Right Now
Happy new year for 2012! I’ve had a pretty laid-back summer, staying home and resting after such a busy 2011. This year is looking pretty busy too so far…
My two 2011 Broadside Residents are still working on their projects. They’re having a few weeks off to concentrate on upcoming exhibitions, and then we’ll polish off their printed pieces before the year gets too old, to make room for the 2012 residents. Heleni Laisk is working with my type ornaments to create something akin to fictional botanic illustration. If you would like to get a feel for her work and thoughts, here are a few links.
Jonathan Webster, who graduated as a painter, is hand-rolling some wood type to accompany text that he’s written himself. Here’s a blog link for him.
At the end of November I selected more residents from the pool of graduating students emerging from the ANU School of Art. This is part of the Emerging Artists Support Scheme (EASS) run by the art school annually. It was a tough choice, but I finally selected Merryn Sommerville and Louise Upshall. I’m so looking forward to interacting with these two young talents later in the year.
I’m also working with artists on their own projects within my studio. Currently I have Tanya Myshkin visiting, setting and printing type to accompany her latest suite of wood engravings. If you’ve never seen her work before, take the time to look at her wonderful prints.
My summer project was to sort and catalogue all of the type in my studio, and I printed a type sampler so that I can show visitors and clients what I can use — and to make life easier for myself! I’ve scanned and mounted it online here, and there are a limited number of hard copies for sale that I will put up on my shop site (you can get to it by hovering your mouse at the top of the window, and a drop-down red box will take you to my sales page).
Upcoming events
13 – 17 February: I am teaching a workshop called ‘The Poetics of Printing on the Iron Handpress’ at the State Library of Victoria’s 2012 Rare Books Summer School.
9 March: I am speaking at a one-day symposium associated with the exhibition Adventure and Art: The Fine Press Book from 1450 to 2011. I think it’s a free symposium, but I could be wrong!
12 May: I’m teaching a one-day bookbinding class at Megalo Arts Access.
2 – 6 July: I’m running a week-long workshop at the Sturt Winter School in Mittagong called ‘The Complete Book’, which is about planning and making artist’s books. It’s a little bit different from my last few classes there, as this time we’ll spend time on content as well as technique.
There’s more things coming along all the time, so keep checking back here for updates!