KOZO Studio/Gallery

Pics!

2012-01-30T00:06:00.000-05:00

A-ha!
Here are some photos from the paper making workshop several weeks ago, as well as from the book binding and letterpress workshops that are ongoing... I had to get people to remind me to take photos!
Next week we start sewing our text blocks together in the book binding workshop and on Tuesday everyone (fingers crossed) in the ABCs of Letterpress class will be printing their one colour broadside on the Vandercook SP15 and learning how that press works.

A freshly pulled sheet of white cotton.

Andrew is adding some found suburban detritus to his pulp before making his sheets.

Andrew's sheet with suburban detritus inclusions (Oo! that sounds so pretentious!)

Dan peeling his sheets off the felts after pressing. He pulled such nice thin white sheets of
paper that he found using some newsprint pressed onto the damp sheet was helpful in pulling it off the felts for drying.

Andrew laying his cover on his accordion book while Sophie watches.

Cori looking happy with her wee accordion book.

The beginning of Dana's broadside.

Checking out the wood type and metal type before composing broadsides.

Sheila is going to try to set some rules on angles!!

Kerning the wood type.

A Luddite at Heart

2012-01-24T17:45:00.002-05:00

Well, January has started with a crazy rush of workshops and classes...at least for me it's a crazy rush! I LOVE passing on what I know about different aspects of the book arts and watching people get "addicted". Kind of evil of me to be a pusher... but I like the thrill I see in other peoples eyes!
The internet is still not part of my daily thought process. I guess I'm still very much a luddite at heart. I keep forgetting to take pictures!! I had a wonderful western paper making workshop with Dan and Andrew two weeks ago. I forgot to take photos until close to the end! Sunday's letterpress workshop I brought my camera and totally forgot to take photos of Karen, Vanessa and Lindsey doing their thing! And on Saturday I had part one of four for a book binding workshop and once again forgot to take photos of Sophie, Cori and Andrew's work until the end!
Today is part two of seven for the ABCs of Letterpress class...I have my camera and I will really try to remember to take some photos. I've put the camera on the work table so that I don't forget!
The other thing is that I have to remember to upload?/download? the photos from my camera to the computer!! It was suggested that I get an iPhone because they take great photos, I can immediately post them and I can carry it with me everywhere. I'm thinking about it. Not too keen on the whole idea of carrying a cell phone and texting, though. So far I have been able to pretty much resist that piece of equipment except for when I was pregnant with my son 3 years ago. Being a bit of a luddite, I like having times of people not being able to reach me. It's very peaceful that way!
Oops! 5:44 pm! I better start getting ready for my letterpress class. If I remember to take photos you'll see them soon!

Play date at the studio

2011-12-04T23:32:00.001-05:00

These photos were taken at my studio a few weeks ago. They are by a friend who was visiting.

I don't often talk about the loss of our son in this space, but my studio was the setting for a small get together of other Infant Loss parents. They were at the studio to create holiday ornaments for our "missing" children. Since this is a difficult time of year for most of us I thought that having an informal get together to decorate the heart ornaments would be a good way to not feel so alone and isolated with our emotions as well as create something for our babies (whenever I get together with other infant loss parents I sort of view it as a play date for our son, Kai... we parents down here on earth getting together and talking about our children and our children up there past the clouds getting together to play).

Like the ornaments I made to give away last year, these were made of paper pulp that I cast in heart moulds. I set each child's name and birth/death date in the little mini Showcard press in 14 pt. Bernhardt type. I printed their names on some handmade paper and then we attached them to the fronts of our decorated heart ornaments. The woman that took the photos is also an infant loss parent. I think it's a blessing that I can use my creative knowledge and my studio for gathering such as this. Thank you Valerie for the beautiful photos of my studio and all the support over the past almost three years.

clockwise starting at the top left: my hands setting type on the mini Showcard press, two children's names set and ready to proof, a tray of type ornaments, some wood type.

Welcome to the studio, Mason!

2011-11-09T14:19:00.002-05:00

Last Saturday was an exciting day at the studio. Mason, our new foster press was delivered! After months of trying to co-ordinate between Sigrid, Craig and I, it finally came together! Mason ( a Vandercook SP15 that is rumoured to once have belonged to a famous Canadian writer that current mayor Rob Ford had never heard of ) was delivered to it's new long term temporary home at KOZO Studio. Along with Mason, Sigrid also gave me several boxes filled with various ornaments, leading, rules, metal display type and ink to use with Mason! Thank you Sigrid! I'll keep it all safe for your working visits to the studio.

It was a beautiful day for moving Mason. The last thing you want to do is movie a big press made of steel in the rain! As you can see from the photos we had lots of sun, a little bit of a breeze and a nice fall temperature! Thanks to Craig Black, Nick Kennedy and Albert Kwon for doing the pick up and delivery! Next time I have to remember to have more Coca Cola around.

So, right now the studio is in a state of disarray. Well, more than usual disarray! I've been sorting leads, cleaning and sorting ornaments, finding space for type and moving big pieces of furniture around (with the help of Ken and Albert - thank you, guys). Now that all the press stuff and moving is settled I'll be able to start workshops again next week. Not sure how the new floor layout will work in terms of flow. Hopefully it will be fine. It ain't easy moving cases of lead and heavy metal presses around! We'll see how it goes.

Nick and Craig moving Mason onto the hydraulic cart.
Nick's new Universal Press is behind him.

Nick and Albert posing on the hydraulic lift!

Lift down and now To move Mason onto the sidewalk...

...with a handy piece of flat steel to use as a ramp.

The cool edge pry/lift-y thing helping craig get Mason onto the sidewalk.

There's Mason on the sidewalk.
Sorry guys. Mason is not going to walk into the studio on it's own!

While on vacation...

2011-11-03T00:24:00.001-04:00

We were doing our annual fall road trip and ended up going to Massachusetts. We stayed in the town of Lee in the Berkshires. Lucky for us it was just half an hour away from John Barrett's weekend letterpress shop/warehouse Letterpress Things! I could have bought so much...

Metal display type.

Nicely sorted quads and spaces for sale by weight.

Furniture racks and furniture sold by weight.

The picture says it all!

Printer drawers, card stock, and many other maybe useful odds and ends.

Time to tally up.

...and don't forget this...

My daughter waiting patiently. She knows what to expect so she brought a book!!

Beautiful presses that need some tlc and a good home.

My big purchase. A set of new old wood type.

Making paper again

2011-09-09T00:52:00.002-04:00

This is a large sheet of paper made from kozo fibre that a client ordered back in May or June. Unfortunately it has been such a humid summer that I couldn't work with the kozo fibre until just recently! When it's too humid the fibres go mouldy too quickly or they don't dry properly and end up making a very soft floppy paper. The ideal time for working with kozo is when it is dry and cold. I did that in an unheated studio in Japan when I was apprenticing with Richard Flavin. We took turns thawing out our hands over a small portable kerosene heater.

Interesting day.

2011-08-20T00:15:00.003-04:00

Image of intestinal tract letterpress tattoo

Today was an interesting day. A curious cyclist stopped by to see what the studio was all about. I talked to him briefly about the Book Arts, letterpress, paper making and hand binding and then, while I worked on setting up a chase for an order, he took his time looking at all the prints, broadsides, cuts, type, etc. After a while he brought a half tone over to me. He thought it looked like intestines and wanted to know if that was what the image really was. From just looking at it I had absolutely no idea! I'm not familiar with what intestines look like. I decided to do a quick proof of the cut. I still couldn't really tell what it was. It kind of looked intestine-y. I passed the proof to him... yup. Intestinal tract with esophagus!! He loved it... then he asked if I could print it on him! Ummmmm... no, he didn't mind that it was going to be printed with rubber based ink as long as it was black. Okay! So I gave him some alcohol and a tissue to de-grease wherever he wanted the print. At first it was his wrist, then it was changed to his torso... okay...

I inked the cut in black with a hard brayer and then pressed it by hand into the side of his stomach. Good thing he was really fit otherwise I don't think it would have printed as well as it did! After a bit of clean up around the image with vegetable oil and a cotton bud (he was impressed that I had the rubbing alcohol, veggie oil and cotton buds!) the pseudo tattoo was ready to dry - I hope. He suggested I do a sideline at the studio in temporary tattoos using images from the cuts. Hmmmmm. Some not too attractive images of me pressing inked cuts onto skin in all sorts of places grossed me out and I told him probably not.

He was happy anyway. He bought the actual cut of the intestinal tract, took several of my business cards and, after I told him that I considered him to be a partially porous surface and that the ink would probably dry in about a day, he thanked me, shook my hand, told me his name, jumped on his bike and rode away.

I'm not sure how far he was riding but it was pretty hot today. I hope he didn't sweat too much and smudge my hard work!

Printing a half tone of the intestinal tract on Dave's stomach.
My husband took the picture!

Surprise show!

2011-07-27T21:44:00.005-04:00

Top postcard by me. Bottom postcard by my friends at Pomegranite Press in Oakville.

You may remember that I contributed to a letterpress postcard swap in the spring of 2010 entitled "Greetings from...". Well, i've just found at that the collection of postcards is part of an art show entitled "Fine and Dirty: Contemporary Letterpress Art" at the Minnesota Centre for Book Arts. It will be up until Oct. 16th, 2011. If you are going out that way please check it out! Apparently it will also be travelling to a few other states... but probably not Canada. Too bad.

Letterpress workshop projects.

2011-07-21T13:38:00.004-04:00

Works done by participants in the spring letterpress workshops. I won't be doing any summer workshops. This summer is going to be busy with trips and visitors for me... and it's way too stinking hot!! The two colour prints are from the Letterpress 1 workshops and the one colour prints are from the Intro. workshops.

These half tones look awesome inked in gray!

Hand inking on the "new" old flatbed.

