Member Spotlight: How Has Quarantine Influenced Your Artistic Practice?
For some of us, our practice is a strictly solo endeavor, but for most, feedback and collaboration is an integral part of the process. Printmaking has always been one of the more social disciplines as artists are forced to negotiate press time, often working side by side in the studio and making peer feedback more readily accessible. Without the usual in-person workshops and rubbing elbows around the work table during our Open Studio nights, I wanted to check in with some of our studio members and regulars to ask, How has quarantine influenced your practice?
And I’m so glad I did. I’ve learned about hidden member talents like DIY tattooing and some really creative solutions to studio limitations. But aside from the insights, I also got to reconnect with a few of you in the process which has subsequently inspired a new endeavor in development, Virtual Print Club (more on that soon)! So with that, we welcome you to get to know five of our members, their work and humbly offer a chance to reconnect for those of you who are missing the collaborative studio environment.
In South Florida, it’s been five months (and counting) of quarantine for most. While the extra down time would seem to be a dream come true for many creative types, it clearly presents new challenges for those practicing printmaking or any disciplines reliant on specialty tools and equipment. Personally, I’ve found myself with an unexpected creative block. With all the added pressure of making this time “count” comes this strange inability to seize the moments that you always thought you would if only you had the opportunity. Surprisingly, what I have been able to turn my creative energy towards is focusing on how to better set up and outfit my at home work space to be successful… and maybe a paint-by-number or two. It’s taken time, nearly five months, but I’m finally starting to gain some momentum - and just start making.
For some of us, our practice is a strictly solo endeavor, but for most, feedback and collaboration is an integral part of the process. Printmaking has always been one of the more social disciplines as artists are forced to negotiate press time, often working side by side in the studio and making peer feedback more readily accessible. Without the usual in-person workshops and rubbing elbows around the work table during our Open Studio nights, I wanted to check in with some of our studio members and regulars to ask, How has quarantine influenced your practice?
And I’m so glad I did. I’ve learned about hidden member talents like DIY tattooing and some really creative solutions to studio limitations. But aside from the insights, I also got to reconnect with a few of you in the process which has subsequently inspired a new endeavor in development, Virtual Print Club (more on that soon)! So with that, we welcome you to get to know five of our members, their work and humbly offer a chance to reconnect for those of you who are missing the collaborative studio environment.
TIN LOHR
Tin is a badass relief carver who started coming to the studio as part of our 2019 Print Club programming. It’s been a pleasure getting to see Tin hone their craft through a series of wildlife woodcut and linocuts over the past year and half, often pairing wolves and various species of birds with delicate, textured line work.
Moment From the Mountains of Puerto Rico, Relief Print
”Just before the quarantine started, I had finished up a sketchbook for Brooklyn Art Library’s Sketchbook Project. I filled my sketchbook with watercolor portraits of family and friend’s beloved pets. I really enjoyed the process of painting again and filling a sketchbook allowed me to really loosen up and play with the paints. It was easy to continue painting as I hunkered down with the family. It was something I could easily work on throughout the day while also attending to my son, chores, naps, cooking, dog walks, etc.
So, I began painting bird portraits. (Some of which could evolve into nice reduction prints down the line!) During that time, carving and printing were on my mind, but I didn’t feel motivated [to work in those disciplines] until mid May when I saw an opportunity to join the Emerald Print Exchange out of Oregon. I will be mailing out an edition of 12 prints in the next few days based on a moment I experienced while in the mountains of Puerto Rico in 2005. Additionally, I made a simple ‘No Justice No Peace’ carving that I then hand printed on some denim to make patches. I began a simple reduction carving, which is still in process. I have also been working on a tattoo flash page as well as some drawing ideas for tattoos for friends. I started a tattoo on myself, just below my knee”.
