Today we introduce our second organization that will moonlight as chef at The Hashbrown Chili Cook-Off: Homeroom Chicago. In full disclosure, Spudnik has long partnered with these folks to bring you Ten x Ten (which happens to kick-off this Sunday). What’s more, tomorrow (2/7/15) they present a fundraiser all their own, Pal-entine’s Day, a celebration of friends.

Spudnik Press Cooperative (SPC): What is HOMEROOM?

Homeroom (HR): Homeroom designs artistic projects and programs with two core values: conversation and collaboration. We build programming structures with artists, audiences, curators and venues to create and artistic dialogue with shared and far-reaching impact. Homeroom promotes artistic experimentation and growth by liberating artists from the financial and artistic constraints imposed by traditional institutional and commercial channels.

Homeroom designs artistic projects and programs with two core values: conversation and collaboration. We build programming structures with artists, audiences, curators and venues to create and artistic dialogue with shared and far-reaching impact. Homeroom promotes artistic experimentation and growth by liberating artists from the financial and artistic constraints imposed by traditional institutional and commercial channels.

SPC: What are three food-related adjectives you would use to describe your organization?

HR: Smorgasbord, Scrumptious, Delectable

SPC: In what ways does your chili embody your organization?

HR: Homeroom builds programs based on conversation and collaboration and isn’t that what chili is about? Getting multiple ingredients to work together in order to create something new and greater than the sum of the parts.

SPC: What is your favorite place in the city to enjoy a hot bowl of soup?

HR: The Hashbrown, of course!

SPC: If you could invite anyone, past or present, to chat over a bowl of chili, who would you choose?

HR: Homeroom would love to share a crock-pot of chili with George Clinton – we hear he is a gassy man, but we bet even his farts are funky.

SPC: Do you have words of warning for fellow contestants?

HR: If we had any real competitors in this competition, we’d give them a proper warning. But from the looks of it, these philistines couldn’t boil an egg.

SPC: This is your third year competing in the Hashbrown. What keeps you coming back?

HR: We are returning because we think Spudnik Press is the bee’s knees!

PURCHASE TICKETS TO THE 2015 HASHBROWN CHILI COOK-OFF

This year’s Hahsbrown Chili Cook-Off promises to be the most impressive to date. This year, our fundraising committee had a fun but difficult task: To build on the Hashbrown traditions to create an evening that will bring warmth and joy to all, even attendees recovering from this snowiest of winters!

Here are a few attractions to look forward to on February 28th:

Dessert from Bang Bang Pie and Biscuits

World Nutella Day is as good of a day as any to announce our Dessert Sponsor, Bang Bang Pie and Biscuits, will be providing our guests with Nutella Cheesecake. Save a tasting ticket for a sweet treat, or grab an extra tasting ticket to compliment the chili.

Beverages Curated by Artisanal Imports and Certified Cicerone® Adam Schulte

Door Prizes from Comrade Cycles, Enterprise CarShare, and more

Helping our guests get from here to there, our prizes include a free bike tune-up, an Enterprise CarShare membership (plus driving credit). We’ll also gift artwork and much more. Tickets for the drawing will be available in person at the event.

Carnival Games

Between chili tastes, take in a print-themed carnival games! Taking advantage of our 20th Century print technology, guests will have the opportunity to play one-of-a-kind games that we guarantee won’t be found elsewhere.

Tote Bags, Handkerchiefs, and T-Shirts designed by Artist, Nicolette Ross

Spudnik has long been known for our Woodblock Printed T-Shirts. This year, we release a new design, designed by Nicolette Ross, a talented artist who is known for carving a tree as public art artwork and teaching bookbinding classes at Spudnik.

All New “Royalty Package”

To help our guests get the most out of this event, we’ve put together a new package that includes no only admission for two with 5 tasting tickets and a cocktail. Guests will also get to sport their new Totebag, stuffed with a commemorative poster. Plus, Royalty Guest will get to try their chili with a very special golden spoon!

The 2015 Hashbrown promises to be a win-win situation: The more tickets one buys, the more chili, tamales, cheesecake, and games they get to consume, AND the more Spudnik is able to continue their ongoing programs that keep art making and print making affordable and approachable for all.

