Dear Linda,
How are you?
I read your last missives pretty much as soon as they were posted, and I was all revved up to reply, but I turned out to be way too tired last night. Actually, twenty-four extra hours have not helped! 
Tonight I will be focusing mainly on my studio work, as that’s what I’ve had no choice but to obsess over lately… you’d feel the same if you were taking any studio classes… enrolling in one is like hooking yourself up to a vacuum, lol.
I’ve keep busy these last couple days, both starting with early morning classes. (Boo morning lectures!!!) Yesterday (Tuesday), I got the film from The Boy, finished my photo shoot, and then saw my friend Sophia for a few minutes (she was visiting from UofT!) before going to the photo studio. I’d exposed my first roll of film wrong, so I had to develop it after the first roll – normally developing two rolls of film that can be developed exactly the same, you can – you guessed it – develop it at the same time. So the developing took me two hours, including some serious freak-out, because I thought I’d ruined one roll through developing. I planned my work time well enough to print contact sheets (because you also have to wait for the neg’s to dry before you can cut, file and use them! and contact sheets are prints of your negatives) during which I continued my freak-out. You see, Linda, I had forgotten that cardinal rule of life photography – while they co-exist, the world of the darkroom and outside the darkroom are, well, different worlds. That is to say, things don’t look the same inside and out of a darkroom! MY FILM (which I absolutely cannot re-shoot, no freaking way would I steam iron my carpet again when I barely have time to finish my work anyway!) WAS PERFECT! *Mary is dancing, whooo!!*
Tonight I started printing my photos, so I wanted to show you:
It’s not a final print, and it’s really not that nice warm tone, but that’s basically it. It’s a “double exposure”, which means I exposed the same bit of film twice – once with me posing, the second without me. Usually a multiple exposure is used to include things a number of times, for example, multiple mes. But I wanted to create a ghost image. I’ll tell you more about it when the concept when I make more prints.
Otherwise in Maryland… today I’m really happy because I finally picked up my papers from my Portraiture art history lecture from last semester. It was a 3000-level course (basically, third year) and with a professor I really respect, so I really cared about how I did in this course. Especially when I liked the lectures, too. I’m sooo happy because I go straight As on every essay, including my exam! So I got a final grade of A! It makes me so happy not because I got eighties, but because my hard work paid off! Don’t you love that feeling, when you give it your best and it goes well?? Whooooo!
I’d also worked so hard on my last set of lithographs (as you may remember!) and that also sort of paid off. I got it back today, with a good mark, but what made me happiest were my prof’s kind comments, emphasizing my good work and abilities and not my super bad luck. She even told me she really liked my work (totally not necessary to say; I’d written my course/prof evaluation earlier, lol). I really like this prof because she makes her work personal and thoughtful, and it shows in everything she does, from the careful way she teaches to her considerate remarks. Don’t you love when you have a really good and inspiring teacher, Linda? They remind me of why I love school so much.
My prof also said that she thought that I had potential in print media, and since that’s what my intaglio instructor told me too last year, it strengthens my resolution to continue in the media. Encouragement is good, no?
And finally, the book. I got sick of the “Possible Futures” theme, so I’m shelving it for now. Thank you very much, though, for your help. Note that I said I’m shelving it, not discarding it completely.
In lieu of “Possible Futures” I’m making a book about… knitting. I am happy, Linda.
I need to go design my book now, so I can start drawing on my stone tomorrow (we hope). Have you tried Red Bull, Linda? I stay away from caffeine in my everyday life, but maybe it would make getting up for a nonstop full day tomorrow, starting with an 8:30 lecture… lol, or not.
Have a great day, Linda!
Love,
Mary
Bet you thought I forgot it was turn to quiz!(What do you think of the temporary banner?)
The Question of the Week is: “Happiness is __________.”
No need to be profound; just fill in the blank something that’s been happy making right now or lately. Could be some really yummy cookies or something.
Notes: By steam ironing the carpet I mean putting a damp cloth over the carpet (or dousing it in water) and then ironing at your highest setting, to raise the flattened carpet.Moreover, I tried to make a password protected entry, but it didn’t seem to work… all I had to do was type in a password and hit publish, right? “Private” works well as an alternative, though…
