Third Friday Fling
Posted on: 1/22/2009
Posted by: Brian.Sammons
It was Third Friday Fling tonight with
- 2 art receptions,
- Michael Shuman speaking on Local Economics at the beautiful Glen building,
- Live music and wine tasting at the Emporium,
- A film at the Little Art Theater,
- Square Dancing for families at John Bryan
- Live music and dancing for the late crowd at Peaches.
And this was the January- everyone- knows- it’s- too cold- to- go- out offerings!
Since it was bitterly cold out, I didn’t think there would be many Springers on the street. By 7:30, in true Yellow Springs style people poured out to hear Michael Shuman. They overflowed the Glen’s parking lot and lined Corry Street with cars. Nevin Mercede, (not a wimp bone in her body,) even walked there. As the crowds scurried in out of the cold, other people were heading in the other direction. Which caused a little confusion as people hailed them to ask why they were leaving. Turns out they had been there for the Glen Helen Members’ Art Show. That was going on tonight too.
I began my evening with another art show. Sarah Strong was at the YSAC Art Space having a reception for her Print Show.
A print maker is a wondrous thing.
I am an artist and used to a reasonable amount of artist mediums but there is something medieval and mysterious in the way print makers use stones and wood and paper and presses. Between the mixing of inks, and scraping of surfaces, the endless hand buffing, to remove the surface ink, but not to take the least bit of ink out of the crevices, the textures made with corn shucks and leaves and whatever else nature provides the curious artist to ever so gently cram into the press without breaking it, the uses of thick mediums to paint in swirls and ridges to the surface, and the chemicals used to do…. “Stuff,” how can you not be amazed at what a print maker does? And as you just saw trying to explain just that little part of being a print maker is a stretch for me. I’m not sure how to explain it except to say it is subtle, nuanced and very interesting.
Sarah used a secret printer vocabulary of delicate titles for gossamer effects. And I can’t remember a single one to tell you. So you’ll have to ask her.
She is alchemist, botanist, maker of tiny books with soft, nubby paper and large wall hangings of prints quilted together.
I could envision her with her hands in vats of paper pulp, sifting out wet sheets to dry in the sun and then fill with her thoughts. I asked her how she got the wonderful smooth texture to her book covers? She laughed when she realized, that she had burnished the covers by carrying them one at a time for months in her back pocket.
Thank you Sarah for the beautiful spread of delicious food and wines. We both noshed delightedly on stuffed salmon from Current Cuisine and crisp crackers bursting with seeds and salt, organic grapes, 2 kinds of hummus and well I could go on, but I’m sorry you missed it. Sarah’s show will be up through February’s Third Friday Fling. Next month in conjunction with her show will be an open mic Poetry Slam. And more food and wine! See you there.
Third Friday Fling, Michael Shuman, Sarah Strong