The Print Cast

Lino Bill Fick

Mon, 05 Jul 2021 22:00:00 -0700

You may know my guest today if you've ever encountered the Speedball Printmaking Posse, a print loving tour of artists that spread the gospel of printmaking while doing demos, handing out posters and samples of relief inks. He's even got his own namesake Super Graphic Black ink with Speedball. His name is Lino Bill Fick. His work is a bit rockabilly, can be viewed as deranged, and it captures the essence of his signature style of drawing which can be brushy, inky, and always graphic with intense black lines. Learn about his unusual beginnings abroad as the son of an oil company worker, how the Outlaw Printmakers started up, and hear about the book that he and Beth Grabowski published called "Printmaking: A complete guide to materials and process".

Today on Let's Get Technical, Lino Bill walks us through some of his best tips for linocut printmaking.

Check out Lino Bill on Instagram.
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Master Printer Kathy Caraccio

Sat, 27 Feb 2021 11:00:00 -0800

Kathy Caraccio is a New York based master printer who started out studying under Arun Bos at Hunter College in the 60's, and after graduating spent four years printing and absorbing all kinds of knowledge at Robert Blackburns Print Workshop. It was there she learned the ins and outs of being a collaborating printer and got glimpses into the world of dealing and collecting prints by watching Robert Blackburn sell the prints published in his studio. Her first publishing job was for Pace, before they had their own print operation, printing a commemorative suite of etchings for Louise Nevelson. She opened her studio and has been a printer for the past 43 years, printing for the likes of Ema Amos, Ed Clarke, Romaire Beardon, Sol LeWitt and many other artists. Kathy comes on the Print Cast to tell her story about she got into printmaking, what it was like working at Robert Blackburn's print studio, and stories of the many collaborations she has done since then.

Today’s Let’s Get Technical is all about Collagraph! Hear some great tips from the master herself.
-Using a PVC plastic or polystyrene plate (sintra is one brand )
-How to prepare the plate with a mesh that simulates an aquatint
-Adding collage materials...but not too much
-Printing the plate in intaglio and relief styles

See Kathy's collection and learn more about her at https://www.kcaracciocollection.com/
Follow Kathy on Instagram @kathyprint

Some other announcements:
Self Help Graphics is having its Biennial Print Summit over Zoom, March 10,11,12 of 2021. Check their website for more info. Selfhelpgraphics.com
Self Help Graphics in Los Angeles is also hiring a Master Printer with a specialty in Serigraphy. Learn more at selfhelpgraphics.com/opportunitites

Part 2 | Prints and Their Makers with Master Printer Phil Sanders

Tue, 02 Feb 2021 09:00:00 -0800

This episode is Part 2 of my conversation with Phil Sanders, author of Prints and Their Makers, a new book out from Princeton Architectural Press about artists and master printers and the processes that bring them together. If you haven’t heard Part 1, it precedes this episode in your feed so I encourage you to catch up before listening to this installment of The Print Cast.

If you are all caught up, then today is a treat for you because we’re about to embark on a lengthy Let’s Get Technical segment regarding relief printing, and other logistical things related to print publishing. Since it is rare that I have a guest like Phil, I wanted to indulge a bit over how to approach making a relief or block print, and he offers up some really helpful tips regarding printing, prepping, and even some creative ideas that might help you transcend your current working process.

At the end Phil tells us about where you can find his new book, and I encourage you to go out and pick up a copy. Find your local art book dealer and see if they have it, or feel free to order direct from my guest Phil Sanders. He even offers some collector editions which include hand pulled prints to go with this hefty addition to your print book collection.

Part 1 | Prints and Their Makers with Master Printer Phil Sanders

Wed, 27 Jan 2021 08:00:00 -0800

Author and Master Printmaker Phil Sanders comes on the podcast today in a two-part episode to discuss his new book Prints and Their Makers, a book that weaves connections between the tradition and techniques of printmaking developed over the course of human history. Phil Sanders is a master printer and publisher at PS Marlowe in Asheville, North Carolina. He is a former printer at ULAE, and former director at the Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop in New York City.

His book features publishers and artists who push the boundaries of the seven major processes: Relief, Intaglio, Chine Collé, Photogravure, Lithography, Monotype & Monoprint, and Screen Print. It's like taking a tour of the best print workshops around the globe that are operating today.

While it offers historical context, the book also invites us press-side with artists and master printers, giving insight into the decision making processes involved in making some truly impressive artworks. It's a treat for anyone who enjoys peeling apart the layers of how monumental prints are made.

One of the best parts of the book are the images and the artists featured. The images are bright, bold, and well presented, and you'll see many new artists' work that will be sure to inspire and delight as you flip through the pages. It's a fantastic book and we have a really enjoyable chat regarding all things print.

Today's episode is Part 1 of my interview with Phil Sanders, with Part 2 coming next week.
Enjoy!

Drawing Attention to the States of Change with Yoonmi Nam

Sat, 31 Oct 2020 14:00:00 -0700

Artist and professor Yoonmi Nam comes on the podcast to discuss her art, collaborations, exhibitions, and more. Nam is a professor at KU in Lawrence, KS, and we discuss her inspiration that comes from the world around her including her neighborhood and kitchen table. Nam is a lithographer, and Moku Hanga artist, and connects her passion for technical processes with content that speaks to ephemerality and convenience. Most of her art examines liminal spaces between states of change, and contradictions that exist in the things we use like how we use "disposable" goods packaged in plastics that will be around for the next 10,000 years. Her collaborative group Wood/Paper/Box is a long running project between three artists and we discuss how the group works together while apart, and upcoming shows and travel that connect to the work of the artist trio. Today's Let's Get Technical dives into damp pack paper storage, which you may need someday...maybe.

Check out Yoonmi online here.
Her instagram is here.

Follow The Print Cast on Instagram here.
Check out more episodes online.