Bird Portraits: Some In Progress
Black Lives Matter Print/Patches
“Our dining table has become a hub of activity during the quarantine. We most often have a 1000 piece puzzle going and that is also where I have done much of my painting - mainly because it’s an air conditioned environment. I have a pretty decent studio set up in our garage as well [which includes] a large work table with a decent sized piece of glass for rolling out ink and another table to spread things out a bit. I also have an easel with an in progress painting on it, and my supplies and tools nearby.”
Tin’s Home Studio Space
“Once we are able to get back to IS Projects, I am extremely excited to continue the reduction carving I started under the tutelage of Raj Bunnag in March. I had carved and printed the first layer and sadly haven’t been back since. I am also looking forward to using the IS Projects space and press to reprint a larger 2ft X 4ft carving I had done in the past. I feel like I have been fairly productive on my own during this strange time, but I miss being surrounded by the creative energies and ideas of the folks who frequent IS Projects, as well as the energy of the space itself. I am grateful to have found IS Projects!”
JAY SYLVESTRE
Jay joined the studio this January as a 2020 Print Club member and was just getting to know the IS Projects community and a handful of printmaking techniques before quarantine. The very last technique Jay learned, screen printing, seemed to build a bridge between his existing paper cutting practice and inspired some of the work he’s done while in quarantine.
“[During Quarantine,] I've been continuing to do paper cuts. I've decided to take on some larger and more complicated projects since having the time at home to work on them. The first project I worked on was a combination of photographs I took while living in Alaska [which I then] cut out on a sheet of rubylith. The last print club workshop we did was screen printing and I was really intrigued by the possibility of doing a paper cut that I could convert into a print. It was definitely one of the more detailed and involved cutting projects that I've done. I'm really pleased with [the cutting] and I'm looking forward to burning it onto a screen and seeing how the prints turn out. It's the biggest and most original work that I've done and I really want to see how it all comes together.
Inspired by some dark humor I found on Facebook, I also did a paper cut of a plague mask reminding people to ‘wash your damn hands’. It still needs a frame but will likely find a home hanging in the bathroom.”
hand-cut rubylith ready to be burned onto a screen
paper cutting
“I recently finished work on a topographic and hydrographic map of the Florida Keys and Atlantic Ocean depth. The map ended up being about 30 layers and was a lot of fun to cut and assemble.”
paper cutting detail of the topographic and hydrographic map of the Florida Keys and Atlantic Ocean depth
“[As a workspace,] I have a 5ft x 3ft countertop that I have supported by two open Ikea bookshelves. The countertop provides a nice wide space for my cutting mat and tools. The bookshelves hold all manner of papers and works in progress. The workspace has been great for my projects, but also served double duty as my work from home space at the start of the pandemic. It wasn't great ergonomically for work and mashed up a relaxing hobby with work. Thankfully, I was able to find another desk so that my paper cutting area is just for my projects.
I miss the IS Projects community! It's such a nice midweek break to learn a new technique with people I was just getting to know. I look forward to learning new printmaking techniques and seeing where they take my work.”
SHANNON WALL
Shannon has been a regular at the studio since taking a few workshops back in 2018. Up until recently, Shannon was visiting the studio almost every Wednesday to explore different binding and printing techniques through a series of journals and books made from repurposed materials. Just before quarantine, she dove into the exciting world of eco-printing after taking a series of workshops with visiting instructor, Merike Van Zanten.
“During quarantine, I’ve been working with eco-printing on paper & fabric – both were very successful. Eco-printing on leather was not as successful and I look forward to working again with Merike in the future to figure out why I didn’t enjoy as much success with leather. I also finished (my previously unfinished) leather travel journals which were all sent out as gifts. [Through virtual workshops,] I learned monoprinting, which I’m enjoying tremendously in addition to learning how to make a basic accordion book and basic drum leaf binding.”
