from an older sketchbook that I must have pulled out when I packed. While they say the olfactory sense is our most primitive link to memory I find these scribbles and sketches to be amazing memory triggers that can pull me back from over 30 years in this instance to a dusty studio in Gainesville, Florida and a life drawing class that I frequented in what seems must have been a previous life. I still remember the model. She showed up late to the class and was dressed in a leopard skin leotard that was several sizes too small. She had boots and a feather boa/scarf and a big leather belt. This is the drawing I did of her. I remember as she walked around during a break that she hated it. I had added probably 20 lbs. to . . . [Long item has been trimmed at this point. The full blog entry can be viewed here] |
This item is taken from the blog Lacrime di Rospo.
'Reply' to Baren about this item.