Today's discussion involves:
How art resembling takeout food takes on new meaning in the pandemic world.
Toile wallpaper
SGCI New Orleans - print exchange
How construction and decay often look similar.
Living in a run down neighborhood where new development impacts the vintage neighborhood.
Flavor Paper - Brooklyn custom screen printed wallpaper
Mustard Seed Garden Manual for Painting
Wood/Paper/Box - a collaborative group where three artists exchange art works.
Moku Hanga Conference in Japan
All works during one project are contained into one box and become an exhibition.
Next exhibition of group due to happen in 2021 at The Beach Museum in Manhattan, KS
They are creating a custom edition as part of the show.
Their projects are interactive to view because they have to be taken from the box, handled, and moved around to view all the contents.
We talk about GAMPI!!! A favorite paper. So delicate, and yet so strong.
She started making sculptural objects in response to paper prints.
She likes to think about time in materials
The contradiction that disposable things are made in ultra-durable materials like plastic
Studying Moku Hanga in Japan
Viewing Mt. Fuji in daily life while in Japan
Doing a print residency in Japan learning Moku Hanga

Let’s Get Technical
Using a Damp Pack:
Moku Hanga paper is typically prepared so that it is moist before printing
How to dampen your printing paper, not fully wet, but moist and ready to take ink
Using damp newsprint, and a sheet of plastic of trash bag
Taking humidity and paper thickness into account
Maintain right amount of moisture throughout editioning
Don’t leave it sit for too many days, or the damp pack can grow bacteria and ruin paper

Linocut, my one true love, with Kari Kristensen aka The Printmaker and Her Dog

Thu, 22 Oct 2020 12:00:00 -0700

Today I’ve got a great conversation to share with you featuring an artist you may recognize as The Printmaker and Her Dog, or for non-instagram people, her name is Kari Kristensen. Kari is a relief printmaker based in Vancouver, Canada where she pumps out iterations of her stylized landscape prints. Kari has a great presence on social media, and there’s something really appealing about the type of work she does. It’s simple, monochromatic, and presents a field of view that makes you want to jump in and get lost amidst the lines and dots she carefully renders. We get into topics around the origins and influences behind her landscapes, lots of Canada-related discussion, and we share some love for our favorite papers and relief printing methods. Speaking of relief printing, there are a couple priceless tips today in our Let’s Get Technical segment, so hang in because you won’t want to miss them.

We get into...
Art in Canada
Group of 7 painters
London Regionalist Movement
Being an artist from Ontario
Creating uniquely Canadian art
Speaking with an accent...or thinking you don’t have one.
Artist Ken Danby - artist who did image of hockey players
Linocut
Vancouver peaks called The Two Lions
Granville Island - printing press capital of Canada
Peter Brauhn - master printmaker on Granville Island
Thomas Printing Presses - vancouver press maker
Calvert Guthrie - printshop manager in Kansas City
BIMPE - biennial print exchange
Doing murals that convey the quality of prints
Living with Arithmomania, the OCD condition
Making flat prints that appear digital
Dave Lefner relief prints

Today’s Let’s Get Technical:
How to treat lino before starting
Maintaining all types of tools including speedball cutters
Big love for #1 blade speedball carving tools
Takach Rollers for extra nice ink rolling

East Side Culture Crawl in Vancouver
Favorite Paper: Arnhem 1618 (245gsm) from Blick
Let's not forget the luscious Arches 88
Having multiple revenue streams: studio crawls, gallery sales, art rentals,
Squarespace online sales portal - posting featured works and not overwhelming buyers
Having a dog keeps you in touch with life outside the studio
How being gay and having OCD lead to a life with linocut

Printmakers Against Racism w/ Desiree Aspiras

Sat, 25 Jul 2020 23:00:00 -0700

Printmakers Against Racism is a project that launches today, on the day of this recording July 25th, 2020. Desiree Aspiras is the founder of the project which aims to engage printmakers across the world to sell their printss and donate the proceeds to support the fight against systemic racial injustice. In lieu of the project launch, Desiree and I discuss the motivation behind the project, and how a similar movement called @bakersagainstracism provided her with a frame work to set up this global art sale. Learn how Instagram closed her account causing her to rename her handle with little explanation why it happened at all. Desiree is an artist, poet, and therapist, so she has a lot of thoughtful insight into how it's important to take care of ourselves to be able to show up for others.
If you still want to sign up, it's simple to get involved, just go to http://printmakersagainstracism.com and sign up. It's up to participants to sell their works and once the funding is collected they can choose the local organization where they would like the proceeds to benefit.
The sale runs for one week, July 25th-July 31st, though the parameters are loose enough that you can still sign up even as the project is launching, and there isn't a hard deadline for when you have to sell your prints. It's really about giving artists a prompt to get making art for a good cause. Check out the project and participate in any way you can.

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Getting Real w/ Louisville's Smoketown Printshop Calliope Arts

Wed, 22 Jul 2020 16:00:00 -0700

Joining me on The Print Cast are Rudy Salgado Jr. and Susanna Crum of Calliope Arts in Louisville, KY. They are an artist couple who run their studio on the first floor of the building they live in near downtown Louisville. We talk about C-19, a print publishing project they started during quarantine that benefits KY and Southern Indiana artists. Our discussion about the pandemic transitioned into politics in their area including protests, BLM arrests at the mayor's residence, and the ongoing struggle to get justice for Breonna Taylor and others. Other mentions and topics are listed below. Take a listen and learn about Louisville's mainstay public printshop.

