Half Way!

Hand pulled prints from artists across Canada

Ken, Alex and I collated all the editions of prints to make 75 limited edition artists books.

Clamped for binding!


I spent last weekend at my studio, KOZO, with Ken and Alex collating and binding the Anthology of Artists' Colouring Book. It took two full days and it's still not finished. This weekend we'll be binding them and adding the book cloth to the spines. If anyone in the Toronto area wants to come and help on Sat. and/or Sunday between 11 am and 6 pm, come on down!

Next I have to find someone to mass print them in black and white and tape bind them! Anyone out there have any ideas?
This unlimited edition will probably be the one most people buy and colour in. I know I can't even think of colouring these original prints! Sacrilege!

I've also spent some "down time" at the Nanotacular held at my friend Tosca's studio, Nanopod! She has such a cool space. I love her aesthetics for her space. So organic and complete! The rest of my "down time" has been spent at Soma sipping Daves' Mayan hot chocolate and helping to tie ribbons and cut labels for their Holiday orders. Yup! I work for really good chocolate! For some reason I really enjoy doing packaging and cutting at Soma more than I do at my own studio! I think it's the energy there. Lots of genuinely friendly staff that emit good vibes, and loud quirky music to work to. At my studio it's normally just me by my lonesome - boo hoo! Or maybe it's because I'm surrounded by chocolate over there!

12:15 am. Well, it looks like I can actually get to sleep early tonight!

YEAR OF THE RAT!

Photo from last year's workshop for YEar of the Boar.

Japanese Wood Block Printing Workshop

It's Year of the RAT "nenga jo" Time!
December 18th & 20th from 6 till 9 pm

Every year the Japanese celebrate the New Year by making their own “nenga jo”, or new year’s cards, to send to their friends. Usually the cards depict the animal whose year it is, and nenga jo are remarkable for their range of inventive, personalized images. Next year 2008, will be the Year of the Rat. This animal has a lovely name in Japanese - "nezumi".

Printmaker, Elizabeth Forrest, is offering a one day work shop at Kozo Studio for students to create their own nenga jo to send to relatives and friends.

Bring a cute or scary rat image to the class. After working it into a carve-able design and transferring it to a block, you will carve the image. Students will then learn the basics of Japanese style waterbased printing enabling them to print a series of cards on japanese washi paper.

You can can send it in the New Year as part of a greeting to friends and we have been invited submit them to the International Year of the Rat Exhibition at Proof Gallery!

$90/student (plus $10 for washi paper payable on first day of class)
8 participant maximum.


Registration Information
Payment is required upon registration to guarantee a space in the workshop. For more information contact Akemi at kozostudio@gmail.com or tel: 416-214-1882.
KOZO Studio/Gallery, 257 Broadview Ave. north of Dundas.

Next!

The type all locked in for printing the cover.



Kathleen printing the covers because my arm can't handle it , yet. Thank you Kathleen!



Finished! Covers (of many colours) printed, dry and ready for binding.


It's been a hectic couple of weeks!
I've been busy with several projects that I have on the go, the OCAD Book Arts Fair, the Nanotacular at Nanopod Studio on Harbord St. and teaching. By far the largest project is this Anthology of (Canadian) Printmakers Colouring Book that I am creating. 31 artists have donated hand pulled prints (relief, intaglio and serigraphy) in an edition of 75. They are being hand bound into 75 limited edition books that will be sold for $300.00! The money from the sale of the books go to the OCAD Printmaking Dept. and the Artists Health Centre Foundation at Toronto Western Hospital.
Sounds like a lot of $$$ doesn't it? I worked it out. $300.00 divided by 31 artists means that it is less than $10.00 a print! Not so expensive when you think about it that way! We'll also be doing a mass produced and bound version that is not editioned. It'll sell for about $25.00 and this money will also be for OCAD and the AHCF.
Tomorrow we start binding the limited edition books by hand!

Book Arts Fair

Hey! It's time for the Annual OCAD Book Arts Fair!
I've been doing this fair since 1989! It used to be a handful of us in the old auditorium. Now it has two or three times the number of exhibitors! Lots of letterpress, handbound books, artists's books, handmade papers, and other related ephemera. It's a great chance to see demos in the printmaking department and buy tons of goodies for presents. We'll have a bunch of assorted wood type, metal cuts, letterpress cards and gift tags, some of my hand bound books and hopefully some of my chiyogami and glass necklaces!

Kozo Studio is Open!

