texture, pattern, calendar

Truth be told, I guess I've been feeling a tiny bit of anxiety over the 2009 calendar, which I very much want to draw and print, but which I've been pretty much at a stand-still with. I've been busy settling in here and watching the days slip on by, knowing all the while that in order to have the calendars for sale by November 1st, I need to have the drawings done well before then – as in: NOW!! I've been looking through some of my books – and just feeling like I might not be able to draw 12 new botanicals. I've had this idea in the back of my mind for a little while and I just sat down today to draw. I'm hoping I may be on to a little something – something that just might turn into the calendar.


Here's my seed of an idea, sprung from the past year of printing and being fascinated with the texture of letterpress printing, with how some designs just really come to life with letterpress. (Now I know that there is a whole lot of debate out there about whether or not to print with an impression – and I'll just say I fall solidly in the middle of that, thinking that sometimes it's nice to have that deep punch on soft paper and sometimes it's nice to hold back a bit.)

Anyhow, I am drawn to textiles, particularly Japanese patterns and those vintage tablecloths and napkins you can find at estate sales ... I thought: what if I pull elements from those patterns – ones that might look plain at first, but really shine with letterpress – and build on that? In that photo above, I love the geometric patterns on the Japanese napkins I bought years ago in New York. I love the vintage raspberry tablecloth. And look closely at the paper towel – such great pattern and texture in such an everyday item. That sweet pea flower, bought at the farmers' market yesterday, sketched in and printed above a pale gray pattern, like the one in the paper towel? It may sound odd, but I think it may work – layers of pattern and texture, some simple, some more complex. (Though actually what I have sketched right now is a grid, but less structured, something more resembling the loose weave – is it called warp and weft? – of a linen fabric ... with a flower pattern on top.) Thoughts anyone? I don't really think of myself as an artist, but I would hate for someone to look at my 2009 calendar and wonder: what the hell?

Back to work on this with hopefully some solid ideas to show you soon. I'm excited about the possibilities here and am running around the house pulling out bits of fabric and odds and ends.