Check out Calliope Arts Online
Follow Calliope Arts on Instagram
Follow Rudy Salgado Jr.
Follow Susanna Crum
Follow The Print Cast

Mentions:

Chickens and gardening
ISU where she teaches
Calliope Arts
Community Art Center in Danneville KY
Speed Art Museum
Being an LLC instead of a non-profit for flexibility
C-19 Publishing Project launched as a pivot from COVID-19
-artists work on a matrix and send it back for editioning
-Artist Relief Trust - to help KY artists, partnership between the maker, the studio, and the relief trust. The project has raised over $1200 at the publishing of this episode.
-Collect new prints and support a good cause
-Jim James of My Morning Jacket made a print
-Ron Whitehead made a print
-Hannah Drake - local poet made a print
Life during the pandemic in Louisville, KY
The oncoming reality of schools closing to in-person teaching for the rest of 2020
Dirty looks and comments for wearing a mask in public.
Developing curriculum for at-home learning
Black Lives Matter - Louisville perspective
Breonna Taylor
How police broke into Breonna Taylor’s home and killed her while the suspect they were searching for was already in custody
David McAtee was killed by police at a summer protest in Louisville, and conveniently no body camera footage was available from the incident.
Navigating a relationship with a neighbor who has polar opposite political beliefs
Youth Build
Embracing the introvert in you to survive a pandemic
Susanna Crum is currently the President of Mid American Print Council, and she gives a MAPC 2020 Conference Update

The Untold Histories of "The Women of Atelier 17" with Author Christina Weyl

Tue, 30 Jun 2020 14:00:00 -0700

If you're a printmaker, I hope you've heard of Atelier 17.

The widely acclaimed mid-century Manhattan print studio was known for being an inclusive environment to make and expand the craft of printmaking. My guest today is Christina Weyl, author of a new book "The Women of Atelier 17: Modernist Printmaking in Midcentury New York."

Christina Weyl is an author and art historian and independent scholar and curator. She earned a BA from Georgetown University and my MA and PhD in Art History from Rutgers University. Formerly, she was the director of Gemini G.E.L. at Joni Moisant Weyl, a gallery in New York City that represents the print publications of the Los Angels-based artists’ workshop, Gemini G.E.L.

She writes about midcentury American printmaking and women artists.

Get ready for some history. I think you'll get a lot out of this one.

On today’s show with Christina Weyl, we’re talking about:

The New School in mid-century
Louise Nevelson
The influence of Stanley William Hayter
Atelier 17
Dorothy Dainer
Louise Bourgeois
Print technique spotlight: Engraving
Sue Fuller’s innovative fabric collage work in soft ground etching
Let’s Get Technical! ~ How a common kitchen staple became ubiquitous in every printshop for Sugar Lift.
Masculinizing technical terminology
Why materials limited printmaking’s evolution towards becoming monumental
James Ehlers
Ashton Ludden
Andrew Raffterty
And tons more…

Enjoy!

This is not a time for neutrality | BLM

Tue, 23 Jun 2020 20:00:00 -0700

The Print Cast supports Black Lives Matter and believes in justice for those who have been oppressed by systemic racism. I've been making time to reflect and to learn about the issues at hand, and I am reflecting on how I can be involved and support the movement. I'm going to work to make sure this podcast is part of the healing and change that this world needs. I believe that artists can be a powerful component in movements for change, and the content I produce moving forward will most definitely take that into account.

Join me and support Black Lives Matter

Press On | Fifth Edition featuring Josh Dannin and Todd Irwin, the co-publishers of Power Washer Zine

Fri, 22 May 2020 19:00:00 -0700

Today’s edition of Press On with The Print Cast was wrapped up on Thursday May 22nd, in the year 2020, over 8 weeks into my stay-at-home shut-down. For this fifth edition I’ve got a longer interview for you, so it will only be one today, featuring Josh Dannin of Directangle Press and Todd Irwin of Bitmap Press, the co-publishers of Power Washer Zine.
Today’s talk is a fresh one, to say the least, and full of print jargon and technical talks. We run the gamut from how long to flash dry a toasted cheese sandwich, to what kind of mesh count is recommended for getting good coverage when printing with cheese balls, We go deep about the struggle to find the best supportive printshop footwear.
Also included today is a special opener showcasing the sounds of Los Angeles where we scream and cheer as a neighborhood each night at 8pm. It's quite an audible delight really, and a lot of fun if you live here because we just scream our hearts out together!

Feed & Delivery Links:

Why Conspiracy Theories Have Become the Most Influential Art Form of Our Time
How Art History Can Help Explain the Stunning Rise of Conspiracy Theories That Is Defining Our Time
Power washer Zine #8 Download
Hand Painted Sign Rennaisance
Outlaw Printmaker Podcast
That 1960s Revolution of the Underground Press is Still Alive & Well
Fun Printmaker-ly Letterpress Newsletter

Press On | Fourth Edition featuring Robynn Smith of Print Day in May and Luther Davis of Powerhouse Arts

Fri, 01 May 2020 18:00:00 -0700

Today on The Print Cast, it's the fourth edition of our series Press On, something we launched as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. I want to talk directly to printmakers about how this situation impacts their lives, their businesses, and how they'll keep busy through the shutdown of daily life. Each iteration of the series will bring you stories directly from artists and we'll keep them coming as long as this situation persists.
Today's edition was wrapped up on May 1st, 2020. In Part 1, Robynn Smith from Print Day in May tells us of the upcoming print holiday on May 2nd. Join in with the celebration and share a print your making, and if you hashtag sponsors, you could win a rad prize. More info here.
Part 2 of today's episode features screen printer Luther Davis of Powerhouse Arts. I had Luther on to talk about a recent Jenny Holzer print he did while under quarantine with fellow artist Leslie Diuguid. Together they pulled the B.A.T. while wearing masks and gloves, so that the edition could be sold to raise money for Earth Day.
Also starting us off is my news service that I'm now dubbing Feed and Delivery: News for the Graphically Curious. You can look forward to this as a component of future podcasts, and maybe after COVID-19 it will become a stand alone podcast feed for mini episodes each week. For now, check out Press On while it runs on The Print Cast feed and you'll hear the latest each week.
More to come and let me know if you want to share anything via the Press On series.

Check out the Print Cast website here for more info.

