Mezzotint Curator's Log

The curator is seldom seen but sees to it that the living prints' records are correct and rules followed.

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He said, "When you see there is good to be done, use all your energy," and he took another piece of the pot-sticker, mopping up the last of the sweet hot mustard with it, twirled it, looking at it thoughtfully and then put it in his mouth. I listened, as he had just said in his list of nine things: a wise man pays attention to, as number two, listen well to what you hear.

When he had finished his eating, he completed the sentence he started. ". . . as if you were afraid you could never do it."

"Then, I, too, should form an Emeralda user group on the basis of the Artist's Last Love Letter" I said. He did not agree, nor did he say anything to indicate one way or another. He made a face, an expression like, "Whatever." I was thinking, only a woman can do this. It was, after all, Linda Ginsberg who taught it to me in her article, The Last Love Letter.

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What he brought me was the print he said he made the night before at the Living Prints Open Studios at Perfect Press. What he wanted me to do was include this sheet in the folio. I pointed out it wasn't signed, and he said he might print on it again, but he wanted me to remove a spot and fill in a hickey. I hate when they have me do stuff like this. I feel like they should do it because they're the artist--not me. I had to borrow the printer's tarlatan to get some ink to fill in that spot. Yuk! I don't envy her her job.

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What he wanted me to do seemed quite absurd. The paper, he explained, that the printer had that night at the Open Press was about an inch too narrow. Compare it to the other sheets, he instructed me, and make it the same size. "How?" I asked him, and he really got weird: "Florales Inclusiones!" I asked him if he was serious and he just grinned and disappeared. Of course, pasting narrow strips of the FI was easy. I admit, it was fun and looked nice. Then I had to flatten it, like the others.

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My vacation was perfectly timed. The artist is meeting another publisher tomorrow and so he wants a draft of the trial proof checklist. So here I am with his portfolio after weeks have passed.

I always like the prints better when they've been out of those junky studios awhile. Somehow they seem more a part of the art world once they're out of the studio. There's that oily, rich smell, too, that wafts out of the folio from all that semi-cured ink.

What surprises I find in this artist's work! This is my favorite part of the job!

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When I went in this morning she just wanted to print two sheets and leave, but the paper had been damp too many days and was molded. The artist said one looked like it could be used--it wasn't visibly molded yet. I had to tell him it would fox in time, so he agreed to toss it.

Then he discovered a bubble in number 3 and had me fix it. It was easy. He scraped and burnished on his plate meanwhile. I sometimes am curious; what is he thinking about? He doesn't play the radio or any music. He's monkish, in a way. Other than that, it's nice when he's around.

	Artist's Diary	The artist provides the vision and imagery of the living print, laboring after the compelling image.
	Printer's Notes	The printer performs many tasks to keep prints alive, crafting and designing solutions to problems the artist, curator and publisher propose.
	Publisher's Journal	The publisher produces the bases for living prints by supporting all the players and keeping communications clear and on course.
	Professor's Papers	The professor explains the living print, the history of printmaking, and keeps the academic community informed.

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©1999 Bill H. Ritchie, Jr. ritchie@seanet.com