See more of Marc’s amazing work on his blog.
See more about our fundraiser here or on facebook.
See more of Dianna’s amazing work on her website.
See more about our fundraiser here or on facebook.
On Saturday, September 29 at “In Progress”, Spudnik’s Fall Benefit Auction, beer will be provided by Six Point Brewery and Windy City Distribution. Special thanks for the support!
Everyone be sure to stop by between 6pm and 10pm, bid on some art and have a beer!
Special thanks to Kelsey Keaton, of Whimsylore, for donating a beautiful letterpress journal and bookmark for Spudnik’s Fall Benefit Auction. Come and place your bid on Saturday, September 29 from 6-10pm! Kelsey is a book artist, illustrator, a collector and amateur entomologist, residing in Chicago.
Bloom Yoga Studio, a Lincoln Square yoga and massage studio, has donated a 1-month unlimited yoga package to the Spudnik Press Fall Benefit Auction. With a variety of classes for all ages and stages & their convenient location, the winning bidder is sure to get plenty of use (& relaxation) from this yoga package.
Bloom was voted Best Yoga Studio in Chicago by The Chicago Reader for the third year in a row!
A big thanks to Bloom for their generous donation!
Gemma Open Door has generously donated a suite of four books for the Fall Benefit Auction: In Progress, at Spudnik Press! Join us at the event on Saturday, September 29 and place your bids for these original stories!
More information, along with an archive of all available stories can be found at the Gemma Open Door website.
Star Lounge has generously agreed to contribute a donation to Spudnik’s Fall Benefit auction, “In Progress” on Saturday, September 29 from 6-10pm. Attendees will have the opportunity to bid on a flight of Star Lounge coffee beans for your brewing pleasure.
Star Lounge is located in Chicago at 2521 West Chicago Avenue. Be sure to visit and say, “thank you” for sponsoring your favorite printshop!
Join us at Renegade Craft Fair on Saturday and Sunday, September 8-9 from 11am until 7pm, along Division in Wicker Park. Have a t-shirt printed from a selection of hand-carved woodblocks, made by a Spudnik printer! Featured here is a wood block carved by Spudnik volunteer, Andrew Ghrist.
Here’s what Andrew had to say about his experience at Spudnik and the process of carving his first woodblock:
“For the last couple of weeks I have been volunteering at Spudnik Press (Chicago) which has been a good look at how a print shop outside of school setting functions. I assisted Spudnik staff with they’re booth at the Milwaukee Art Festival here in Chicago as well as helping around the shop. I watched professional artists who depend on shops like Spudnik to have a place to collaborate with other artist and produce their artwork. They asked me to design and carve a woodblock for a T-shirt they will be selling this September at the Renegade Craft. I had never made a woodblock print or any other type of relief print for that matter, but I took this opportunity to learn something new. I was weary at first but as I became more comfortable with the carving tools I free handed a majority of the block. We haven’t printed any of the shirts yet but here is a picture of the block. I hope they are able to sell a bunch these!”
You can see more and purchase Andrew’s work at Etsy.
This Fall, Spudnik Press Cooperative is expanding to create a multi-purpose cultural space. The Spudnik Press Annex will contain a gallery and classroom, independent studios, and shared work space for writers, bookmakers, artists, students, and others. A reference library of small press and experimental book projects is under development.
The Annex will work towards bridging communities. Chicago has a strong history of self-publishing, alternative comics, independent start-ups, and experimental writing. The city continues that rich history with spaces like Read/Write Library, which has an all-inclusive collection of Chicago-specific media, and Quimby’s, a bookstore selling independently-published and small press books, comics, zines and ephemera. Our new addition will be the hub where these self-published artworks can be created. Artists and makers of all disciplines can work in proximity and conversation with one another.
Our current printing facilities offer access to a broad range of processes such as screen printing, intaglio, letterpress, and offset printing. To this we are adding photocopying, collating, hot foil stamping, and other necessary resources to create one’s own publications. Our current printshop will remain the space for individuals to get inky and produce editions of fine art prints. The Annex is designed to better facilitate group projects and provide a flexible clean space for activities like drawing, writing, brainstorming, and classes.
