I have been anxiously waiting for this book to “re-stock.” Every online book shop I come across says they are sold out. Little did I know, they were selling to the Europeans before us over in North America. I know this now, because little did I know Sycamore Street Press, a studio in Heber, UT, has work featured in the book, which they announced today. They amaze me more and more every time I look at their blog or when Eva has the chance to chat with me.

Inspired by the challenge of hands-on tweaks and unpredictable results as well as the tactile qualities of different inks, papers, and binding techniques, today’s creatives are rediscovering old-fashioned printing methods and crafts. Impressive is a topical exploration of the interplay between current trends in graphic design and traditional handiwork such as letterpress printing, hand-cut linotype, chiselled woodblocks, and embossing. In addition to a rich selection of invitations, business cards, stationery, posters, and other material printed by hand, it offers personal insights from designers who are using old-fashioned techniques to create cutting-edge work.

Too bad Christmas and my birthday have already passed. And too bad I don’t have any babies to give me stuff on Mother’s Day. Sigh.

This book will be available in the U.S. and Canada within a few weeks.

My brother is a philosophy Professor and the other day he mentioned a student told him that she changed her major to philosophy because of him. He didn’t know if he should be proud of her or apologize.

This made me want to pay a tribute to the person who first introduced me to printmaking which ultimately made me change my major from photography to it. Sean Caulfield came to Utah State University in 2005, my freshman year. All I knew was photo from the 4 years I invested in it in high school. I did nothing else but take black and white 35 mm photos and play volleyball. The art program at USU requires each art student to take the Visiting Artists class which is why I was forced to listen to Sean Caulfield speak and present his work. I was floored. I didn’t understand how he made such beautiful drawings. I didn’t understand how he made such soft lines. I just didn’t understand it at all and I wanted to know more. I didn’t have to go to his workshop, but I had to personally.

(via his website)

I didn’t know what to do when I got there. He handed me a copper plate and an etching needle and I probably sat there for 20 minutes having no idea what to draw. I’ve always sketched things that were in front of me since I was little and they were never all that great. Maybe I will have to dedicate a post to my old drawings to prove it. But capturing images was all I knew and was used to, not creating them. Sean gave me great advice on looking at scenery, in my case the printmaking studio, and manipulating it in some way. So without further ado, here is my very first print, a dry etch:

It makes me laugh how bad it is, but I am still in a way proud of it.

In October of 2008 I went to the Mid-America Conference, my first printmaking conference, in Fargo, ND. Yeah of all places, Fargo. Not only did I not know what to expect, I did not expect Sean Caulfield to be standing in front of me. And I really, really, did not expect him to come up to me and tell me I looked familiar. Once I told him I was from USU, he remembered and I told him how I changed my major because of him. He instantly apologized. I guess people can’t take such a compliment! He was so nice to offer me loads of information of what to do after graduation and even wrote them and resources in my sketch book. This is something I am working on now.

So once again to Mr. Sean Caulfield, thank you. You’ve changed my life for the better, and that’s nothing to be sorry about.

And to my brother, take the compliment. I thought people became teachers because they wanted to teach what they believed and change lives. Well, sometimes it happens so be proud. I’m proud of you too.

I don’t like getting personal, especially on a blog. Especially on a blog that is designated for graphic design and printmaking. But with my latest print that I literally just finished and the events that have happened this week, maybe it’s time for me to open up. Maybe it will help. Maybe not.

Yesterday my Uncle Fred died. He laid in a hospital bed surrounded by his wife and kids, unconscious as cancer spreaded through his lungs and his kidneys failing until, he slowly stopped breathing. He was a U.S. Solider and fought in the Vietnam War where he met and married my mom’s oldest sister and brought the entire family to America. Utah, to be specific. If he didn’t enlist, go to Vietnam, marry my Aunt, or bring the family over, my parents wouldn’t have met, and I wouldn’t be here. He is the second father I’ve heard of passing away this week, the first one belonging to a friend of mine. I’ve never met my friend’s dad but it broke my heart when I found out. And who knows how many other dads have passed away this very week as well.

I have not talked to my father for nearly 3 months. He was my best friend and the man I trusted the most. There has hardly been a day where we didn’t talk, until the day I found out he’s been having an affair. And if that isn’t heartbreaking enough, it’s the third throughout my parents marriage. I have no desire to talk to him, even after knowing my friend and cousins can no longer talk to theirs. But at the same time I don’t want to regret not talking to him while he’s still around. I know my relationship with him will never be the same and frankly, I’m too scared to hear what else he has to say. It could be more lies, it could be the painful truth. Saying nothing hurts the least right now.

He is the black bird in this addition to my Identity Issues series:

This is printed for Signed & Numbered’s “Mini” Print Exchange, their first in their new location on 21st and 21st, Salt Lake City. The show is still TBA.

8″x 8″. Hand printed relief, screen print, and hand coloring. Printed on Unbleached Mulberry.

This print was about him too. I just didn’t want to admit it yet.

Are you sick of seeing these? I hope not because right now you can vote for the AIGA 100 Show People’s Choice Award. Tea for Printmakers is on page 3 (I conveniently linked it to that page), bottom row. All work is from every submission: selected and rejected. So you can also vote for Love is Blind-desbossed, which wasn’t accepted in the show. It’s up to you! There’s a lot of great work and you can rate each one as you please.