Eco printing on fabric
Monoprints from a gelLi plate
”Thanks to the Accordion Book workshop, I have been able to make some accordion books with the eco printing I had done. I also did some Drum Leaf binding so I could practice what I had learned. The geli plate printing is my current interest and I’m curious what I will do with all the prints I’m making”
Drum Leaf book with eco prints
Accordion book with eco prints
“[My at home studio set-up consists of] a tower of plastic bins with materials that if I ever clean off the dining table, I’ll have a full table to work on. Because my condo is small, everything must be put away at the end of the day. But [similar to working at IS Projects] I have to take all my stuff with me when I leave. The most challenging part has been not having ready access to feedback and input. I have to do my own troubleshooting when I screw up. This is a mixed blessing. I have to think about things a bit more than I would if Sammi was right there to ask and this forces me to slow down a bit… which is something that is helpful to learn.
I would like to get back to IS Projects to use the presses, the microwave to make my Lean Cuisine pizza and to see everyone - but not necessarily in that order!”
RON SYDOW
Ron had also just joined on as a 2020 Print Club member this past January as a way to connect with other printmakers and refresh various printmaking techniques. Separately, Ron has a thriving screen printing practice and as you’ll soon learn - a very nifty print studio on wheels!
“My studio was an otherwise unused room in a commercial gym! Even before gyms were closed in Broward county due to Covid 19, going to my studio seemed unwise under these pandemic circumstances. But this presented an opportunity to explore a possibility I had daydreamed about for many years... I purchased and customized a small enclosed trailer. It's a screen printing studio on wheels!”
Ron’s studio on wheels
Screen Print by Ron
“[During quarantine,] I continue to practice screen printing. This was the first work generated entirely in my rolling studio!”
MICHELLE LOPATE
Michelle joined IS Projects as a Print Club member when we first kickstarted the program back in 2018. Since then, she’s gone on to develop a personal practice which hybridizes printmaking, painting, photography and digital media. She’s been quite busy during quarantine and still manages to find opportunities for collaboration in the face of physical absence.
“In the beginning of the lockdown I was so focused. It felt like I was given a gift of time that I don’t often have. I am exploring different mediums and loving the results. I feel my practice has been a reaction to personal and communal needs and I have been more inclined to [using] text and soft colors.
I created a poetry piece for the ‘Cut and Paste Collage Poetry’ Book (The Pandemic Project) from current news headlines, and published by the National Society of Collage Artists (Read more). Then I tried some flat lay photography and hand painted digital art.”
Digital art using flat lay photography
“I began sewing masks and embellishing with vintage fabrics, embroidery and tie dye...”
“[I’m] currently participating in ‘Call and Response Project’ by Shoebox PR. Artists are paired up and challenged to create a back and forth digital exchange. The first artist sends artwork and the second artist creates a response to that within a 24 hr time frame. We have exchanged one piece so far. The ‘Call and Response’ is an ongoing project I found online and so far I am really enjoying the collaboration. After exchanging up to 28 pieces they host an online exhibit.”
Call and Response Project, Kayla Cloonan’s first piece titled “My Therapist told me not to Future Fantasize”
“Managing a family and my own stress levels has been challenging. I have always had a small space I work from so that hasn’t changed much. The bigger challenge has been not meeting up and being stimulated by the energy and exchange of collaboration.”
Michelle’s response piece, “Music Keeps me in the Moment”
So whether navigating the often stressful emotional landscapes of today or just lacking in the collaboration and feedback we’re used to, I hope that we can take some comfort in knowing that we’re all breaking new ground in our practice together. And if you aren’t creating anything at all, that’s fine too! Go easy on yourself and know that when inspiration strikes, there’s a virtual community growing for you.
If you’re an IS Projects member or studio regular, we would love to see what you’re working on! Please email me at sammi@isprojectsfl.com if you would like to be featured in a future member spotlight.
Thanks for reading!
Sammi
Meet the Presses!
What would IS Projects be without presses? An inert library of tools, ink and type.
If you’ve ever visited IS Projects, you know that our presses are at the heart of our shop. While we are grateful to be printing a steady stream of custom orders, the truth is that press activity is much quieter these days. So, we thought we would take this opportunity to highlight the equipment we hold so dear and share some insights into each press: how old it is, what it’s used for and how it came to IS Projects.