London Original Fair
Ladies of Letterpress Conference Survey
Houston Art Museum - Documents of Latin America and Latino Art
Geoff McFettridge Drawings About Pandemic Life
Join Print Day in May
NMSU University Art Museum - Channeling the Nuances of Motherhood Into Art
Artist Mother Podcast - Episode 55 with Curator Marisa Sage
Hyperallergic review of Channeling the Nuances of Motherhood into Art
Artist Relief Fund Grant Application

Press On | Third Edition featuring Matthew Dols of The Wise Fool Podcast and Landscape Printmaker Laura Boswell

Tue, 21 Apr 2020 16:00:00 -0700

Today on The Print Cast, it's the third edition of our series Press On, something we launched as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. I want to talk directly to printmakers about how this situation impacts their lives, their businesses, and how they'll keep busy through the shutdown of daily life. Each iteration of the series will bring you stories directly from artists and we'll keep them coming as long as this situation persists.
Today's edition was wrapped up on April 20, 2020. In Part 1, Matthew Dols from The Wise Fool Podcast comes on the show to tell us about what life is like in Prague during the shut down.
Part 2 of today's episode features printmaker Laura Boswell from the UK. Laura has been making daily instructional videos about her style of lino printing during the shutdown and it's been getting a lot of great response on Instagram and Youtube. She also does a weekly podcast called Ask an Artist where she and her co-host Peter Keegan talk to artists in their community. It was great to catch up with Laura and to learn about how she juggles art production and content creation. If you haven't seen her videos yet, check em out on Youtube here.
More to come and let me know if you want to share anything via the Press On series.

Check out the Print Cast website here for more info.

London Original Fair
Normal Editions ISU - Printmaker Interrupted
SGCI 2021 | Providence Open Call
Judith Rothchild at Emanuel Von Baeyer | Mezzotints
Art for Solidarity at Gerrish Fine Art
Louise Bourgeois at Peter Blum Gallery
Warhol at Sims Reed LTD
Mixografia | Making Art with John Baldessari
New Prints Open Call at IPCNY
Artist Relief Fund Grant Application

Laura Boswell on Instagram
Laura Boswell online

Support The Print Cast on Patreon

Press On | Second Edition featuring Joseph Velasquez of Drive By Press and Sarah Kirk Hanley from Manhattan Graphics Center

Fri, 03 Apr 2020 16:00:00 -0700

Today's episode of The Print Cast is the second edition of a limited series I’m calling Press On, Press On is a series that looks at the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the printmaking community. Each of these bonus episodes brings you stories from printmaking artists and arts administrators speaking to how this situation impacts their lives, what’s happening with print shops and businesses, and how they are adapting to new challenges.
Today's first guest is Joseph Velasquez, co-founder of Drive By Press. We talk about teaching, making art about Star Trek, and what it's like developing printing technology from scratch using ready made materials.
Second on the show is Sarah Kirk Hanley, the executive director of the Manhattan Graphics Center in NYC. With the closing of most public spaces, it leaves community printshops without access to programs, equipment, and most importantly community. We discuss how she is working to keep everyone connected, and we also chat about funding and how to keep non profit spaces going during difficult times like this.
Lots of links today so check out the following if you are looking for interesting print-related things to do online.

Daily Art World Corona Virus Report | Hyperallergic
A Sudanese Printmaker Radiates Light from Darkness | Hyperallergic
Germany's Sweeping Aid Package for the Arts | Artnet
Virtual Gallery - Wrong is Right: Remembering John Baldessari | Mixografia
IPCNY Virtual Gallery | IPCNY + Hyperallergic
National Emergency Library | Archive.org
Google Arts and Culture
Art is Where the Home Is | Greyson Perry and Antony Gormley
Tom Huck Evil Prints
Steve Martin Playing Banjo in his Backyard
Slow Rush in An Imaginary Place | Tame Impala
The Last Days of the Art World … and Perhaps the First Days of a New One | Jerry Saltz + Vulture

Donate to The Print Cast Patreon
Learn more at our website
Thanks, wash your hands, stay safe everyone.

Press On | First Edition featuring Joey Gross of Public Print Co, James Black of 111 Shirt Lab, and print professor Yoonmi Nam from University of Kansas

Thu, 26 Mar 2020 18:00:00 -0700

Today on podcast, we’re doing a special edition called Press On, a series launched as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. I want to talk directly to printmakers about how this situation impacts their lives, their businesses, and how they’ll keep busy through the shut down of daily life. Each iteration of this series will bring you stories from 3 artists and we’ll keep em coming as long as this situation persists.

Today’s edition was recorded Saturday March 21st of 2020. In Part 1 of today’s edition of Press On, we talk with Joey Gross from Public Print Co in Kansas City. Joey and Andrew were featured on Episode 4 of the Print Cast. We talk about the new line of postcards they've produced at Public and they're online now if you are looking for some affordable and tasteful things to mail to friends during the coming weeks. You can find those here.

Second on the show is James Black from 111ShirtLab in Albuquerque, NM. They do lots of public educational programs, and also custom posters, intaglio, litho, relief and t-shirts. With business down, we discuss ways they are keeping busy including making masks and other DIY ways of working.

Finally Yoonmi Nam, professor of printmaking at KU, comes on the show to catch us up on what's happening with the virus in Lawrence, KS. She talks about recent travels and how the effects of the pandemic have been slowly building in the past few weeks. You can look forward to an interview with Yoonmi real soon, but for now check out her art which is super cool here.

Check out The Print Cast online here.
On Instagram here.

Introducing: Press On, a limited series on the impacts of COVID-19 on the print community.

Mon, 23 Mar 2020 15:00:00 -0700

In the new limited audio series from the maker of The Print Cast, host Nick Naughton invites listeners onto the podcast to share about how the Coronavirus pandemic is affecting their lives and livelihoods. In the spirit of community, we're opening the lines to share stories of how we're coping, how we're printing from home, and how we're going to maintain some semblance of the lives we've lived until now. We're in it together, and we will Press On...eventually.
To take part, email Nick at info@theprintcast.com
Or DM him on Instagram @theprintcast

Episode 1 of Press On launches this week featuring Joey Gross of the letterpress shop Public Print Co in Kansas City, Missouri, artist and KU Professor Yoonmi Nam in Lawrence, Kansas, and James Black of 111 Shirt Lab in Albuquerque, NM.