2011-05-22T23:59:00.000-04:00

These pictures were taken in March on our way home from a vacation. We were at the Buffalo International Airport on our way to pick up our luggage and there in front of us was a display of letterpress broadsides! I made my family take a detour from getting our luggage so that I could have a look. The Western New York Book Arts Centre were given a small retail space to set up a display promoting the Centre. Cool! It made me think that Buffalo was a pretty cool place to have this in their airport! A few weeks later, at Wayzgoose, I talked to some of the people representing the Centre and they assured me that Buffalo was not a cool place - except for the WNYBAC. The work coming out of there is pretty amazing and it looks like they have a great resource of type to use. Hopefully I'll get to go there someday soon. By the way, Richard Kegler who is affiliated with the WNYBAC, has a documentary film called "Making Faces: Metal Type in the 21st Century". It documents the work of Canadian graphic designer, Jim Rimmer, who was also a type designer, caster, and letterpress craftsman.

I bought a copy of Richard's documentary at Wayzgoose but I haven't watched it yet as I want to watch it in the right company - meaning not with our daughter!

Toronto Mini Maker Faire This Weekend!

2011-05-04T20:41:00.004-04:00

This weekend is the first Toronto Mini Maker Faire. It started in the U.S. in 2006. It is now held all over the U.S., Britain, Africa and now Canada. The Toronto Mini Maker Faire is being held this Saturday and Sunday at the Evergreen Brickworks on Bayview Ave.

"Makers" are people at any level who are dedicated to the act of creating in that DIY style. The Faires are a chance to bring "makers" and the public together to share ideas, create collaborations, create new projects, come up with new ideas as well as compare notes. It's not just Artists and crafters! It's scientists, hackers, musicians, filmmakers, writers, architects, engineers, etc.

I'll be there demonstrating letterpress printing (old fashion DIY!) and I'm hoping that I'll have time to look around. There are going to be 3-D printers, snowflake cameras (?), and robots! It's a family event and it looks like there will be some really cool, mind expanding things for children to try.

Check out the website for participants, directions and other cool info: http://makerfairetoronto.ca/about/

Happy people printing!

2011-05-03T22:47:00.002-04:00

I've been a bit sloppy in remembering to post photos that I've taken during workshops. Sorry to all my students who have not seen their photos here!

I find it amazing and really wonderful what participants come up with in a very short time for letterpress projects! No photopolymers. Just old school cuts, engravings, wood type and metal type. Take a look...

Erin printing a small edition book cover.

Artistic Printing

2011-04-03T23:12:00.000-04:00

Wow. It's been a while since I last posted. Sorry.
I have a lot of catching up to do!

In March my family took a two week vacation in Florida. Good weather, nice beaches and some downtime. While we were there we met up with Don and Ruth Black for an afternoon and dinner. Don showed us a bunch of new books on letterpress type that he had acquired. For me it was like looking at a book with pictures of all kinds of delicious tempting candy. Beautiful wood type and metal type fonts page after page! I had also brought a book called "The Handy Book of Artistic Printing" to show Don. He had never seen it. It's a paperback whose pages are filled with images of beautiful, densely printed ephemera letterpress done in the late 1800's in a style that was called Artistic Printing. Here is a peek.

The artistically printed style cover.

I'd love to see and try out one of these curving machines for rules!
They created all sorts of images by custom bending rules for clients. Plants, swirls even portraits!!

Look at all the individual pieces used to create this one corner of the image!!!

Love this book!

2011-02-28T19:56:00.001-05:00

Lat year I picked up the Volume 2 of the Taschen Edition book on typefaces and graphic styles. It was beautiful. Absolute eye candy for people who love type! Last week for my birthday my husband bought me Volume 1! Such amazing letterforms, samples of printing, etc. There is even a page that has images of a hunky young letterpress guy without a shirt printing using a hand press! I'll have to try and scan that one to show you!

Workshops

2011-02-12T11:16:00.000-05:00

In all my years of teaching adults it is interesting for me to notice that usually females make up the majority of workshop participants. In Letterpress it's a different scene. The balance of male and female students are about equal. I'm not sure why. I just find it interesting...

I taught Julian and Robleh a couple of weeks ago. I really liked their projects. Julian was extra ambitious setting a quote in 12 point metal type with an image! It turned out beautifully. Robleh's positive message broadside also turned out well. I was able to get him to print on some chocolate brown stock that I had ... he was skeptical ... and loved the results! Yay! Too bad I was so excited that I forgot to take a picture of the print on the brown.

Julian at the Platen press printing his hand set type quote.

Robleh's broadside printed an the Vandercook with some of our wood type.

Robleh pulling a print on the Vandercook (yes, that is his arm...he was shy).

Julian's hand set quote with vintage "Bathinette" cut.

Hearts, Love and all things pink and red!

2011-01-24T00:25:00.002-05:00

For about five years now I have been making gift cards for Soma Chocolatemaker. I've spent the last few days at the studio making their Valentine's Day gift cards. Hearts. Pink. Red. I have never been in love with the whole scheme of Valentine's Day scheme being red, white, pink with hearts and cupids! I'm so thankful that at Soma they like the brown card stock I use for their cards!! I don't know if I could stand to print Valentine's cards if they all had to be on white or pastel colours. For me, the brown stock makes the subject and colour a little less... ummmmm... dislikable? Perhaps it''s because I like to think of the brown card stock as wonderful chocolate! They could probably even pay me in chocolate...

I tried printing on the Craftsman for the first time. Since these cards are gift card size it's a good size to try out on the Craftsman. The press is not working as smoothly as I think it should be, but it is printing well. One thing I don't have are the pins to hold the paper in place for printing! Oops! I had to fashion some out of layered cardboard. I was impressed! They worked pretty well. I was able to register the red hearts in line with the pink type using them! I won't be keeping my cardboard pins though. On Friday I'll go to see Craig Black at Don Black Linecasting to pick up some brass pins for the press and see if he has any suggestions for getting the press to work a little more smoothly.

Top: The Craftsman press with a locked up heart.
Bottom: My makeshift pins!
Right: Really nice wood type font in quarter cases.

Printed with metal type.

X's and O's printed with metal type.

A bit too much pressure with the small type.

The Rockwell metal type prints so nicely!

LofL Postcard Swap Goodies!

2011-01-17T23:36:00.001-05:00

These are a few of the postcards I received for participating in the LofL Postcard Swap! We had to create a "Greetings from..." type of postcard that represented the town we lived in, where we were visiting, etc. There were over 70 participants from North America and a few places further away. The only condition was that an element had to be letterpress printed. Not a problem for me!

What a wonderful assortment of type and images! I really love the ones that use original metal or wood type and found cuts. Even the backs were interesting!!

Top - my postcard submission;metal type and vintage cuts printed in three colours
Bottom - submission from my friends at Pomegranite Letterpress

A few of the great postcards that I received!

I loved looking at the backs as well!

2011: Year of the Press Shuffle

2011-01-14T17:31:00.000-05:00

My SP15 won't be alone anymore!

I talked to a friend today about her Vandercook that needs a long term temporary home. So... it looks like we will be adding another press to KOZO Studio family! Yay! Now I just have to clear some space (not as easy as it sounds in my case!) and figure out where to put it! Time for a big studio shuffle ... help! Phil! Albert! Ken! I think I'm going to need your help!!!

I love presents and a mystery!

2011-01-04T11:34:00.000-05:00

Sweet peace sign print! Love the colour!

Found this wedged into my studio door! It's a small print of a peace sign on nice watercolour paper ... letterpress from a polymer plate I believe. What a nice holiday surprise! I just wish I knew who printed it and gave it to me so that I could say thank you!! Anyone have any ideas?

PPP

2011-01-04T01:28:00.000-05:00

I check out what is up on "etsy" every once in a while... there are people making some really great work in there. You just have to sift through it... a lot! The two photos are from Purgatory Pie Press Ink.
They do letterpress!... and not just for cards and invites!!... they actually do creative book projects! Type and book form together! Awesome!! You might think their prices are a bit steep, but they aren't. Not for the amount of technical know how and creativity they have. Their stuff is a little quirky, but I love it!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/38830981/ppp-abc-xyz-grey

Project for my heart.

2010-12-21T02:56:00.000-05:00

I spent a while working on this project. Days actually. I created the two heart ornaments for a gift exchange for mother's who have last their infants. One ornament was for a local mom and the other was sent to a mom in Florida, USA. I hope they like their pieces!

I set the type for the names and dates of the two babies.

At the last moment I set the butterfly dingbat in.

The names and dates were letterpress printed onto some of my handmade paper.

The hearts are made of cotton pulp. I cast each half of the heart in a mould and then glued the two halves together. I decorated the heart after the glue had dried.

Papermaking workshop photos.

2010-11-23T19:52:00.000-05:00

A burst of paper pulp colour!

Pulp painted and laminated with string and I am sure there are a bunch of spices in there as well!

Sunday was the last day of the four part Papermaking workshop I held at my studio. There were 5 participants and they made some beautiful pieces. This was the inaugural papermaking workshop for the studio and so far all is pretty good. Well, aside from the fact that whoever did the cement floor forgot that the water is supposed to drain towards the floor drain! Participants experimented with laminating, debossing, pulp painting (which was a favourite!), adding inclusions as well as almost anything else they could think of! I really admired the creative freedom that one of the participants had in approaching her paper pieces.

Beating red linen fabric offcuts from my friend Emily Hamill who is a fibre artist.
It took about 6 hours to beat the linen down to a pulp.

I see koi in water!
This is a paper piece by one of my workshop participants. The orange is actually dahlia petals.

Scattered petal and leaves in natural pulp.
The fibre for this pulp is also from linen and cotton fabric offcuts from Emily.

Sheets of damp paper drying between wool blankets sandwiched between two wood boards with weights on top.

Helicopters or maple keys laid onto a newly formed wetleaf.
I can't remember if this was to be a deboss or if she ended up putting pulp on top to laminate the keys in.

Workshop participants wet posts after being in the press.
The next step is to put each newly pressed sheet between dry felts.

Tiny sheets with plant material laminated in it.

My hands couching a new wetleaf on wet felts.

My daughter helping me transfer a post of just pressed wet leaves onto blotters.
The wet leaves get sandwiched between the blotters and then they will go into the air dryer.