PURCHASE TICKETS TO THE 2015 HASHBROWN CHILI COOK-OFF

The 2015 Hashbrown Chili Cook-Off, now in its fifth year, will bring a dozen unique cultural organizations to Spudnik Press Cooperative for an evening of food, games, celebration, and healthy competition. On Saturday, February 28, each of these organizations will moonlight as culinary artists and provide chili tastes to Hashbrown guests. As the event approaches, we profile each contributing organization, asking zany questions to help our supporters better know each chef.

Today we introduce CAKE,  2014 Hashbrown Champion. CAKE returns to the competition with full intentions to again take home the Golden Ladle!

Spudnik Press Cooperative (SPC): What is CAKE?

Chicago Alternative Comics Expo (CAKE): CAKE is a weekend long celebration of independent comics inspired by Chicago’s abundant past and present of talented cartoonists, featuring comics for sale, discussion, exhibition, and a growing number of services for emerging comic artists, including workshops and a microgrant.

SPC: What are three food-related adjectives you would use to describe your organization?

CAKE: Zesty, fresh, and more than a little cheesy

SPC: In what ways does your chili embody your organization?

CAKE: Like the Chicago Alternative Comics Expo, our chili scrappy and cooked low and slow. Chock full of diverse flavors and textures, it is at once comforting and familiar, with a dash of the wild and unexpected.

SPC: What is your favorite place in the city to enjoy a hot bowl of soup?

CAKE: Anywhere we can enjoy a hot bowl of soup while reading a comic is tops in our book!

SPC: If you could invite anyone, past or present, to chat over a bowl of chili, who would you choose?

CAKE: Cartoonist Lynda Barry! She tells great stories, whether in comics or in person.

SPC: Do you have words of warning for fellow contestants?

CAKE: ANCHO gonna be sorry you tried to beat our chili? Mess with our chili and you’ve got a real POBLANO on your hands. I mean CAYENE you believe such hubris?

SPC: This is your third year competing in the Hashbrown. What keeps you coming back?

CAKE: To defend our title and take home the Golden Squeegee two years in a row!

PURCHASE TICKETS TO THE 2015 HASHBROWN CHILI COOK-OFF

Ten x Ten is a collaborative project between visual artists and musicians. Now in its fourth and most ambitious iteration, Ten x Ten 2015 will bring together 20 notable Chicago visual artists and musicians under the curatorial guidance of three distinct Chicago organizations: Elastic Arts, Homeroom, and Spudnik Press.

Below is a full list of collaborations and events for the project that will unfold throughout 2015. Graphic Notation 101, a free public lecture on February 8, will serve as the kick off event for the project.

Please join the Ten x Ten mailing list to hear updates as the project develops over the course of the year and visit tenxtenchicago.com for weekly blog updates.

Visual Artists

Salvador Andrade Arévalo
Jerome Bryerton
Uriel Correa
Rob Funderburk
Trevor Goosen
Andrew Holmquist
Hannah Ireland
Vesna Jovanovic
Alexander Stewart
Cynthia Weiss

Musicians

Josh Berman
Paul Giallorenzo
Anton Hatwich
Keefe Jackson
Peter Maunu
Eli Namay
Ryan Packard
Cameron Pfiffner
Jason Stein
Phil Sudderberg

The vision of Ten x Ten is to go beyond a typical call-and-response collaboration by encouraging artists and musicians to deeply investigate the creative process. Over the course of eight months, participants will stretch and explore their artistic practice in a cross-media collaboration with another artist, with the results reflected back to the public through exhibitions, performances, and a collectable compilation.

The 2015 iteration brings together visual artists and musicians that incorporate improvisation into their art practice. Elastic Arts joins the project as Guest Curator to highlight the Chicago jazz community and to investigate how artists across media interpret improvisation. Dave Rempis and Paul Giallorenzo, both well-known as musicians and organizers in the Chicago jazz scene, have hand-selected ten musicians to create an ensemble whose members will compose the new works commissioned through this project. Visual artists were invited by Homeroom Curator Colin Palombi, and represent a broad spectrum of styles and traditions, from street art to abstraction.