(via Printeresting, designed by Tate Foley)

The above design is simply, hilarious. And how perfect I come across it the same day I go to Travis Bone’s (whom saved the day by letting me expose a screen because everything else I tried failed) who showed me something amazing, beautiful, fascinating, and tasty. I got an unofficial ok to blog about this, and that’s good enough for me! Uinta Brewery Co. is coming out with a limited edition line of beer called “Crooked,” and the packaging is another reason you want get your hands on these babies. Each one has artwork by local artists: Travis Bone (Bourbon Barrel Barley Wine Ale), Trent Call (Black Ale) and Leia Bell (Double India Pale Ale). Say whaaaaaaat? My thoughts exactly. All I had was my camera phone, so sorry for the quality. You have to see them in person anyways. Not sure when these will be in stores, but as soon as I hear, I’ll be sure to let you all know!

One of my dreams is to design packaging for a beer. Yeah, a beer. If I just did one, I’d be a happy lady.

And for those who don’t know how I met Travis Bone, read on here. It’s one of my favorite stories and a prime example of how persistent/annoying I am.

I was born and raised in good ol’ Utah. I’ve been here for 23 years with the exception of a couple study abroads and sweet vacations to far away places. One Utah gene I did not catch was the desire to place a bright and shiny rock on my left hand. You know on what finger I’m talking about. In my own and complete opinion, enormous rings disgust me. Diamonds disgust me. I am all about concept and reason and a large diamond cannot be justified in my brain. I understand the rings that have been passed around throughout family and I think that is very sweet. But other than that, most rings just scream out how much money the husband has, or how much loans he has, depending. Here’s where this post relates back to art: The featured seller on Etsy this week is husband and wife of Fabuluster. The custom made wedding rings they design make total sense to me and are pretty dang romantic if you think about it. If, and this is a big fatty if, I were to get married I would consider looking into these more.

I am a little attached to this thrift shop ring I always wear. I’ve never taken it off for nearly 3 years now and it’s been with me through a lot of thicks and a lot of thins. I wouldn’t mind this being “the ring” either. Future husband will have to pay the $3 for it though because a lady can’t pay for her own ring, damn it!

I just went to the bank and they told me they don’t know how I’m living, more or less. Thanks student loans, you’re really kicking me in the groin here. Lets stare at Kate Macdowell’s magnificent piece of work, “Canary,” and forget about our problems. I think I’m in love with her. I took this photo at Moore College of Art & Design, the first and only visual arts school for women in the nation, in Philadelphia. I could stare at this all day.

While in Philadelphia I was still recovering from the flu. Actually, I think I still have it because I haven’t fully rested still. I used my sickness as an excuse to not go to as many demos as I would have liked and I am fully regretting it. However the ones I did go to were awesome:

As soon as I got to the hotel I was out the door to check out Drive By Press at The Print Center, who announced this years’ tour is their last hoorah. They came to Utah State University last April and I think what they do is pretty amazing. It’s sad to see them end, but I can imagine how exhausting it must be to be on the road constantly, not to mention the 600 lb. press they lug around too. They are still scheduled to pay Salt Lake City a visit this month. I’ll get details on that soon! The little girl above is printing, believe it or not. She’s rocking back and forth on top of a wood block.

Soon after I walked over to The University of the Arts for Democratic Down N’ Dirty DIY Screenprinting. It was down and dirty indeed. Ink everywhere, paper everywhere, people everywhere. It was awesome.

The next day I was back at The University of the Arts for Experimental Broadsides on the Vandercook Press. I was with my USU family and most of them had yet been exposed to letterpress so I made sure we attended this demo. They did an awesome broadside for the conference and representing all things Philadelphia as well. Everyone got a poster as a souvenir, however mine got rolled up with someone else’s and I need to track it down. Darci is feeling the pressure of the wood type and the rollers above.

Friday I caught the shuttle to Tyler School of Art. I missed the Stone Lithography Becomes Digital Lithography demo which is a major bummer because Lithography remains the only printmaking medium I have yet to experience. And it looked really interesting too.

I did catch a piece of the Alternative Approach Relief Printing demo. It’s much like doing a pressure print in letterpress where you have materials, such as a stencil, placed under the area you want to print. Then you ink up a block (above is a mat board, I believe, and the stencil is underneath it), place paper and roll through the press. It’s easier said than done and I haven’t even really used it. It would be fun to play with though!  But when is printing not fun to play with?

I have a love-hate relationship with the state of Minnesota. Hate from the handful of times I’ve been there to be with a guy I am no longer with and those damn mosquitos. Love because Studio On Fire is located in North East Minneapolis and after reading this post, I can’t take it anymore! I want to work for them. I want to be eaten alive by mosquitos just to be near them. I just want to watch them. And as creepy as that sounds, it’s all very true. They are that amazing.

Having studied both graphic design and printmaking, I can argue that a good design is nothing without being printed well. And this beautiful identity system makes me want to cry.

(via Beast Pieces)

It should be illegal to print identity systems without a letterpress.