So, our etching press has officially been moved into our newly built studio space. Technically it's not the first piece of furniture to christen the room--the utility sink has already taken up residence, showing up soon after the linoleum floor was installed. But the etching press is definitely the significant feature of the room, at this point, due to its size and extreme weight.
However, we're also probably going to get a truly ginormous lithography press, which is currently sitting around at Rob's work not being used. MJC no longer has a printmaking department, so we've been bequeathed this giant 3' x 7' litho press as well as several lithography stones and other associated equipment. I'm actually really excited--I took a lithography class when I was at the San Francisco Art Institute and it was quite possibly the worst class I've ever taken (thanks to the professor), so I'd like to try my hand again in the privacy of my own damn studio.
Of course, by the time you put an etching press, a litho press, some shelving and some worktables into a 500-square-foot space, you've used up quite a bit of it...and it was definitely a tough decision to take the litho press. However, the cost of moving and recalibrating it would be nothing compared to the $12,000-and-up price tag for buying a new one, so we think we should probably take this opportunity...
4 comments:
There's no longer a printmaking department at MJC? Maybe this is a dumb question, but what classes does Rob now teach??
Rob never did teach painting or printmaking there--in fact, he refuses because of long-term toxicity. Having to work with dozens of students over many years, all of whom have containers of paint thinner, potentially toxic pigments, etc. etc. has arguably caused illness and/or death in several art professors we've known! Scary. So he's limiting his toxin exposure to our own work.
Geez! I feel like an ass for not knowing that. For some reason, I had it in my head that he would automatically teach what he specialized in and then never bothered to revise that despite the fact that you guys must have told me otherwise... :S So, it's art appreciation all the way, then?
Totally understandable!!
There are 2 art appreciation online classes, and then 2 drawing classes and one color & design class. So, there are media involved, but no paint thinners, cadmium reds, etc.!
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