Pieces made by workshop participants.

A new addition...

2010-11-12T23:59:00.000-05:00

Katie's Craftsman Press

LOOK!!!
I'm so excited!! Now I have the addition of a Craftsman platen press at the studio! A huge thank-you to my friend Katie who has allowed me to give her press a home until she has a permanent one for it. It's been in storage for a while, so I'll have to give it some TLC before I try it out. I do love the platen press (they look much nicer sitting in a studio! it's such a satisfying moment when the paper meets the type) but for what I like to print, a platen press is not practical.
So again, "Thank-you, Katie for lending me and my students your press! I'll take good care of it/her/him!"

Who's De-boss!

2010-11-03T13:38:00.000-04:00

This is a video about Studio on Fire a design/letterpress studio in Minneapolis. Ben does a good explanation of how a polymer plate is made - they have an all in one plate maker!!!... it vacuums! it exposes! it washes! it dries! it does everything except print!! I want one!!! to bad I can't afford one and I don't know how to use photoshop or adobe image maker to create a positive! The last time I made a polymer plate I had to go over to a department called REPROGRAPHY to turn my negative into a positive by actually shooting and exposing another sheet! Guess how young I'm not!

Near the end of the video Ben makes three good points about the abilities of letterpress printing as opposed to modern printing methods. Yep. Letterpress is from a different time when things were done much more slowly and thoughtfully and one had to work within the processes limitations. That's what I like about it!! I know that I can't set and print two hundred pieces in two colours in a couple of hours! Letterpress takes time, patience, and focus - some things I feel we are starting to lose (some have already lost it!!) in our modern society.

Something to note... what's with all the DE-BOSSING?!? I know that this is what everyone has come to think of when they think "Letterpress", but what happened to having the paper "kiss" the ink for a good print!?! Twenty years ago in school we were taught that the surface of the type/cut was supposed to "kiss" the paper to create the print. The deep de-boss was not practical as you would squash the heck out of the surface of your font or image eventually making them lower than type high and in some cases obliterating detail! As well, too much pressure isn't good for reading if you are printing double sided for a book or newspaper. Wood and metal type are big investments and you wouldn't want to wreck them by putting too much pressure on them. Polymer plates that are widely used now are relatively inexpensive, disposable and removes the need to use wood or metal type. So , I guess you aren't damaging your investment if you are crushing the heck out of your one job polymer plate.

"...Without dispute, Studio On Fire are masters of the design and letterpress world..."

-Gestalten.tv

As much as I love their work, I'm not sure I would call Ben a master of the letterpress world, design... perhaps. There are many more letterpress printers out there who are much more deserving but are not in the graphic design world, much more low key and out of the spotlight. Just my opinion, though.

Studio On Fire/ Gestalten TV

www.gestalten.tv

and now for a paper making studio!!

2010-10-28T19:46:00.000-04:00

I'm puttering around in the studio basement getting the space ready for a hand papermaking workshop that I'm teaching. When I got the studio we put in a bunch of pot lights to make it brighter, but It's weird being down there and not knowing if it's light or dark out. This must be what it's like to work in an office building cubicle.

Checked out my beater and I guess I haven't used it since it was used in "The Time Traveller's Wife" movie. I have an extra pipe (I think it's theirs), my drain stop has a broken handle and my makeshift engine protector is missing. Ugh! Have to do some McGyver-ing!

My felts are all in one place, I have to clear the air dryer, and put the press on the floor by the drain... hmmm... better check to see if the pump has enough fluid to create pressure... and where are my boards?!?
The workshop starts this Sunday and the first thing we'll do is talk about types of paper, what the differences are, fibres, and ways to manipulate pulp. After that we'll start getting the dry stuffs ready for pulping. The five participants will be learning how to make paper from scratch. We're starting with cotton and linen fabrics for the pulp. Using linters will come later when we need a boat load of pulp to work with!

I love the fact that I can turn our old rags (t-shirts, pants, towels, etc.) into gorgeous pieces of coloured papers. That is what I call Up-cycling!

I've got the rags but I'm still waiting for the riches!

Photos from Don Black Linecasting

2010-10-25T18:17:00.003-04:00

These are pictures of the Don Black Linecasting "class trip" I organized in the beginning of October. I forgot to bring my camera so these are taken by our friend, photographer Michael Robinson, who came on the trip because he likes all things old!
Thanks Mike!


Like the type says.

On the way into the Warehouse

When you walk into the warehouse this is what you see on your right. In the foreground is the Intertype machine and in the background against the wall is a flatbed press they use for proofing. Craig was kind enough to show everyone how the Intertype machine worked and he also cast some type for some of the group!

Ooo! Hot foil stamping!! Craig is demo-ing the hot foil stamper for Nerissa.

Shiny!

One of the most popular styles of presses these days! This is a floor model.

Two part qoins. I used these at school!

The name is in the photo! I still have a fear of these! Joe from Pomegranate Press told me a "poke your eye out" story about one!

A beautiful old paper cutter.

Lots of wood furniture!

Large Foundry type

some of the mechanical parts of the Intertype machine.

Printing some cuts

Rolling!

Beth takes a look at some images "hot off the press"! She even bought a small press just like my Showc

The cuts and the print on the bed of the press.

They have walls of drawers of letterpress stuff!!

Craig's work area.

A pile of lead "pigs" for casting type. We used them for weights for pressing handmade paper when I was at O.C.A.!

More drawers of stuff AND a bunch of presses that Craig is working on.

MORE!!!

Packaged type and ornaments for sale.

Tanya from Snap + Tumble checking out the Ludlow mats and composing them in a casting stick. Craig let my husband, Ken, demo type casting on the Ludlow for us.

Drawers of type!

I believe these drawers contain mats for the Ludlow. The drawers are beautiful!

Wood type in a drawer.

Tanya, Christine and I looked at drawer upon drawer of cuts!

Craig setting up the hot foil stamper.

I was looking for ornaments and a cute little font to use for my Wayzgoose Anthology submission.

Craig talking with Nerissa.

Don Black Linecasting

2010-10-03T23:12:00.001-04:00

We had a great time on Saturday morning at Don Black Linecasting! I was a bit groggy as I am a night person, but I managed to get to the studio before 9 am to meet everyone. Luckily we had three vehicles and so everyone got to go to Scarborough by car. Unfortunately we had several people who had to drop out last minute due to illness. Yup. It's that time of year again where colds are making their rounds of infecting unsuspecting humans!

When we got there Tanya and Christine had already arrived. I talked to Craig a bit and then we decided to start. Well, I had to start. After introducing Craig (Don's son who has taken over the business), the space and my husband (who was demo-ing type/linecasting on the Ludlow) everyone basically went wherever they wanted and started poking around and asking questions.

We were lucky! Craig had a variety of presses that were restored and ready for sale. I fell in love with a Showcard flatbed press that has a bed size 4x my Mini Showcard! It was beautiful, but if I get another press I really want a flatbed press with a bigger bed than my Vandercook. I wish I had enough cash to buy one of every style of press... that's the collector in me... but one must at least try to be practical! I answered quite a few questions about presses. I know one person bought a small press and I believe another has their name on a press for when it comes in.

Craig was a wonderful host! He patiently and kindly answered SO many questions, he let us rummage around freely and just before we left he even reminded us that the Intertype was heated up and if we had time we should see it in motion. I felt everyone should see that! It's an amazing machine. I used one when I was in art college and loved it. Craig showed us how it basically worked and cast people's names for them. A great souvenir from a great day at Don Black Linecasting (the letterpress candy shop!).

I was so busy I forgot to take pictures. Luckily our friend Mike Robinson, who is a professional photographer, took plenty of photos. He's putting them on a disk for me. I hope to have those up by the end of the week!!

For now all I have are pics of the cast type I bought for a short piece about my son for Wayzgoose 2011 and some ornaments that I found to add to the few I already had.

"Class Trip" to Don Black Linecasting

2010-09-29T14:06:00.000-04:00

The Oct. 2nd trip to Don Black's warehouse is coming up on Saturday! Should be fun. I can't help but think of Don and Craig's warehouse as a sort of candy shop for printers! I'm hoping that we can car pool so those of you who want to go and drive a car please consider bringing one or two others in your vehicle if possible.

So far, here is the list of who is going. If I have left your name off the list by mistake or you want to attend please contact me so I can give you last minute directions in case we have a car.
Quinn
Jeffrey
Emily
Christine
Mike
Cheryl (?)
Ken

We'll be meeting at the studio at 9:00 to organize TTC and/or car pools!

Working, working, working!

2010-09-27T23:16:00.000-04:00

I've been very busy trying to get stuff ready for the coming fall show that I'm in at the El Mocambo. I have to get everything done before I go on vacation in early October. If I manage to get everything done before the show, it will be a first!! I am always at the studio the night before a show trying to pack and put finishing touches on stuff. I won't have that luxury for this show, so I'm going to try and be at least a little bit organised. I'll keep you posted on how I do.

Vintage cowboy cuts that I've letterpress printed onto tags. Cute!

The run of tags I've printed on a flatbed press - hand inked!

I had two Intro. to Letterpress workshops this weekend. I'm SO lucky. The people that take my workshops are such wonderful, kind, creative humans! I tend to go overtime with the workshops if I'm not doing anything afterwards. Both days we went overtime because of too much chatting. All four participants were such interesting people. Saturday's workshop I had two young printmakers. One now works as an archivist and the other spent time in Japan taking an intensive moku hanga workshop!

Sunday's workshop participants were equally interesting. One is in publishing and is thinking of starting her own business and the other is an architect who now lives out on a farm and grows organic produce and is also starting up a business with her farm. She also does catering... I can't wait 'til they start making preserves from their farm. They both worked on pieces to do with their new businesses. We talked a lot about different types of presses and what types of jobs they are best for.

Photos from Sunday's workshop.

Is Gary Oldman in town?