What would IS Projects be without presses? An inert library of tools, ink and type.
If you’ve ever visited IS Projects, you know that our presses are at the heart of our shop. While we are grateful to be printing a steady stream of custom orders, the truth is that press activity is much quieter these days. So, we thought we would take this opportunity to highlight the equipment we hold so dear and share some insights into each press: how old it is, what it’s used for and how it came to IS Projects. Whether generously donated, discovered through serendipitous happenstance or scrolled by on Craigslist, each press has its own story and as their caretakers, we feel responsible in upholding that history.
DID YOU KNOW?
Our presses have come from all around Florida, New Jersey, Maryland, and Canada!
Each press in our shop is named after its previous owner in an effort to preserve its history.
Our oldest press is one of our smallest and the first to be acquired for the shop.
Our lightest press weighs in at 18 lbs and our heaviest at 2,800.
Only one press in the shop was moved by professionals and the rest by Ingrid with the help of friends and family.
To date, we have 18 presses and counting!
Let’s begin in the
LETTERPRESS ROOM
TERRY
Blick Magnetic Sign Press
Purchased in 2018
Terry is one of our main travel presses and can be seen making wood type masterpieces all over Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach County. Used for printing: posters, cards, books, etc.
Terry was purchased from an eBay auction that happened to end during the lunch break of a bookbinding workshop that was being taught at the studio. Ingrid had run out to grab additional supplies for the workshop and pulled into a Wendy's parking lot in order to bid on the press in the final minutes of the auction. The press was shipped from Michigan via UPS and received some damage on the journey. The damage was repaired with the help of a metal file and a vice grip and this press has gone on to be one of our most used and most beloved presses in the shop.
BILL
6.5x10” Craftsman Superior, Circa 1973
Purchased in 2014
Bill was purchased on eBay and is the first IS Projects press from Florida. The man who I purchased Bill from and the presses namesake, Bill, had purchased the press from a storefront in Fort Meyers, Florida, that had previously been a print shop. Bill bought the press from the shop when the shop changed owners. During the price negotiation, I mentioned that the press was missing it’s chase (the metal frame used to hold the type in the press) and after describing it to Bill he thought he may have one in his garage. Mind you, chases are not easy to come by, they can sell individually for over $100 and each press requires a specific chase that fits its unique dimensions. So when Bill said he happened to have one in his garage from years before I was reasonably skeptical, but to my surprise it was, in fact, the correct chase for the press! What are the odds? Used for printing: greeting cards, business cards, coasters, postcards, etc.
BONITA (left)
5x8” Kelsey Excelsior Model O, Circa 1910
Purchased in 2014
Bonita was found on Craigslist in Annapolis, Maryland shortly before I moved back to Florida to start IS Projects. The couple who had the press beforehand, Bonita and Tom, were very sweet and excited to hear that the press would be printing again soon. The press had belonged to Tom’s father who was a journalism professor and used it to print greeting cards and small notes. Used for printing: business cards, greeting cards, postcards, etc.
TERRI (right)
5x8” Kelsey Excelsior, Circa 1898
Purchased in 2014
Terri is the oldest press in the shop and was also the first printing press acquired for the shop. Named for Terri Hunter, former proprietor of Fine Point Press in Annapolis , Maryland. Terri had an immaculate letterpress studio in her suburban home where she did custom printing solely from hand set type. Her main printing press and the apple of her eye was her Chandler and Price 8x12 Old Style and the star of her type collection was her nearly complete set of the font Eve, she had over 200 pounds of it in every size, weight and style available. While I was unable to acquire her collection of Eve, I did invest in some beautiful ornaments, borders, and monograms from her fantastic collection that she salvaged from an old print shop in San Francisco when she was in her 20’s. A large portion of her collection went to the Maryland Institute College of Art Printmaking Department after I introduced her to Allison Fisher, the manager of the Globe Collection and Press at MICA. Used for printing: business cards, greeting cards, postcards, etc.
