And for my final act....

While I was finishing stuff up in the gallery folder, I realized that no one really had a way to see all the responses I had gathered since I never got to finish printing the books I was working on. Soooo, I decided to whip up a website (literally like 4 hours ago I decided to do this, so it's pretty basic in design).

So, if people want to do some reading when looking through my work, now they can!
https://caileemitchell.wixsite.com/vulvaisnotadirtyword

Exhibition Book

https://anyflip.com/gukko/nbry/

There's an extra spread. I plan on printing my own personal version with just my work.

Updated Card

Square format, rounded the keys more and spaced them more accurately, added Montserrat in there per John's request, but if no one likes it we can get rid of it

CMD+Z: Show Card

Uploading it here so we have it

Big ol' list of things I gotta do

I literally don't have the brain capacity to think of a better name for my show work at this point so as of now it's staying as 'Vulva is not a Dirty Word'. I'll most likely think of a better name right after the semester ends cause that's just how it works..

I've got the majority of the process book set now too, which makes me feel much better. Taking photos of the frames was just not working, so I took John's suggestion to take the scans of the prints and place the white text over them.

I've also started compiling everything for the gallery, and I should have that embroidery piece I showed last week done soon. Just waiting on some more thread to come in the mail this week.

French Knots & Exhibition Catalogue

So...scratch the thing I showed the other day. It just wasn't what I wanted. (Still working on the hair topic) I'm shifting gears back to some embroidery (possibly mixed with printmaking again). Meet the french knot! She's a beaut once you figure it out. I like how textured it looks, it definitely resembles hair a bit when bunched together.

Also, a little bit of the design catalogue spreads.

Hair

Somewhat of an update on the thing I was working on in class during our call last week...I ended up having to print it 'dry' which isn't really the best option (you're supposed to quickly soak the paper) so the print itself didn't come out great. I ended up going back into it with charcoal, but will go back and redo this entirely (like getting rid of that hand cause, yikes. And also maybe 'zooming' in or cropping tighter) during the limited shop hours...

Text: "I started growing out my pubic hair a few months ago and I love it. My skin tends to have bad reactions to shaving, so I'll go long periods of time without shaving it and then I'll just trim".

Show Layouts

Layout 1, same as Tuesday

Layout 2

Layout 3

Layout 4

Layout 5, same as 4 just flipped

Layout 6

Layout 7

More ideas for how to layout the show. I think I'm liking 3 and 4, and also 7.

Trying to keep busy

WOW is it hard to stay motivated right now. Anyway, I'm doing my darndest to just do SOMETHING. I feel like I haven't had any 'new' ideas in a while, which I guess is fine since we're getting close to the end anyway...I want to make sure I just have enough things.

I mocked up what I am envisioning for show hanging (not scaled yet).

I've got 3 frames set up now as well displaying the 'cycle' portion of my thesis. I've left the top film for now so the vinyl doesn't get damaged.

Finishing the books

Well my plan today was to finish and bind the books. Long story short, the printer in the seminar room was having lots of issues, so I guess it will have to wait. I went ahead and printed everything anyway so I could see size and such again. I can show them on screen tomorrow if anyone would like.

I had 4 books set up, but the 4th one didn't have enough text. So I shrunk down the type a size to bring the book count down to 3. I think odd numbers are better anyway. I am keeping the red cover as I showed before break.

3D print and spring break

First print test from the scanner. I have it already re-printing because I didn't like that you could see the interior structure (the grid pattern) through the print.

As for spring break, I should have the house pretty much to myself all week (minus the cat running around the house like a madman and the dog barking in my ear 24/7 with her fish breath), so I'm planning on concentrating big time to catch up with some things. Mainly, I will be working on finishing up re-creating new prints since that's my more time consuming process.

Menstrual Books, Test Run

First test of the books on the paper I plan to use. Overall they look good, some photo editing needs to be done. I'd like to have the rest printed right after spring break, once the printer upstairs is fixed. I will be adding some sort of label to the front.

Plans

I will be focusing on three topics from here on out for thesis, all relating to the vulva, obtaining responses and such from others. These three topics are: menstrual cycles, pleasure, and hair.

