show and tell - april 2024
Dear Penpals, đź’Ś
March passed quickly, and at last, my print runs have both arrived! I have updates; my books, new art, health, and Bicolline!
🎥 here is the video version of this show and tell— I have wonderful things to show you; but worry not, I include no spoilers for the Merry Meet book covers, as I want your opening experience to be a surprise.
Book of Poems Update:
1) All of the books (hardcovers and paperbacks) have just arrived, and I am very busy wrapping, sorting, hand-stamping, and very soon— sending! If you were an original Kickstarter backer from October 2023, I hope to be sending you tracking information next week! If you missed the kickstarter and would like to reserve a book, you may do so from my Etsy shop!
2) You are invited to a small gathering for the Merry Meet Book Launch!
April 19 2024, from 6pm (apologies this is in two weeks; I only just got confirmation!)
(merrily) meet me for a small gathering at the Local Tattered Cover, here in Denver!
this is a local author event; I am only a small part of it, so come and check out other local authors as well!
If you have chosen local pick up from the kickstarter; I will bring your gift to the event! If you cannot attend, no worries, let me know and I will ship it instead. <3
3) Tattered Cover will also be stocking the paperback version of the book; my poems will be in a bookstore, wild!
New Art!
That is right! I am so happy to reveal my first ever set of relief imprints! I was very grateful to attend three (expensive) open hours at a local art studio, and with their supplies, I have made my first relief cuts!
here is “clear through the trees”, my first original oil imprints, hand-printed from hand-carved rubber and linoleum.
The Etsy listing for seven imprints has more photos here, but I hoped to capture that soft, colorful sense of anticipation, of hope, as winter turns to spring; dark and empty tree branches against a bright and pastel sky, the white moon framed through those stark branches. I can feel the trees longing for the sun’s warmth while the moon watches on. It’s clear through the trees.
The tree was carved in relief in pink rubber here, and the moon was carved in linoleum. Each paper was then registered and hand burnished twice against both cuts, first the sky, then the tree, to achieve this final look.
Each imprint is different, each imperfect, dependent on how I rolled the ink, how my hand held the wooden spoon as I pressed the paper into the carving. I learned so much from this first set, and their flaws are part of their message.
This first edition of seven signed and numbered Works are available in my shop right now. $59 includes shipping within the US, and they will come matted and ready to frame. I am pricing the set as a budget for future supplies; I have already planned my next engraving and hope to carve up some cherry wood ply— but I also need both rollers and ink!
If you are interested in giving a home to an original oil imprint; if “clear through the trees” means something to you; please consider reserving one— you may choose which one through the drop down menu on the Etsy page.
Health!
Goodness; I had a load of appointments this month, blood drawn, cheeks swabbed; and now a lot of waiting. It is difficult to sustain consistent self-advocacy for health, but I am trying, one step at a time, to keep on top of things.
March ended, unfortunately, with some sort of food poisoning and an ER visit— after not being able to keep anything inside for 24 hours, my limbs, face, tongue went numb; and I lost motor function in my hands. Anti-nausea meds and an IV helped immensely, but I still lost seven pounds in less than a week. I am recovering still; my stomach easily upset, but I am feeling so much better, and am so thankful to my spouse for bringing me to the hospital in the middle of the night.
I have also, somehow, tweaked my shoulder blade sometime in the last few days, and can no longer lift my left arm without significant pain. This does happen occasionally, and it is making wrapping and packaging books a bit difficult. I am taking it easy and have decided not to rush things; folks have waited for many months so patiently, a few more days at the end, for my well-being, will be fine. Thank you!
and finally, Bicolline and the Magpie Guild!
Aside from August, March is one of the most exciting times of the year for Bico folks, due to the Purple Ball at the end of the month!
Our kingdom, Terre du Sud, were the happy hosts of this year’s ball, and while I couldn’t go, four of my merry magpies flew up to attend! As you all know from last year’s ball, when only Magda and I could attend, a fraction of a Mischief is still a surprising amount of mischief!
Two of our new fledglings were put through their paces— a purely legitimate test of skill of course— in fact, they were RETURNING a lost object; absolutely saintly behavior! The pair passed with flying colors; reverse pickpocketing is tricky in the best of circumstances; managing to hang the object off of the victim’s horns without their knowledge?? Chef’s kiss! Very elegantly done; I am so pleased to be welcoming such talented alchemists to the magpies!
And one more thing, I am happy to announce the “Bico Blues Podcast”! While this is still in its infancy, I will be hosting interviews with some English speaking characters and people who make up the world of Bicolline! I will have more news soon, but I have my first handful of fascinating Bico guests lined up, and hope to begin recording when I have time over the next couple months. I have even secured the “bicoblues.com” domain, and you can join the RSS feed there to be updated when the first episode goes live.
Miscellaneous:
I read Memoirs of my Former Self, by Hilary Mantel; I adore reading writings about writing by writers— this book was highly inspirational and thought provoking for me. (affiliate link to the book on bookshop.org)
Drawings of my cats. I intended to draw one each day, but that didn’t happen, and that’s okay. Sometimes I draw more than one, manytimes I draw none. I am trying to not just draw with pencil, but to go back in with pen to refine the impression; I find I love drawing out the shape again in pen over the top, how it clarifies for me where the real line is. Amidst this practice, I’ve had a few eureka moments; that realization of the perfect line on a piece of paper, the slope of Cremina’s shoulder into her head and down her nose— ahh, is there anything more satisfying than capturing what the eye knows to be true through these mortal finger’s restless movements? As I pick up art again, a return to its most basic form; seeing and drawing; has become necessary, and opening my artistic eye again to contrast and my surroundings has been life affirming. I highly recommend it— pick up a pencil, and then a pen, and see with your fingertips once more.
learning to draw with my eyes. An entirely internal exercise, you look at your subject and imagine drawing it; separating the contrast, tones— lineart but not an outlines; figuring out where the blacks go, the whites, seeing shape emerge from those contrasts.
I have finally given in and gotten the recommended headphones; if you know you know. They are wonderful.
My Zelda Cookbook is on sale! enjoy 15% off for the next three days only, until April 14th.
happy spring at last
That is plenty to be getting along with for March, remember, you can leave a comment, question, or your own update underneath this post on my blog.
Links:
Preorder my poetry book— https://www.etsy.com/listing/1604051072/a-book-of-poems-merry-meet-merry-part-by
Clear Through the Trees Imprints-- https://www.etsy.com/listing/1698602754/
Zelda Cookbook on sale until April 14th-- https://www.etsy.com/listing/714566428/the-unofficial-legend-of-zelda-cookbook
My Bico Blog/the new Bico Blues Podcast— www.bicoblues.com
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thank you for listening, and I’ll be back with more things to show in May.
wishing you luck and happiness,
Aimee ♥︎
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© Aimee Wood