BERUBE-BUG #2 / UPDATE

Well, it's the end of the month, I'm heading out of town for a few days, it's been an insane month and I'm a bit behind in getting the last bunch of bugs out to the second batch of participants. At this point, it looks like they'll have to wait until I get back from my trip. Expect to see them being launched towards the end of the first week of August. And if all goes as planned, I should have Augusts Berube-Bug ready to be cut out and/or printed when I get back.

In the meantime, here's a little something I created for myself to commemorate this incredible month of July 2008.

DERA / Toronto, Ontario CANADA

FAST EYES / Fairfax Station VIRGINIA USA

LAURA PACTER / Naples, FLORIDA U.S.A.

OTHER WORK

If you would like to see some of the other work that I'm doing, please check out my latest post on my BERUBE blog. I just posted a few images from the latest project I'm working on.

DADA CREATURE - FRIPS / Gent, BELGIUM

I haven't heard from my buddy Frips in quite some time, so it was with great pleasure I opened my mailbox this morning and found this piece.

Check out the amazing work Frips has done with the Mailart community.

LAURA PACTER / Naples, FLORIDA U.S.A.

KIDS ART - MATT KRAMER / Luxemburg Wisconsin

I was checking out the new posts at one of my favorite MailArt blogs and saw this request from a parent to exchange mailart with their 6 y.o. child. Always ready to play art with the kids, I've sent out a Berube-Bug #2 to Matt Kramer in hopesof getting a masterpiece back.

FLOWN THE COOP / FIRST BATCH OF B-BUG #2

I finally finished playing with this first batch of "Screecher" and his brothers and sisters. They've flown the coop and are on the way to the following; Imperial Public Relations/Canada, Angela Behrendt/Germany, Laura Pacter/Florida, Chuck Gattuso/Colorado, Richard Canard/Illusion, Sarah E. Condon/Wisconsin.

BEETLE BUGS - CHUCK GATTUSO / Highlands Ranch, COLORADO U.S.A.

I think you're on to something here Chuck. Perhaps an entire fleet, (flock), of these used as limos.

SCREECHER - FINAL PRINT

A little behind in my posting here, my apologies. This is Berube-Bug #2 / "Screecher", the lino-cut printed version. I've been working on the first batch of hatchlings and they should be ready to leave the nest within a day or 2.

BERUBE-BUG #1 / LEFT BEHIND

I keep finding these guys buried under all of the shit on my desk. This one is going out to a special buddy somewhere in the MidWest.

BERUBE-BUG #2 / PROGRESS

PARTIALLY CUT "SCREECHER" LINO


COMPLETELY CUT "SCREECHER" LINO (SCAN)


INKED LINO


INKED LINO AND STUDIO ASSISTANT (BOTTOM RIGHT OF IMAGE)


I just finished the cutting and printing process for Berube-Bug #2, AKA "Screecher". Here are some scans and pics of the progression. I'll post the black/white image tomorrow after it dries.

If you look carefully in the pic with my hand on the roller you'll notice my print studio apprentice in the bottom of the image, always there to lend a helping paw if necessary.

SARAH E. CONDON / Luxemburg WISCONSIN U.S.A.

BERUBE-BUG #2 / PENCIL LINO STAGE

So this is the next step of the bug hatching process. I took my original sketch, scanned it, adjusted the image size to fit on a 4' X 6" postcard, darkened up the line quality and then printed a copy of it. At this point I go completely old school and rub a soft graphite pencil on to the back of the bug image, tape it to a piece of beautifully measured and cut piece of linoleum and then trace the image. After I finish the tracing, I take the copy off, and go back into the drawing on the linoleum making any line quality adjustments or any other changes I feel necessary. I usually have an idea of what kind of changes I want to make from the original sketch, other times, the variations caused by the processes involved create interesting adaptations of the image and i work with that.

Next, it's time to open a beer, Sapporo please, put some good music on, (tonight's selection, a little something from 1986 - PIL/Public Image Limited to start out) and get to cutting the image out. If you're new to linocuts, I would suggest foregoing the Sapporo part of this stage. P.S., the only time I injure myself during the cutting stage has to do with old, brittle/hard, slippery pieces of linoleum, new cutting nibs, and or someone distracting me. Otherwise, once I start, I go into a bit of trance, break out in a sweat and forget where I am. LOL

FINAL BATCH OF BERUBE-BUG #1 HATCHED AND IN THE MAIL SATURDAY

This will be the last batch of Berube-Bug #1 going out. And it ended up being a pretty big batch. These guys and gals are on their way to Paulo Jorge Goncalves/Brasil, R.F. Cote/Canada, DEWI/Canada,Aliette Couette/ France, Laurence Bucourt/France, Roxanne Clark/Kentucky, Chuck Gattuso/Colorado, WackyStuff/Canada, Keith Buchholz/Missouri and Anonymous/NYC

ONE-EYE BUGS STAMP SHEET - ANGELA BEHRENDT / Hanover GERMANY

For July's bug submission from Angela in Hannover Germany, I received a stamp sheet of One-Eye Bugs, an envelope with a performing 2-legged one-eye bug and a note with an image I believe to be of the flowers that the one-eyed bugs feed off of. Thanks again Angela, your Berube-Bug #2 will be in the mail as soon as it's caught.

HIS EXCELLENCY SUPREME: LEX LOEB, EMPEROR MAGNUS ARTIST / Portland, OREGON U.S.A.

From the Emperor himself, Lex Loeb of Portland, Oregon.

JUST A NOTE

Just wanted to let everyone know that because of time constraints I will only be able to respond to 1 of your bug submissions each month. I love receiving multiple cards from all of you, but unfortunately because of the amt. of time it takes to print my own pieces up decorate and get them into the mail and a number of other projects I have going on simultaneously I'm finding it increasingly difficult to respond to anyone sending multiple creatures.

Just so there isn't any confusion, I will send out a 1 new bug every month to anyone who sends me a bug for that month. You send a bug every month for 12 months, you get the whole collection of Berube-Bugs!!!

THE FIRST JULY BUG SUBMISSION - LAURA PACTER / Naples FLORIDA U.S.A.

CLUSTER FLY - KEITH BUCHHOLZ / Saint Louis, MISSOURI U.S.A.

I received this FLUXUS/ST. LOUIS X ORIGINAL from Keith Buchholz of Missouri. Keith sent a few pieces in to my "PORTRAIT" mailart call as well.

LAURA PACTER / Naples FLORIDA U.S.A.

Another vibrant montage/collage from Laura Pacter of Florida.