Episodes of Press On drop in The Print Cast podcast feed weekly starting Tuesday March 24th, 2020.

Art, Business and Activism with Karl LaRocca, founder of Brooklyn's Kayrock Screen Printing

Mon, 16 Mar 2020 15:00:00 -0700

Today's guest on The Print Cast is Karl LaRocca, the owner of Kayrock Screen Printing in Brooklyn, New York. If you've checked out what they do, you would see a huge array of goods that they make including artist editions, artist books, and rad merch. One famous tee Kayrock produced that we discuss briefly was a Bert and Ernie design (Designed by Daniel Davidson) from 2016 for then candidate for President Bernie Sanders. They do a lot of custom work for candidates and political organizations as a result of projects like that.
Karl has a very mathematical mind as you'll come to hear in this episode, and we discuss polygons in relation to Karl's personal artist book projects. We nerd out about some technical aspects of pulling prints, and today's Let's Get Technical is not to be missed.
If you haven't please check out my Patreon to support the ongoing production of this podcast. Ongoing support helps keep the show online, and will help future needs like trips to print events, travelling interview tours, and more. Every little bit helps!

Kayrock Website
Kayrock Instagram

The Print Cast Website
The Print Cast Instagram

Brooklyn Screen Printer Leslie Diuguid of Du-Good Press

Wed, 19 Feb 2020 08:00:00 -0800

Leslie Diuguid joins the podcast today to talk screen printing, both in how she runs her own publishing shop and her day job as a fabricator for Powerhouse Arts in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. We discuss her journey to New York, some of the artists she trained with, and what she's up to now with her publishing operation which goes on after hours and in between her other activities. Family is a huge influence on Leslie's life, and we learn about how her father and grandfather influenced what she does. She discusses her involvement with The Black Women of Print, an online group that shares support for past, current, and future black women printmakers. It's a lively fun discussion, recorded in New York last fall while working at the IFPDA. Links below to learn more.

Leslie's Instagram
Du-Good Press Instagram
Powerhouse Arts
Black Women of Print
Ifpda Instagram
The Print Cast Instagram
The Print Cast Online

The Print Cast Patreon - Buy me a cup of coffee!

The World of Woodcut With Valerie Lueth of Tugboat Printshop

Wed, 29 Jan 2020 23:00:00 -0800

Woodcut is the name of the game in today's episode. Valerie Lueth of Tugboat Printshop joins me on the podcast to talk about the work she produces in her garage studio in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Tugboat has been running for a long time, and Valerie really has a system figured out to make a living selling woodcut relief prints. She keeps it simple and follows her interests, and all throughout her work you can see a consistent voice and style that is indelibly Tugboat. Today we talk about everything related to carving wood including tools and process, as well as how she runs the business side of her operation. With 12 years under her belt, she's definitely got a lot of insight to share and I hope it's interesting and useful to all of you print hustlers out there.

Check out Tugboat Printshop on Instagram
Tugboat Printshop's Website

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Listen and read more about the show on our website.

The IFPDA Sessions | Swoon and The Living History of Contemporary Printmaking

Wed, 15 Jan 2020 08:00:00 -0800

Today on the podcast is another live program from the IFPDA print fair in the fall of 2019. This week we have Swoon, aka Caledonia Curry, on stage speaking about her installation that greeted fair attendees at the entrance to the Javits Center. Swoon goes into detail about her love of printmaking, and the various ways she uses the medium in her art. Interestingly the conversation centers around etching, though it's one technique that Swoon doesn't do often and when she does it's with master printmakers.
Speaking with Swoon are Nadine Orenstein, the Drue Heinz Curator in Charge, Department of Drawings & Prints, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Jenny Gibbs, executive director of the IFPDA, and the talk is moderated by Sarah Douglas, Editor-in-Chief of ARTnews. Talks like this always leave you wanting more, and it's a great perspective into the mind of an artist that I find super inspiring. This year was the first time they invited an artist to do a project in the space during the print fair, and I'm sure it won't be the last.

Swoon's Website
Swoon's Instagram

IFPDA Website

The Print Cast on Instagram
The Print Cast Website

The IFPDA Sessions | Phil Sanders, JP Russell, and James Nares on The Collaborative Process of Fine Art Printmaking

Thu, 19 Dec 2019 09:00:00 -0800

Today on the podcast, we join a discussion called The Collaborative Process of Fine Art Printmaking: Phil Sanders in Conversation with James Nares and Jean-Paul Russell. James Nares is an English artist who has been working in New York since the 1970’s.
In discussion with Nares are Phil Sanders and Jean Paul Russell. Sanders is the founder of PS Marlowe, a creative services consultancy firm focused on sustainable careers in the arts and cultural development through entrepreneurship and service. He was previously the COO of The Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts & Director of The Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop. Jean Paul Russell is co-owner and master printmaker at Durham Press in Durham Pennsylvania. The Print Cast recorded this episode on Friday October 25th in partnership with the IFPDA. Big thanks to everyone at IFPDA, and to Ann Marshall, James Nares, Phil Sanders, and Jean Paul Russell for agreeing to share this audio today.

James Nares Website
Phil Sanders | PS Marlow
Durham Press
IFPDA Website

Let's Leave a Press in Puerto Rico Campaign

The Print Cast on Instagram
The Print Cast Website

Chicago's Community Printmaking Scene with Angee Lennard of Spudnik Press

Wed, 27 Nov 2019 08:00:00 -0800

Today’s episode features the founder of a community printshop in Chicago. Angee Lennard started Spudnik Press with a drive to create something that could serve a community of artists, and create a hub where people could work together, share equipment, and teach others about the printing arts. It’s not a simple business to run, and it takes a lot of elbow grease and persistence to create this type of print studio and make it sustainable, Spudnik Press has been going for 13 years now, which is pretty incredible considering it started in Angee’s apartment. The artists there work together to maintain the space and activate it with lots of programs including publishing prints with outside guest artists. This is a good episode if you love print and the community it fosters.

