This month's open house print is from Andrew Oesch, Jori Ketten, and Nick Ferreira. The trio, from Amigos Publishing and the Carpenter Street Storefront, is teaming up to host the Reanimation Library at 186 Carpenter in March and April.

The Reanimation Library is a small, independent Presence Library open to the public. It is a collection of books that have fallen out of routine circulation and been acquired for their visual content. Outdated and discarded, they have been culled from thrift stores, stoop sales, and throw-away piles, and given new life as a resource for artists, writers, cultural archeologists, and other interested parties.

Help print the final layer of handset type on their collaboratively designed poster - detailing related workshops and events at the Carpenter St. Branch of the Library - and/or talk with the three organizers about ways to participate in this two month installation. Take a poster home at the end of the night!

The AS220 Cottage Industries are located at the Mercantile at 131 Washington Street Providence, Rhode Island on the 1st floor. The Printshop's entrance is located at the back of the building on Lucie Way (Martha Street on GPS and computers); the shop's double doors are at the Northwest corner of the building.

This all-day workshop, a collaborative effort of the AS220 Lab and Printshop, will introduce the laser cutter as a printmaking tool to experienced and neophyte printmakers. James Rutter, Lab Manager, will spend the morning showing participants how the laser cutter and a software program can be used to prepare acrylic, wood, metal, and other matrix for relief and intaglio printing. After lunch, we will move next door to the Printshop to devote the afternoon to printing the prepared images on the etching press under the guidance of Leigh Waldron-Taylor. This is a great opportunity to learn what the laser cutter can do for you in your work. The Lab will provide acrylic plates. The Printshop will provide printing ink, but participants must bring paper. Registrants will receive a detailed information sheet prior to class. Questions can be directed to Leigh@as220.org, or James@as220.org

$90.00, Sunday, January 15th, 10am-6pm Register for this class

Holiday Sale and Open House at the AS220 Cottage Industries! Tuesday, December 6th 6pm to 8 pm

Join us at our first annual AS220 Cottage Industries Holiday Sale on Tuesday, December 6, 2011 from 6pm to 8pm! Members from the Photo, Labs, and Printshop will be present displaying a wide range of work from photo prints, laser cut wares, vinyl cut stickers, and silkscreen, letterpress, and intaglio prints. In addition to the sale, you can make your very own holiday ornament to take home in a free, hands on demonstration which will combine silkscreen printing and laser cutting. Cottage Industry members will be offering tours throughout the evening and will share their experiences at AS220. Come find unique holiday gifts, participate in free demonstrations, and meet new friends at the AS220 Cottage Industries.

The Printshop will be collaborating with the Fab Lab for a free limited edition print designed by keymember Brian Whitney. An in-progress sneak peak at the print is shown above. Start at the Printshop to print your image, then head over to the Fab Lab to have your print laser cut. Have questions, want to see the shop, meet the folks who use it, just want to spend some time with other printmakers? Our open houses happen the first Tuesday of every month and are free and open to the public.

The AS220 Cottage Industries are located at the Mercantile at 131 Washington Street Providence, Rhode Island on the 1st floor. The Printshop's entrance is located at the back of the building on Lucie Way (Martha Street on GPS and computers); the shop's double doors are at the Northwest corner of the building.

Show your work and get feedback, the last Tuesday of each month beginning October 25th, at the AS220 Community Printshop. The Critique Group will meet from 6-8pm. Critiques are free and open to everyone. Bring your friends and be part of a community of artists. If you have questions, please email d.c.hebbert@gmail.com

The AS220 Community Printshop is located at the Mercantile at 131 Washington Street Providence, Rhode Island on the 1st floor. The shop's entrance is located at the back of the building on Lucie Way (Martha Street on GPS and computers); the shop's double doors are at the Northwest corner of the building.

Monday, October 17th from 6-9pm, Moveable Type will visit the AS220 Printshop. Moveable Type is a fully functional letterpress print shop built into the back of a converted 1982 Chevy step van. Kyle Durrie, of Power and Light Press, is currently in the midst of a 9+ month cross-country adventure, driving from town to town spreading the good word about printing the old fashioned way.

Come visit the project this Monday as it heads to AS220 and parks outside the Printshop. The AS220 Community Printshop is located at the Mercantile at 131 Washington Street Providence, Rhode Island on the 1st floor. The shop's entrance is located at the back of the building on Lucie Way (Martha Street on GPS and computers); the shop's double doors are at the Northwest corner of the building. This event is free and open to the public. We hope to see you there.

Emily will be teaching Introduction to Letterpress, starting this Wednesday from 6-10pm (Sept 7, 14, 21, 30). Sign up online to join in the fun!
Tell us a little about the class. The Introduction to Letterpress class is just that - a foundation to letterpress showcasing a variety of ways to work on the press, from traditional handsetting techniques to modern approaches using the computer for design work. At the end of the four week session students will be proficient in preparing the press, printing an edition, and cleaning the press. This session we've added a fourth class, which will provide students an opportunity to choose some advanced techniques that they would like demonstrated and to try themselves. Not only does this give students more press time, but provides one more chance to be under the guidance of an instructor before setting off into the wild west of letterpress printing.

What makes letterpress so unique? Often the print has a texture to it, so it can be "petted". People love to touch stuff, making letterpressed paper highly attractive. Plus, the plate is re-inked each time before the paper is printed. I like that in doing a run each sheet looks almost the same but can vary slightly, especially with lighter inks. It shows a human actually made it.

