rose bush and snow leopard

We have a rose bush (proof)!  Last night I proofed the rose bush (thumbs up!) 

I cleaned the block and want to try again because I think some of the smallest cuts filled in a little, but it was a good first attempt.  

12 x 16" linocut on gray paper

Detail

This is the historic
version from 
Gerard's Herbal 

 I also continued to work on the snow leopard. I finished cutting it out and painted the background. It is still very much in process, but I'm starting to be able to see where it might be going. 

details showing the work that went into cutting the edge - whew!

All the collars I tried for the
snow leopard before giving up
and making one.

Mini was a big helper this week. I'm happy to see her taking on an active role as Studio Assistant.

In other art adventures, I saw two great shows in New York City.  One was Like Life: Sculpture, Color, and the Body (1300 - Now) at the Met Breuer.  

Especially liked this: "Lay Figure," by Bertel
Thorvaldsen, before 1806,
with "Lay Figure" by Paul Huot, ca. 1790
in the background

and this (love, love), "Christ after the Flagellation," by Master IPS 1697

Another excellent exhibition was Grant Wood: American Gothic and Other Fables, at the Whitney.

I especially enjoyed the inclusion of a kitty watching the food preparation with great interest in
Grant Wood's "Dinner for Threshers," 1934

Capping off a most excellent adventure, I went with my parents to see Carousel - it was so good! I thought I knew all the songs from my childhood, but some of them I remembered better than others, and some of the plot points have different meaning to me as an adult as well. I loved all the set changes, singing (Renee Fleming!), and there was dancing. The choreography was done by Justin Peck who also choreographed The Most Incredible Thing - a collaborative piece with Marcel Dzama and the New York City Ballet that I think is probably one of my top 5 favorite art things that I've seen (reminiscing about that, Feb. 2016). 

Naturally, this week's landscapes are transit and city photos:

Last, but not least - in creature news, it's a very good thing Mini "re-fluffed," (she had started shedding into her spring coat when we had a warm spell in February, but after the 3rd and 4th snow storms, she's back at maximum fluff.) We are still getting snow (which Honey enjoyed, but I didn't have the heart to photograph outside.)