Spudnik Press on Instagram
The Print Cast on Instagram
More Episodes from The Print Cast

Leave A Press Campaign on Indiegogo
Lithosphere Campaign on Kickstarter

Day 4 | The Print Cast Daily - Live from the IFPDA 2019 in New York

Sun, 27 Oct 2019 08:00:00 -0700

It's the final day of the IFPDA Fine Art Print Fair and it's been quite an adventure. Yesterday I interviewed Leslie DiuGuid from Du-Good Press and so I go into a bit of what we talked about. Today some of my favorite programming is going to happen. First we'll be meeting some of the artists who have work up on the walls this year. That should be a great treat and following that at 2pm is a discussion with Swoon about contemporary etching with Jenny Gibbs who is the executive director of the IFPDA. I haven't heard Swoon talk much before, so it will be interesting to hear about her art and what she has been up to in recent years. Thanks for tuning into this special series of The Print Cast and thanks to the IFPDA for having me!

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Day 3 | The Print Cast Daily - Live from the IFPDA 2019 in New York

Sat, 26 Oct 2019 07:00:00 -0700

Today on this mini episode of The Print Cast I recount a very busy day yesterday, Friday October 25th at the IFPDA Print Fair in New York. It was a busy day with Jeff Koons and Christophe Cherix discussing his work including his newest editions on view at The Two Palms booth here at the fair. It was a very illuminating talk that I can't wait to post here on the pod, but today I offer some brief details to entice you about what's to come on the show in the coming weeks.
Next I did interviews with Karl LaRocca from Kayrock Screenprinting and master printer Kathy Caraccio, both who work here in the city. Each of those interviews were different in style and form, and you'll be able to hear those talks later after I have time to edit it all together for your listening pleasure. Kathy's interview was especially lively and funny, so I recount some of the more vibrant aspects of our time on stage.
Two more talks finished the day from the fair programs. One was a conversation between artist Jamie Nares and JP Russell facilitated by Phil Sanders and a talk about how to collect prints with Helen Rosslyn from the London Original Print Fair.
Not only all that, but I also detail what's coming next including an awards presentation and discussion with artists Mel Bochner and Matthew Day Jackson with print collector Jordan Schnitzer. Jim Dine is also joining us Saturday in conversation with Master Printers Ruth Lingen and Julia D'Amario. I'll also be interviewing Leslie DiuGuid at the end of the day, which I am very excited about. There's a lot going on, my voice is getting raspy and tired, and I hope you enjoy hearing about the fair and what you can look forward to in audio for the Print Cast coming soon. Everything I record here will be shared with the podcast and online with the IFPDA, so you can all look forward to some great audio content in the coming months. Stay tuned!

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Day 2 | The Print Cast Daily - Live from the IFPDA 2019 in New York

Fri, 25 Oct 2019 07:00:00 -0700

Coming to you live today at the IFPDA in New York. Check out this episode to hear what's going on in New York for Print Week if you can't be here to see it in person. Today I go over the happenings yesterday like my talk with master printer Craig Zammiello of Two Palms. We discussed photogravure, his specialty, and I give some detail today on how I think I've been misrepresenting that technique by calling all kinds of other printed things by that name. In fact, there is one material that is hardly available today that makes the process of photogravure possible, and Craig tells us all about it.
I also get into the prints I've been seeing and some of my perspective on some prints that really have hit me. I'm exploring the publishers' booths at the fair each day to see who is making great new work, and trying to meet the people who facilitate that print work. Two artists I'm enjoying are Swoon and Mickalene Thomas, both of whom are printing with Tandem Press out of Madison, Wisconsin. Midwest in the house! I also love the woodcuts of Chitra Ganesh at Durham Press because they're simple, black and white, and carry a lot of power in the message behind the work.
Today at the fair Jeff Koons talks about the state of multiples in the art world, and I'll be making time to interview Karl LaRocca of Kayrock Screenprinting and Kathy Caraccio who runs K. Caraccio Printshop where she is master printer and has been collaborative printing for 40 years. After that Phil Sanders leads a discussion also about collaborative printing. It seems to be the theme of this type of event, so you'll be learning a lot about how artists and printers navigate working together. More to come so keep following The Print Cast to hear more about what's happening around the big apple this weekend.

The Print Cast Daily - Live from the IFPDA 2019 in New York

Thu, 24 Oct 2019 08:00:00 -0700

Today on this special edition of The Print Cast, I'll be recording at the IFPDA fine art print fair in New York. This is the first daily installment about what's going on here during Print Week including lots of up-close-and-personal content captured at the fair. The IFPDA is a big fair of galleries and print publishers showcasing some of the best prints being made today. Today I'll be on site recording a talk about collecting fine print works. Later I'll be doing my first live recording of the podcast! Master Printer Craig Zammiello will be on hand discussing his use of photograveur while working at ULAE and Two Palms here in New York. There's a lot to take in, and each day at the fair I'll be posting updates about happenings and events so stay tuned for more great audio.

You can look forward to more content from the fair in the coming weeks being broadcast directly from The Print Cast feed. Some of this includes a discussion with Jeff Koons about the state of multiples today. Also Swoon will be on hand to discuss her latest installations and work, some of which is included in a new show about contemporary etching that opened this week at MOMA. All that and more from this special edition of The Print Cast. Subscribe so you don't miss out!

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Navajo/Dine Artist Melanie Yazzie on Storytelling

Wed, 16 Oct 2019 09:00:00 -0700

Artist Melanie Yazzie joins Nick on this triumphant return-to-broadcast Print Cast episode. They discuss her art, and the significant role that her heritage plays in her art practice and her life. Yazzie is a professor at University of Colorado, Boulder and her work is a mixture of print with other media, but overall she likes doing unique works. Her monotypes tell stories in such poetic ways and it was great to hear in her own words why she makes the work she does. She's widely known in the print world, hosts print exchanges and other programs, and she travels and takes her work and her teaching to indigenous peoples all around the globe. She's a grounded, inspiring artist, and we hope you enjoy this conversation.

