WNYBAC Book Fest

The newest card at WNYBAC, "Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo." is a grammatically correct sentence that uses a single word for all parts of speech. Print this card and take it home tomorrow at Book Fest!

Tomorrow at the Book Arts Center in downtown Buffalo, we will be holding Book Fest from 12-6pm. We will have hands-on demonstrations on techniques such as paper marbling, letterpress printing, bookbinding, and paper making. Participants will have the opportunity to try their hand at these techniques and leave with a hand printed card or a book made from unexpected materials.

We will be having some in-store specials including:

Buy 2, get 1 free bargain books

2/$1 pins

$5 slightly imperfect WNYBAC aprons

20% off our McSweeney's collection

We've also got lots of new hand printed cards in the shop for any occasion.

Stop by, check out our print museum and studio, and learn something new!

Call for Work

Wide Margins: An Exhibition of 'Zines from the Sublime to the Silly

On view July 16-September 3

Opening Event Friday July 16, 6PM-9PM

Submissions must be received by July 7 to be included in the show.

Entries can be dropped off at the Book Arts Center during our regular hours Wednesday through Saturday from 12pm-6pm, or mailed to our PO Box.

Drop off at:
Western New York Book Arts Center
468 Washington St.
Buffalo NY 14203

Mail to:
Western New York Book Arts Center
PO Box 770
Buffalo, NY 14213

The Western New York Book Arts Collaborative (WNYBAC) will be presenting an exhibition to display and pay homage to zines and self-publishing. Zines can be defined as any small circulation publication, almost always self-published, on a broad variety of topics including but not limited to politics, comics, fan fiction, art and design, ephemera, personal journals, and a range of other topics that fall outside of mainstream publication. Showcasing the wide range of content and form that exists in this genre, this exhibition will also demonstrate how zines relate strongly to the art and craft of bookbinding and book arts in general, and will include spotlighted zinesters whose work evolved into what can be considered “book art”. Both the history of zine-making, as well as the contemporary scene will be addressed, and zines on all topics and from all eras are welcome.

There is no fee to enter.

As part of the exhibition, we will be putting together a zine as a program for the event. We would like to collect thoughts and reflections from zinesters and participants relating to their experience with zines and zine-making. We would appreciate your input of any kind - a sentence, a paragraph, or whatever you can contribute. Please send this along with your submission form.

Zines in the exhibition will not be for sale. You may send multiple copies of the zine to sell in the WNYBAC shop during and after the exhibition. These items will be sold on consignment, with WNYBAC retaining 40% of the sale price. WNYBAC welcomes the donation of your zine to our permanent collection zine library.

If you would prefer a zine not be handled during the show, please specify this on your entry form. Please include an entry form for each of your zines if you are submitting more than one.

Submission forms can be downloaded here.

Please contact WNYBAC at info@wnybookarts.org or 716 348-1430 if you have any questions.

Western NY Book Arts Center
468 Washington St.
Buffalo NY 14203
716 348 1430
info@wnybookarts.org
http://www.wnybookarts.org

Fresh off the Press: Hi!

Say it simply: Hi!

Hand-printed cards available on white or rust colored paper, both with yellow ink and matching envelope. $2 each ($1.60 members).

Did You Know?

While it seems unlikely knowing Buffalo's reputation for cold weather most of the year, air conditioning as we know it was invented here. Better yet, it was invented to aid in the printing process.

A native of Angola, NY, Willis Haviland Carrier began working for the Buffalo Forge Company in June 1901. While at Buffalo Forge, Carrier began experimenting with air conditioning as a way to solve a problem faced by printers at the Sackett-Wilhelms Lithographing & Publishing Company in Brooklyn, NY. At the time, printing press operators struggled with aligning the ink print onto the paper because of paper's hygroscopic properties - that is, the tendency of paper to expand and contract in conditions of heat and humidity.

He attempted to take the moisture out of the air by fanning it through pieces of brine-saturated burlap, but this technique caused salt and water residue to rust nearby machines and was therefore ineffective. Instead, Carrier developed a system to send air through cold coils to cool the air and control the amount of moisture the colder air could hold. This in turn allowed him to control the amount of humidity in the room.

On July 17, 1902, the first air conditioner began working at Sackett-Wilhelms, designed and build in Buffalo. His patent was called the 'Apparatus for Treating Air' and was awarded U.S. Pat # 808897 in 1906.

Photo: Willis Haviland Carrier with the first Apparatus for Treating Air, 1902.

Amos Kennedy Jr. Posters

Hot on the heels of the screening of the film Proceed and Be Bold! and his visit to the WNYBAC print shop, we now have about 70 posters by Alabama-based letterpress printer Amos Kennedy Jr. in the Book Arts Center shop! Amos' prints were recently featured in Elle Decor, and we've got lots to choose from. Stop by and pick one up for $18 ($14.40 for members).

