One after the next after the next

I knew this Michigan trip would be intense. I knew it would be. I wish I could take my eyeballs out and rest them while inserting new ones to do my catch up work.

Yesterday, I gave a lecture for the Center for Japanese Studies on campus about my research in Japan. It was so fun and gratifying to share these stories this way after getting the report done last year. This is NOT me giving that lecture.

After lunch with a Japanese studies grad student, I was driven (so luxurious!) to Detroit so I could get ready for my next lecture that night. Vagner came out to meet me and we had a few hours to play before I had to get serious. We are looking at the artwork in the men's and women's bathrooms at Wasserman Projects in the Eastern Market.

This is the letterpress shop, Signal-Return, where I had my talk. Beautiful space! Lots of light and square footage and prints and printers.

Even the ink comes in bigger containers!

Fun (inflatable art behind us)...

Serious

Last night was a bit of a long night but I managed to sleep a little more than the previous one, making me less insane for today's adventures. I drove over to see Karen O'Neal and her Out of hand papermaking studio, and Jane Kramer, a photographer who has been getting into invasive plant papermaking and printing images on the papers. What a treat!

Karen has a stamper!

This is a garbage disposal she uses for recycling papers.

Of course, every paper studio's workhorse.

Even though it's not a perfect surface, I love how the platens look.

The original papermakers' paper.

I ADORE this tool, usually used in cooking in Nepal (Karen's daughter has a lot of connections there and has traveled there a ton since she was in college)—simply a plant!

The requisite old fridge. And, a picture of Tim Barrett long ago doing a demo in Michigan.

I still laugh SO MUCH and out loud at this cartoon, next to Karen's guest book.

Bye, says my hand!

After we shared lunch, Jane and Karen walked me south one block to the Residential College for the one papermaking workshop I agreed to do during this residency. It was not easy, given the fact that they didn't have any equipment and I had to bring everything and cook ahead of time, but we managed really well. Quick learning group of students with a fantastic teacher (at far right in black t-shirt), Ana Fernandez.

Students dried their sheets on the glass-topped tables in the printmaking studio.

I was shocked by how well this team of teacher, student assistant, and Nam Center staff and student worker cleaned up the whole setup so that we were out of there 15 minutes after class ended. Usually, cleanup is at least one hour. We were so compact by the end, just what is around me, and then walked it back to the School of Social Work building where the International Institute is.

Thank goodness this was the first big event, because now we have time to dry everything before I leave next week. Also, TGIF because no one needs the conference room over the weekend.

The next four of five events to come. They are so organized! I love it. Tomorrow: public events at the art museum and library. The first is full with a waiting list, so come at 3pm to the Ann Arbor District Library and play joomchi with us! OR, come do the same in Detroit at 2pm at the DIA!