Check out her work at her wikipedia page.

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Part 2 | For the Love of Multiples with The Little Friends of Printmaking

Tue, 16 Jul 2019 08:00:00 -0700

The conversation continues with part 2 of my interview with The Little Friends of Printmaking. We talk about the various aspects of their business, and how they focus on quality of life, not on expansion. They've got a children's book in the works, so we get the dish on how that is going! They do lots of visiting artist gigs at colleges, and we discuss logistics for those types of opportunities and they talk about the wonderful benefits of spending time and working with students all over the country. We also talk about what it looks like to work with dream clients, and we delve into the age old feud between fine art and commercial printing. They’ve got a terrific dynamic that carries us through, so I hope you enjoy this final installment of my interview with The Little Friends of Printmaking. At the end we pitch the concept for The Dave Kloc Appreciation Society, so be on the lookout because the organizational meeting is coming for that soon. Oh and Cat Con...yeah, of course, there’s more cat stuff.

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Part 1 | For the Love of Multiples with The Little Friends of Printmaking

Mon, 08 Jul 2019 21:00:00 -0700

It's another raucous interview with a couple of LA's most renowned screen printers! This time, Nick sits down in the live/work studio of The Little Friends of Printmaking to discuss their art, travels and print hustling lifestyle. Of course, we go over Melissa and James' midwest upbringings and then we discuss their college years at UW Madison and other influential moments in the early years when the couple met and fell in love with print and each other.
They talk about their travels through Japan where they've visited in recent years, and how their work changes shape to accommodate selling prints on the road. Recently the duo was hosted as the Feature Artisans at Disneyland's WonderGround Gallery. They share about their interactions with the public and the benefits of keeping in touch with their audience. With a popular style and the speed of information today, they have to keep their work fresh because it's one thing to make popular prints, but it's another to constantly stay ahead of the curve in our social media age. It's the pod's second interview in a row where we lament the greatness of gigposters.com.
And then there's the cat stuff, the glorious cat stuff.

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Stoked About Gig Posters with Illustrator Dave Kloc

Tue, 18 Jun 2019 09:00:00 -0700

Episode 10 of the pod features an interview with artist Dave Kloc. I journeyed North to LA's Atwater district and hung with Dave in his garage studio. We recounted war stories from our shops, and talked about all things gig poster. We talk about some of the best illustrators and designers working today in the poster realm, and there's an overwhelming passion present throughout the whole episode. Dave does Flatstock a couple times a year, makes a poster a week, and doesn't even have time anymore to do the printing. So now he collaborates with some of the best printers in the US, and his output is better than ever before. Did you see his recent piece for The Washington Post? He's everywhere, and today he's my guest on the Print Cast.

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See the show notes with all of our references listed

Collaborative Printing in New Zealand with Auckland Print Studio

Tue, 04 Jun 2019 08:00:00 -0700

Episode 9 of The Print Cast features a discussion with John Pusateri and Jan Philip Raath who together run Auckland Print Studio in Point Chevalier, New Zealand. It's one of the few studios in NZ offering litho, intaglio, relief and other print services to artists who want to create editions. We talk business models as they try to search for a way to move forward towards sustainability with print sales and program expansion. It is never clear what the most optimal model is for running a shop, but after 10 years they have created a solid foundation for their next steps forward. If you've ever been curious what it would take to do printmaking in far-off locales, this one is for you.

Check out Auckland Print Studio on Instagram.
See their services and learn about their residency.

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Part 2 | The Power of Political Satire with Artist Enrique Chagoya

Wed, 29 May 2019 08:00:00 -0700

In Part 2 of Nick's interview with Enrique Chagoya, they do a deep dive into his art. They discuss the history of the codex book format, dating back to pre-columbian times, and why it's a relevant format for Chagoya's art. If you recall, it was a lithographic codex that was vandalized in Loveland, Colorado, and we recounted the entire incident in Part 1 of this interview. We go on to talk about appropriation and specifically artists who create art on top of other artists' work. Chagoya calls prints unique multiples, which implies they possess a similar aura like that of unique works of art. The artist shares how he maintains work-life balance, why meditation helps his daily life, and how he keeps going with a busy teaching and art career.

Part 1 | The Power of Political Satire with Artist Enrique Chagoya

Tue, 21 May 2019 14:00:00 -0700

Nick sits down with artist Enrique Chagoya, in Part 1 of a two-part series. Enrique Chagoya is an artist who inverts cultural appropriation in a manner he calls “Reverse Anthropology”. With a deft wit, his paintings, drawings, prints and codices use “symbols as one would use words in a sentence,” often with hilarious and biting results. At times his art can even arouse misinterpretation, negative press, and even vandalism. Nevertheless he persists and continues to tackle subjects like sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, racism, xenophobia, and pop culture, to name a few. Present in all of his work is humor, thoughtful juxtapositions, and myriad references harkening back to other artists’ work, pop icons, figures of government, and his Mexican heritage. It can be disarming to view his work, where you might be laughing and unsettled at the same time. And that is the power of his art; it is intended not to change minds but provoke conversation and dialog.

Chagoya is currently Professor of Art at Stanford University. His work has been shown internationally and is represented in the collections of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the LA County Museum of Art, the National Museum of American Art, the Des Moines Art Center, the Whitney, MOMA, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Check out his work here.
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SoCal Community Printmaking with Printshop LA

Tue, 07 May 2019 10:00:00 -0700

Imagine a space where you can spend an afternoon screen printing your own band merch? Or finally learn how to use a Risograph machine to print your own zine? Maybe you want to enroll in a class; maybe make an etching or a woodcut? It can be difficult to find the space and amass the needed tools and learning the techniques is another huge hurdle. Today in Los Angeles, there is one place where you can attempt to do all of that and more. Nestled in Chinatown, sharing a space with an art book seller A.G. Geiger, 4 artists run a communal printmaking studio called Printshop LA. These artists come from diverse backgrounds with personal art practices that dovetail with the mission of the shop. It reflects the vitality of LA’s art scene where artists often have to join forces to make an impact and create opportunities. By combining business models, they not only enhance their individual practices but also extend a lifeline to artists and the public who would love to share their equipment and resources. Printshop LA is Michelle Miller, Jayse Caitlin, Sean Hernandez and Dave Kloc. I welcome three of the four founding members today where we’ll talk about their pursuit of making printmaking accessible in Los Angeles.

