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!