Exchange #14a

Marilynn Smith, Coordinator

Medium: woodblock print (hand rubbed or pulled on a press, B&W or colour, any pigments, any paper)

Theme: none

Paper: o-ban size - 10 x 15 inches (25.4 x 38 centimeters) to 10 1/2 x 15 1/2 inches (26.6 x 39.4 centimeters) vertical or horizontal orientation. . Note: in previous exchanges the coordinators have had many problems with prints that don't fit the cases, so we emphasize - prints that do not meet the published specification will be rejected from the exchange and returned to the maker. No exceptions.

Paper type: no restriction

Registration period: One month starting June 1 (or until 30 participants are enrolled)

Work period: Three months starting July 1

Deadline for finished prints: October 8th, 2002

Exchange completed and mailed: November 22, 2002

Was it little leprechauns who sorted recounted rechecked and sealed all those packages for 14a?

The last half is sitting in a neat stack ready for me to drive them to the post office where they will be delivered by neat people who might seem like magic elves. Not yet Christmas but it is always fun to get a package in the mail.

I would like to say a few words after coordinating this exchange. First I am so impressed with the work, I think we must be having a competition to see who can send out the finest print. Even those done by less skilled artists were presented with care and very neatly done.

I appreciated all the postage money and those who stamped and addressed their envelopes and boxes, nice.

Okay not all was a bed of roses. When you make your prints please be careful to measure them so they are not too big for the box! Oversized prints makes it difficult to get packages back into boxes and envelopes that are a size too small for them. And, just a suggestion for those marvelous folks who send extra boxes and envelopes, try to make them a bit bigger than the packet you send. Even if we beg the Baren Gods we will always have some who have cut their paper a bit large and some that is thicker, which adds to bulk. It is interesting to spend 10 minutes trying to squeeze prints into an envelope that is a very tight fit!!! Or redeigning those lovely designer boxes we get from the post office!!!

I learned about sending out prints.

Would I do it again? You bet I would!

Hope everyone gets their prints in good order. Now I will hand them over to the people at the post office and pray to the post office Gods for good handeling. Mailmen please do not bend, crush or spindel our packages!

--Marilynn Smith
Nahcotta, Washington
November 22, 2002