2010-09-24T16:14:00.000-04:00

So, yesterday Albert and I were printing away at the studio. I had the front door open so that some fresh air could come into the studio. I left the sign in the window saying "CLOSED" and I put a triangular step stool in the open doorway as a barrier. Towards the end of the afternoon a man sort of awkwardly hops over the low edge of my little stool and stands there looking at stuff. I ask him, "Can I help you?". and he says that he was just curious and looking around. I tell him that actually we are closed today and just here to work. The man - who has a British accent - asks what the space is supposed to be. I tell him it's primarily my studio space. He asks if he can look around anyway since he's there and all. The door was open so he just thought he'd come in (and hop the step stool). I mumble something about being closed and needing to work and stand there looking at him... Finally he "Oh. Okay. and goes outside, unchains his bike and rides away.
Then I look at Albert who is saying to me, "You just kicked out Gary Oldman!".
Huh? I guess I can see the similarity (though I couldn't re-focus that quickly on the man since I was looking at cuts up close) but I don't think Gary Oldman is in town and I don't think he'd be riding a bike in south Riverdale Chinatown. The British man was dressed well, but casual and kind of wrinkle-y. Nope. It wasn't him, was it? Well, I was polite! But Albert says I still didn't let Gary Oldman look around and I should have since he's famous.
"He probably thinks you're an A**.
Nooo! But I was polite and there was a step stool, a closed sign and my sign that says "OPEN HOURS..."!!
Should I have let someone stay when I just wanted to work?!
Was I mean to Gary Oldman?!
Uh-oh. Will this be years of bad Karma?...

Busy

2010-09-11T00:55:00.000-04:00

Well, I've finished my post cards for the Post card exchange on L of L. One hundred and twenty five have been sent off to Camille in Wisconsin. She planned and co-ordinated this whole exchange. Thank you Camille!
I have about 20 extra ones that I've kept for special people. Today I gave one to the Coast Papers Retail Outlet guy, Andy. He's so personable, patient and nice! And he knows what they have! But alas, he is leaving to go back to university. We just happened to head over there to pick up some paper on his last day! Best of luck back in university, Andy.

This is the window of my studio. The cool cinema marquee letters are drom a friend of ours who used to work at a movie cinema years ago before THX, Dolby surround sound and digital 3-D. I love the shade of red that they are. In case you don't know, Kozo is the name of the fibre from a type of Mulberry that is used in Japan to make washi paper. It's the fibre I used the most when I apprenticed in Ogawa-machi with artist Richard Flavin.

Walking home from the studio today at around 7 pm the clouds were beautiful. The light was kind of yellow-ish when I looked out the studio window. This was why. The sun was below the major cloud cover and shining on the big fluffy white clouds giving them a golden glow. Magical.

Work

2010-09-06T22:36:00.000-04:00

Malcolm rented studio time to compose and print this great cover for "The Coming Envelope" which is a "... new periodical of experimental prose..." (I couldn't have described it any better so I just quoted "BookThug which is the Publisher). He did this one back in May and recently he came back to create and print the cover for the winter issue. Malcolm gave me a proof of the cover so I'll have to take a photo of it, too and put it up.

The cover of "The Coming Envelope Issue #1, Summer 2010" letterpress printed

by Malcolm S. at the studio. Published by BookThug, Toronto.

http://www.bookthug.ca

Workshop Participant works

2010-08-09T19:46:00.000-04:00

I love what people come up with in the workshops that I teach! I hate making people do "cookie cutter" style work in order to learn. It may be easier for me to teach that way, but I've always found those types of workshops kind of boring. So, I leave it up to the participant and I just stipulate a few basic parameters they just have to work within.

The results are great! I wish I could take better photos to do them justice!

Basic Silkscreen

Intro. to Letterpress

Letterpress 1

Intro. to Letterpress

Letterpress 1

Basic Silkscreen

Intro. to Letterpress

Tape!

2010-06-14T02:01:00.000-04:00

\This has nothing at all to do with my studio or me except that I'm in love with it!

This installation is at the DMY Berlin Design Festival by use/numen!

They tons of packing tape to create this web/cocoon type installation that you can crawl around in.

I wonder if the sticky side of the tape faces in or out?

Check it out on their site under the heading "Projects". They have a slideshow of the process as well as some great photos!

Crazy?!

2010-05-10T21:59:00.004-04:00

SO, I have an apprentice, Al, that comes and helps me twice a week. We've been sorting through a bunch of old type trays that I got from an old art school acquaintance. This is some of the metal type that had been randomly tossed into the trays along with the fonts whose homes were in those cases. We had been sorting and saving all of the odds and ends fonts to see if they belonged anywhere else - we found a few of them homes but most were lost.

All the type looked so amazing sitting upright on their feet in the box. Random letters and styles pieced together to fit squarely in a shallow seat with all their facees next to each other. We had to think of something to reflect how cool they looked! This is what my apprentice thought of! Yeah, doing it on the computer and having a polymer plate made would be much, much, much easier! But where's the challenge in that!?! It took Al all day to put this together. After he left I spent more time locking it into a chase and then put teeny, tiny leads in to make sure there was no wiggle room for the type. We'll see this week how the proof looks. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we don't have to do too much make ready! Some of the type is 6 pt !!!

2010-05-10T21:53:00.001-04:00

Broadsides created by some of the participants of my Letterpress 1 workshop!

Wayzgoose 2010

2010-04-28T22:18:00.003-04:00

Fuzzy Heart Album with satin ties and sun milagro.

Journal covered in brass with raised letters on cover.

Wayzgoose in Grimsby has come and gone for another year. I had a wonderful time seeing people I haven't seen for a couple of years, meeting new people and checking out all the really amazing books, broadsides, and assorted book arts and print related ephemera that they have been creating.

The weather was beautiful and, as always, dinner was a perfect end to our day.

Almost Wayzgoose!!!

2010-04-16T14:27:00.003-04:00

Wow! What a response to the workshops!!
The May 1st Intro. to Letterpress is full!
Also, for clarificatio, the Leterpress 1 workshops are both on Sundays.

It's the last weekend before Wayzgoose and I'm busy setting and printing!
During the week I hope to get around to binding some Cereal books!
Hopefully I'll remember to take photos to put up here as I go.

Workshops for April, May and June...

2010-04-13T18:19:00.003-04:00

Helping children screen t-shirts at my child's birthday a few months ago.

DONE!

I've finally been able to co-ordinate my schedule and my family's schedule to create a workshop schedule! Whew.

This is a broadside created by a participant in the Letterpress 1 workshop

Introduction to Letterpress (max. 3 participants), Fee: $90.- +$4.50 GST

Sat. Apr. 25 Sat. June 5

Sat. May 1 Sun. June 6

Sat. May 8 Sun. June 12

Sat. May 15

All Intro. to Letterpress workshops take place from 9:30 am - 1 pm.

Letterpress 1 (max. 3 participants, Intro to Letterpress is a pre-requisite) Fee $175.- + $8.75 GST

Sun. May 16, 10 - 4:30 pm

Sun. June 13, 10 - 4:30 pm

Covers registration for 2 or more colour printing, building a form, editioning.

Working Washi (max.4 participants), Fee: $40.- + $2.- GST

Wed. MAy 12, 6:30 - 9:30

Explore the surface treatments of suminagashi, orizome and pigmented rice paste used for decorating Japanese washi papers. Washi paper, inks, pigments, brushes are supplied.

SIlkscreen (maximum 3 participants) Fee: $ 90.- + $ 4.50 GST

Sun. May 30, 10 - 3 pm

Sun. June 13, 10 - 3 pm

Bring your own light coloured shirts, fabric, cardstock and/or paper for printing your own designs on.

Please see side bar for registration instructions.

WAYZGOOSE Time!

2010-04-08T16:06:00.004-04:00

It's that time of year again! Wayzgoose is happening in Grimsby, Ontario on Saturday April 24th from 10 am - 5 pm. There is no admission fee and you'll get to look at some amazing book arts works! Most of the exhibitors have things for sale, also! I always spend too much!

I was absent last year because of the death of our son, but I'll definitely be there this year. Hope some of you can make it out!!

Some of the things I've been making.

2010-04-04T19:08:00.007-04:00

3 basic stab-bound books with covers made of my handmade rag papers.

Top: one of my experimental books with leather laces incorporated into the spine and fore edge. The cover material is Japanese washi that I decorated using pigmented paste.
Bottom: a detail of the spine.

I started making these for friends! Collaged papers adhered to a glass front, edged in copper with an ultrasuede back (so that it feels soft against the skin).

Some of my letterpress cards.
The images are a combination of vintage metal cuts and old wood type. I print them on the Vandercook or my Showcard flatbed press. Polymer plates aren't part of my repertoire . I'm a bit of a Luddite, so I can't create the vector files needed to have polymer plates of new images produced!

A rainbow of my handmade rag papers sewn together for a book.

A small pillow book covered in silk for your little secrets.

A large album with a fuzzy heart and dragonfly pendant sewn onto a pink burlap cover.

The deckle edges some of my handmade rag papers.

Some books.
Top: concertina book covered in Japanese washi decorated using a paste resist method.
Middle: book with exposed stitches through the spine. The cover is more of my handmade paper made with a mix of cotton pulp and kozo fibre. There is a button sewn on the front and a cord to tie the book closed.
Bottom: book has exposed stitching and a cover made of card stock letterpress printed with an assortment of vintage cuts. The cord cinching stitches on the spine is also used for tying the book closed.

March Break is Over.

2010-03-22T00:08:00.003-04:00

Back from vacation in chilly Florida!

Got together with Don and Ruth Black for a day while we were down there.

Don had several books on the table when we got there... I think he knew I would be tempted!

One was the "Hamilton Specimens of Wood Typefaces" published by Shooting Star Press. It's a reprint of Hamilton's 17th issue of their Wood Type Catalogue from the early 1900's. Beautiful!

Don let me have his copy since we're not sure whether the publisher would ship to Canada and how much more it may cost. Thank you, Don!

Once I figure out what is wrong with my scanner hook-up I'll scan a few pages for all to see.

For now, here is a picture of the cover.