Ten x Ten 2015 Kick Off Event: Graphic Notation 101
Sunday, February 8, 4:00pm
Spudnik Press Cooperative, 1821 W Hubbard St. #302
At this free lecture, Jordan Martins (visual artist and curator) and Katherine Young (composer and bassoonist) address improvisation and the use of visual symbols outside the realm of traditional music notation. Ten x Ten artists and musicians will meet their collaborators and begin developing their contribution to the project. 

Improvised Music Series: Ten x Ten Working Performance
Thursday, February 19, 9:00pm
Constellation, 3111 N Western Ave.  
Visual artists and musicians will workshop their ideas in a collaborative performance for an audience to witness the creative and collaborative process as it happens.

Improvised Music Series: Ten x Ten Recording Performance
Thursday, March 19, 9:00pm
Elastic Arts, 3429 W Diversey Ave. #208  
Final compositions will be recorded live and visual artists will present a refined iteration of the accompanying visual component. Music will be mixed, mastered, and pressed to vinyl while Spudnik Press publishes each artwork as a limited-edition print.

Ten x Ten 2015 Release Event
Saturday, September 12, 9:00pm
Constellation, 3111 N Western Ave.  
Ten x Ten culminates in a live performance of final compositions and exhibition of works on paper. The final project will be released as a collectable compilation of music and artwork that documents, celebrates, and promotes Chicago’s artistic community. 

One of Spudnik Press’ six private studios will be available March 1.

For all the details please download our 2015 Call for Class & Workshop Proposals.

To apply, please submit a resume and work samples in addition to the following documents:

2015 Workshop Proposal Form
2015 Class Proposal Form
2015 Supply Request Form.

Dear friends and family;

Between December 18 and January 1, we were able to raise $2235! This exceeded our goal by $400 and will help Spudnik Press begin 2015 on strong financial footing. As part of our fundraising efforts, everyone who contributed $25 or more was entered into a drawing with items donated by friends in our community. Congratulations to the following winners:

Suite of limited edition Chicago Design Museum posters:
Amanda Ramirez

$10 Blick Gift Cards:
Jennifer Keats, Judith Mayer,  Tempestt Hazel, Jane Erlandson,  and Jeremy Lundquist

 Invitation for you and a guest to attend a Perch Symposium Dinner:
Andrew Ghrist, Nancy Flemm, and Gage Salzano

2015 Open Studio Hours:

Mondays 6:00 – 10:00pm
Thursdays 6:00 – 10:00pm
Fridays 1:00 – 5:00pm
Saturdays 1:00 – 5:00pm

In 2015, we are introducing new Open Studio hours to align with the needs of our staff, other programs, and most importantly, our members and students.

For those out there who want to keep on printing until 11pm, midnight, 3am… Please consider becoming a Keyholder.

Our Keyholder program allows uninterrupted access Spudnik Press Cooperative. Keyholders receive 24 hours access, one flat file drawer and limited personal storage. Available to all current members who are able to print and use the studio without supervision or assistance, Keyholder access is the most affordable way to make art at Spudnik Press.

Woodblock Printed T-Shirts have long been a staple of Spudnik Press fundraisers and our online store. Each year, we add designs to our t-shirt line.

New in 2015, we invite friends of Spudnik to take on the challenge of designing the 2015 Woodblock, slated to debut at the 2015 Hashbrown. The 2015 Woodblock will be available for printing onto t-shirts, in addition to all new tote bags and handkerchiefs throughout the calendar year.

The parameters are simple:

Guidelines:
Design should be roughly 8″x10″ and must fit on a t-shirt.
Work samples should include examples of relief prints.
The selected artist is expected to execute the design as a relief woodblock.
Spudnik Press Cooperative will provide birch plywood.
Deadline to apply is Friday 1/4/2015
Winning design will be announced by 1/12/15
Carved woodblock is due by 2/15/15
Selected artist will receive complimentary printed swag, 2 VIP passes to The Hashbrown, and will be featured online.

To Apply:
Submit an image of the proposed design (i.e. scanned drawing or mock up) and 3 image of past work to angee@spudnikpress.org.
Artists may submit a URL instead of 3 images.
All documentation should be jpegs.