Wood Type


Hi,
I'm such a lame business person!
I forgot to mention that I'm opening the studio to the public on Thursdays 1pm-6pm, Fridays 2pm-7:30pm, and Saturdays 1pm-6pm. Come pick up a unique, one of a kind gift for your friends and family!
We've got plenty of wood type, metal cuts and engravings for letterpress, letterpress paraphernalia, prints, handbound books, handmade ornaments, letterpress cards, Japanese chiyogami papers, pulp linters for papermaking, PVA, rice paste and more! You can even buy a gift certificate for workshops.
Also, soon you'll be able to purchase the Anthology of Printmakers Colouring Book!
Come by and visit me at 257 Broadview Ave. just north of Dundas St. E.!

Akemi.

Half tone blocks

One of a kind hand bound books

Star book ornaments

Hot Lead !

Spent all day Saturday casting on the Ludlow for a project. Luckily I had my nephew, Matt, to help me so that I could give my arm a bit of a rest. It was Matt's initiation into the world of letterpress. He loved it! I had to keep prodding him to set the letters in the composing stick. He kept looking at the machine to figure out how it worked! He was amazed at the mechanical complexity and ingenuity of the casting machines and presses.
I think I have another convert!
Yippeee!
Thank you for your help Matt!


Hot lead and a melting Pig.



My assistant, Matt.



Mats about to be cast in lead on the Ludlow.



Composing the mats to be cast.

OUCH!

Alphabet broadside that my 6 year old helped me print for her class visit.

Hand bound guest book that I was commissioned to do for a wedding. The bird is a vintage cut that I letterpress printed for the cover.

aw man!
I've hurt my wrist and arm again by trying to set type and print.
One piece of lead type, not so heavy.
A whole title, very heavy.
I need to print the covers for the Printmakers Colouring Book project but I keep hurting my arm.
You never know how much you use your dominant arm and hand until you aren't supposed to use it!
For all those young artisits out there, TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY WHILE YOU ARE YOUNG. The arts are full of JOB HAZARDS! As an artist, if you can't use your arm, leg, eyes, ears, etc. you lose not just your carreer and income, but something that helps to make your life full.
My physiotherapist at the Artists Health Centre Foundation has told me that our bodies stop healing well after the age of 25! Why didn't they tell us about this in art school! I haven't been able to create in almost 6 months! I'm going insane!
It's very frustrating. I think my arm is better so I try to work and then I hurt it again. If I had just totally NOT used my arm for a whole month or two, it would probably be healed by now. On the good side, I'm learning patience and how to take care of myself physically. Better late than never!

Welcome to the Black Arts!

Busy, busy!
...scanning, typing, proofing, printing, organizing, educating, creating, communicating, ...

Last weekend's Intro to Letterpress Workshop was great. One of the participants bought a small press two days after the Intro. workshop! Welcome to the Black Arts, Kari!

What's up!

Hi,
Sorry about the formatting. I'm still trying to figure this out. I don't even know if it's possible to make the photos go beside each other! Please be patient with me. If this were a relief press I would just use my hands to literally move the pictures. Sigh.

So I've been hosting the Bind and Blab at my studio for almost a year now. It's quite fun. I get to meet interesting, creative people, chat, sometimes work, and share my love of the book arts. A small article written about the Bind and Blab. Come on out if you can!

I've also added some information on a workshop that I am holding. There are still a few spaces left. It's quite a fun workshop and great for creative people who like to experiment.

BIND and BLAB
Thurs. Oct. 25, 5:30 - 8:30 pm.
Bring your book projects to work on, supplies, knowledge, wit and enthusiasm.
There will be communal pot of PVA and tea on the go for everyone! Please bring a cup with you for tea!
We host this free event on the last Thursday of each month.
Call Akemi at 416-214-1882 to reserve a spot around the tables!
FREE! This is not a workshop.

Progressions in Paper Workshop
Sat. Oct. 27, Nov, 3, 10, 17 from 1 - 4 pm



In this series we will explore the world of paper and methods of decorating them Participants will create beautifully decorted papers using the following techniques; orizome (Japanese dip dying), momigami (Japanese wrinkled paper), relief, washes, glazes, and paste. The resulting papers are unique and perfect for scrapbook projects, book arts, cards, collage and so much more! Four days of playing with paper!
Cost $72.08 plus $15.00 supply fee

Still can't figure out how to change the photos. Maybe next time.

Letterpress workshop

Yay! My Intro to Letterpress workshop is full!
Now, I just have to figure out when I can start opening the studio to the public at regular hours. I've got a list of artists whose work I would like to sell for the holidays. I'm hoping to focus the retail aspect of KOZO to all things letterpress, hand bound books, printmaklers prints and hand made paper and art. I have a list of makers and artists I'd like to carry. Is it too ambitious? I don't know. Time and my exploding brain will tell.

Hello! Let's try this out!

Okay. Let's try this out. I'm a bit of a luddite so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Let's see if I can post some photos of my work space.