After finishing a few small works and curating and hanging two shows I'm finally getting my studio under control for a new commission.

Things would be easier if it stopped raining in my studio but it seems the leak keeps illuding the fixers. Sigh.

Just before POST I installed a new shelf over one of my workbench. I have two lights to suspend from the bottom to better light the area. This will be great with the winter coming on and it getting dark so early.

It's a great finishing space. Smooth clean hard surface.

Above I will be able to display some interesting objects.

I've taken to doing some video spins around my studio lately. Basically to catch the state of my studio at different points of time and projects. Thay are for my memory as well as to share. I always find that first look at the condition of my space is something that leads me to new work, new details, new materials.

I just got back into the studio recently after a rather long interval. It's changing again and I hope to give you a peek in a couple weeks.

I'm working on a commission that is based on my soundings drawings. The new form factor of mounted paper on cradle boards required a different set up. For many drawings I may draw on the wall. For ink drawings I usually draw on a flat surface. I have to reach across a distance and an incline can usually help. Using dip pens or droppers means the positioning of the pen holds the ink in place. 

Got the spring green on all my new surfaces. 

This is a surprise color for me. Not a natural choice for mt but I'm working with it. Eight new pieces to start drawings. I have them all set up on one of my side work surfaces so I can work on small pieces in between working on my larger two commissions. 

Looking forward to loading up some pens and laying down some marks this coming week. I'll be posting images or progess here in the journal.

It's been weeks since I spent time in my studio.

But today I got some time to be there. Be there. I began by lighting a candle and incense. Then I walked around my worktable and slowly began to select tools that would be used and those that would be put away. I hung unfinished pieces on the walls to revisit at another time. I circled my worktable until the area was ready for me to make drawings.

I had selected my pens, my ink, my substrate.

This is what it looks like when I use Nori to mount watercolor paper to a panel. My long and short series is on 12 x 12 inch panels. Each drawing is a pair of panels and one has mounted watercolor paper for the surface. As you can see I am using the latest technology here to press and secure a sheet of paper for one panel.

Nori is slow drying so I usually wait 48 hours.

Spent another full day in the studio and was able to do some additional work on this panel of my long and short of it series. Each drawing is two panels.

This is the short panel. 

It's still not ready. But it's now pretty close. This photo was taken while the ink for the current set of marks was drying.

All the panels have been gessoed for the second time. Now they will sit and dry thouroughly so I can sand them the next time I'm in the studio. Then I'll wipe them down and mount the watercolor paper. Meanwhile some folding. And I'll be framing a couple of those small drawings on the wall for a small works show.

Participating in Open Studios this year was harder than previous years. My energy was low and I had to call in help from my good friends and fellow artists. They did so much hard work for me and I am grateful.

One of the most helpful ways to show my work was my exhibition of 366 iPhone project in the public space @HBHQ. I was lucky to have a good amount of new work to show and decided to fill my worktable with finished drawings and works in progress.

I was also able to display my 366 iPhone catalog/book that was just published.