Warwick Cathedral

Mathias, Alex, and I arrived in Warwick and found the Castle before it was open. Thus, we walked back a few blocks to the cathedral and spent most of the morning wandering around the incredible interior, exploring the cemetery, and climbing the tower.



Off the transept was an elaborate "Ladies Chapel". I think this area was intended as a place for private prayers. It was quite ornate. Below are two images of ceilings found in this area. The last image posted here is of a bas relief over the central alter in the Ladies Chapel. Several very fancy tombs were located right in the middle of the room. I loved adored the English style of painting faces and clothes on the tombs. Yet, it was another tomb found elsewhere in the cathedral that I took the pretty pictures of the angels...one with a cross and the other with a lamp.







I posted several images of the boys, some from on top of the tower, on my other blog. After visiting the crypt of this church, we went on to the castle.

A Busy, productive weekend

While I was in England, Steve sold another piece from my "In Box" series. Thus, I now only have two pieces done for my solo exhibition at Francis Marion University. Panicking, I looked up the date for delivering the show...August 4. My heart nearly stopped beating; but, Steve promised my as much time as I needed this weekend in my studio. So, after a day of picture framing and working with my digital images (Friday), I spent all day, both weekend days, working. I decided to create at least four pieces in my "Strata" series. I selected colors for the four seasons. They are completed. I must have free motion machined for at least eight hours each day. Tomorrow, I'm going to post some photos from Warwick Cathedral and take photos of the four "Elements of Architecture" pieces I hand-stitched while abroad as well as the four "Stratas". Hopefully, I'll get these posted too...while cutting mats. I'm feeling much, much better about the show now. My total is now six pieces...ten more to go! I'll need to order chiffon scarves from www.thethreadstudio.com. I still can't believe I'm part of a blog ring that includes The Thread Studio owner!

Warwick Castle

Mathias, Alex, and I spent the most glorious day in Warwick. We arrived on the train well before the castle opened its gates. Thus, we first visited the cathedral...except the doors weren't open there either. So, we wandered around the cemetery, admiring the moss and lichen on the tombstones, the freshly cut grass, and the way time and wind had eroded the limestone markers.

Mathias and Alex were quite curious about the family plots that featured a stone enclosure. Several of these had large cracks between the slabs. Digital cameras with flash were employed to "see" inside the space. Obviously, nothing was inside. Still, we had a great time comparing the dates, the fonts used by a skilled mason, and the choice of tombstones. Finally, the cathedral was open. (That will be my next post!) Then, we headed to a late breakfast outside the castle and finally entered the fortified grounds.

As I wrote earlier, we headed directly to the trebuchet. Later, however, we visited the birds of prey and all the rooms inside the castle. Some of these areas were refitted to look like they would have appeared during the renaissance. Other rooms were displayed according to the late Victorian times. We went into each area, admiring the authenticity of each section and pointing to various details. All in all, we had a blast.

The photos here are just a few of the dozens I shot. I posted others on my new "family" blog: http://susanlenzfamily.blogspot.com. Artistically, I was blown away by the craftsmanship, the attention to detail, and the unique symbols used on the simplest of pieces. Again, the stained glass windows were quite remarkable. I took dozens more images than the few I randomly selected here.

Birmingham's Jewelry Quarter Museum

Steve and I went to the Jewelry Quarter Museum during our trip to Birmingham last February. We didn't have time to take the tour but enjoyed the excellent exhibit focusing on the various materials used to make jewelry, such as bone, feathers, egg shells, pearls, coral, silver, gold, platinum, aluminum, coal, and all the precious and semi-precious gems. I knew I wanted to return for the tour...the entire place is totally free and just down the street from Mathias' flat. So Alex and I went.



The tour was amazingly good. Part of this was due to the enthusiasm and knowledge of the guide. Part of it was the array of "stuff". Evidently this jewelry firm had remained very unchanged during its years of operation. It was a family business called Smith and Pepper; it was started in the 1920 and passed down to three of nine children. These three never married. They were devoted to the business and worked until 1977 when they simply locked the doors...leaving everything inside just as it had been. They were in their late 70s and early 80s at the time. Perhaps they thought they'd return and deal with their aging equipment and the jewelry recession that was plaguing their industry...but they never did. The entire place seemed like a unique time capsule. No safety inspector visited the place. It never met code. The filing was still done by hand in ledgers. The tools and machinery were largely original. Even the umbrellas and marmalade containers were still there. I absolutely loved all the rusted parts and tools. I learned quite a bit about how jewelry is made and my appreciation for this art form was enhanced greatly.

