First Exhibition at PRESS , 151 High Street, Lewes

We put up the exhibition of prints and books of Dmitry Sayenko today, with the help of Peter Flanagan who also took these photos;many thanks Peter.
Last tidying up to do tomorrow...
The show will be up for 2 weeks until 13th december, when we will take down anything sold and reorganise with new stock until christmas.

Artists Books Exhibition

Oxford Fine Press Fair and after

The UK Fine Press Book Fair at Oxford Brookes University last weekend was a happy event as usual. For a very good resume of the state of the art read Sebastian Carter's excellent full page article in October 30th TLS ( no.5561 ) ( where he was also kind enough to give me a mention).
There seems to be a good feeling of moving forward within the association and a good variety of books on show. I was very happy to be awarded one of the Judges prizes for my large And Other Fairy Tales - in itself a recognition that 'arty-er'types of hand-made books are being welcomed on board and that all kinds of aesthetics can co-exist happily.
My personal favourites were as usual - Shanty Bay Press from Canada, and my dear friend Dmitry Sayenko - Nikodim Press from Russia ( who again managed to share Lewes Bonfire with us just before the Fair).I forgot to photograph Shanty Bay's stall this year ( tho they are in the middle of producing another large pochoir book still unfinished - Walter's monoprints are also beautiful) and I'm afraid all the photos are rather blurry as it was dark in the hall, and I found half way round the M25 at 6 a.m that I had forgotton my glasses and a hastily purchased pair of reading glasses failed to really do the biz...
here is Dmitry's stand..





Our other news is that we have taken on new premises in Lewes at 151 High Street - near the Bottleneck traffic lights at the top end of the town.
Primarily a new dry home for the Tom Paine Printing Press ( the shop is right opposite the Bull House where Tom Paine lived and worked as Customs officer and tobacconist for 6 years, which is an ideal position ) it will be Peter's workspace for his letterpress and where he can give classes for those interested.
The Tom Paine Press is an educative and non-profit making enterprise to promote Tom Paine's profile in Lewes and show a hands-on approach to printing, but we need to pay the rent so we will also be putting on small shows of prints, printed matter and Artists Books..
starting with a show of Dmitry's prints and books at the end of November ( once the press is completely up and running again - it moved in in pieces last week )and a special display of small stocking fillers for Lewes Late Night Shopping on Thursday 3rd December - watch this space...
Peter will be printing broadsheets - he produced some for Lewes Bonfire - a few still remaining, plus some Tom Paine pounds...and working with poets who would like to produce single sheets or small pamphlets of their work, with or without images

and I will be able to make use of his skills as well...
The 'shop' will be called PRINT






I will shortly be exhibiting at Kaleid Editions

The grand Plasto-Baader-Books
2-24 December 2009
On the 1st of December 2009, KALEID will be
transformed into a cavernous assemblage of unique
artists’ books selected for their originality and
conceptual response to the book form. Curated by
Deeqa Ismail and Aylin Kunter, the group show will
involve an international network of artists working
closely with KALEID editions.
In 1920 Johannes Baader erected Das Grosse Plasto-
Dio-Dada-Drama as part of the First International
Dada-Messe. “It looked like the aftermath of an accident
between a trolley car and a newspaper kiosk” . Inspired
by this original architectural feat, Ismail and Kunter will
select artists to show individual or collections of unique
artists’ books during London’s festive season.
KALEID is a contemporary artists’ books project and
retail space located on Redchurch Street in Shoreditch
close to Artwars Project Space, Trolley Gallery, Maverick
Show Rooms, Museum 52, the Boundary and
Shoreditch House Members Club.

Unit 2, 23-25 Redchurch Street,
London. E2 7DJ
0785 213 825
deeqa@kaleideditions.com
www.kaleideditions.com
Wednesday to Saturday, 12-7pm
Late night Thursdays and
informal Sundays

I will also be showing in Brighton at
SIX
Judy Stevens' Open House
6 Clifton Street Brighton
BN1 3PH
( very near Brighton Station )

weekends 28/29 November
5/6 December
12/13 December

12-6
watch this space for more details...

