I Love Library

Hi guys.
Now, I know all of America is watching the football show today on the teevee, so I thought I would take this opportunity to tell you about my trip to...
...the library (pushes up glasses).
No, seriously, because that's the news I've been excited about sharing.
(cricket noises)

One of those simple pleasures that is often so much better than I think it's going to be is a trip to the library. You all know I'm a bibliophile anyway, but I go through long periods of time (well...) forgetting the library exists. I'm not talking about quick chore library trips, but a visit. Ah (birds chirping/ pastoral music)... the Library visit.

This particular visit (chirp!) I found myself digging through the Art section for books on woodblocks and black and white Art Nouveau prints. I found a lovely corner seat in the sun, cracked open these well-browsed beauties, and (pastoral music) spent an afternoon enjoying inspired sketches. Oh, it was so great. I almost never draw in public anymore, though the bag of MicronPigma's and jelly pens and drafting pencils goes with me everywhere.

I've been working on an extraordinary amount of finishes, like the NEW GOCCO DESIGN!!! that will be unveiled later in the week (served with a hot cup of good news, too) but really inspired, fresh new drawing is precious.

The uppermost image in this post is by the amazing artist I just discovered in this exciting library visit, Jacques Hnizdovsky. The most fascinating woodblock prints and fine etchings, when I googled him I even found some paintings. His work has brought out a new passion for the black and white work I've been doing so much of this year.

I also got a kick out of the Library itself, and ALL of the art (say, on promo or "shhh" signs) in the library has women. In sweaters. With glasses. Big, thick-framed, black nerdy professorial geeky Elvis Costello glasses.
On, like, clip art.
It was ridiculous.


So I started a little series of my own, books and glasses and fun stripes.

My spring designs are all coming along, the shop is going to have a pretty massive infusion of new stuff in the next two weeks. What it looks like from here, for time and certainly sanity, is that I'll then be closing up shop come mid-April. After the move when I open up again (mid-May, probably) things will be changed around a bit as I am still operating in the newbie mode from November when we opened shop.

But, considering back then the thought of even showing a COUPLE drawings on the *internet* was enough to make me sweat a little in anxiety? I think this revolution is off to a good start. :)

...if I say "Go Pats!" at the end of that, it's because I'm writing this on Sunday, not really Saturday. :D