Stained Glass

Although there is something deeply spiritual in viewing beautiful stained glass in the windows of the churches for which they were designed, it is also something quite amazing to see stained glass in museums, nose to nose. These images were all taken in the Birmingham Art Gallery. Each section was behind plexi-glass but nicely displayed so that the natural light from nearby windows showed through them.



Many of the pieces showed the influence of the Pre-Raphaelites. Edward Burnes-Jones was born and raised in Birmingham. The cathedral's windows were all designed by him. I wish I could have seen them as closely as I could these.



In February Steve and I went to this museum. I could go back time and time again and find more beauty. Actually, that is a statement that could describe most museums!







On some blogs I read, I've come across a statement warning others not to use images without permission. It is reasonable. In fact, I think it might violate copy write laws to use another's artwork. Yet, I didn't create any of these windows. There is also no possible way that I could use all these images (and the many others that I haven't posted), so if anyone wants to use the design or pictures of these stained glass pieces, it is fine with me!

Family pictures on the other blog

Today I managed to color and contrast correct over 260 images I shot while in England. Some were of Mathias and Alex. I posted several on my other blog: http://susanlenzfamily.blogspot.com. I will start posting some of my other, artistically inspiring images here soon.

Home from Birmingham

Alex and I are home from Birmingham. We had a wonderful trip. Watching Mathias dance in the choreography performances was amazing. Monday, however, was Mathias' only day off while we were there. It was the most incredible day. We went to Warwick and visited the cathedral, climbed the bell tower, and spent the rest of the time at the famous castle. Our entire family had visited there in December 2001.

Quite a few things have changed since our earlier trip. First, there are birds of prey that perform several times a day. The show was great. It included an enormous and beautiful bald eagle. The birds all were tethered in nice enclosures near an arboretum with the peacocks, so we could see them up close after the show...although they were nearly dive bombing us on their approach to their masters during the show!

Yet, the most incredible change is the addition of a trebuchet. Of course, I had no idea what this was but both boys have played enough Medieval Warfare that we were headed there as soon as we arrived. This is a giant machine like a catapult that had been used in medieval times to sling concrete boulders and fireballs against fortifications. There is a pulley with a rope that brings the big crane-like arm down to be loaded and then sprung. It is operated by two big hamster-like wheels operated by two men in each...walking. We sat on a grassy embankment near the river to watch the noon show. They called for volunteers for the 3:00 PM show when a fireball would be thrown over 230 meters down the island on which the trebuchet is built. Of course, Alex and Mathias wanted to volunteer. We had to lie about Alex's age but it worked.

I hope the photos are good. I plan on putting all my images onto the computer in the next day or so. Several will be posted here. More will appear on my other blog, For My Family at http://susanlenzfamily.blogspot.com. In any event, it was absolutely incredible to see this thing, the trebuchet work up close. The audience viewing area was a grassy field across the river from the island. Because the boys were in the hamster wheels, I got to be close to the machine. The fireball was totally under the grass two hundred plus meters away.

Our last day in England was Tuesday. Alex spent the time with his new found friends and buying his girlfriend a present. She turned eighteen while we were away. I was able to attend the afternoon rehearsal of Coppelia. Amazingly, it was in costume even though dress rehearsal wasn't until that evening. The first cast corps were performing but another cast were dancing the main parts. This was in order to give Joseph Caley and Carol Anne Miller more stage time in as Franz and Swanhilda. The others cast in these roles have all performed the parts.

The dancing was glorious. I love mazurkas and found these to be among the best I've ever seen. The costumes were perfectly beautiful. I could go on and on about the sets, but the most fabulous part of the rehearsal was watching the hard working crew change the scenery. This is generally done behind the curtains and the sound-proof fire screen. At this rehearsal, it was open for viewing and utterly fascinating to watch one huge set be unassembled while the next, even bigger set, was being constructed. It was a total education unfolding before me. My appreciation for theater, especially for ballet, was enhanced by this rare opportunity.

