Welcome to the studio, Mason!

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!

Project for my heart.

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.

Photos from Don Black Linecasting

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

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.

Upcoming Workshops

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