The Bad Sparrow - a video!

I made a little video document of The Bad Sparrow crankie. Enjoy!

This is a letterpress printed scroll, 9" high by 25' long, made into a 'crankie' -- housed in a handmade box with a cranking mechanism. Printed and handmade by Jessica C. White. Original story and illustrations also by Jessica C. White. Music is Baker's Waltz by The Mammals.

Apologies for the poor video quality. I'm much better at making physical things than digital!

You can also see this video on YouTube here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKAiAgs878o.

Lucky Creature cards

Just finished a big batch of business cards for Scott Smith of luckycreature.com, using his own drawings in four different designs. The plan was to finally get the hang of edge painting with these to add all the color that's his signature style, but it just didn't work out. I might get an airbrush one day and try again, but until then, I think it's best left to the professionals!

Heroes and Criminals in downtown Asheville!

Blue Spiral 1 has been carrying my prints for a while, but now there's a new place to shop for Heroes & Criminals Press goodies! My cards, chapbooks, and letterpress ephemera are now available at Garage 34 on Lexington Ave., right down the street from the French Broad Chocolate Lounge. It's an awesome store chock full of handmade goods from local artisans, and they're breaking out all the new spring stuff right now. If you're up for exploring a bit while in Asheville, come by the River Arts District and you might catch me at work in my studio (#291 Riverview Station, 191 Lyman Street).

New print - Information Desk

Finally, after being pushed to the back burner many times in the past few months, my latest installment of Heavens to Betsy is finished. I'm titling it "Information Desk", but sometimes I refer to it as "Librarian Bear". The little sign on the bear's desk says "Information" and the text says "Can you tell me how to live without fear?"

Now available at my website or stop by my table at The Big Crafty this Sunday to see them in person!

Octopus/Cohen print

I’ve just completed this new edition of woodcut prints with an image of an octopus paired with a line from one of Leonard Cohen’s songs, “Anthem”. This print was made for Holland Editions, a year-long print collaboration in which 12 artists from around the U.S. teamed up to create a limited edition of original prints to benefit the Holland Project, an all-ages music venue in Reno, Nevada. The prints are available through subscription, and subscriptions are $240 for an entire year - 12 prints over 12 months by 12 artists. The first print came available in October 2009, and mine is the featured print for June 2010. The print measures 11” x 16” and was printed from an original woodcut and hand-set metal type on handmade paper stained with walnut dye.

To subscribe to the Holland Editions, or if you have questions about the Holland Project, contact Megan Berner at meganberner [at] gmail.com.

Finding my way home

In the past ten years, I've moved 5 times. Before that, another 8 times or so, starting with the big move from Taichung, Taiwan to Cary, North Carolina when I was nine (actually, we moved a few times while living in the city of Taipei, then to Taichung, *then* to the States). I always thought that I would one day go home, to Taiwan, even as my memory of it and my ability to speak Chinese faded. When I finally went back to visit in 2001, it was a foreign place to me, nothing like the homecoming I was expecting to experience. I found myself in a slightly uncomfortable state of having no roots; not sure of where to plant my feet. I guess that explains the constant moving.

A few years ago, I took a printmaking workshop where I learned how to "pressure print" using a Vandercook press. This was in Iowa City IA, one of my many temporary homes. Just playing around with cut papers, I made this print, among many others:

A few years have passed, and now I find myself in the position of teaching this process at  a community print shop here in Asheville, North Carolina. The other night, I pulled out this very print to show as an example, and one of the students said, "Well, that looks just like the Blue Ridge Parkway." I'd made it , of course, years before moving here, and long before the thought of moving here had even crossed my mind. Two days ago, Scott and I spent the day driving on the Parkway, stopping to visit a few small towns along the way: Cherokee, Sylva, Waynesville. Something about this place just feels right, and every now and then I get the feeling that I may have found my way home.

Information Desk

Finishing up the drawing for the final Heavens to Betsy print. So far, I've been calling it "Information Desk". This drawing will be made into a photopolymer plate, and another integral part of the print will be a pressure print.

