Letterpress Printer's Fair

I've been gumbling under my breath {and out loud} all summer about our lack of one - you know, typical Portland: grey, cloudy mornings, temperatures barely breaking the lower 70s....grumble. {Can you tell I'm a desert girl? sigh}

weights on the papergoods

Well, my wish for a few scorching days came true just in time for the Printers Fair this year. I think we hit the upper 90s, but it was the wind that was truly amazing. We gathered all of the heavy objects that we could find to weigh down the paper goods that would out of nowhere go flying off our tables. By the end of the day everyone, and everything was coated in a fine layer of grit from the traintrack nearby and the industrial yards surrounding us.

But, I don't know why - something about seeing old friends and meeting certain letterpress folks for the first time face to face, I had a smile on my face at the end of the day. An exhausted, weary, 'I'm hot and dusty' smile, but a smile nonetheless.

Ruth and Barb manning the OCAC table

I didn't sell most of the heavy stuff I had brought - I still have C&P parts and some 5 lb. cans of ink, in case anyone is interested. But my loaded up car at the end of the day was still considerably lighter than when I came in. And the beers with friends at the end of the day capped another memorable Letterpress Printers Fair.

Special thanks should be mentioned for EM Space, who put on a really well organized event! Three cheers!!

third annual letterpress printers fair

For the third year in a row I'll be participating in this really excellent fair. This year it is being hosted by Em Space and should be bigger and better than ever. If you love letterpress, don't miss it! And come early. The past two years have seen lines out the door before the opening. People want to get in on the good deals!
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Join us for this years’ 3rd annual Portland Letterpress Printers Fair! All are welcome for this fun outdoor event celebrating letterpress, printers and appreciators. Read below for more info about the event.

Saturday, August 14th, 2010
11am-5pm
323 SE Division Place
Portland Oregon, 97202
Admission: 11am-2pm – $2 and from 2-5pm – Free

Demos, Print Shops, Suppliers, Resources
Type, Equipment, Cards, Broadsides, Ephemera
Overstocks, Seconds, Deals, Rarities and More!

Come one, come all.

And please check out my friends' over at Em Space for the full press release, plus information about a movie screening going on the night before:

SCREENING OF “FAREWELL: ETAOIN SHRDLU”
CC Stern Type Foundry will be screening “Farewell: Etaoin Shrdlu,” a documentary about the last issue of the New York Times to be composed in the hot metal printing process. Discussion to follow. All are welcome.

Friday, August 13th, 2010
7:30-9:00pm
Em Space Book Arts Center
407 SE Ivon Street
Portland, OR 97202
Suggested Donation: $5

March!

I really can't believe how quickly February FLEW by! I hardly spent any time here, and for that I apologize. I will have plenty to update you with this month, the month of the spring equinox and the return of the evening sun...(aka daylight savings time - yay!)

But updates will have to wait one more day.

In the meantime, a quick synopsis of February's highlights:

-New Oregon presented it's final installation of the interview series - Urban Development night was a huge success. Portland Mayor Sam Adams, Architect Brad Cloepfil, and Journalist/Editor specializing in architecture and urban spaces, Randy Gragg were on hand to talk about what would make Portland a world class city in urban design. The online transcripts will be available soon at www.neworegon.org.

- I finally had the opportunity to sit in on one of Paul Moxen's Vandercook press essentials two day workshops. I learned a lot, both about the presses at OCAC and my own press. Paul stresses that, since we no longer have the luxury of calling in "experts" to help us with our Vandercook maintenance, we all need to become our own experts in order to be better stewards of these machines for the future. If you're unfamiliar with Paul's website and the Vanderblog - a wealth of information on all things Vandercook - be sure to check it out.

- Also: My mom started a blog! Girl on the Town will be a mixture of new and old writing from the perspective of a woman interested in exploring the arts and culture in Central Oregon. Caryn May (that's her!) wrote for the Bend weekly the Source for several years, so she'll post some of her old favorites, plus new observations and reviews.

Not to mention, that even though the majority of our days here in the PNW are still very, very wet and grey, we have color bursting out all over.



To round things out, here are a few things to check out in March:

- Em Space is presenting a "working exhibition" of Heather Watkin's work in progress from the time she spent as a resident there. See the link here and check it out in person here.

- 23 Sandy Gallery re-opens after its winter hiatus to present two shows and a lecture or two in March. These look interesting!

- And finally, I'll be working on the broadside for the New Oregon Interview Series, which will include all the "pithiest quotes" from the series so far. Plus a semi-sekrit project that will be revealed very soon. I'll keep you posted!

weekend of Portland book arts

letterpress printed poster by the gorgeous folks at Em Space

Last Saturday, in between recovering from a migraine and acquiring a cold, I dropped by Em Space to see some friends and to check out the show "The Power of the Press," which Em Space is hosting since its closing at Portland Center Stage. The show looks great above all of their immaculate presses. I wish I remembered to bring my camera.

The show will be up until January 31 and is free and open to the public. To learn more about Em Space, check out their website.

The day before I also made it in just before the closing gate for the closing reception of "The Assignment" at the 23 Sandy Gallery. "The Assignment" was a show for and by the CBAA (College Book Arts Association) to celebrate the assignment as a valuable practical tool for book artists as students, teachers, and working artists.

This was one of the best shows I've seen at 23 Sandy, and one artist's statement jumped out at me as being just what I needed to read at that moment: Anna Bunting of Oakland, California talked about how her piece was an assignment to herself. That once a week she set aside time to be in her studio, to write, set type, print.

Between my work at OCAC, my commissioned work for Tiger Food Press, and the work I put into ephemera for my online stores, I am always at work in a bindery or print shop, either mine or the school's. But it continues to be so hard to carve out time just to write for the fun of it, or draw just for my self, or make a few experimental prints to get started on the book I've had germinating in my mind for so long. So to read this artist statement, and to see the finished book next to it was a jolt of inspiration to me.

23 Sandy brilliantly always includes an online catalog of every exhibition of work. "The Assignment" is now down, but the work, including artist statements is online here.

Power of the Press at Em Space

Power of the Press, an exhibition of broadsides inspired by Ben Franklin in the digital age, has moved to Em Space for the month of January.

The opening reception is Thursday, January 7th from 6-9pm.
It is free and open to the public.

Power of the Press was previously on display at Portland Center Stage during the production of Ben Franklin Unplugged. Approximately 15 artists participated. The work and Em Space itself is a must see if you are a lover of letterpress, words, and works of art.

Artists participating in the exhibit include: Clare Carpenter of Tiger Food Press, Rory Sparks, Marty Brown of Letterary Press, Rebecca Gilbert of Stumptown Printers, Jean Sammis of Lark Press, Carye Bye of Red Bat Press, Iris Porter, Mette Rankin of Bureau of Betterment, Katy Meegan and Keegan Wenkman of Keeganmeegan Press & Bindery, Jeff Shay & Connie Blauwkamp of Buzzworm, Joseph Green of Mind your P's&Q's, Micheal D'Alessandro of Bedouin Books and more.

Em space:
Em Space Book Arts Center
407 SE Ivon St
Portland, OR 97202