Images from Whitechapel Art Book fair

Book Fairs

I was going to put an image or two of my stand at the Whitechapel Art Book Fair,
but for some reason I can't upload them at the moment...
but the important thing is that the NEXT fair is the
Oxford Fine Press Book Fair
at Oxford Brookes University - Gypsy Lane Oxford
- 7th and 8th of November ( 11-6 saturday, 10-5 sunday )

I'll be there, alongside 70 other private presses from the UK and overseas

www.fpba.com
and click on Fairs for all the details

Proper Details

Apparently late means about 9 o'clock on friday night; don't forget to RSVP to the Whitechapel if you want to be at the PV.

Meanwhile, I'll be at another weekend of our Open House tomorrow....Paul and Michelle, who I got to know last weekend, have put a kind comment on Paul's blog...
http://www.paulsartblog.co.uk

Times and Dates of Whitechapel Book Fair

Friday 25th September 2pm – 5pm Private View
5pm – late Open to public
Saturday 26 September 11am – 6pm Open to public
Sunday 27 September 11am – 6pm Open to public

LABF Whitechapel Gallery Book Fair

I shall be having a stand at the Whitechapel Artists Book Fair the last weekend in September - 26/27 September - am just waiting for confirmed times of opening. Watch this space or try Whitechapel's website.
These images are of the latest cut-out version of And Other Fairy Tales which I will be showing at the fair( among other things ).....

Next Up

What we have been up to

A quick update....
for pictures of the Tom Paine Printing press in action, do go to John May's blog where he has posted up some really good pictures. Look under 'Posts' for Tom Paine Printing Press.
All those involved with the Press, and Paddock Printmakers new book and exhibition, have no time at present to update their own websites, so many thanks to John for putting us on his.

http://hqinfo.blogspot.com

Also check out the post on John's blog (The Generalist) where you will also see he has written about John Michell's Memorial service in Ladbroke Grove a week or so ago; John was a lovely man I first met through Keith Crichlow. Keith gave wonderful lectures at the Slade; among much else he introduced me to Kathleen Raine's books about Blake. He performed John's eulogy.

The picture above shows Paddock Printmakers at the Do-At-The-Depot last week, advertising the studios and showing our new book - Tom Paine in Lewes and the original prints used to make it. Here I'm showing it to Julian Bell while Vivien Halas looks on - she is one of the printmaking group but was also promoting her book about her parents,'Halas and Bachelor', who made influential animation films in the forties and fifties, including the animated 'Animal Farm'.
In the background you can see June - June is a printmaker and her husband Peter did all the graphic design for our book, and provides support extraordinaire. You can see them both behind me on the picture on John's blog.

The Do was to launch the new Lewes Pounds - new designs, and new denominations of currency pending I believe. The only currency in the world to have Tom Paine on the banknotes!

The Paine Festival has been a treasure trove of interesting lectures and events; the High Street was closed for an afternoon and there was dancing in the streets, as well as lots of dramatic events and a Mummers Play about Tom's life in Lewes.
The Generalist also now has a lot of photos of the dancing in the streets - check out the one headed 'Nail Dance'.

The highlight for me was (archaeologist)Martin Brown's guided walk celebrating the spirit of Independence in the town, with costumed figures delivering their testimony - sometimes moving, always inspiring and very informative - covering the Peasants Revolt, Bonfire and its origin in religious persecution, the Civil War, artistic freedoms, Edward Warren ( the Warren Cup, Rodin's the Kiss and the gay community at Lewes House at the beginning of the twentieth century ) - ending up on Cliffe Bridge to celebrate Independent Brewing with Miles Jenner of Harveys Brewery.
You may know Martin from occasional TV archaeology programs; his walks are brilliant and this one was particularly well attended with a very spirited crowd.

Seth Gopin, from Rutgers University USA , has been doing a wonderfully lively introduction to Tom Paine's life and work in the Town Hall each day; its been great to get the American perspective on this, as well as learn the results of the new research done by Seth, Paul Myles, local historian Colin Brent, and art historian Deborah Gage - descendent of General Gage of Firle Place ( just outside Lewes )who commanded the British troops in the War of American Independence.

Sales of our Book and prints are going well and hundreds of people have passed through the Press - around 200 each day.
Check out the Tom Paine Printing Press website in a week or too to catch up on recent developments there.
Meanwhile I am hoping to get back to work on my own books soon!

UPDATE; the new Tom Paine Printing Press Website

The new web address for the Tom Paine Printing Press is now
www.tompaineprintingpress.com
which is operating alongside the blog and has the most up-to-date photographs of the press being installed.