Menstrual cycles - the shadow box prints and menstrual books (3-4 total) will represent this topic.

Pleasure - The embroidery hoops will represent this topic, as well as a book also containing the responses I have gathered. This book will likely be shorter than the menstrual books, as I only have about 10 responses.

Hair - For this topic, I am going to try out the 3D scanner. My plan is to actually 3D scan vulvas for 3D printing! I'm interested to see how hair will look on the scanner. I also have planned a book with responses as well, likely the same length as the pleasure book (about 10 responses). I have 2 people willing to take part in scanning so far, hoping for 3-4 total.

If anyone is interested in helping out with responses, here are the links:

https://forms.gle/PhmrfRmVknkM6aXM9

https://forms.gle/BE9ii57viZ9c6LBu9

Earring details

I think based on material costs, my time putting the things together, and asking around to see what people would expect to pay, I think I've settled on $30. I was back and forth between $25 and $30, but then there was the issue of shipping. I know when people buy something, free shipping always looks better. So, $30 and free shipping is better than $25 and $5 shipping.  Now I need to figure out how to actually mail packages and all that.

Panties galore!!!

Not much to talk about with the books, besides the fact that I now have more embroidered panties to work with.  I hung them along a makeshift 'clothesline' as well, to see if it was more interesting to look at than just tacking them up to my wall. I was also trying to think of a way to incorporate them into the show, if I wanted to.

I tried something as well with the frames Sarah gave me. Using the statements from the book, I chose a few to cut out in vinyl. I chose white because I did not want the vinyl on top of the print to overpower or distract. Also, I was hoping that through light, you'd be able to read the text from the shadow it gave off. And it works! I really like the subtlety of it, and the fact that it's still readable. Its difficult to get a photo getting the right angle on the shadow without getting in front of the light, but hopefully these give the idea. I will bring in tomorrow for us to look at.

Lastly,  just something small I wanted to share. A display stand I made for the earrings.

Spreads 2/24

Here's an update on (one of) the book series. I have to stitch/go get more pairs of underwear so that way I'm not repeating the same image at the beginning and the end. Unless others like the zoom on the stitching at the end?

Revisiting the book

It's been a while since I've looked at the book. I got caught up in creating the work that goes inside it that I kind of forgot what it was all for. Looking at it now, I no longer feel attached to the layout. It needed something to break up the text, print, text, text, print, print, repetition. I've been playing with the idea of adding a new visual along with the books. Talking with John has also steered me in a direction of separating the books into a series, since I have so many responses. Using as many of them as possible is important to me as every individual took the time to write and share something very personal.

The size of the book has been changed to 5.5x8.5. Baskerville, 12pt. Printed out, the type is plenty large enough to read, and doesn't feel clunky and large anymore as it did before. 

Book and earrings

The earrings were a success! I went back and tweaked a few small things and recut them. Sarah was kind enough to let me test out both clear and iridescent acrylic. I like that they aren't skin toned, even though that was my original plan. Having them in weird colors (or no colors at all) is fun and interesting as they might not immediately be recognized as vulvas. I also think they're very pretty looking, which isn't something people normally say about vulvas. I'm extremely happy with these.

WEAR YA VULVAS PROUDLY

I also have these spreads printed out in black in white to look at tomorrow. It's been a while since I've actually looked at the book. I do like the idea of adding photos into the mix with it. Having others model any underwear they may have ruined during a period really interests me. It should help breakup the text-print-text-print.

My work as a whole

I feel like I am moving along nicely. Every time I make a new piece I am extremely excited to see the result and to add it onto the wall of prints I have. The prints are all similar in a way but have multiple varying factors.

Photos from hanging my work in the seminar room Tuesday:

Notes/feedback/ideas:

• Think about the book not being just prints and text
• Period soiled underwear? - could be incorporated as photos in the book
• Consider a large hanging piece
• Try to be less careful with making the prints 
• Play with colored thread on layered embroidery prints
• Do the prints in frames need the glass?
• Show - frames vs no frames/freedom of arrangement
• How can this process grow?
• How can more design come into play?