Jan. Photos

2010-02-01T22:31:00.003-05:00

Lead used for holding space.

A student's project printing vintage cuts on the vandercook SP15.

From my Letterpress 1 workshop.

Close up of odds and ends of cast type.

Odds and ends of tiny cast type fished out of trays.

Back at it! Workshop update.

2010-01-19T10:30:00.003-05:00

Last week was my first time teaching a workshop at my studio in over a year. I was really nervous. I was sure I would forget some piece of vital information that people needed to know for doing Letterpress!

I didn't need to worry... all went fine. The participants were really great and enthusiastic! I love meeting new people who have similar interests. Everyone who takes the workshop seems to have a love of old type, fine paper, books or a combination of the three. Of course I love all three. Don't ask me about font names though. I come from a fine art background! I just look at the type and chose by how it looks... the short, fat font with the rounded serifs are good!

Thank you to the people who participated in last weeks workshop. You made my return to teaching a wonderful and relaxing experience!

Workshop update:

Intro. to letterpress ($ 90.00)

Fri. Jan. 22 from 1 - 4 pm (full)
Sat Jan. 23 from 10 - 1 pm (full)
Sat. Feb. 6 from 10 - 1 pm (full)
Fri. Feb. 12 from 1 - 4 pm (cancelled)
Sat. Feb. 20 from 10 - 1 pm (full)

Letterpress 1 ($ 175.00)

Sun. Jan. 24 from 10 - 4 pm (1 space left)
Fri. Jan. 29 from 10 - 4 pm (full)
Fri. Feb. 19 from 10 - 4 pm
Sun. Feb. 28 from 10 - 4 pm (full)

Book Arts Fair, Christmas Market, 2010 Workshops

2009-12-03T22:03:00.008-05:00

Hello everyone!

Almost a year off and now I'm getting back into my work. Slowly.
First up, a reminder that KOZO Studio Gallery will be open for our Christmas Market Fridays (2 - 7 pm) and Saturdays (2 - 6 pm) beginning November 28th until Christmas Eve. We have lots of new "old wood type" for sale, and wonderful handmade gifts by some of my creative and artistic friends.
Also, the 25th Annual OCAD Book Arts Fair is on Sat. Dec. 5th from 10 am - 5 pm in the Great Hall of OCAD on 100 McCaul St. I'll be there and we'll be bringing a bunch of letterpress paraphernalia (wood type, metal type, cuts, ludlow mats...).

Workshops

I've decided to do semi-private letterpress workshops for now. There will be no more than 3 participants per class! As Martha says, "It's a good thing". It will be less stress for me to prepare and participants will be able to focus on a project, receive more individual attention from me and have more time available at the presses to play.
In both classes participants will be able to use wood type, metal type, and an assortment of vintage cuts from Akemi's collection. The presses we'll be using are a Vandercook SP 15 prints up to 12 x 15 ") and a Showcard Mini flatbed press (prints up to 8 x 10").
Intro. to Letterpress covers the basics of printing, terminology, and of course, printing a series of cuts and type of your choosing.
In Letterpress 1 we'll create a two colour print with registration. We'll use a chase, learn to lock in a form and some basics of doing multi colour prints.

Dates available are:

Intro. to letterpress ($ 90.00)
Sat Jan. 16 from 10 - 1 pm (full)
Fri. Jan. 22 from 1 - 4 pm
Sat Jan. 23 from 10 - 1 pm (full)
Sat. Feb. 6 from 10 - 1 pm (full)
Fri. Feb. 12 from 1 - 4 pm
Sat. Feb. 20 from 10 - 1 pm (1 space left)

Letterpress 1 ($ 175.00)
Sun. Jan. 17 from 10 - 4 pm
Sun. Jan. 24 from 10 - 4 pm (1 space left)
Fri. Jan. 29 from 10 - 4 pm
Fri. Feb. 19 from 10 - 4 pm
Sun. Feb. 28 from 10 - 4 pm (full)

Thank you all for your patience during this past year. It's been a
very difficult 10 months and I'm glad to report that I actually want
to start working again. The beginning of January will be difficult as
it marks the first anniversary of our son's death. I've had wonderful
support from my community of friends and past students.
Thank you so very much!

Crafty Christmas time!

2009-11-11T23:00:00.003-05:00

Well, this will be my first show in over a year. I'm glad I'm starting with this one. It's the first year for this show and one of the organizers is my friend, Lisa. Please come out and support this east end craft show on Nov. 21st. They'll also be showing Handmade Nation afterwards!!!

A diverse mix of local makers of fine, cool, funky, sassy art and craft selling their wares at the stunning Fox Theatre in the Beaches. The sale is from 10am to 4pm, followed by Faythe Levine’s Documentary, Handmade Nation at 4:30pm.

Movies and Makers: An Art and Craft Show is a co-production between The Fox Theatre and GirlCanCreate that brings together all things local and handmade. The show is designed to provide both emerging and established artisans with a marketplace to sell their wares. We are looking forward to creating a unique experience in a unique space, The Fox Theatre.

Admission to the craft show is free.

Tickets to Handmade Nation are $6 for Fox Theatre members and $8 for non-members.

Here is the Vendor List for the first Movies and Makers's Holiday Show!

Nathalie-Roze and Co Brook Alviano Ashley Winnington-Ball Karen Tiveron of Zippster Kid Icarus Nomura Photography Pam McFadyen of Lurearts Tweek Melinda Reidl Andrew Kellner Akemi Nishidera of Kozo Studio Kiele Poirer of Kabe Glass Studio Barb Danielewski of Epidemic 613 Knotted Nest GirlCanCreate Emily Law and Mark Cabuena Comfortably Lovely Worn Journal Le Petit Pig 2 Mile Jewellry Afrodelik Designs Jordynn Mackenzie Dot Handmade Pickleseed The Clay Mobile Ronald Caddigan Curious Oddities Suzanne Greenburg Beside Herself

November 21, 2009 10 am to 4 pm The Fox Theatre 2236 Queen Street East Toronto, ON

For vendor interviews and show goodness check out our blog here! movies-and-makers.blogspot.com

Wunderkammer Call

2009-10-19T00:45:00.000-04:00

Find out more at

http://wunderkammercabinet.blogspot.com/

WUNDERKAMMER - new project!

2009-10-03T14:17:00.005-04:00

It's fall. Kids are back at school and I have started going back to the studio. I seem to have forgotten where I keep a lot of things. Where are my bone folder?!?! Where is my fine grit snadpaper?!?!

Anyroad, my first project (thanks to Sheila and Nat's enthusiasm and push) is a show called Wunderkammer Cabinet. Yes, if you know German the title is redundant -but hey! We thought just calling it Wunderkammer would be too vague for the average non-German speaker.

My husband and I gave this large oak cabinet to myself late last fall as a Christmas, new baby <:( present. Sheila saw it and thought it would be great for a collective show. Now that time has passed since our sons still birth and I feel ready to get back into my studio, Sheila and Nat have helped me get me into the studio to get this project off the ground. Where do they get their energy?!? The posters for the artists call are letterpress printed using hand set wood and metal type and computer printed for the body copy.

The Time Traveller's Wife

2009-07-28T02:14:00.002-04:00

The movie is coming out in mid August. If you go see it, check out Rachel McAdams papermaking equipment. It's mine! I rented it out last year to the movie. Weird . . . who would think that papermaking equipment would ever be needed for a commercial movie?!?

Vandercook SP15 time rental

2009-07-06T23:51:00.004-04:00

I'm sorry but I'm not really back at the studio yet.
I will however be allowing people rent studio time on the Vandercook staring next week. I have had a few people I know rent time already. At the moment that is all I can really handle.
So, if you want to book time on the Vandercook the details are below and you should contact me via e-mail.

STUDIO RENTAL FOR INDEPENDANT WORK ON THE VANDERCOOK SP15
$35.00 for the first two hours/session
$10.00 for each additional hour/session
Add $20.00/hour if you need assistance and/or technical help.
A minimum of two hours must be booked per session.
Included; black rubber based ink, access to available wood type, metal type and cuts, furniture, leading, chase, clean up supplies.

e-mail: kozostudio@gmail.com

It's Almost July!

2009-06-29T01:48:00.004-04:00

How did July get here so quickly?

I had hoped to be able to start having workshops again in June!

It seems I was expecting too much of myself. Six months later, being is still difficult to deal with and apparently that is very normal. I'm normal.

I apologise to all of you that were looking forward to workshops. But, considering I haven't been able to work in my studio alone at all, it's best that I don't book anything until I am sure that I can follow through. I did work on one project for my friends, but they were there every time to sit with me and help. Anyroad, now that it is summer, I'm sure many of you want to get out of the city or do summer fun things on the weekends.

Planning

2009-05-18T16:47:00.005-04:00

This is a picture of my new cabinet sitting on a lift at Don Black's. It weighs 500 lbs. The shallow drawers are for putting arranged type into for storage. We bought it as my Christmas/Baby present. I'm contemplating having a show in the future that is based around the cabinet and it's drawers.

Beautiful isn't it!

Well, I've been getting quite a few e-mails asking about workshops. I guess I should start thinking about scheduling some soon. I've been at the studio a lot lately helping my friends design and print their wedding invitations. They are both ceramic artists and they are trying, as much as is possible, to have their wedding done by local artists and craftspeople. I think their idea is wonderful! I don't normally do wedding stuff, but I admire their plans so much I had to help. Working with them also gets me back into the swing of things!

So, I hope to have a couple of workshops in June. I'll keep you posted on the specifics as soon as I have them.

To all the people who have e-mailed asking for workshops, "Thank you for being so patient with me and for the beautiful notes of condolence and understanding."

Getting back into it

2009-04-06T00:47:00.005-04:00

Well... I've been thinking of dates to start workshops again. I've been to the studio several times and can now be there without constant sighing. I will not have a booth at this year's Wayzegoose in Grimsby. I do hope to visit though!
I think I will start with some basic letterpress workshops in May.

