Two-Color Linoleum Cut Class: July 28

I'm excited to announce that I will be teaching the 2-color linoleum cut workshop at Evanston Print & Paper Shop again in late July. 

"Linocut is a relief printmaking technique similar to woodcut or a wood engraving, where a flat surface of linoleum is carved with a knife or gouge tool and inked as a printing surface. In this Two-Color Linocut Workshop, participants will be guided through design strategies for relief printmaking, develop an understanding of the printmaking medium as well as the materials and equipment used in the process, and will get to take home a small two-color linocut print that they have designed, carved and printed themselves on a Vandercook proofing press. No previous printmaking experience is required!"

To sign up please contact eileen@evanstonprint.net or call the studio at 847-475-7674. It's going to be a great time, I look forward to seeing you there!

Upcoming Events: Comics, Workshops, Prints and Food

Mark your calendars! The coming two weeks are full of great events:

This Friday, March 23 I am excited to attend (as an eager audience member) Brain Frame, where comic artists interpret their illustrative work in avant-garde performances. Join me at 1542 N Milwaukee Ave, second floor, at 8PM, to see the next installment of what sounds like a really interesting event. $5

The beautiful sunny storefront at Evanston Print & Paper

This coming Saturday, March 24, from 10am - 4pm I am teaching a 2-color Linoleum Block Printing workshop at Evanston Print and Paper Shop. Students will learn how to plan a multi-color relief print, safely carve the blocks and use a Vandercook proof press to produce a small edition of their print. There is still room in the class if you find yourself with a free Saturday and an interest in getting inky! (Also, I'm bringing M&Ms. VERY important.) Call the studio to register: 847-475-7674

Also on Saturday afternoon is the opening of the Chicago Printmakers Collaborative Cycle-Pedia group exhibit, featuring prints and works on paper with a wheeled-things theme. The Cycle-Pedia exhibit runs from March 24th to April 30th at 4642 N. Western Avenue, across the street from the Western stop on the Brown line.  Would that I could be 2 places at once: knowing the good folks behind the show, the opening promises to be a lot of fun!

On Sunday, April 1st is Evanston Print & Paper's first-annual Edible Books celebration! Bring a book-themed food-thing and get in for free, or pay $5 to eat and judge and talk books with some lovely printmakers and book artists.

New Prints in the Shop

Well this is exciting: new prints in the shop! Halloween weekend was spent in an exhausting marathon of type-setting, ink-mixing, block-carving, print-making, paper-trimming and podcast-listening. The impetus for studio time was a dwindling supply of CTA Announcement Series prints, but we here at Monkey-Rope Press have a hard time doing things by halves. Why only print 6 two-color prints when I could print 14? Check out our new stock:

Twas Brillig, a typographic tip of the hat to Lewis Carroll;

 

Cheery and fun Good Morning, Sunshine and Good Morning, Glory;

 

Reprints of ALL the CTA Announcement Series, including brand-new black-and-silver "Inbound Train" (previously only available in blue and brown), and prints of the linocut train design in black, silver and blue;

 

Three brand-new bibliophilic prints;

 

And finally, some holiday cheer: Jolliest of Jollies and Merriest of Merries!

I also took the opportunity while taking pictures of the new prints to re-shoot old favorites. Be sure to stop by the shop to see old prints in a new light!

Friends of Transit Print Invitational

Marnie Galloway of Monkey-Rope Press

What a show! Last night was the opening reception of Transit Residency's Print Invitational at the I Am Logan Square gallery as part of Chicago Artists Month.  I was proud to contribute three prints from the CTA Announcements series and the first of the bicycle subculture pugilists prints. This sneak-peak picture was shared by Transit before the opening...

...but the gallery was so packed last night, I couldn't get a photograph of the work myself!

The crowd spilled out onto the sidewalk in front of the gallery, amiable and full of delicious treats from Paper Moon Bakery and locally brewed craft beer by Revolution Brewing.

Congratulations again to Transit Residency for organizing such a wonderful show!

New Prints in the Shop

Four new prints in the shop! We've got a deep sea, shiny metalic "bioluminescent" jellyfish; its warm-water cousin; a cicada-killer wasp chasing a cicada; and, our personal favorite, a tea-time Jolly Roger flag. 

**3 cheers to Evanston Print and Paper for studio time, coffee delivery and light-hearted camaraderie.