Check out all three artists on Instagram
Press Friends aka Sean Hernandez
Heavy Gel aka Jayse Caitlin
Michelle Miller
Printshop LA

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Southern Graphics Conference International with Artist Margot Myers

Tue, 23 Apr 2019 07:00:00 -0700

Margot Myers joins the show to discuss site a specific installation and what it’s like to be a volunteer board member for the largest printmaking conference in the US.
She is an intaglio print artist working in Bellingham, Washington, running a studio called Runaway Press where she creates her work, maintains a thriving batik business, and offers classes and events. Margot is also a volunteer board member for Southern Graphics Conference International and is serving a two-year term as treasurer for the non-profit that runs the event.
With the 2019 conference recently taking place in Dallas, Texas, I invited her onto the show to tell me about her work on the board and what it’s like to help stage the conference versus attending. She gives some perspective on this year's event and gives us an eye into what we can expect in the years to come. We discuss programming, and particularly how the conference strives to provide content for all types of audiences including for first-timers like her student who joined her this year. Margot also installed a large scale print-stallation on an outdoor staircase this year, and she shares how that experience opened her eyes to the dynamics of foot traffic and whether or not viewers choose to tread on the art itself. She is interested in how some passers by avoid walking on the work, while others are oblivious to what is under their feet as they ascend the stairs.
This is a great episode for anyone who is curious about how art non-profits work, especially organizations that turn over their leadership every two years. How do they create continuity? Do they have systems that help one year inform the next? Steering committees for each new city change over as well, thus leaving each year to define itself in its local context.
The next conference is going to be in San Juan, Puerto Rico and it’s the first time that the organization is bringing the event to that territory. That conference is being called Puertografico and information to participate should be available soon.

More info about SGCI: www.sgcinternational.org

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Check out her work: www.runaway.press

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Letterpress Startup Public Print and Supply Co

Tue, 02 Apr 2019 00:00:00 -0700

Starting a letterpress shop isn't easy, and it takes time. In this episode I talk with Andrew Myers and Joey Gross of Public Print and Supply Co in Kansas City. They're a new printshop in town, but not new to the print game. With three months under their belts, we discuss the difficulty of self branding and previous businesses and shops where they both have worked. I inquire about the types of business they want to cater to, but also what they see for the future. With the start up phase of any business being rather mercurial, the future could result in many outcomes. It's an exciting time for Joey and Andrew and this episode gives us a tiny view of what it's like behind the press in a new studio and what that looks like in the early stages of development.

Public Print and Supply Co is Andrew Myers and Joey Gross (formerly of Survival Letterpress) and is located in the West Bottoms district in Kansas City, Missouri.

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Artist Duo Sandow Birk and Elyse Pignolet

Tue, 19 Mar 2019 00:00:00 -0700

Episode 3 of The Print Cast features an interview with painter Sandow Birk and ceramicist Elyse Pignolet; two artists who collaborate in marriage and in art. We talk about their numerous large scale printmaking projects over the years. Working with Master Printer workshops they execute intaglio, relief and lithographic editions delving into political topics ranging from war, democracy, to the constitution. By appropriating formats, compositions, and production methods from historical artists and printmakers, they manage to create art that is poignant and contemporary while also being timeless.
We discuss projects like their woodcut Depravities of War, Imaginary Monuments, and their recent project American Procession. It's a great interview and gives a lot of perspective on the Master Printer and artist relationship from the artist's point of view. They also demonstrate the power of collaboration in art and in a marriage where two creatives are making powerful work for themselves and as a unit.

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Universality in Materials with Sculptor May Tveit

Tue, 05 Mar 2019 05:00:00 -0800

Tveit is a sculptor interested in consumer goods and the manufactured landscape. She visited the pod in early 2018 to discuss her latest exhibition Universal Boxes at Johnson Country Museum of Art in Overland Park, Kansas. We discuss her previous large scale projects like Field Test, Product Placement, and United/Divided and discuss connections between those varied and intensive works and how they solidified the platform she is using in her latest cardboard sculptures. Her art reflects on what we consume, how we consume it, and what work means to her today.
Check out the show notes to see some of her latest works.

Bonus: Hugh Merrill Does Shakespeare

Wed, 27 Feb 2019 00:00:00 -0800

In this Print Cast extra, we want to share a priceless bit of audio that didn't make it into the full length episode with our guest Hugh Merrill. Most people talk about what they ate for breakfast, but Hugh warms up the mic by reciting poetry, and his voice is like gold. We had some fun dressing up the audio and hope everyone enjoys it. Also included is some general information about how to support the podcast by sharing about it on social media, reviewing and rating us on your favorite podcast platform, and donating via Patreon (http://patreon.com/theprintcast/) where these extras will be available to all donor levels.

Printmaker and Community Artist Hugh Merrill

Sat, 02 Feb 2019 21:00:00 -0800

In this inaugural first episode Nick talks with Hugh Merrill about his decades as an artist, and his printmaking, teaching, and the philosophy that drives his creative process. We touch on topics relating to his studio work, his studies in the art department at Yale, feminism and MeToo, Buddhism, and other anecdotes like when artist Mel Chin challenged his universal theory of the art with a drawing of a big sausage. It's an art historical episode, with autobiographical undertones mixed with a feeling that you're at a fire side chat with a professor you loved. Recorded in two parts in Kansas City, MO in late 2017.