Since the birth and loss of my son, I have been meeting many other people who have gone through perinatal loss. It is sad that there are SO MANY of us. I now am playing with an idea. One major thing that grieving parents need are tactile objects to help us remember and grieve for our child. There are very few resources for us. Most of them have to do with talking about our loss and sharing our grief. Not fun, but very theraputic and necessary. I thought it would be nice to also get together to create objects to help us remember our babies. Also something necessary but a little bit lighter. I have space and I know how to create and I would really like to share with other involuntary members of this special club that we have found ourselves in...

Too sad to think.

2009-01-21T21:47:00.007-05:00

Facing the mystery of

life and death

we mourn the loss of our son

-Kai -

who accompanied us through a healthy

and hopeful pregnancy… but was stillborn

at 38 weeks

on January 7, 2009, 6 lbs.12 oz

Trying to float.

2009-01-14T20:07:00.003-05:00

Hello,

Our son, Kai, was still born at 38 weeks.
We had found out the previous day that he was not breathing.
Labour was induced that afternoon and Kai was brought into this world the next morning.

I am taking time off to heal physically and emotionally with my husband and daughter.
I will not be writing or updating for a while.

Book Ornaments Workshop & Samples

2008-12-06T01:34:00.012-05:00

Book Ornaments
Sun. Dec. 14, 11 am - 4 pm

Miniature books are one of my favourite things to make! Participants will create several small books that are perfect for hanging on a tree, giving as a gift, or using as a special card or album. Projects will be based on simple book structures such as the concertina, stab binding and origami fold star. Special attention will be paid to embellishing techniques for the pages and covers and spines. A variety of washi, chiyogami and other beautiful papers will be used on the covers, as well as findings, glass beads, ribbons, closures, etc.
Cost $50.00 + GST
Supply fee of $10.00 is due in cash on the day of the workshop.

These are some samples of books we'll be making at the Book Ornaments Workshop on Dec. 14th. I love tiny books! We hang or nestle them on our tree at Christmas. They're great gifts and you can put little drawing, pictures or sayings on the pages.

It's that time of year!

2008-12-02T13:10:00.002-05:00

Chocolate Type! Yum!

2008-12-02T02:54:00.001-05:00

I've seen this in several places on the web. The chocolates are made by a company in Germany.

Even though the letters are facing the correct way for reading I still think it's great. Hey, it's chocolate and letters together! Two of my favourite things! Now if I could get my chocolatier friend here in Toronto to make these, wrong facing even, then I would be in heaven and full of chocolate!

Full Up!

2008-11-15T00:36:00.002-05:00

Wow! That was fast. Both Intro. to Letterpress workshops have filled! I can't wait to teach some new faces about letterpress printing! Hopefully some of them will become addicted to the "Black Arts" and help keep it alive! Of course I'll give the regular warnings about how it eats away at your time, space and money... but the ones who get hooked don't seem to care.

I love it. Letterpress slows one down and is so tactile.

Upcoming Workshops

2008-11-06T18:56:00.005-05:00

INTRO. TO LETTERPRESS
Sat. Nov. 22, 10 am - 3 pm OR Sat. Nov. 29, 10 am - 3 pm
Learn the basics of printing on a flatbed press with Akemi Nishidera at her studio. The Vandercook press is one of the most popular presses for letterpress printers and the little Showcard is perfect for small editions, gift tags, and quick prints. In this introduction class, participants will learn how to get a clear relief print from a combination of wood type, metal type, and metal cuts. Prints will be done in one colour and proper inking, locking, operation of the presses and proper use of cuts and type will be stressed. This is a great workshop to take if you have an inkling that you might like to get your own press.
Cost $ 57.00 + GST
Supply fee of $10.00 due in cash on first day of class.
Please note that two-colour registration, creating a form in the chase and composing type is not covered in the Intro. to Letterpress class. This is done in Letterpress 1.

LETTERPRESS 1
Sun. Dec. 7 and Sat. Dec. 13, 10 am - 4 pm
In this intensive two day workshop participants will learn how to set type, lock up a form and register for two colour printing. Everyone will create a limited edition of their own unique letterpress printed Broadsides that will be traded among class. Participants should have 'Intro. to Letterpress ' or have discussed their previous experience with the instructor.
Cost $150.00 + GST for 2 day workshop
Supply fee of $15.00 is due in cash on the first day of class.

HOLIDAY PRINTING EVENT!
Wed. Dec. 10, 6 pm - 9 pm
Bring your own card stock, envelopes, tags, etc. to this workshop and print from a variety of our vintage letterpress Holiday cuts. A festive red will be going on one press and rollers of green and blue will be going on the small press. Participants should be able to print one to two dozen single colour cards. At last year's workshop, everyone turned out great original cards and tags!
Cost $30.00 + GST
No supply fee.

BOOK ORNAMENTS
Sun. Dec. 14, 11 am - 4 pm
Miniature books are one of my favourite things to make! Participants will create several small books that are perfect for hanging on a tree, giving as a gift, or using as a special card or album. Projects will be based on simple book structures such as the concertina, stab binding and origami fold star. Special attention will be paid to embellishing techniques for the pages and covers and spines. A variety of washi, chiyogami and other beautiful papers will be used on the covers, as well as findings, glass beads, ribbons, closures, etc.
Cost $50.00 + GST
Supply fee of $10.00 is due in cash on the day of the workshop.

REGISTRATION INFORMATION
Payment is by Visa or cheque. Cheques should be made out to Akemi Nishidera and mailed to Akemi Nishidera, 51 Cummings St., Toronto, ON M4M 1M9
For Visa payment please telephone or e-mail Akemi.
For more information contact Akemi. e-mail: kozostudio@gmail.com tel: 416-214-1882

Japanese Wood Block Workshop Nov. 23 & 30

2008-11-02T19:41:00.011-05:00

For those of you that attended the Mokuhanga exhibition at the Japan Foundation in Toronto, here is a chance to try your hand at creating your own mokuhanga print. You will have seen Elizabeth Forrest's work at the exhibition, she was a student of Kurosaki sensei, and before that she was a printmaking instructor at OCAD.
If you jhaven't seen the 'Wood, Water, Paper, MOKUHANGA' exhibition, it is on until Nov. 15, 2008 at the Japan Foundation located at Bloor and Bay on the 2nd floor.

Check out:
www.elizabethforrest.ca
www.mokuhangatoronto.com/whatis.html

NENGA JOU MOKUHANGA WORKSHOP
Year of the Cow 2009
CREATE A JAPANESE NEW YEAR CARD and at the same time learn the basics of MOKUHANGA with instructor, Elizabeth Forrest.

Learn reduction carving and printing with at least 2 colours using waterbased pigments to create a small edition of new years cards. Please come with a “cow” idea or sketch. Plan for a 14 x 9 cm image.

DATES
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23 AND SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30,2008
From 10am – 4:30pm
Week one is for carving, week two is for learning to print.
LOCATION
KOZO STUDIO GALLERY, 257 Broadview Ave at
Dundas St. East, Toronto (formerly at the Distillery)
FEES
$95 + $15 for materials (woodlock, papers, pigments)
Good quality, authentic tools provided: carving tools, hake brushes, barens. NOTE: 10% off for cheques received before November 20th

Register now to avoid disappointment. For further information and to register: email Elizabeth at torontoprints@gmail.com.

PS Yes, Akemi Nishidera is still at KOZO, but I’m helping out a little more this time. EF

Photos of the Moku Hanga show and demonstrations

2008-10-23T19:58:00.010-04:00

Opening night of "Water Wood Paper MOKUHANGA"!

Yay!
The opening of the show at the Japan foundation was a success! Of course, I arrived late with the fruit platter! I had to have a hot dog or two at my daughters meet the teacher night at school before we went.
The rooms at the Japan Foundation Gallery were filled to capacity! Attendees were very impressed by the range, variety, creativity and expertise of the participating artists. And, of course, ALL the food disappeared as soon as we could get it on the table!
Kudos to printmaker, Liz Forrest who had the vision to create this show. It is an extremely unique show and it is the first time Kurosaki sensei and some of his students have shown together. Liz worked extremely hard pulling it all together, writing for grants, working out dates and a venue, pulling our committee together, communicating with Moya in Japan, hosting our guests of honour... Liz is amazing!

The following day we had a very tasty lunch at a restaurant near the Japan Foundation. Kurosaki sensei and Sato san were the guests of honour. All together there were 10 of us. I felt very privileged to be there! Kurosaki sensei told us about his beginnings in art and meeting his sensei, Sato san! They have been working together for the past 40 years. Sato san comes from a family of wood block engravers and printers. They met when they were both in their twenties!
I must thank Suzuki san from the Japan Foundation who was our wonderful host at lunch and was very attentive in translating our conversations for Sato san. ( My mind actually draws a blank when I try to speak any Japanese! Three years in Japan did nothing for my vocabulary and grammar! )

The show is up until November 15th so check it out if you can!

Our guests from Japan. Artist and "go to person in Japan" Moya Bligh, Master wood engraver Sato Keizo, artist Kurosaki Akira.

Kurosaki sensei speaking about Japanese wood block techniques and his work at York University.

Sato san demonstrating traditional printing methods. Yes, he always works at a tiny table on the floor (tatami). We had this table built just for his visit!

Hanging the show at the Japan Foundation in Toronto.

Hisashiburi!

2008-10-09T03:53:00.006-04:00

It's been a while. Sorry about the lapse.
Did you know that working on the computer in your first trimester of pregnancy could make you feel sea sick??!
I'm now on my 24th week so most of the nausea and overwhelming fatigue is gone. YAY!!
I basically had to take the last several months off.
I'm hoping to start holding workshops again in November.
I was able to do a last minute hosting of several artist's work for the JPP's Washi Summit in June and I have been able to intermittently help with the mounting of an amazing show of contemporary printmakers working in the traditional Japanese style of relief wood block printing. The technique is called Mokuhanga.
All nine contemporary printmakers were students of artist Akira Kurosaki of Kyoto, Japan. Kurosaki sensei's work is also shown.
The nine former students are from several different countries and they all went to Japan to study with Kurosaki san!
It's a beautiful and amazing show! If you are in Toronto between Oct. 3 to Nov. 15 you should check it out. It is at the Japan Foundation at 131 Bloor St. W (just west of Bay St. on the south side) on the second floor of The Collonade. Check our website for more show details.

http://www.mokuhangatoronto.com

NO BORDERS exhibit

2008-06-12T12:34:00.000-04:00

Tonight is the opening event for the NO BORDERS exhibit at KOZO Studio/ Gallery.
This is part of the World Washi Summit that runs until June 15th.

