the Sea Otter- Print Club Prep
The pattern of light reflecting in water is one that I have been in awe of since I can remember. I have dreams of being underwater with no issue breathing or existing there, a view of the ceiling of waves from below. Not many animals can make me feel that the sea is a comfortable place, but a sea otter can make the ocean seem like home. Even the frigid waters seem appealing when you see an animal thrive in such conditions.
Sea Otter Awareness Week was the last week of September. Unintentional of me to miss the occasion by a week, but I had this sketch prepared before I knew it would be late for the print to coincide. In any case, the lovely sea otter was the inspiration and subject of October’s Block Print Print Club.
The sea otter is loved and adored, probably due to it’s fluffy face and button nose. Their blonde heads and dark bodies are unmistakable. They twirl and spin through the cold pacific water, making blankets of kelp and balancing gracefully on their backs in the ocean. Some animals are crowd favorites, and sea otters seem to be among them. Did you know that their fur is the densest of any animal?
On the art/business side of things, carving block prints has been a lot of fun since I started the Print Club in September. With a few adjustments, such as starting with a bigger sketch and uploading a bigger image for finer details in print, moving from the first month to the second has been a good learning experience. Not only do I have to treat this project like a large number of people could order at any time (not that that was my expectation), but rather, being more prepared is better than not well enough. Creating a business has always seemed unachievable to me, and yet I am drawn to the idea of creating art that makes a living from itself.
After years of waiting for something to happen within my own artistic work, the experience of working for a professional artist gave me a lot of insight into the meaning of running an art business. It showed me that one avenue of running a print shop was to create and sell nonstop. Whether or not this avenue was for me, the results of his business and work ethic showed through the sheer volume of artwork he created. Whether this is the path for me is another story. But I will take what I have learned in order to create my own art and approach the business in a sustainable yet fulfilling way.
Losing my type A personality of early college and high school days has been a harsh reality, as the organized and perfectionist version of myself has drifted. I’ve found more of myself as an artist through that time, and realized that the value of my work comes not through monetary value (although that would help!), but through the time spent channeling that energy into what is a fulfilling calling given to me by my Creator. The cost of expression is vulnerability, which I am learning is much harder for me than I would have guessed (hence, I am trying to write a blog). I have a lot to learn about the craft of printmaking and running a business, but I believe that doing something is better than doing it perfectly. As long as you start, you will learn and grow from the experience! I spent far too long worrying about how to make the thing perfect from the start, and that got me nowhere. So here we are on month 2 of a great big experiment.
Sign up to receive this print before the 20th of October, and you will receive a 4x6 print and a poem specially written by me via snail mail!