SAM
1963 Vandercook SP20
Purchased in 2018
Jon came from West Orange, New Jersey along with Vote For Letterpress, formerly owned by Jon Selikoff. The story of how this press came to the shop is a long and serendipitous one, which we will save for another day. Needless to say, this press is beloved in the shop and inspired our specimen poster series. Named after Jon Selikoff’s son, Sam Selikoff. With it's large bed size, this press is ideal for printing poster projects and broadsides.
CB
1965 Vandercook SP15, Circa 1965
Purchased from Don Black Linecasting in Toronto, ON in 2014
This was the press that started IS Projects. I put a deposit on this press in February 2014 after months of scouring the internet for an SP Series Vandercook. The SP in SP15 stands for “Simple Performance” referring to the presses simplified design making it easier and less costly to maintain. It was shipped to my grandmother's garage in Boca Raton, FL from Don Black Linecasting in Toronto, Ontario in March as the renovations to the soon to be home of IS Projects at 15 NW 5th Street, Fort Lauderdale began. CB has been the main workhorse press for IS Projects ever since and has printed fine art books, business cards, posters, coasters, invitations, patches, and everything in between. It was named for Craig Black who restored the press, son of Don Black. Craig has since lost his long fight with cancer and this press now stands as a memorial to all of his knowledge of and care for these machines.
A brief note about Craig "When I met Craig in 2014 to inspect the press it was clear from the first minute that he actually knows everything about these presses. His gruff demeanor subsided after my 4th or 5th extremely nerdy letterpress joke and I got him to crack a smile. I'm not sure if the smile was at the joke itself or how hard I was trying to impress that I share a love for the machines and maybe even a tiny fraction of his knowledge. Craig was the one to call if the press was ever acting funny. He was always incredibly patient and full of tips and troubleshooting ideas. His presence will be sorely missed here at IS Projects and in the letterpress community at large."
JON AKA THE BEAST
10x15” Heidelberg Red Ball, Also known as the Windmill, Circa 1965
Jon came from Vote For Letterpress in 2018 and is Jon Selikoff’s namesake. This is the only press that we've ever had professionals move. Everything else in the shop has been moved with friends, family, and a lot of patience and care. Jon lovingly referred to this press as “The Beast” and it was the main workhorse press at Vote For Letterpress printing business cards, wine labels, coasters, postcards and everything it could. Used for printing: large runs of letterpress cards, typically business cards and invites.
LAWRENCE
14x22" Nolan Proof Press
Generously donated by Lawrence Ressler in 2020
This press was generously donated by Lawrence along with a couple other presses and some fantastic type. The studio is a haven for presses in need of a home. I’ve spent several nights and weekends on trips to save presses from an uncertain future and bring them into the fold. We don’t keep every single press we acquire, some are repaired or restored and sold to help other printers dive deeper into their practice and help build up the community of printers here in South Florida. Used for printing: posters, cards, etc.
L
3x5" Baltimorean
Generously donated by Lawrence Ressler in 2019
The cutest and lightest press in the shop by far! This baby weighs about 18lbs and was beautifully restored. L made it’s debut at our first ever holiday party in 2019. Used for printing: business cards and small tags
LARRY
5x8" Kelsey Excelsior Model P circa 1965
Generously donated by Lawrence Ressler in 2019
Larry is the newest model Kelsey Excelsior in the Shop and it was beautifully restored by Letterpreservation in Ohio before Lawrence acquired it. Used for printing: business cards, postcards, greeting cards etc
GEORGE
10x15" Chandler & Price, Circa 1911-195
Generously donated by George Cuevas in 2015
A graphic designer walked into the shop during our grand opening party in 2014 and hinted that he may be looking to re-home the C&P that was living in his garage in Coral Gables. George was looking for a small press on Craigslist to print holiday cards and other experiments with when he came upon this press. He cut a hole in his garage to move it in and spent long nights cleaning and restoring it to the beautiful condition it is in today. When it was time for his family to move he wanted to make sure that it would go to a safe home where it would be appreciated for years to come. About a year and a half later he had it transported to ISP where it has been a staple to our custom printing operation. Used for printing: book covers, handmade paper, invites, business cards, etc
CARLOS
Write-A-Sign Model 711
Purchased in 2017
I found this press on craigslist in Davie, FL and initially wasn’t sure if I wanted it because it uses non type-high magnetic rubber type, but it’s lightweight and ease of use makes it a total rockstar for offsite demonstrations. This press is so cute it even came with it’s original vinyl cover! Used for printing: greeting cards, postcards, zines and signs.