Opening : TONIGHT! Thursday June 12 from 6 - 9 pm
at KOZO Studio/Gallery
257 Broadview Ave. (just north of Dundas St. E.)

Please come, meet some of the artists and have a bit to eat.

Artists showing are:
PRINT- Susan Cunningham
Elizabeth Forrest
Irina Schestakowich
Frederica Tomas
Barbara Wybou
Jillian Sokso (New York)
Sue Goldestein
Jerry Silverberg
Deb Oden (Savannah, Georgia)
Lucinda Chen
TEXTILE- Mildred Avendano
ARTIST"S BOOKS- Salina Kwan
Katherine Dynes
FIBRE - Akemi Nishidera
Kathleen Troy

Washi, washi, washi!

2008-06-01T16:20:00.005-04:00

It's almost here!
We'll be hosting an exhibition, workshop and lecture!
The times and other info are on the side bar.
Tomorrow I'm meeting with Sheila to figure out what artwork should hang in which gallery. It will be the first art show I have had at KOZO! I've bought a picture hanging system for the show. I'm hoping to host more art shows in the future.

The workshop is Suminagashi. It's a japanese marbling technique where sumi ink is floated on water. This works excellently when you use light washi to pick up the pattern on. I find making the pattern on the water to be absolutely mesmerizing. The marbled papers were originally used as backgrounds for wood block prints and calligraphy. But they are great for bookbinding, cardmaking, origami, etc.

The lecture is a lecture that I gave at the Ontario Spinners and Weavers conference last fall. I taght myself how to put together a power point presentation! So, aside from me talking about how washi is made, why it's an awesome paper, and it's multitude of uses in the textile arts, there will also be tons of visuals! I was able to convert my video and slides from my three years apprenticing in Japan!

Toronto's World Washi Summit

2008-05-17T13:59:00.003-04:00

It looks like I will be participating in the Toronto World Washi Summit this June. KOZO Studio/Gallery will host an art show with a handful of artists working in or on washi paper. Washi paper is the paper that everyone mistakenly calls 'rice paper'! I will also be conducting a short workshop on suminagashi ( Japanese, water based, paper marbling) as part of this event.

I'll hopefully know which artists will be showing at KOZO by the end of next week. Very exciting!
Now I have to tidy up the studio!

Teaching

2008-05-07T15:05:00.005-04:00

A lot of artists don't like teaching. I don't really understand why. I really enjoy it. Yesterday I had a chance to teach a style of relief printmaking at St. Andrews College in Aurora. The class was very small but It was great interacting with the students. I love seeing all the different ideas and translations of whatever it is that I am teaching. Even when I teach adults it's the same. Different takes on problems, interpretations...it all helps to keep my mind open and refreshed!

WAYZGOOSE '08

2008-05-03T21:22:00.005-04:00

This year we celebrated the Thirtieth Anniversary of the Grimsby Wayzgoose! Bill Poole, my instuctor from O.C.A., founded this Wayzgoose in his hometown of Grimsby thirty years ago to try and make people aware of the art and craft of fine printing. Originally, in 1978, it was only supposed to be a one time event! Oh well! I'm glad it asn't!

When I was an art school student 20-ish years ago, Bill Poole encouraged his class to participate in the Wayzgoose Anthology and attend the event. I have been attending almost every year since then (I missed three years when I was apprenticing in Japan!). A lot of faces have changed in the last 20 years, but happily, many of the faces have also stayed the same. A small handfull of people even date back to that first Wayzgoose Bill Poole organized!

I think we all travel the distance to Grimsby because it is the one event of the year where we are really understood and appreciated by the public that attend. They don't ask us why we print using lead type or why we still bind books the old fashioned way with a needle, thread and fine materials or why we MAKE paper. They "get it" and they love it! It is also great to be gathered with everyone in one place. We sell, we admire, we spend, we chat and then, once the publlic is gone, we relax, have a nice dinner and celebrate!

Bill Poole has been gone several years now. I know he'd be thrilled to know that the Grimsby Wayzgoose is still going strong thanks to all the work of the staff at the Grimsby Public Art Gallery.

My Daughter and I chatting to a guest.

N. Kennedy (standing) and T. Dannenburg (seated) talking shop.

K. Wrigglesworth and a table full of stuff from Don Black Linecasting. Now the rest of it is back at KOZO Studio.

My friend, printmaker F. Tomas of Utility Grade.

Wood engraver, author, teacher G. Walker talking to Don Black of Don Black Linecasting fame.

Don Black Linecasting trip

2008-04-04T23:06:00.006-04:00

The group that I took to see Craig at Don Black Linecasting were great! A really interesting group of people! I think a good and informative time was had by all.
Craig Black was awesome! He let everyone cast type on the C4 Intertype and on the Ludlow (my husband helped manage the Ludlow). People could take their time and really look around. I bought a small case of wood furniture, another person bought a platen press, my friend bought a tray of foundry type...I think almost everyone bought something from Craig. I hope we didn't frazzle him too much.
Yup! It's a letterpress candy store! And it's in Toronto! Yay!

Craig talking to some of the group.

Typing at the Intertype machine

Looks scary?

Matrices about to be cast.

30 th Annual WAYZGOOSE in Grimsby, ON

2008-04-02T17:19:00.003-04:00

WAYZGOOSE
Annual Bookarts Fair

Join us for the
30th Year of Wayzgoose!
April 26, 2008, 10am - 5pm

Every year on the last Saturday in April, the Grimsby Public Art Gallery celebrates Wayzgoose, a festival of Book Arts. This annual book arts fair brings together private presses from all across Canada and the United States representing the renewal of old friendships, the beginning of new ones, and the appreciation for handmade book and paper arts. Demonstrations and displays of paper making, book binding, calligraphy, paper marbling, and book making celebrates the love of fine art, fine craft, and stories.

I've been participating for almost 20 years!
Come on out and support the book arts and the creative people who love it!

Back to work

2008-03-27T10:31:00.003-04:00

After an almost three week vacation in Florida with my family, I'm finally getting back, up to speed at home.
This Saturday is the "Class trip" to Don Black Linecasting that I've organized! Wow! 24 people are going! I'm excited and nervous. I LOVE DBL. It's like a candy shop for me! Well... I wouldn't actually eat any of it! I feel like a kid who wants to show their friends the new toy they got for their birthday! I hope the participants find DBL as amazing as I do! I even have a list of some stuff I need to pick up.

- composing stick
- furniture rack
- lead strips
- and other stuff that Craig might have that I really want even though I don't know it yet!

WORKSHOPS FOR SPRING!

2008-03-07T14:10:00.003-05:00

Here's the latest on workshops at KOZO. There are workshops in letterpress, book binding and book arts and relief printmaking. I'm really excited!

Intro. to Letterpress
April 6 from 10 - 3 pm

Learn the basics of printing on a flatbed press with Akemi Nishidera at her studio.

The Vandercook press is one of the most popular presses for letterpress printers and the little Showcard is perfect for small editions, gift tags, and quick prints. In this introduction class participants will learn to print from a combination of wood type, metal type, and metal cuts. This is a great workshop to take if you have an inkling that you might like to get your own press.

Cost $ 55.00+GST plus supply fee of $10.00.

Letterpress 1
Sun. April 20 & 27, 10 - 5 pm

This intensive two day workshop picks up where the Intro. class ended. Participants will learn about composing, using furniture, locking up a form and registration. Each participant will create a small two colour edition of their own unique letterpress printed Broadsides

Participants should have 'Letterpress Printing Intro.' or have discussed their previous experience with the instructor.

Workshop price for the 2 days is $150.00+GST plus a $15.00 supply fee.

Relief Printmaking
6 Wednesdays starting May 21 from 6 - 9 pm.

Relief printmaking is a popular form of printing because it can be done very simply and inexpensively if you are just a hobbyist or a beginner. In these hands-on sessions participants, will explore creating images with some traditional and non-traditional supplies We will also learn about tools used for creating these "plates", types of papers, inks, and methods of hand printing. Students will have created a portfolio of prints by the end of the session.

$140.00+GST plus $20.00 supply fee

Book Binding 101
8 Tuesdays starting April 1 from 6 - 9 pm

In this set of 8 workshops participants will learn about bookbinding terminology, tools, supplies and create a variety of book forms (concertinas, stab bound, single page, pamphlet, hardcover, experimental, etc.). Students will learn about the book structure and the importance of the papers that are used. Methods of embellishment for books will also be taught.
Cost $ 186.00* plus $20.00 supply fee

Progressions in Paper
4 Wednesdays starting April 16 from 6 - 9 pm

Four days of playing with paper! In this series we will explore the world of paper and methods of decorating them Participants will try paste papers, orizome marbling, relief, washes and glazes and momigami. The resulting papers are , sturdy, unique and perfect for bookbinding, scrapbook projects, cards, collage and so much more!
Cost $72.08 plus $20.00 supply fe

Chigiri-e
Sunday May 4 from 10 - 3 pm

Chigiri-e is a Japanese art form that uses paper to create a 'painting'. Washi (known as rice paper) of varying colours, weights and textures are torn in small pieces and collaged to create an image that looks very much like a watercolour painting! Participants will learn about washi and why it is used, create their own 'painting', and frame it in a traditional Japanese style.
Cost $ 55.00+GST plus $15.00 supply fee.
Makes a great Mother'sDay gift!

Bind and Blab
Thursday March 27, April 24, May 29 & June 26, from 6 - 9 pm

FREE

Drop in for an informal gathering at the studio. Bring your book projects to work on, chat, trade information, share stories, opinions, ideas, meet people and have some tea.
Please call ahead to book a chair.