Fresh off the Press: Congrats

Just in time for graduation, our newest cards printed at the Book Arts Center simply say "Congrats," and they are printed on grey, rust, and gold paper. What makes these hand printed cards special is the use of thermography. Thermography is a process that uses embossing powder and heat to create a textured finish on the still freshly inked letters. The cards were finished with two different types of embossing powder.

One type creates a glossy finish on the letters:



The other type of powder used on these cards creates a textured, metallic finish:




Stop by the Book Arts Center and pick one up, just $2 each.

Fresh off the Press: Mother's Day Cards

Made using a vintage block and type, the card is printed with violet ink on white paper.

Stop by the Book Arts Center and pick up one of these hand printed letterpress Mother's Day cards for just $2 ($1.60 for members!)

Woodtype from the Underworld

The basement printshop of WNYBAC has a treasure trove of wood and metal typefaces. WNYBAC member and designer Brian Grunert recently descended the staircase into the printshop to unearth and print some wood type fonts (that have never been digitized) for use on the new Anaïs Mitchell album: Hadestown . Some things just cant be faked in photoshop. This is real woodtype with hand inking used in the design. A previous project with woodtype via WNYBAC was the Woody Guthrie Live Wire CD packaging. More and more people are realizing that hand printed and handmade art and design has applications for even mass produced items. This is a good thing.

Demo Days: Leather Tooling with Linda Steffan

Last night a group of 8 participants had the opportunity to learn a whole lot about leather from area expert and owner of M. Steffan's Sons Leather Supplies, Linda Steffan.

Linda passed around several types of leather from pig to crocodile to lamb and everyone got to see what makes these leathers unique and what they are used for.



Next the group had the opportunity to try some of Linda's tools including leather punches, stamps, and cutters.



After our thoroughly interesting leather lesson, everyone got a chance to try their hand at stamping some leather. Linda provided raw leather key chains for everyone, and a good time was had by all trying the different stamps and designs.

A finished key fob:



Don't worry if you missed it, we will be bringing Linda back for a workshop this summer on a stab-stitch leather bound book! Stay tuned for details.

We brought Linda to the Book Arts Center as part of our Demo Days series. Demo Days are held at various Wednesday evenings from 6-8 pm. They are free to the public.

This series is made possible in part by the Arts Council in Buffalo & Erie County with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), a state agency.

Lademann Skull End Paper Pins

The Buffalo & Erie County Central Library generously donated a box of their deaccessioned books to WNYBAC to use for altering and workshops. Most of the books are in Danish and Swedish, and upon closer inspection we found a certain Danish publisher called Lademann based in Copenhagen used some pretty cool skull end papers for their books!

There were 6 or 7 of them all in different colors, so we decided to turn them into buttons.

They're going for $1 a piece (or 3 for $2) in the WNYBAC shop so stop by and pick up a few of these limited edition 1960's Danish end paper pins!

The book:



The paper:



The pins!

Amos Kennedy, Jr. at WNYBAC

Amos Kennedy, Jr. joined us at the Book Arts Center last night following the screening of Proceed and Be Bold!, a documentary about Kennedy, in Rochester Monday night. Those that came out to WNYBAC to meet Amos had a chance to "talk shop" and enjoy casual conversation with Amos before he returned to Alabama Wednesday morning.

WNYBAC plans to bring Amos and the film to Buffalo at a later date, stay tuned for details!

We also have a few of Amos' posters left in the WNYBAC shop. Stop by and pick one up-only $15 each!

Inside Looking Out

Amos Kennedy Jr. in Rochester and Buffalo This Week

Amos Kennedy, Jr. will be in Rochester this Monday for a screening of Proceed and Be Bold! at the Genesee Center for the Arts. He will be attending the screening and a Q & A session following the film.

Proceed and Be Bold!

Monday, April 19, 2010 from 7:00 until 8:30

This documentary covers the life and works of Amos Paul Kennedy Jr, an African American letterpress printer who left his day job to become a full-time printer in Alabama.

Location:
Cinema Theater, 957 South Clinton, Rochester, NY

See the full Genesee Center for the arts listing here.

On Tuesday evening, Amos will be at the Western New York Book Arts Center in Buffalo for a casual meet-and-greet. Stop by the Book Arts Center between 7 and 9pm to talk printing with an influential letterpress printer.

WNYBAC will be bringing the film Proceed and Be Bold! to Buffalo at a later date.

Interns Needed for Summer and Fall 2010

The Western New York Book Arts Center is looking for a few interns for both the summer and fall 2010 semesters!

We will consider upper level undergraduate and graduate students in:

Design, Fine Art, and Poetics-
Students in fine arts, design, and poetics will have the  opportunity to work hands-on with letterpresses and assist  with events, exhibitions, demonstrations, and in other  aspects of the gallery and museum. No prior knowledge of  letterpress is required. Library Science-

Seeking a library science student to help implement a  cataloging system and organize our small arts-centered  library. The intern will gain special library experience  as well as general book arts and letterpress experience.  

Museum Studies-

Museum studies intern wanted to formalize our interpretive  materials and enhance displays as well as functional  printshop components that double as displays, assist in curation of  exhibitions, and museum management. 

