platen press workshop

A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of taking a platen press workshop with Philadelphia artist Donna Globus. I had never printed on a platen press before, and it was a lot of fun! The workshop yielded roughly 100 business cards - it was a 2 color, 2-up process, with hand-set type. The fonts were Goudy Openface and Baskerville.

Thanks to Donna I finally have a hand-printed business card, and not a moment too soon. The platen press requires a lot of hand-eye coordination, and with both hands. Yet another time when I was grateful for my skills driving a stick shift; it really wasn't too different!
(also, please excuse my quick images... I just shot these really fast at my work bench.)

Pressure prints: the plate

These are a few images of the paper I have been using for my pressure plate to make the prints for Once the wondrous vastness filled us (Comet of Coggia, 1874). The paper is handmade kozo from Jang Ji Bang outside Seoul, South Korea. You can see the transition in the embroidery over time - growing as the image is embroidered, and vanishing as I cut the embroidery away. Also notice the crease that has formed in the paper, due to the impact from the pressure of the Vandercook.

 I am happy to report that yesterday I finally finished printing the pressure prints for this project! I don't know the exact count yet, but I have something like 500 pressure prints for the two animations. Also we will have the postcards for our thesis shows soon; if you'd like me to mail you one, email me your address at epaulson.photo@gmail.com .

Once the wondrous vastness filled us

A still from Once the wondrous vastness filled us (Comet of Coggia, 1874)

From part one of my thesis animation. Getting closer! 

Aurora Borealis

A small embroidery I made this past fall. Have I mentioned lately how much I love French knots? And how one day I will see this in person instead of merely making time-consuming, unrequited embroideries?

6" x 7 1/2"

awe and wonder

Watch this video! An incredible reminder of the wonder of the universe. 

new website

I am pleased to announce that I finally have a new website! 

www.erinpaulson.com 

I will have a blog as part of my website too, but unfortunately it does not contain an rss feed as far as I can tell, so I will still be maintaining this version of watermelon sugar. I may post different things on that blog; I maintain the prerogative to decide that at whim. 

thesis semester.

I'm working and working towards my thesis installation date of April 12th. The closing reception will be April 26th. I'll be showing at the Rosenwald-Wolf Gallery with my friends and classmates, Karen Hardy and Sarah Hulsey, who are both amazing artists. More info to come later.

I have the best thesis committee ever, my dream thesis committee, and I couldn't be happier!
Daniel Heyman
Tara O'Brien
Mary Smull

I'm still working on Mondays in conservation and it is just what I need right now. A day of quietude to clear my head, always delivering small breakthroughs while I am away from the studio, repairing these beautiful manuscripts that are inspiration in and of themselves.

This semester I have the privilege of an independent study in tapestry with Warren Seelig. The process is slow, but meditative, so of course I love it. It is my hope that the future will bring many tapestries.

When I am in the studio, this is the main thing I'm doing:

embroider --> pressure print --> embroider --> pressure print
repeat. times infinity.

Our end of semester visiting critic is one of my favorite artists, Andrea Dezso. This simultaneously makes me outrageously excited, and terrified beyond speech.

More to come later - possibly even an image or two!