Spudnik Press memberships, classes, and studio access can all be great gifts for the creatively-minded. This year, we ask our friends and family to shop locally, and give gifts that encourage making, community, and healthy habit building.

Here are some top picks of giftable experiences from Spudnik Press:

1. Annual Membership: $60

Perfect for people who have been talking about taking classes or getting back to the studio, and might appreciate getting discounts every single time they use Spudnik Press through 2015.

2: Back to the Studio Special: Membership + 3 Open Studio Sessions: $100

Combine a membership with coupons for Open Studio sessions will allow artists time to complete a full project at Spudnik and become familiar with the studio before becoming a keyholder, taking a class, or continuing to print at Open Studio sessions.

3. Ten x Ten: $30-35

Ten x Ten is a collaboration between visual artists and musicians exploring visual and auditory interaction that culminates in a limited edition collection of prints and music. Each suite features 20 of Chicago’s most talented artists, including visual artists, musicians, and composers. Each year, we have published the music in a different format; 2010 includes a download code for MP3s. 2012 includes a CD. In 2013, we pressed vinyl. Regardless which year you select, you are getting a great deal: 10 limited edition screenprints for under $50!

4. Private Lessons: $125 for 3 Hours

Private lessons allow students to design their own class that fits to their schedule, their projects, and their level of previous knowledge. A 3 hours session is a great introductory into any process or can be used as a refresher or an Authorization Lesson for letterpress. Most students take 3-4 private lessons before they are ready to print independently.

5. Choose Your Own Amount Gift Certificate: $5-???

Spend what you want and let the recipient decide what is best for them. We’ll send a commemorative certificate written to any amount with fun Spudnik stickers and a catalog of upcoming offerings.

Browse our Online Shop 

Spudnik Cooperative Fellowship Program expands the pathways available for young and emerging artists to become involved with Spudnik Press Cooperative by providing community, support, and guidance, along with access to our facilities for a six month period. Each fellow monitors one Open Studio session per week throughout their fellowship.

Spudnik Press proudly announces our next cohort of fellows, Heather Anderson, Ashley Shaul, and Caroline Walp.

Heather Anderson Heather produces design work and imagery for campaigns and brands. She has worked extensively within the theatre industry the past four years. Her printmaking interests include lithography, screens, and monotype. She is a multi-disciplinary artist, organizer, and designer, who believes in the power of a good story. Collaborations: summershortschicago.tumblr.com; Client/design work: hkanders.com; blog: alldrama.tumblr.com

Ashley Shaul is a Chicago artist, printmaker, and taxidermy hobbyist hailing from Detroit.  She received her BA in 2012 focused on traditional illustration and art history at Columbia College Chicago and her MFA in Print Media from Cranbrook Academy of Art in 2014. Her work revolves around figures that depict objectification and zoomorphism. Pieces can be found in the permanent collection of The National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, and various private collections throughout the US.

Caroline Walp is a printmaker who works primarily in silkscreen and letterpress. Her work focuses on embellishing and exaggerating every day, mundane occurrences while attempting to make you laugh. After receiving her BFA in Printmaking from Ohio University, Caroline worked as a studio intern at the Women’s Studio Workshop in Rosendale, New York where she learned how to screen print and assisted in the creation of several artists books.

Current Artist in Residence, Kate McQuillen, has had a busy fall. She just returned from Toronto, where she spent a week mounting a large-scale installation for her solo exhibition, Dead Reckoning, at O’Born Contemporary. A large wall piece and tall, sentry-like glowing pillars are composed of fragmented and reassembled monoprints, many created this fall at Spudnik Press.

Much of Kate’s time at Spudnik press has been spent experimenting with the process of transferring ink to paper. For example, one trial involved inking then folding sheets of paper and sending through the press. Kate was less interested in the original sheet or paper, and more interested in the abstraction that resulted from excess ink transferring to the protective top sheet.

As Kate heads into the last month of her residency, she continues to explore ways to integrate photographic elements, and create images through acts of destruction and fragmentation.

New works, created through the Spudnik residency program, will debut on March 28, 2015 in The Annex at Spudnik Press.