Books, Art and Rock & Roll--Oh my!

I love the library, always have. I love the quiet, the smell of books, the old computers. I've even thought of a Masters in Library Science. What's to be said about liking "loud" music but the love of bathing in such quiet, interrupted only by whispers and creaky covers of old books and flipping pages? I guess I don't like the in between--the steady din of distracting noise and chatter. Funny I still love the noises of New York outdoors.

Why the library love post? I went there tonight to pick up some crafty books. Not only do I like to make things with my hands from materials, I also have a lifelong history of drawing and painting and always being in some sort of art class when I was in school. When college came around, although I got my photography fix, I didn't enjoy my silkscreening class in college and access to black & white darkrooms for photography is limited now post-college.

But then, last month I opened up my copy of Craft Magazine and...cue the angelic Hallelujah symphony...

An article on Linocut (linoleum block) printing! Sorry, I can't find a link to the article--it doesn't seem to be online. The tutorial is great and reminded me how much I liked carving the blocks and printing in high school, plus it can easily be done at home--so I decided to get back into it. Hence the trip to the library. While the tutorial is enough to get going, I wanted to refamiliarize myself with all the aspects of the craft. Reading one of the books on the subway was enough to bring back memories of my art teacher demonstrations. And damn, I just love the graphic look of linocut prints.

I can't wait to get started and will be gradually gathering supplies from the city to Brooklyn. This is also an excuse to buy cool paper, another obsession of mine.

On a [mostly] unrelated note: Patti Smith was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame! Read what she wrote about the experience here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,2032488,00.html

She's so amazing and makes me want to go change the world. I'll start with my dorky prints and wallets.

Labels: art, learning