Overlapping recovery with a new race

Dogbane from my Toronto student, stripped by Charity and myself during her apprentice time.

Milkweed from the parking lot of Shaker Lakes, stripped by Oberlin students during Winter Term.

Yellow-flag iris paper samples (unbeknownst to all, dipped in some onion dye) to be tipped into the free zine that is a takeaway for my show, the night before opening. And the show that has gotten me through much of my Cleveland workload, The West Wing.

Ivey and Charity during their first shared apprentice day, making practice sheets with threads only rather than interleaving pellons. We pressed very lightly in the baby hydraulic press and presto! Ready to part in the same day.

Practice brushing onto surfaces. Today, Ricky came by with a friend after having dropped by this week to visit the Morgan to check out lighting and such. He'll be doing a shoot with us next weekend for a feature article for a lovely UK publication. More details when I have them, but in the meantime, it was amazing that they located a photographer in town who happens to be blocks away from us. We're both excited about the assignment (though when I'm going to have time to write this article, I really wonder). Both our apprentices came (and one worked!) my opening last night, along with lots and lots of visitors. I was touched by the support of the people I've met since I arrived last summer, and excited to see them all in one place. My Oberlin students came in two carloads, and a colleague from my other teaching job walked over, and so very many came despite the COLD. A few pieces already sold by the time we closed, and I was too busy working and prepping the demo (papermaking, from milkweed/dogbane/Morgan kozo) to shoot a single photo. But I was grateful for early visitors and hugs (especially from one small child in particular), the fireplace, two floors of places to wander, and lots of interest in my videos on hanji and the Morgan.

After all the celebrating last night, I had to be up early to train my apprentices, and am not sure how I made it through the day, but a friend said it exactly: "You must be exhausted and relieved!" Tomorrow I catch up on work before the next wave of work comes, my last full week before heading to Texas and New York. Tonight, hoping for deep sleep!