June already fast disappearing...

and I have been much pre-occupied with the fast approaching Tom Paine Festival here in Lewes and my printmaking group's new book - Tom Paine in Lewes.


There have been the usual hiccups with printing - well more like loud burps actually - driving us to distraction; the usual story, paper mills closing down or their products becoming unavailable or changing their character completely whilst still being called 'exactly the same thing' despite being miraculously smoother, shinier, thinner ......and whether we can actually believe this story or not ( but sadly yes, we probably can...)

oh well - the images look lovely; please check out our website
http://paddockprints.wordpress.com

The book is being bound by Bookbinders of Lewes at this moment.

Do come along to the show, which will up all through July and until 24th August; there will also be a trail of mounted prints in the windows of many of our individual shops along the High Street between Westgate and School Hill for the duration of the actual Festival - 4 - 14 July.
There is a good program of events, dramatic productions and free talks and debates, and a nail dance in the streets - see the official Festival website
www.thomaspaineandlewes.com

Paddock Printmakers will also have a stand at The Do at the Depot at Harveys Depot in Pinwell Lane , Lewes on the 3rd of July
see http://www.thelewespound.org
for details of that event....

and most excitingly -
the Tom Paine Printing Press is now installed in the Market Tower ready for the festival, and my husband Peter Chasseaud will be demonstrating how it works every day, and printing some Tom Paine material, beginning with the 'Case of the Officers of Excise' which Tom wrote whilst living and working in Lewes.
The press was built by Alan May, who made the Gutenburg Press for Stephen Fry and which was the subject of a very good television program. This facsimile Common Press is from a really beautiful piece of oak and looks wonderful as well as printing well despite the rather wobbly floor of the space in the Market Tower where they used to house the town Fire Engine.
Alan and his wife Judith brought it down from Stafford in a trailer and we really enjoyed getting to know them better over the two days it took to get it up and running. There is still a lot to be sorted out but Peter has kindly agreed that Paddock Printmakers can use him as a base for selling our book and unframed prints and cards during the summer.
The Press is going to be available for artists projects, so maybe one day we will be able to print one of our books with him, straight from the wood or lino blocks on the press. After our struggles with digital production the thought of a hands-on and within-our-control in-house production seems very tempting, tho would doubtless bring its own set of problems and surprises.

See more about the Press , with lots of pictures, on
http://tompainepress.blogspot.com

Images from Selector's Choice Exhibition at the Regency Town House

kindly taken for me by Peter Flanagan; the house is such a lovely space everyone should go and see it .

Next Event ; Brighton Festival

Selectors’
choice


Selectors’ Choice, part of the new
visual arts festival HOUSE, is an
exhibition showcasing the work
of selected artists participating in the
2009 Artists Open Houses festival.

Upstairs

The Regency Town House
13 Brunswick Square
Hove

www.rth.org.uk

Saturday 25th April
to Sunday 24th May
12 – 6pm

I can't get Blogger to upload the nice flier I have advertising this event; so above are the bald details. I went to the PV last week and it is a really nice show and a wonderful venue; so I am very pleased to have work exhibited there.
I hope they have the flier image on the rth site.

I also have work in an Open House, number 31 in the Independent section of the Open House brochure - 7 at 3
3 Surrenden Road (opposite the Park View where Surrenden Road meets Preston Drove)
every weekend during the Festival, which runs from 2 May until 24th May.
I won't be there all the time so if you particularly want to see me, get in touch.
I'll be showing prints, including some from my new books, and smaller books and cards.

Back from BABE - 2

Have just spent a happy hour following up all the blogs and website of people I met at the BookFair; many of whom are much quicker off the mark than me.
http://artistsbookcollective.blogspot.com/
already have a report posted up with pictures, including one of my stand ( or part of it ) which is really nice of them. Chien is tutoring a new course in Book Arts at Birmingham; I loved ( and bought some of ) his little folded books and students Jat and Charlotte had some amazing book structures and nice things.
This communal blog is full of useful links to other Book Fairs, images and ideas for how to do things; and even a video of how to make a simple book on the Shepherd's ( the Bookbinders and Paper Sellers ) link; scroll around and see what you can find - any of my students who are reading this blog!

