is my birthday. I have celebrated each year since my 80th as a gift. This year my celebration was to go to Japan again and go to the workshop. It has been a great birthday and everyone at the workshop helped me celebrate. Without Nicolo, our teacher and translator, it would not have been possible for me to participate. Our workspace was on the second floor of the house and none of the stairs had bannisters, without which I don’t climb stairs. Nicolo helped me up and down the stairs, each time with great patience and love. He also gave me a charming birthday present.

Our Sensei, Chihiro Taki, let me buy a print from her at a lower price. She wanted to give it to me, but I could not accept such a gift. I love the print and only wish I could afford to buy one of her large prints. I did not even ask the price.

Erin, Katie and Yoonmi went out of their way, and made it all possible for me. I don’t like to be needy and special, but I have begun to need help under certain circumstances. They have been very kind and loving.

Everyone at the workshop sang Happy Birthday to me, and our hosts brought out slices of a melon for our dessert. This is a rare treat in Japan. And another rare treat: Fuji was visible all day and from everywhere I went.

Since I finished printing on Thursday and wasn’t inspired to carve another block, I spent the morning working on the blog and then went for a walk down to Lake Kawaguchi.

After lunch I went upstairs to look at my dried, finished prints. This is the first time I have ever done any printing like this. I enjoyed doing it but will probably never continue. I don’t have space to set up a studio and I’m too deeply immersed in book making and computer graphics. As I began working I knew I would have no standards for this work. To properly carve the woodblock and print an edition where every print looks more or less the same, requires strict attention to every possible variable: carving clean, deeply cut negative space; the amount of water on your paper; amount of pigment in the color you mix; amount of nori you put on the block along with the color. My carving was never deep enough; too much pressure on the hands. My paper was too wet or not wet enough. Each of my prints is different. I am happy that I have completed work to bring home, never mind quality.

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We had a big show and tell. Everyone worked hard and produced amazing work considering we had only a short time to work.