Exterminate!

Dalek vs. Squirrel was one of the prints we gave away at the CONvergence letterpress printing demo. Another was the first in a new series, Flying Squirrels. This is the European Flying Squirrel, but I'm still considering the name - it might be changed to Ader Flying Squirrel to give homage to French aviation pioneer Clement Ader, who designed this gravity defying contraption.



I will try to have a few of these available for sale at my Etsy shop by September.

Overall, CONvergence 2009 was a blast. One of my favorite panels was about whether or not comics are literature. The answer? Yes, no, and maybe. Go to con-news.com to see photos and videos of the 4-day event.

Coming up next, a show that I forgot to mention in the last update: I have few prints in "Bridges", an art show opening at the Em Space Gallery on July 18th in Portland, Oregon. This looks like an amazing new space for print and book arts - anyone who goes to see this show, please tell me all about it!

Penland detox

After a few days back from Penland School of Crafts in North Carolina, I'm finally starting to feel like my normal self again. I had an incredible time working as Julie Leonard's assistant in a boxmaking class for Session 5, both exhilarating and exhausting. Every day was packed with so much activity, each night was spent chatting with new friends over wine as if entire weeks had passed. I also got the opportunity to show one of my Bad Sparrow scrolls at the current exhibit at the Penland Gallery, "Is that Supposed to be Funny? Wit, sarcasm, and humor in craft" It's up until September 21, so stop by if you're in the area. Because the entire scroll couldn't be shown in the gallery space, I made a little codex 'touchable' version which turned out to be a big hit. So, I am now starting on an edition of those which should be available later this fall.


If you haven't been to Penland yet, I highly recommend it. Just be prepared for some intense work and intense play. Oh, and the food is delicious. Go here if you want to see my photos.

Stopped in Asheville on my way home and visited Blue Barnhouse press where I picked up these sweet little cards.

Hi from Penland, this week's drawing

I'm having an amazing time at Penland for these 2 weeks, working as an assistant for Julie Leonard (and as a student) in a Boxmaking class. I'll tell more and post photos when I get home, but for now here is my drawing.The text reads, "Can you hear me now?"

Updates

I've finally gotten around to updating my website, Heroes and Criminals Press. The gallery is still mostly older work, but at least the other links are useful (well, they are to me). I'll try to update the gallery images by the end of the summer, but just thinking about it makes me tired.

I've discovered what might be my new favorite color scheme:
These lovely eggs from the farmers' market were just so beautiful to look at. Too bad they're all eaten now.


This Saturday I will be:
but without the fancy threads. I'll be printing at the Homestead Historic Print Shop from 10am-4pm, come by and visit!

(thanks to BookNews for providing the photo)

Prints up for auction

Two of my prints, "Rising Waters" and "Hellfire", will be up for auction this weekend at CONvergence in Bloomington, MN (near the Twin Cities). What is CONvergence? From their website:

CONvergence is a convention for fans of Science Fiction and Fantasy in all media, and is held at the Sheraton Bloomington Hotel in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota on the first full weekend of July each year. CONvergence is a production of The Minnesota Society for Interest in Science Fiction and Fantasy, a 501(c)3 non-profit organziation, and acts as an annual fundraiser for that organization.

A portion of the money raised from the auction goes to benefit this organization.

The prints:



I went to CONvergence for the first time last year and had a blast. I went to a lot of panels about art and comics, and was impressed by the creativity of the costumes and room party decorations. I hope to see you there!

The Rural Incident postponed

The Rural Incident, a one-day art extravaganza that was scheduled for today in Oxford, Iowa, has been postponed because of flood complications. I've never been to past ones, but it's supposedly an incredible show with 30 artists and bands playing all day, so I'm sad it was postponed, but as far as I know not cancelled. I will be sure to post when it's rescheduled.