I was not the only person in the audience area. Of course, David Bintley was there with several people. Many had head phones but most just used raised voices to communicate with the stage director and the conductor who had just the rehearsal pianist in the orchestra pit. Sir Peter Wright was also there. Thus, this was a very special time to see a ballet come together before opening night. Also, dancers, like Mathias, who were not in a scene but were cast in the roles being rehearsed were also in the auditorium....practicing. I watched several young men, including Mathias, all "practicing" in the aisles. Mathias only appears in the last act with the first cast but he is in both the first and last act with the second act. That night, dress rehearsal, the second cast would be performing.

There was a break at 5 PM. Alex was there, on time. He and I said our good-byes to Mathias in the lobby and then went to collect our luggage. Soon thereafter, we were headed for the Renaissance Hotel outside Heathrow Airport via the superb rail system. The next morning our flight departed at 8 AM and by the afternoon across the time zones we were in Charlotte. Steve collected us at the airport in a brand new, silver Scion xB which he bought while we were gone. He traded the newly repaired Scion in for this one.

Today, I was back at work....headed to Leonard Long's brand new multi-million dollar home outside the exclusively private Cassique golf course on Kiawah to hang over-sized pictures. With any luck, I'll be back on the computer to contrast and color correct photos and back in my studio working on art. By the way, another piece from my "In Box" series sold while I was gone. So my count is now back down to having two pieces done for my solo exhibition at Francis Marion. I did, however, complete the hand stitching on four new pieces for my "Elements of Architecture" series while in England.

Birmingham

Alex and I are in Birmingham. The trip was actually great. We saw my sister Wanda in the Philadelphia airport. She was departing on a flight to Frankfurt that left ten minutes before ours to Manchester. We spent an hour and a half at the Manchester Piccadilly railroad station waiting on the train to Birmingham. Alex ventured into the city and I continued stitching on another embroidery in the Elements of Architecture series. (I'm now working on my third one!)

Once in Birmingham, we walked to Mathias' flat. We brought the spare key. Inside, Mathias had left his cell phone and a note saying he had no food. He was at "work". (After so many years, it is still a little odd for me to refer to "ballet" as "work.") So, Alex and I went grocery shopping and walked around the neighborhood which is known as the Jewelry Quarter. Mathias called from a friend's phone and later we were all talking, eating, playing video games, and having fun.

On Friday, Alex made bacon and eggs for breakfast and Mathias left for work. Alex and I toured the downtown area, went to see the gorgeous Edward Burnes-Jones stained glass window in the cathedral, and walked through the vendors in the open market and the two covered markets. I went to a free recorder concert in the beautiful, stone church called St. Martins where I expected to hear renaissance tunes. The group was quite good but played melodies like Stephen Foster's Beautiful Dreamer and Sousa's Liberty Bell (better known around the world as the theme song to Monty Python). Alex went to make new friends, something he's enormously good at doing. I can safely say he has exchanged Internet addresses with at least a dozen local "scene kids" (followers of "hardcore" music).

I required Alex to visit the art museum while away from me. I expected to see him there as I spent the rest of the afternoon looking at art. But, the Birmingham Art Museum is quite big and very, very good. We were both there but never saw one another. The contemporary art from Great Britain extremely interesting.

At 4:30 we met Mathias in front of the Hippodrome Theater and went for a late lunch. Mathias returned for another rehearsal. Afterwards, we went to an Italian restaurant for dinner and talked about the upcoming choreographic performances. The more we discussed it, the more nervous I became but this isn't a new feeling at all.

The next day, Saturday, tension seemed to mount when Alex and I took our seats for the 2:30 matinee. I read the program until the lights were lowered. Applause started for the conductor and quickly the first of six Stravinsky works began. Much A-Dance About Nothing was set by BRB's Jenny Murphy to Suite No. 2. I was immediately taken by Carrie Johnson's dancing and smile. The second piece was The End of Winter to Four Etudes Opus 7. Kosuke Yamamoto set the piece for Nao Sakuma, Carol-Anne Miller, and Alexander Campbell. It was lovely. I just can't seem to peel my eyes from Nao; she is breath-taking to watch. Avec Moi Ce Soir also featured two girls and a guy: Kristen McGarrity, Jenna Roberts, and Tyrone Singleton. Mathias had "warned" me about Glyn Scott's choreography. I think he was worried that I would find it too sexually explicit but I didn't because it was well done. The costuming and gestures were enough to set the tone without bogging down the dancing with too many obscene moves. Later, after seeing the evening performance, I liked it even more.