VANDERCOOK SP15 RENTAL for letterpress

$35.00 for the first two hours/session

$10.00 for each additional hour/session

Add $20.00/hour if you need assistance and/or technical help.
A minimum of two hours must be booked per session.
Included; black rubber based ink, access to available wood type, metal type and cuts, furniture, leading, chase, clean up supplies.

Workshop Registration Information

A deposit of 50%of the workshop cost (before 5% GST) is required upon registration to guarantee a space in the workshop. We will contact you by telephone or e-mail to confirm your registration. Remainder of payment plus GST on the total workshop cost is due on the first day of the workshop. Supply fees are payable to the instructor in cash at the workshop.

Cancellations are allowed up to three days before the date of the workshop and a cancellation fee of $15.00 will be charged. After that time, no refunds will be given.

We reserve the right to cancel a workshop if there is insufficient participation and in this case all fees will be refunded to the participants.

For more information contact Akemi.
e-mail: kozostudio@gmail.com
tel: 416-214-1882

Payment is by cash, cheque., VISA or MC.. Registration and deposit may be mailed to
KOZO c/o Akemi Nishidera, 51 Cummings St., Toronto, ON M4M 1M9

Please do not forget to include your name, e-mail, telephone number and the name and date of the workshops you wish to register in!

*Cheques should be made out to Akemi Nishidera.

Please DO NOT put cash in the mail!

Registration should be mailed to

Akemi Nishidera, 51 Cummings St., Toronto, ON M4M 1M9

All workshops held at the studio located at 257 Broadview Ave.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2008-02-13T00:41:00.006-05:00

Letterpress Cherub Card from vintage cuts.
I almost exclusively use old type (wood or metal) and old vintage cuts for the cards I create. I'm not a computer person so I don't make polymer plates that often. The last polymer plate I made was when I was in art school and we had to create everything photgraphically in reprography! We didn't have any computers for student use back then. I actually wrote my essays by hand!

Letterpress XO Card from wood type.
I have a cool colection of wood type. They are such wonderful tactile pieces of history!

This is a wee book I made with a letterpress printed cover. It's to write love notes in.

These LOVE tags are leterpressed wood type and a vintage cut.

Baby, it's cold outside.

2008-02-12T23:51:00.005-05:00

It's cold, but I LOVE IT! I love the way the snow makes everything look unreal. At night it's bright enough to read a book outside! not that you would.
This is the kind of snow build up I remember from when I was a kid. The snow plow would plow the streets and our parents would get angry because it put a big pile of snow along the bottom of the driveway. There was no way you could drive out unless you went outside to shovel the end of your driveway first. At every street corner there were "mountains" of snow that you had to climb up and then slide down to get to school. You could build snow forts in the hills of snow that were created by clearing the sidewalks and driveways. As a kid it was the best! As an adult, it's beautiful and I'm worried about falling!

This is my Year of the Rat print before and after. It was the best I could do carving and printing with the wrong hand. I hope to add some other elements to this image at a later date.
The show ar Proof Gallery is really amazing. So many different translations for the Year of the Rat! It is also good to see so many hand pulled prints in one place! Saw a lot of friends that I hadn't seen in a while. It's great that Sheila organizes this each year. Thanks Sheila!

Year of the Rat Print Show

2008-02-06T00:56:00.000-05:00

It's almost Year of the Rat!!
Several of us that took Liz Forrest's Japanese wood block printing workshop have our rat prints in the Print show at Proof.
I used to have a studio across the hall from them in Toronto's Distillery District. It's been one year since I moved to my new diggs and I love it!
Go see the show!

Finally! A short update of workshops happening at the studio!

2008-02-06T00:30:00.000-05:00

So, I've finally gotten some scheduling done. Here are 4 wokshops that are happening at the studio in the next few months.
There's not much in March because I'll be away for half of the month, so the studio will be closed.

You can e-mail or telephone if you wish to register for a workshop. A 50% deposit is required to reserve a space in the workshop. Please register at least 3 days before the workshop. The classes are for a max. of 4 - 8 people depending on the amount of space needed. I always feel terrible having to tell someone that the class they want to register for is already full.

*all workshop prices include taxes.

Intro. to Letterpress
Feb. 16 from 10 am - 3 pm
Learn the basics of printing on a flatbed press with Akemi Nishidera at her studio. The Vandercook press is one of the most popular presses for letterpress printers and the little Showcard is perfect for small editions, gift tags, and quick prints. In this introduction class participants will learn to print from a combination of wood type, metal type, and metal cuts. This is a great workshop to take if you have an inkling that you might like to get your own press.
Cost $ 57.00 plus supply fee of $10.00.

Letterpress 1
Sun. Feb. 17 & Sat. 23, 10 am - 4 pm
In this intensive two day workshop participants will learn how to lock up a form and registration in order to print in two or more colours. Participants will create a limited edition of their own unique letterpress printed Broadsides that will be traded among participants. Participants should have 'Letterpress Printing Intro.' or have discussed their previous experience with the instructor.
Cost $153.70 for 2 day workshop plus a $15.00 supply fee.

Book Binding 101
8 Tuesdays starting April 1 from 6 - 9 pm
In this set of 8 workshops participants will learn about bookbinding terminology, tools, supplies and create a variety of book forms (concertinas, stab bound, single page, pamphlet, hardcover, experimental, etc.). Students will learn about the book structure and the importance of the papers that are used. Methods of embellishment for books will also be taught.
Cost $ 186.00 plus $20.00 supply fee

Progressions in Paper
4 Wednesdays starting April 16 from 6 - 9 pm
Four days of playing with paper! In this series we will explore the world of paper and methods of decorating good quality washi and western art papers. Techniques we will use are momigami, paste, orizome dyed, and suminagashi marbling. The resulting papers are, sturdy, unique and perfect for bookbinding, scrapbook projects, cards, collage and so much more!
Cost $72.08 plus $20.00 supply fee

Bind and Blab
Thursday March 27, April 24, May 29 & June 26 from 6 - 9 pm
FREE
Drop in for an informal gathering at the studio. Bring your book projects to work on, chat, trade information, share stories, opinions, ideas, meet people and have some tea. Oh, and if anyone is into making and trading Artists Trading Cards, you can call up and book a seat to create some cards, too!
Please call at least 2 days in advance to reserve a space, 416-214-1882.

Registration Information
Payment is by Visa, MC, cash or cheque. If you wish to pay in person please call or e-mail me to set up a time to visit the studio. Registration may be mailed to:
Akemi Nishidera, 51 Cummings St., Toronto, ON M4M 1M9
A deposit of 50% of the workshop cost is required upon registration to guarantee a space in the workshop. We will contact you by telephone or e-mail to confirm your registration. Supply Fees are due on the date of the workshop and are payable to the instructor in cash.
Cancellations are allowed up to three days before the date of the workshop and a cancellation fee of $15.00 will be charged. After that time, no refunds will be given.
We reserve the right to cancel a workshop if there is insufficient participation and in this case all fees will be refunded to the participants.

For more information contact Akemi.
e-mail: kozostudio@gmail.com
tel: 416-214-1882
KOZO Studio/Gallery
257 Broadview Ave.
Toronto, M4M 2G6

Yessssssss!

2008-01-23T21:52:00.000-05:00

These are beeyootiful! I can't wait to have a project to try them out on!
I'm not fond of precision registration, but I think the image will make it all worth while!
They were a Christmas present from my husband!

Sorry to be away so long. I injured my hand making Japanese food for New Year's Day. Why does everything have to be cut so fine?! This injury is an extension of my May injury to my right hand, arm and shoulder. Yeesh. When will this go away?! It is also making the Print Artists Anthology Colouring Book project very late because I cannot do alot of the hand binding. I think there will have to be another binding bee.

Woodblock printing workshop with E. Forrest

2008-01-19T00:12:00.001-05:00

Japanese Wood Block Printing Workshop

JANUARY 24TH AND 29TH , 6 - 9 PM

We're scheduling a Japanese woodblock workshop over these two evenings and they will essentially be the same content as for the previously advertised nenga jou workshop (* see below). You'll be carving and printing a Japanese (or Chinese) new years card based on the Year of the Mouse or NEZUMI in Japanese. So if you'd like to participate you can start planning a mouse or rat theme for your print.

Rather than be restricted to postcard size, however, I thought I'd introduce making a folded card so you have a bit more room to play with the image and greater latitude for registering your paper.

Your maximum image size will be about 4 x 6 inches for one face of a card,
using washi to print on or 4.5 x 8 if you want to make a single sheet image or anything within those dimensions. I'll bring envelopes so you can be sure they fit.

We will aim for a two colour print - you'll be more likely to accomplish this if you have at least a black and white negative/positive image to start with.

$90/student (plus $10 for washi payable on day of class)

*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. 2008, will be the Year of the Rat. This animal has a lovely name in Japanese - "nezumi".

Printmaker, Elizabeth Forrest, is offering a 2 day work shop in the 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.

We have been invited submit them to the International Year of the Rat Exhibition at Proof Gallery!

Registration Information
Payment is by cash, visa or cheque. If you wish to pay in person please call or e-mail me to set up a time to visit the studio. Payment is required upon registration to guarantee a space in the workshop. For more information contact Akemi at KOZO Studio/Gallery or kozostudio@gmail.com or tel: 416-214-1882

Half Way!

2007-12-12T23:52:00.000-05:00

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!

2007-12-12T11:24:00.001-05:00

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!

2007-12-08T00:39:00.000-05:00

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

2007-11-27T00:47:00.001-05:00

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!

2007-11-20T23:17:00.000-05:00

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 !

2007-11-19T22:32:00.000-05:00

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!

2007-11-13T22:17:00.000-05:00

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!

2007-11-05T23:41:00.000-05:00

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!

2007-10-18T23:44:00.000-04:00

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

2007-10-17T17:19:00.000-04:00

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!

2007-10-15T23:25:00.000-04:00

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.