Here in Iowa City, flood waters are receding, but no one is allowed near the flooded buildings until toxicity levels are assessed. From peeking into windows I could get to, Center for the Book is nice and dry, even if the basement is about 5 feet under water. Here is how it looked on the day the river crested (photo by Craig Kelchen):

I can't get anywhere near the Art Bldg, where Printmaking is located, but I found some great aerial views at the UI News Services' flickr site.
It looks like the basment is flooded (up to the ceiling, for sure), but the first floor has been mostly spared. Maybe this will be a nice kick-start to renovation plans that have been dragging out for the past few years?

I like this shot, "Getting fresh air into the IMU."

Ladies of Letterpress at Home Ec

It's a very last-minute announcement, but for anyone in the Iowa City area for tomorrow night, stop by and check out the Ladies of Letterpress show! We're excited to be a part of the Gallery Walk and Iowa City Arts Fest this year. This show includes 9 of Iowa City's best women letterpress printers displaying prints books, and recent projects.

Thanks to Home Ec for offering their space!

New prints at Etsy

I've posted two new prints at my Etsy site, Heroes & Criminals Press.





These are also available at the White Rabbit Gallery in Iowa City, and the Minnesota Center for Book Arts store in Minneapolis.

(watermark is only on the digitals, not on the actual prints)

Open House, Open House

There are two Open Houses coming up where I'll be showing work, both happening on the same night! The University of Iowa's Center for the Book will have their Open House on December 14th. 3:30-6:30pm, in North Hall. On the same date, the University's Printmaking Department will have their Open House, 6:30-9:30pm, in the "old" Art Bulding. Come and join us for books, art, food, refreshment, and good company!

On the same night, my pal and fellow printmaker Erin Maurelli is also having a reception for her MFA show, Humechanicsform, from 5:30-8pm, at the Arts Iowa City Gallery.

See you there, there, or there!

grand summer finale

Well, here it is... the final week of summer freedom before schools starts. I'm madly finishing up personal final projects before school swallows me up and free time becomes a figment of my imagination. I'm in the inking stage of Art School Chronicles Year 3, and will soon be foiling it for color. Yes! It will be in full color, and FOILED! I know, you're giddy just thinking about it. Here's a sneak peek...

We're also finishing the last page of the new hisWorld/herWorld, which will probably be out as soon as next week. We have a special surprise for hW/hW fans - for the first time, it's a comic! It's all making sense... we like comics, so why not make it a comic? This issue has talking mushrooms, a little story about growing up in Taipei, and a Furikake demonstration. It's the best hW/hW yet!

Some things that have been recently crossed off my to-do list: I've put up a new item at Heroes & Criminals Press, the adorable Surprise! Porcupine Fish Card. Go check it out, and surprise someone with a spikey fish. Also, just sent off is my design for a "Ladies of the Letterpress" embroidered badge. These were made for an amzing group of ladies here in Iowa City, but I'll put any left over up on Etsy for other letterpressing ladies out there who want the official badge.

Heroes & Criminals Press

Many of my books and broadsides are now under the imprint Heroes & Criminals Press, which finally has an official online presence at Etsy. There is also a link to it from my website Bittersweetness And Light. It's sparse right now, but I'll continue to add other items so keep checking back!

letterpress at the IPRC

Here's a great little video of the basics of letterpress and printing from a small hand-cranked platen press, made by the wonderful people at the Independent Publishing Resource Center in Portland, Oregon.

Foil Imaging

I've just recently attended the 17th Annual Foil Imaging Workshop, a week-long workshop here at the University of Iowa that introduces the ethereal art of foil imaging. It utilizes foil, a double-layered polymer film, to add color and texture to a print or drawing. This heat-transfer method of applying colors is used commercially for book covers (hot stamping) and greeting cards, but Virginia Myers has developed the tools necessary for artists to utilize it in their own studios, by using a hot plate and a heated roller. Most people recognize the foils that come in gold and silver metallics or brightly holographic films, but there is a lot of variety, including opaque colors, translucents, pearlescents, and even a wood-grain. Some of my favorites are the translucent foils that can be layered for richer colors with more depth. For any curious artists looking for new materials to try, I highly recommend coming to the workshop next summer! You can see some exceptional examples of foil imaging in Jason Snell's artwork at RustyScissors.com.