Perhaps, during the matinee, I was simply growing more nervous. Next was All for a Kiss to Stravinsky's Tango. Set by Aonghus Hoole on Mathias and Dianne Gray, it began with a saturated red lit backdrop. Dianne took a few, slow, sex steps onto stage dragging a chair which she quickly abandoned in order to set the tone with a few very Latin inspired movements. The entire auditorium was hushed, watching, waiting. Mathias, dressed in a red shirt over tuxedo black trousers entered, spellbound by the girl in front of him. He took the seat, still holding his eyes on the girl. She approached him with a gaze that drew him to his feet. In unison, they snapped into the ballroom position for a tango. At that moment, the piano sounded the opening notes. Tangos are suppose to be strong, aggressive, flirtatious, and sexy. This was. Tears slid down my face. He turned well, jumped high, stayed in character, and together they took their curtain call.

I caught my breathe in time for Kit Holder's Small Worlds danced to Concerto in D. This piece is to be performed again in the coming month while the company tours. The set, dancing, and costumes were all inspired by Kandinsky's artwork. Mathias is an understudy for one of the three male parts and will likely have an opportunity to perform later in the summer. This was followed by a quick intermission.

The second part of the program opened with Ebony Concerto, choreographed by Samara Downs. Three couples are used, including Mathias with Angela Paul (Victoria Marr, on Sunday). The theme is jazzy and energetic. The dancing mirrored this feeling. Everything about the work was wonderful and I was less nervous since there were more people on stage. Mathias was dancing with his friends, Joe (Joseph Caley) and Ty (Tyrone Singleton). This was all once a dream; now it is a professional reality. The experience was almost overwhelming and the applause for the piece felt like the crowd knew so too.

The only really bad piece in the program was Unraveled to Piano Rag music. The costuming, although interesting and likely good for musical theater, was terrible for dance. There was so much material that the bodies beneath could hardly be seen. The choreography reminded me of too many amateurish attempts to do something novel without having the slightest idea how it might look to the people in the seats. It looked haphazard and ill-planned. Unfortunately, Mathias' friend Aaron was in this performance. Fortunately, it was short.

The final number was Danses Concertantes, a twenty-minute work set by four of the choreographers. I found the tutus very interesting but linear in design. Since the corps weren't particularly well rehearsed, they didn't keep their lines well. Also, since the girls in these parts are of vastly varying heights, the linear designs just didn't look good. I found it distracting when they were on stage with the other dancers. I also didn't like the color combinations and thought the simplicity of the males' tops made them look flat. Many parts of the dancing, especially when there were fewer dancers on stage, were quite good. Yet, most of the dancing, like in many of the works in the entire program, reminded me of Balanchine. I don't think it is quite possibly to escape his influence when the evening's music is all Stravinsky.

All in all, I was thrilled to be among the group assembled for this event. The cast was identical for the evening show. It gave me an opportunity to watch everything more closely and to enjoy Mathias again. Most of all, however, I was impressed at the high level of professionalism for what was really an educational outreach program. Each piece worked closely with a theater design student from the University of Central England. Each student's brief biography and an image from their design sketches were included in the program. I'm sure there were grants underwriting this program. I know the money was well spent; it was on the stage. This was truly a showcase of "accountability" and amazing opportunity. Professional dancers got opportunities to try choreography. Students got to work with real professionals to create real performances that were more than worth the price of admission. I left the theater feeling proud...proud of Mathias and proud that he is part of an organization with such high standards and willingness to work with the community at large in such a positive way.

Going to Birmingham, England

Today was a whirlwind of activity. There were pieces needing my framer's eye....work to be done. There was laundry, telephone messages, and all the little details that one must face before leaving the country for a week. Tomorrow, Alex and I head for England to see Mathias dance in Birmingham Royal Ballet's choreography showcase.

I also created a new blog for my family called http://susanlenzfamily.com. This is a place I intend to use for images that aren't quite the type I want on my "real" blog....this blog. Sure, I generally write in a diary sort of fashion...I always have done this...since reading Harriet the Spy while in the eighth grade. But, part of me wants to keep this blog about my artistic pursuits, my professional goals, my daily work as an artist, my influences, my setbacks, my hopes, my work ethic, my life as a fiber enthusiast, etc.

