Well, our guests traveled home safely on Sunday and Monday; the temperature's dropped twenty degrees since they departed, and our fireplaces are roaring. Love this weather. The rainy season is fantastic—cool, clean, and the whole town smells like woodsmoke. The sky is beautiful tonight and I'm thinking about time spent printmaking last week with old and new friends. The fine folks at the Ex-Collegio Jesuita (Derli Romero and Julian) were extremely generous and taught us all a thing or two about printing. Andy Saftel got the ball rolling by teaching Steve and me about drypoint, and how to prepare, ink, and properly wipe a plate. He provided copper plates, and I donated ink to the shop. Since Andy and Steve were headed back to Tennessee before me, their editions were printed first, just in time for their trip home. Beautiful. Andy created a compelling image of a curious man in a boat; Steve created a feisty luchador, and I scratched four birds walking left. After coming up with images, we gathered around my dining table to begin working on the thin sheets of copper. Andy suggested we take our plates outside and rub them against the stone patio to create an interesting background (great idea!), then we started drawing and scratching on the plates with a twisted etching stylus, and burnishing down “mistakes.” After a late night of artmaking and squeezing limes, the next morning we walked down to the shop to pull proofs and see what we had. We made adjustments to the drawings there and later at Casa Brawner. Then back to the Ex-Collegio the following day for finishing touches and final printing. Excellent work was created in such a short amount of time in the beautiful 16th century ex-Jesuit college (which is also an exhibition space and cultural center). So great, and only about six blocks away. We had a impromtu dinner party back at the ranch on Thursday night to celebrate the week. Steve belted out the blues on a cheap guitar from Paracho, and Julian played a mean harmonica while Andy banged on a plastic bucket used for stirring dirt paint. Sounded amazing. Good times. Can't wait to get back down to the shop tomorrow to print my edition and begin a new book project.
