The Adventures of Photo Emulsion Silk Screening

My first successful photo emulsion silk screen.

Over the last few weeks I have taken on the endeavor of teaching myself how to silk screen with the process of photo emulsion.
I love printmaking, and silkscreening is just another process to create a print, I have done tons of stencile screens but never a photo emulsion.
I had a lot of difficulty along the way.  I struggled with screens not washing out, and when they finally did wash out the whole screen started to wash out, not just the image.
After struggling quite a bit and then doing more research and watching a bunch of videos I figured it out.  My positive image that was printing on a piece of clear acetate (aka film) was not dark enough. 
I'm really excited to move forward with this process.  I have a bunch of images I've been working on and am ready to dive right in!

It was amazing at how fast my screen rinsed out when I finally had all the right components.  I did a happy dance.

Here is the video that finally lead me to my fix on my photo emulsion problem.

Fish sketches for Fish Clocks!

 I'm stocking up for the Ilwaco Saturday Market that I'll be at on August 6th and September10th.
Ilwaco is a town I will consider retiring in some day.  I love that little fishing town!

Sketching tuna in prep for the Tuna Classic that will be going on Aug. 6th !

Salmon Clocks!

Sneak Peak at finished Salmon clocks!

Olympia Blog

I started this blog with the intention of keeping it up, and I did quite well for awhile.  But then as we all know only too well, life got busy.
I have begun to work with the OlyEtsy team to develop their blog, and that is where my posting time has gone to.   The most exciting thing about the OlyEtsy page is the Photo Editing tutorials for Etsy sellers!

I will continue to post to this blog, but not nearly as often.  I think my plan is to continue to keep up my Sketch a day project.  Perhaps make it my main posting subject. 

Feel free to come visit me and some of the other amazing artist who live in and around Olympia WA as we build forces and create beautiful art on our blog Olympia Etsy Artist!

Art on the Ave, Tacoma WA

I admit it, before this year I had never even heard of Art on the Ave.  But in the last months I have been hot on the trail for events to vend at.  And behold, Art on the Ave appeared to me with a reasonable booth fee, a weekend I was available and a town not very far from Olympia.

What I discovered was an event with much diversity in activities, music, arts, food and people.  There were four different stages ranging from hip-hop to rock to jazz and even a family stage.  There were five different beer gardens, a basketball tournament, a half pipe, pet zone, roller derby girls and so much more.  There was literally something for everyone.

I am very proud of myself for this show, I did most all the heavy lifting by myself and set up and tore down almost all by myself.  I had a little help getting my tent all the way up, I'm not quite tall enough.  This is after all the first show I've done without my husband there to help.  He would have loved this event, particularly the half pipe.  I'm kind of glad he was not there, we don't need any broken bodies.      

Luckily my good friends Trista with Wigglin' Wasabi and Niki Bilodeau with her hand etched glass were vending at the same event. Although we wanted to set up our tents side by side we were unfortunately back to back.   But they were  still around to give me bathroom breaks and a hand setting up and tearing down. 

Trista with Wigglin' Wasabi and Niki with her hand etched glass were in the booth behind me.

One vendor used his space for sidewalk chalk fun.  It was great watching his process!

Overall the event was a success, I gained more fans, sold some merchandise, made a few contacts that will lead to future sales, and had a great time.  I will most likely do this show next year.