BOOK ROOM
WB
Kensol K50, Circa 1960s
Purchased in 2019
This was acquired from an auction in Ohio for our in house custom printing business Nocturnal Press. It took a lot of work to get this press back up and running and we were lucky to find and work with Eddy Fontus who did a fantastic job bringing this press back to life. Used for printing: luxury stationery, business cards and invitations
ETCHING ROOM
MARY
43x96" Custom Etching Press
Generously donated by Mary Fisher in 2018
By far the largest press in the shop though not the heaviest! Mary is a custom built electric etching press. There were only 3 of these presses made, one resides in Tampa and the other in Boston. When I was a sophomore in college I met the man who owns the press in Boston and fawned over cell phone pictures he showed me while explaining how his press was so nice that they had artists paint directly onto it for monoprinting. Flash forward 9 years and my uncle and I are wheeling this press onto the liftgate of a 26’ box truck to move it from West Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdale. Used for printing: monoprints, linocuts, woodcuts, etchings, drypoints, and chine colle.
MYRON
36x72" Praga Etching Press
Myron was purchased with funds from a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2014
Myron came down from Don Black Linecasting in Toronto, CA after a successful Kickstarter campaign in the first month of IS Projects being open. I drew an outline on the floor in chalk for Myron's spot when we first moved into the studio with the kickstarter url written in its place. The press was named after our largest Kickstarter contributor Myron Munger. The press has moved in the studio 5 times since acquisition and now resides about 6 feet to the right of where that original chalk outline was drawn. Used for printing: monoprints, linocuts, woodcuts, etchings, drypoints, and chine colle.
FRAN
12x24” Ettan etching press
Generously donated by Francie Bishop Good in 2017
Donated to ISP by Francis Bishop Good, founder of the Girls Club Collection here in Fort Lauderdale. We fabricated a temporary MDF bed for Fran until we can have a steel bed machined. Used for printing: Small relief and drypoint plates and monoprints.
SCREENPRINTING ROOM
JORDAN
25x38” Cincinatti Screen Printing Press, circa 1990
Generously donated by Jordan Pettingil in 2019
Jordan coudn’t have come to the studio at a better time, during a huge screenprint order and right as we expanded into 19 NW 5th Street (our current screenprinting shop and retail area). The vacuum table feature and assisted printing arm make screenprinting large images a breeze! Used for printing: large screenprints, long editions
DEB
25x38” AWT Accu-Glide built in March 2019
Purchased in February 2019
Deb is the only press in the shop that was purchased new. So I named this press after my mom, Deborah Schindall, who has been so integral to the creation and development of IS Projects that it seems almost criminal that she didn’t have a press named after her yet. This press is our main workhorse press for screenprinting jobs and believe me, it gets the job done right. This press is only available from the manufacturer in teal which was fine by me because she fits right in to our teal sanctuary! Used for printing: pretty much everything we screenprint except tote bags
Well, that’s the whole gang (for now)! We hope you enjoyed getting to know a little more about our presses and how they came to be at IS Projects. In our nearly six years in business we’ve printed thousands of prints, worked with countless local and visiting artists and taught hundreds of workshops with these very presses. Just imagine all they’ve printed in their lifetime and will continue to print long after us. As you’ve now learned, acquiring our trusty tribe of presses could not have been possible without the generosity and support of our donors, patrons, family and friends so I’ll end this with a huge and heartfelt ‘THANK YOU!’ and a video by Johnny Zhang highlighting the beauty of the printing process.