There were lots of good points of contact with East London Printmakers
www.eastlondonprintmakers.co.uk
and I hope to visit next time I am in Hackney.
I hope Wuon-Gean Ho, who works there, might come and give a master class in Japanese water based wood block printing to my group at the Paddock sometime; I could do it once but have forgotton the fine detail.
www.wuongean.com

I really liked Australian artist/illustrator - Elizabeth Barnett's new books - etched and one of them with cut aways like a theatre book
www.elizabethisdrawing.com

I guess people can see I like the theatrical book, so I was told to google Luci Gorell-Barnes.

I met Eleanor Glover, who has taught at West Dean, and have googled her work and love the 3D and calligraphy - I can see why we had a rapport...
www.eleanor.glover.freeuk.com

and talked to a collagraph teacher from Bath
www.felicityromabowers.co.uk
she has a link to the William Blake celebratory book I have been curious to see.

There were many other conversations with old friends and new; there are never enough sales to make ends meet at these fairs but it is these contacts and exchanges that make it worthwhile.

On the way home we stayed with an old friend in Wells; in fact she taught me ceramics a long time ago
www.blackdogofwells.com
she gave me a wonderful tray of type, so I am off to play with that now....

Back from BABE

Just back from BABE at Bristol, a happy event and lots of nice new contacts made. I'll be consulting my notebook and probably adding some links to this blog soon......

Meanwhile........



this image is one I have done for my printmaking group - Paddock Printmakers - new book about Tom Paine in Lewes for the Festival celebrating 200 years since his death ( should we be celebrating his death? doesn't seem right, but any excuse for festivities.......)
go to
http://paddockprints.wordpress.com
to get an update to what is happening
and further details about my group ( very different from my own usual stuff )
The Festival runs from 4th July to the 14th July - two revolutionary dates - but our exhibition at Pelham House runs through most of July and August.
There should be a link to the Tom Paine Festival on that site too

The small anteroom in Westgate Chapel is my favourite room in Lewes; it is right next to the Bull House where Tom Paine lived for 6 years, and you can still almost breathe 18th century air in it; it is very peaceful and you can feel it calming you down. I wanted to try and make a woodcut of the air!
He was a non-conformist and took his wedding vows here , but they had to be repeated in the established church over the road - St Michaels - to be legal.
Anyway - you will soon be able to read all about it in our book - with digital reproductions of about 25 of the group's prints ( woodcuts, lino, collagraphs and drypoints ); if you want to reserve a copy , let me know before we go to print in May, as we only print a very limited edition and they sell fast; you can leave comments/ask price , on the Paddock Prints blogsite.

ps - a link to a Lorca site of special beauty

http://bluehourcollective.blogspot.com/
thanks for the comment

Apologies to my commenters

I have now realised I should actually check whether anyone has commented on my blog - am being made aware that people actually look and read it, and also found out how to reply! is there any end to my technological capabilities.....
so many apologies and thanks to those nice people who have tried to get in touch - check out the comments bits now, and I'll try to do better in future....

Next round of Venues

I have been very remiss about keeping this up to date.
BABE - the Artists Book Fair at the Arnolfini, is almost upon us.
As usual I have been busy keeping my head above water printing up older work and books for orders, while chafing at wanting to get on with new; trying to run the two in tandem AND try and tidy up a bit and improve my working space. The litho press is going to have to go; if you want one , get in touch.

BABE is at the Anolfini in Bristol, 4th and 5th April 10-5pm both days
www.arnolfini.org.uk
I'll be showing the new books I finished in January.

Then I am also showing work in the Brighton Festival, from the 24th April - 24th May
- at weekends at 3 Surrenden Road ( 7 at 3) Open House
and also in Selectors Choice at the Regency Town House
www.brightonfestival.orgfor further details and times.

I have posted up above some images from And Other Fairy Tales - I'm afraid they will read in back to front order as I always forget that is how they upload, so if you like your stories logical, start from the bottom, but as half of them are missing it doesn't really matter. The strange thing about this book was that I made all the right hand images ( reduction cuts - no going back ) before I found my text, an anonymous folk song/tale - it just fitted so perfectly. And of course there is a cross over of a kind with the Falcon Bride.

To prove we got there.......

....many thanks to Martyn Ould of the Old School Press for taking this picture for me.

Books finished for Works on Paper Fair

AND OTHER FAIRY TALES is finished ; and also a new Falcon Bride Book...
some images at random from THE FALCON BRIDE.....