my friend becky is the coolest

You'll see why if you check out these daily doodles that she's been so diligent about posting lately:
Here are some samples, but you'll see the rest here: http://pishposhandsuch.blogspot.com/

Visitor

I look like my mom in a lot of these... weird.

fail

I got a request from an uncle for a graduation announcement. Until then, I hadn't planned on sending any out since my family is small, so I wouldn't be sending many out. But, after the request, I decided I might as well have a little fun with it and try to do something with screen printing like I played with last summer.

So, I busied my exacto blade and started cutting letters out of newsprint (I didn't realize until after I started how annoying creating a paper stencil to block the ink that was all text was going to be until after I started).

After cutting and fussing, I finally tried to pull a couple little prints. BUT, my stencil totally failed. The newsprint was just too weak. Last year, I thought my black ink might just be too runny, which is why it didn't work well, but I think that it was the newsprint. I had thought it would work the same as newspaper, but such was not the case. I guess now I know I have to use a much sturdier paper... and that maybe type isn't the most fun thing to do using this method of makeshift screenprinting.

test print.. not great, but I thought I'd keep going anyway

total disaster!

DOUBLE FAIL: I put MFA instead of BFA. probably good this didn't work out, then, huh...

Advice from Stefan Bucher

Lately, I've taken to watching lectures from the Walker Channel's archives, and have really been enjoying them. So far, I've only watched graphic design ones, but there are some architecture ones and others that I'd like to go back to.

One of the most recent ones I've watched is a lecture by Stefan Bucher, which was at the Walker Art Center at the end of this past March.What is most fascinating to me about these designers' lectures is each person's attitude towards their work. In particular, I like hearing about what these designers do to get the work they love to do, and what they do to get around or get out of doing the work they cannot stand.

I particularly liked Bucher's lecture because he had some great advice for students in the Q&A after the lecture. Here are a couple quotes I liked hearing, perhaps mostly because it helps me feel justified in what I have done over the last month or so (or lack thereof). If you watch the lecture, or part of it, this question is around 1:31:30 in the video.

"I really strongly urge you to just sit down for a month and say, 'ok, no decisions until the end of the month.'"

"Don't just take a job to take a job. If it takes you a few extra months to find the right first job, that's really worth it because your first job determines a lot about your portfolio."

Nathaniel Rateliff

Two weeks ago, I made the trek out to Maquoketa, Iowa with a few good friends for Daytrotter's Barnstormer III tour. Daytrotter is phenomenal at picking great bands, and I was totally enthused by the fact that Ra Ra Riot and Delta Spirit were the main bands for this tour.

Overall, I think it may be one of the best shows I've ever been to. It was filled with great people, and there must have been something about going to hang out in barns in the middle of nowhere that added a little extra charm and magic to the whole evening. (Someone posted these great pictures from the evening, that are definitely worth a peek, wish I took 'em).

The best surprise for the evening, though, was Nathaniel Rateliff. His performance of "Shroud" completely blew me out of the water. Luckily, someone caught it on video. I'd also highly recommend downloading his Daytrotter session.