Beginning Emeralda Dream

Between my readings of The Digital Estate: and Net Gain:, I subscribed to the Baren-List Portfolio. Thirty of those of us who love printmaking (and the magical way printmaking creates international community) agreed to create a print only for each other. I was reluctant. I wanted to be sovereign in my art and craft, free of others' deadlines and responsibilities. But I signed up. I didn't have any idea what I would do. All I cared about--all I wanted to do--was to work on my Emeralda.

One day my friend C. T. Chew came and performed an interview. He swept his video camera around my cluttered little cell and tried to get me to talk about my invention--my game Emeralda. A few weeks later, in the mail, came a print he had created from those videos. Then he erased the tape, but you can still see the print - a glorious giclee print you can own by going to his site.

I scanned his print and thought about using it for the Baren Portfolio--but it seemed to go against the grain of my game. The purpose of my game is to be free of such constraints as fulfilling obligations to other peoples' ventures. On the other hand, Baren Portfolio is a co-operative venture--the very thing Emeralda promotes! What a dilemma!

Then it hit me. As I stared at the map of Emeralda Region, admiring the fairly good script I used for the title, I thought, Why not just print the name? That'll do.

Below is the first cutting.

Then, a long time passed. It may have been two years. Who keeps count, any more, when you're having fun? In July of 2000, I got a telephone call from McClain's Printmaking Supplies. They were considering including my print in their catalog! Now I had the timetable for Loop-de-loo Calendar.

Below are the five principal players in one variation of Emeralda: Game for the Gifts of Life, played in printmaking and other multimedia studios on-line. Select these players in the Living Prints' studios and read their secrets.

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

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