When I'm not printing for clients I love challenging myself to learn new ways to work the press. Just recently I completed a five-color, tightly registered run. I had so much fun doing it that I'm currently working on making a series of such pieces.

Emily Harris began letterpress printing as a natural progression from making handmade paper from both natural and recycled materials. The press currently draws much more of her time since she's just started her own press, The Victory Special Press (www.tvspress.com), combining a passion for letterpress and a desire to never have to wear pantsuits. She traded the flatlands of Nebraska for the not-so-bright gaslights of Boston many years ago but still draws inspiration from the void landscapes of home. When not in front of a Vandercook she enjoys most anything outdoors or crafty: mountain biking, snowboarding, brewing her own beer, and candlemaking.

SEPTEMBER

Open House, It's Free!
Tuesday, September 6th, 6-7pm
Have questions, want to see the shop, meet the folks who use it, just want to spend some time with other printmakers? Our open houses happen the first Tuesday of every month. They are FREE!

Introduction to Letterpress, 4 Weeks, $160.00
Wednesdays, September 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th, 6-10pm
This course provides a basic introduction to letterpress. Participants learn to ink the press, adjust pressure, adjust roller height, register and feed a sheet of paper, make an impression and then clean the press. Create and use plastic plates in combination with metal movable type to create your own vision in letterpressed embossment. *Please note that September 28th is Rosh Hashanah. If you cannot attend the last class please see our class offerings in October and November for more options.

One Day Silkscreen Intensive: 8 hours, $80.00
Sunday, September 18th, 10am-6pm
This workshop will provide a comprehensive introduction to screen printing as participants will design, print and exchange a multiple color print with a maximum dimension of 8" x 10". The morning will be dedicated to creating hand drawn stencils focusing on the design of a multiple color print. Participants will then spend the afternoon learning proper printing technique, troubleshooting, and tips for registration. The workshop will end with a print exchange. Paper and ink will be provided by the Printshop. Students will be fully prepared to print independently after this workshop.

T-Shirt and Fabric Silkscreen, $45.00
Thursday, September 22, 6-10pm
Student will learn the very basics of screen-printing 1-color images on t-shirts, using the photo-emulsion process. They will also discover the best methods for keeping t-shirts flat, using the proper ink for fabric, as well as how to properly set the ink into the shirt. By the end of the class, students will have produced a wearable, 1-color t shirt.

Experiments in Monoprint/type, $25.00
September 30th, 6pm-10pm
Join us for some Friday night experiments in the Printshop. Leigh will guide you through a new technique applicable to Monoprints or types. The ink and materials are up to us, you provide the paper and experimental spirit.

For October and November listings

Print Your Own Business Cards on the Letterpress: Dark Blue ink, $80.00

Monday, July 25th, 6-10pm

Instructor: Colleen Ellse

Just started a new business? Have a new logo? Or just time for some new cards? Join 7 other business owners, artist and designers as we bring more letterpress printed business cards to Rhode Island. In this four hour workshop, you will learn how to make a photopolymer plate for the letterpress, ink and adjust the impression on our Vandercook 4 Proof Press. Each participant will leave with a box of 250 freshly printed cards on Pearl White (warm white) Lettra 100% cotton paper by Crane. This workshop will use dark blue ink, see other Business Card class listings for other ink color options.

You will need to submit your design for printing or choose a template a week prior to the class, Wednesday July 20th, email: Colleen Ellse colleen-at-colleenellse.com. Letterpress is suited to fine lines and delicate images. Big flat, solid areas of colors and photographic images can be a challenge for beginners and are not recommended for this class. Please be sure all of your type is 10 points or larger. All designs need to sent with fonts outlined or packaged as an indesign file. If you do not have a design, we have three templates you can choose from for the workshop. Please send an email with the template you would like to use and all of your information as it should be printed (Capitals and hyphens).

Colleen Ellse grew up in a creative family of painters and printers, learning to love the process of making things by hand. In 2004, she graduated from the Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University, receiving a BFA in Graphic Design. Working as a designer for several years at a graphic design studio, she learned the ins and outs of running a small business. Upon discovering letterpress for her own wedding invitations, she soon realized that letterpress was the perfect combination of her two artistic personalities: the creative free-spirit who loves to explore color, texture, and type (a.k.a. the designer), and the meticulous perfectionist when it comes to craft (a.k.a. the printer). She studied under several printers for over two years before launching her own freelance design and letterpress printing services in 2009. Ever respectful of the creative process, she values the importance of thoughtful, quality work, no matter how simple the project or piece.

To sign up visit the AS220 Online Shop or click on the name of the class!

We are starting the search for the next AS220 Printshop Manager. Morgan Calderini has been serving as the Manager since September 2007, just shy of four years. She is excited to shift roles and become a member of the Printshop and a continued supported. In late 2010, the Printshop moved from its 500 square foot incubator space in the Dreyfus to a spot six times that size in the adjacent Mercantile Block Building on Martha Street. This relocation permitted the Printshop to provide a stage for several long-stored and storied presses, including the RISD-donated Takach Etching press with a bed measuring a whopping 4.5 x 10.5 feet. The shop available for print-makers from all over the country.

Interested in trying to walk a mile in Morgan's shoes - i.e. run AS220's Community Printshop? We are taking applications from now until July 15th.

Click Read More for details on whats entailed and what we are looking for in our future Shop Manager and if you think you've got what it takes, apply!

If you still have questions about this position or the hiring process after you "Read More," please direct them to: jobs@as220.org