Skylab Letterpress Internship: Week 8, Final Week

Day 25
I cut down paper for a job, packaged a finished job for shipping, and finished the edges of my cards. During lunch, I asked Bob if he had any professional development advice, specific and/or general. He suggested taking as many random classes as possible, especially business and computer (also, more Illustrator). We also discussed the many interests that I have for potential career paths, he advises me to narrow everything down but being sure to include my main interests: art, outdoors, and hands-on. He even suggested interior design, as it would be a new challenge every day, I could use art and design skills, and it is hands on. Basically from his commercial background, he was considering the many ways that I could successfully make a living in the art world. I so appreciate his words, I really need to create a balance between the commercial and fine art worlds, I feel that I will find what I am looking for there. 

Day 26
In the morning I made three photo polymer plates and boxed up my completed business cards. After lunch we had a field trip over to the Kansas City Center for the Inc and Paper Arts, a "community studio." We had a grand tour of the Hobbs Building's basement by Calvert Guthrie. There are so many different presses and TONS of type. Kansas City is fortunate to have such a place for anyone to be a member and share the love of printmaking.

Here are links to both the website and the facebook page for the KC Center for the Inc and Paper Arts https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kansas-City-Center-for-the-Ink-Paper-Arts/61767615395
http://www.inkknifestudio.org/

Above is a print that Calvert let me take home, it's from a block from the 40's with incredibly intricate line work.

Day 27
My final day started by getting a press prepped to do the blind color on a set of wedding invitations and mixing two inks. I set the second press up with one of the colors and prepped it with a run of Skylab promo cards. The ink ended up having too purple of a hue so we cleaned the press up and made a new color. Once that was completed, I ran that portion of the cards through. After cleaning up, it was time to leave. I packed up all of my creations from the summer and said goodbye! (I will be making a visit next week, so it made the goodbye easier)

Boy, it has been quite a summer at Skylab Letterpress. All credit to Bob Atkins, he taught me SO much. I have a huge respect for such a historical art form, and definitely have found a love for it. Big thank you to Bob for being an honest and enthusiastic teacher, businessman, printmaker, and friend.