Spudnik Press class offerings are also multiplying to include classes and workshops in writing, self-publishing ,bookbinding, and topics that blur the line between writing and visual art. The classroom will also host more professional development opportunities like Portfolio Review and workshops like “Best Practices for Working Artists”, led by lawyer Charles C. Valauskas.
The gallery will feature our own homegrown artists, work from throughout the country, and collaborative and interdisciplinary projects.
Luke Daly from Arrow as Aarow will be spearheading our writing and book projects program. Daly states, “The merging of writing and publishing activities with those of a fully functioning print shop will provide an environment where writing is approached as a form of making.”
Throughout the fall, the new annex will host a variety of workshops, special engagements, and first time events, welcoming all to our new facilities.
Please contact the Writing and Book Projects Coordinator, Luke Daly (luke@spudnikpress.com) or Spudnik Press Executive Director, Angee Lennard (angee@spudnikpress.com) with any questions about our new programming.
Benefit Auction: In Progress
To be held in The Printshop and The Annex
Sep. 29, 2012
6-10pm
Hubbard Street Loft Open Studios
with debut of The Annex
Oct. 12, 2012
7-10pm
Private Studios available for rent
beginning Nov. 1, 2012
Email angee@spudnikpress.com for more information
Inaugural Open Studio
Monday, Nov. 5, 2012, 6:30-11pm
With Guest Artist Caroline Picard
The Annex Open Studios will be held weekly on Monday evenings and will feature weekly guest artists.
More details to follow
Best Practices for Working Artists
Begins Oct. 2, 2012
Text as Image / Collage as Writing
Begins Oct. 24, 2012
Comics Workshop: Comic Book Ins and Outs
Community Workshop
Nov. 7, 2012
Drink and Draw
Positive and Negative Space
Dec. 5, 2012
Between the September 26th and October 12th, we will need all hands on deck to help get the studio in shape. Please e-mail angee@spudnikpress.com to sign up for a shift. We are also seeking the skilled labor of an electrician to help add lights and electrical outlets.
Up to 2 Additional Computers; with Intel CPU
B&W Laser printer; prints at least 8.5×14, double-sided preferred
Epson color printer; Epson 4800 preferred
Photocopier; prints 11×17; capability to scan and to print from a computer preferred
Adobe Creative Suite license; CS4 and up preferred
General Bookbinding supplies: book thread, beeswax, needles, awls, bone folders, corner rounders, other
Nipping press
Staplers: regular or long-range
Paper Cutter and/or Ream cutter
Comfy chair(s) for reading
Large clean work tables; with or ability to add locking castors
20+ folding or stackable chairs
10+ stools; about 24” tall
Benches or pews
Cash donations will support build-out costs including electrical improvements, constructing new walls, adding connecting door between studios, painting, moving supplies, organizing, and cleaning.
Saturday & Sunday, September 8 & 9
11am – 7pm
along Division Street in Wicker Park
Join in on the fun with Spudnik Press as we print wood block t-shirts at Renegade Craft Fair!
We are also looking for volunteers to help out! Email brandy@spudnikpress.com if you are available to volunteer at one of the following times (2 people are needed for each shift):
Saturday, September 8
8:00am – 11:00am (set-up with Brandy)
10:30am – 2:00pm
1:30pm – 5:00pm
4:30pm – 8:00pm
Sunday, September 9
10:30am – 2:00pm
1:30pm – 5:00pm
4:30pm – 8:30pm (tear-down)
Special thanks to Pitchfork for featuring Spudnik’s Kickstarter campaign: The Gig Poster Project. Check out our campaign plus all the others featured as “special interests” on the Pitchfork page.
This October, meet Chicago’s artists at 200+ exhibitions, openings, demonstrations, tours, open studios and neighborhood art walks that take place at galleries, cultural centers and arts buildings throughout the city. Chicago Artists Month is presented by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. For more information, visit www.chicagoartistsmonth.org.