Part of me writes, however, for my family. I had taken photographs during the weekend in West Virginia...more than the single one I posted earlier of my Great Aunt Janet. I wanted to share these...but recognized the limited audience. Hence, the new blog.

This blog has been many things for me. It has served the purpose of putting into writing my intentions. There is something significant about stating a purpose on-line. It is almost like taking a public oath. I have been pushed to greater productivity because of this blog. Recently, I have found a world of like-minded fiber friends. These artists have amazed and inspired me greatly.

Anyway....between cutting mats and designing framing presentations, I managed to create a new blog, download images from my camera, and get ready for a trip to England. Later, I went to my studio and completed the free-motion stitching on two more pieces in the "Elements of Architecture" series. More importantly, I was able to quickly create several new foundations for more pieces in this series....which I'm going to need. These are for the plane ride and the lengthy airport waits and late evenings in Mathias' flat. If I don't get to write during this week, I'll be stitching!

Hand Stitching in the Car

Above is the "masterpiece" painting for Elements of Architecture XXXVIII. I used heat-activated paints on regular typing paper. I'm not much of a painter...OBVIOUSLY! I even accidentally stepped on the painting before it was dry (and figured sales tax in the upper corner!). Still, I used the result. Once dry, I turned it face down onto 100% polyester and ironed with a very, very hot iron. The chemical reaction between the dried paint and the polyester occurred....setting my "masterpiece" on the polyester...ready for hand stitching.



Above is the "masterpiece" ironed onto the polyester. I always staple such pieces to wooden stretcher bars. I stitch with ANYTHING and EVERYTHING, fairly randomly...sometimes following the color I used for the painting...sometimes changing the color...I stitch quickly and rarely remove even a single thread. I like big, bulky yarns, decorative fibers, metallics, and cheap DMC floss. I try to keep my thread in plastic Ziplock bags...but they never stay organized. I generally have one, large bag full of an enormous "tangle". I love that bag.



Above is the stitched result. While in the car over the past few days, I stitched. I stitched during the ride to Charleston and Edisto Island. I stitched to West Virginia and back. This afternoon, a piece of a purple chiffon scarf (www.thethreadstudio.com) went over the hand-work. I free-motion machined stitching into the piece and zig-zigged the edge.



A few weeks ago...I seriously can't remember if it were last week, the week before, or even 10 days ago...I painted yards upon yard of paper with the remaining heat-activated paints that were in my studio. There is suppose to be a "shelf life". They were well surpassed it, but a test revealed that the product was still "good". So, I painted and painted and painted. I even tried to use a brush but that didn't last very long. I used a piece of wadding plastic, the side of piece of corrugated board, and my hands. It was so much fun. I did, however, have a plan...a rough idea...a hope.

I thought that I could use the heat-activated crayons on top of this haphazard painting. I hoped that a simple line drawing would fix my design without the need to actually PAINT a PICTURE. It worked! I lightly drew a "building" on top of the dried paint...using the heat-active crayons. The result is a colored background...perfect for big, bulky hand stitching...with a guideline for stitching.

Above is the "painting" with the crayon design...ironed into place on 100% polyester. Below is the stitched piece...hand work with free motion machine embroidery done on top of a sheer, chiffon overlay. This is an easier approach...especially since I'm much better at line drawing than trying the paint an area with full color.

Memorial Day Weekend 2007

The weekend started with a ballet recital at Keenan Theater. We went to see Claire Yaghjian, the Kana kids, and several other local students dance. Willie Moore, who isn't a student and doesn't take class at the studio presenting the show, also danced. He was the high-light of the evening, performing the male variations from Diana and Acteon and Flames of Paris. He is getting ready for a guest dancing opportunity this summer. Nancy Kana is now a college student but still returns to Anita Ashley's dance school. I don't know why she doesn't switch to the quality dance program at USC. William Kana can not dance ballet at all, but he's a very fine, tall tap dancer. It is still a little strange to think back over the years to when none of these kids were born. Tim Kana, William's dad, hired Steve as a senior scientist in his civil engineering company. We moved to Columbia. Steve hated consulting and joined me in our framing operation. The Kanas became clients. Now, we them at our children's dance performances. Claire Yaghjian was very pretty was still not really given a good part on pointe. Overall, the show was fairly poor but enjoyable enough.

