Walking To The River, September 24, 2016

Walking to the river

Flee Market-an amazingly dangerous flee market. It had EVERYTHING. Thanks god I don't live here or have an affordable way to get things home.

Breakfast of German champions

Tram ride home

Grocery shopping

More walking around the city-NYC is never far away

Dinner at a lovely Indian Restaurant with Kate and Carina

Steps:  12792

Installation, September 22, 2016

Today's adventure began with a trip to the Alte Feuerwache Loschwitz Gallery. It took one tram ride and three different buses because of going in the wrong direction. We could see the river Elbe...we just couldn't get over the river Elbe. Now that we have a proper map with the end of the line names, this should make bus riding much easier. What I loved about this experience is that I got to see the areas outside of where I am staying. There is much of that north of San Fransisco feeling to the homes and the people were also very helpful with directions.

The other thing I love about public transportation in Dresden is that everyone uses it. Very few people drive you either walk, bike or take public transportation.

A few installation shots.

The area outside there gallery.

Tonight's post will be a short one...I think I have finally hit the wall of tired. I'll  blame it on jet lag, the busy day and exploring Dresden.

Steps:  9560

Walking Around Dresden, September 21, 2016

Today was beautiful in Dresden. Sunny, clear and in the mid 70's. This morning we had a walking tour of where I live, the area known as AulBer Neustadt, we also walked around the Old Town and on the Augustusbucke over the Elbe River to the City Center. Our tour guide was Suzanna, who was full of interesting facts and could answer any of our questions.  

This is part of a courtyard who's walls are decorated to represent the elements. 

Everywhere you look you see painted walls, posters, tiles or tagging/graffiti areas.

Today we had a little introduction to this area that I hope to explore in depth this Saturday. 

After the tour I caught up on paper work and then gather plants to take to the studio this Friday. I am very excited about finally having my first full day in the studio. 

Steps:  17467

Studio, Studio, Studio! September 20, 2016

Today was the day to see my second Dresden home. We arrived at the Grafikwerkstatt around 9:30am (3:30 am Cleveland) after a very easy tram ride into the Striesen area. The tramway, actually all of the public transportation systems are very easy. The trams themselves are clean and easy to understand. The most interesting part is that it is run on a trust system. We purchased a monthly pass for 59 euros. You stamp your ticket when you first get on the tram and that is it. Periodically someone may come up to you and ask to see your pass, but it has not happened yet. Also my pass is good for the bus, ferry and train. I can use it as many times as I like in a day. 

The building of the Grafikwerstatt Dresden...originally the "Ernemann Building”, later known as the “Zeiss Ikon Factory.

The studio...it is a beautiful, clean work of art. Peter, Torsten and Udo run the shop. Each with their one areas of interest.

Udo: Letterpress and Hand-typesetting

Torsten: Etching/Intaglio

Peter: Lithography/Algraphy plates.

This is Peter with Dora (the artist in resident from Greece

We start our day at the studio with a  tour and then a lovely tea/breakfast. Tea is at 10:00am everyday and then tea/lunch is at 1:00pm. I can't stress how impressed I am with the organization of the shop.  Everything has a place. Every inch clean and beautiful. 

I am so excited to start working at the studio. My next two days are chopped up with a city tour Wednesday morning and Thursday installing my work for the group exhibition at the Alte Feuerwache Loschwitz. So Friday will be the first full day of work....I can't wait.

Steps:  4184

Monday, September 19, 8:07pm (2:07pm Cleveland)

We made it! We left Cleveland yesterday at 2:10pm (8:10pm Dresden). One 58 pound bag check all the way through to Dresden (not a word was said about the extra 8 pounds). First stop, Toronto. We arrived in Toronto at 3:40pm our flight began boarding at 3:50pm and the security lines were incredibly long. This is when I decided to as the Air Canada employee, who was standing next to a policeman, what we should do? Her answer was to stand in the long line and when our flight was called to go over there (she pointed to a security person). Our flight was called and the policeman came to get us. He escorted us pass everyone in line and up to the short friends and family line. We made it through security and as we were approaching our gate the Air Canada employee yelled out our names and then got on the phone to the plane to not close the doors. I finally became that person that everyone was pissed at because she held up the plane.

I'm happy to say that the 7+ hours from Toronto to Frankfurt was smooth and uneventful. With no possibility to sleep it allowed me to go through two inflight movies, Joy and The Bose and three very funny episodes of the Canadian t.v. series Schitt$ Creek. In Frankfurt we had over a three hour layover until our final flight, to Dresden, left at 9:15am (3:15am Cleveland). There was time to regroup and much to look at in the Frankfurt airport.

We arrived in Dresden a little after 10:00am (4:00am Cleveland) and our bags were also there. Martin met us outside baggage claims and took us to the Pension Raskolnikoff. Kate and I checked into our rooms, took a few minutes and then met Martin downstairs to be taken on a 2.5 hour walking tour of the area around us. He pointed out things like coffee houses, bars, and different stores that might be of interest to us. He also took us out for lunch and talked a little about our exhibition and the other artists who'll be here from Sweden, Greece and Poland. After Martin left, Kate and I walked to the Elbe River and then back to our rooms to relax, shower and unpack.

Tonight was just a short walk around the city, a visit to the grocery store and then back to our rooms by 8:00pm. Tomorrow we meet Martin outside the Pension at 9:00am to learn our tram route to the printing studio and our 10:00am tea with the printmakers

STEPS today:  19373

Starting September 19th this will be home for the next five weeks.

The reality has set in that I will be boarding a plane for Dresden, Germany in less then 72 hours. Have I packed yet? No! Have I checked off more things than not on my to-do list? No! Am I excited and a little bit nervous? Yes! I feel so lucky to have this opportunity to be a working artist for five uninterrupted weeks and to be doing this in a foreign environment that will influence and inform my work and me. It's a dream come true. This is the first time I am trying my hand at blogging, but I think that it is important that I document my experiences in as many ways possible. So, this will become my Internet diary, my way of sharing with my friends and family my adventures in Dresden and Beyond (or the alternative title, suggested by Mary Kay, Debbie Does Dresden).