On Saturday, Steve and I headed to Charleston where we restocked our area at Terrace Oaks Antique Mall. From there we went to Edisto Island for the artists' reception of the Frolics, Romps, and Rolicks: Dances for the Lighthearted show featuring Janet Kozachek and me. The owner cleared the walls in one room and hung our work. Lots of other art filled the tables and shelving units, art bins, and other areas of the room. Three dancers from the local Fred Astaire studio demonstrated a few ballroom moves. Wine was served. There were about forty or so people in attendance. Nothing sold from the "show", as far as I know. It was nice but it isn't the type of show I really want for my work in the future. Sure, the gallery is designed to SELL stuff...mostly art but also plenty of souvenir items from this resort island and plenty of mass produced things bought at a wholesale market. Everything was the way it was suppose to be. Everyone was pleasant. I'm almost embarrassed, however, to write that I WANT MORE!

On Sunday, Steve, Alex, and I headed north to Huntington, West Virginia. We arrived in time to go to dinner at Great Aunt Janet's plush retirement community's dining room. It was quite lovely. Aunt Janet is now 93 and gets around with only a walking cane. She's sharp, spirited, and in very good health. She's a real treasure. On Monday, we all went to Wal-Mart and bought dozens of cut flowers for the cemeteries. All in all, we went to three and placed arrangements on several relatives' gravestones. We made it back home in time for a late dinner.

Elements of Architecture XXXVII

I know! I know! I should be working on the pieces for my solo exhibition....but....I started the hand stitching on Elements of Architecture XXXVII at the Artisan Center in Walterboro last weekend. Embroidery is easy to demonstrate, and I generally finish things I start. So, I finished it.



How are these pieces created? The design is painted on regular typing paper using heat-activated paints. I have some of these made by Ranger but I also mixed up my own from ingredients purchased at PRO-CHEMICAL. (They call them "disperse dyes".) Once the paint is dry, I place the painting, face down, on 100% polyester and iron using a very, very hot iron. There is a chemical reaction between the dried paint and the polyester. The result is a bright design...ready to be hand stitched.

I stitch using ANYTHING and EVERYTHING...but mostly big, bulky yarns. There's a lot of couching and straight stitches. I use bold colors. Once the design is filled in, I put a sheer, nylon scarf over the entire area. (Purchased from www.thethreadstudio.com) This allows me to free motion into my hand stitches without the foot becoming tangled. Also, I put a layer of craft felt underneath. The last thing I do is to free motion zig-zag the edge. I use a candle to "burn" a clean edge.




This last image is of In Pieces VI. It is the collage I made with the painted typing paper after I transferred the image.

I will be working on others from this series (despite the need to work toward the solo exhibition which will feature machine embroideries). We are scheduled to visit my great aunt this weekend. She lives in West Virginia. We'll be taking her to the graveyard to put flowers out for Memorial Day. I'll be hand stitching in the rental car....by the way, Firestone accepted responsibility for the damage done to the Scion. They are paying for an entirely new engine and picking up the rental car tab. Thank goodness!

Lives Unwritten

I know I have a solo exhibition coming up. I know the work isn't done. I know I should be concentrating on this.....but....I couldn't help myself. For some reason, Lives Unwritten just had to be created. I guess the experience at the SABA conference called for me to tea-stain watercolor paper and use the buttonhole stitch on the edges of the pages. The binding is what I call "album" but I think it is more correctly called Japanese side binding (?) Whatever!

The piece is more a "small sculpture" than a book. It simply sits, fanned out. The words are all collaged letters from a late 19th c. book; I think it was about the Chicago Exposition. The eight vintage photographs were bought in an antique shop in Angels Camp, California. They were mounted exactly alike and must have been from the same, unknown family. They caught my eye because of they were so obviously a "group", a "family"....but they'd been forgotten, undocumented, unloved, abandoned.

Thus, the book is constructed with eight pockets for the photographs. Between each image is a page with the lettering....Birth....Confirmation...Married...Divorced or Widowed or Remarried....Gave birth to or Parent of....Lived at or Moved to or Settled in....Employed by or Retired from....Date of Death....Survived by. Basically, the phrases one might complete in order to document one's life, but these people have "Lives Unwritten".




I absolutely have no "Vs" left from this vintage source for letters!