All interns will also sweep and mop floors, run errands,  assist with field trips, and contribute to shop and studio  maintenance.   Hours are flexible, but interns must be available at least  1-2 days during our open hours Wednesday-Saturday 12-6pm.  Internships are 1-5 credit hours and unpaid.  

All interested applicants should send a CV or resume to jessica@wnybookarts.org for consideration.  

Drive By Press at WNYBAC

Drive By Press visited WNYBAC this week. Last night we all enjoyed viewing their work and watching them do what they do. Check back for additional images and comments on a great experience.

Drive By Press at the WNY Book Arts Center

Drive By Press at the WNY Book Arts Center
A special one -day exhibit/reception
Western NY Book Arts Center
468 Washington St.
Buffalo NY 14203
Friday April 9 7-10pm
Admission: Free

Following a week-long residency at the WNYBAC Printshop, Drive by press will display a special one-day exhibit of highlights from their traveling collection and the work created during their week at WNYBAC!

Drive By Press was created to educate and share the contemporary practice of printmaking with students and art audiences across America. DBP has visited well over 100! Universities, Colleges,and public schools, traveling over 100,000 miles!
During each stop DBP collects prints from area artists, amassing the largest collection of contemporary prints from across the country! DBP is a self- funded endeavor solely surviving on small visiting artists honorariums from schools and from the sales of printing wood blocks on paper and t-shirts. Many blocks have been graciously donated from some of the greatest wood cut artists in the country to support and perpetuate the the endeavor of Drive By press!!

Eat Your Words

This hybrid pot-luck dinner meets art show returns to WNYBAC for a second year and will push the limits of what defines a "book". Participants are encouraged to create something tasty and ponderous...bordering on preposterous.

From the festival website: "April 1st is the birthday of French gastronome Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826), famous for his book Physiologie du goût, a witty meditation on food. April fools' day is also the perfect day to eat your words and play with them as the "books" are consumed on the day of the event. This ephemeral global banquet, in which anyone can participate, is shared by all on the internet and allows everyone to preserve and discover unique bookish nourishments. This festival is a celebration of the ingestion of culture and a way to concretely share a book; it is also a deeper reflexion on our attachment to food and our cultural differences."

entry and attendance details plus images from last years event can be found here:

Hacking woodtype

In the digital age when designers don’t bother hand kerning by nudging the option arrow keys because it is too much trouble, it's heartening to look into old type cases and see what real kerning was...the cutting away of the space on a character to fit pairs together better. One can see in woodtype cases how a Cap A is notched at the top so out can fit into the T whose bottom has been notched. This was the sign of a craftsman printer who cared about how letter looked on the page.

Another woodtype artifact that is more rare but can be found in old cases, is modified characters. The limit of only a few of each letter in a woodtype font would often necessitate the sacrifice of some other letter to make the missing letter. An E turned into an F is easy to hide, but here are a few clever solutions to letter modification that have been discovered in the last few days at WNYBAC.


A number 8 has been frantically turned into an S.

This tiny 3 line woodtype C had been made into a G my inserting a type high lead shim

This V is now an A with the insertion of some solid material that will print at the same height as the rest of the letter (as found in the extensive woodtype collection at Massey College Toronto.)

Introducing Mohawk Press

The WNYBAC Print studio (newly named "Mohawk Press") is now available for custom letterpress design/printing work.

WNYBAC has printed wood type for the Grammy award winning Woody Guthrie Live Wire CD package, and innovative designers looking to break out of digital confines as well as limited edition letterpress work for Just Buffalo's Big Night event series posters, Elmwood Festival of the Arts, Neglia Ballet and individuals looking for truly unique calling cards. WNYBAC's work is the subject of an exhibit at the Hamilton Woodtype Museum in Two Rivers Wisconsin (Feb 1- Mar 15)

If you have a special exhibit, concert, or other event that needs a one-of-a-kind visual commemoration/promotion in the form of a limited edition poster or broadside, this is the place to go. In the tradition of Nashville’s Hatch Show Print, Mohawk Press uses regional historical printing materials to produce timeless and contemporary limited edition prints.

Unlike traditional designer/client/printer relationships, you leave the most of the design decisions to our designer-printers after your initial consultation of what you would like. We do strive to create unique, tactile and memorable work from a finite selection of options. We have hundreds of metal and dozens of wood type fonts plus thousands of image cuts. Rates are quoted on a per job basis.

If you would like to print your own work, the criteria is relatively simple: A. become a member of WNYBAC, and B. Take an intro to letterpress workshop (plus log in a number of hours shadowing/assisting an in-house printer to establish a crash course apprenticeship). If you already possess sufficient knowledge and skills to work in a letterpress shop, then all you have to do is become a member and sign up for time. A nominal charge for press time is required but setup and prep time carries no fees.

Mohawk Press continues the mission of WNYBAC by promoting the arts of hand printing and the aesthetic of historical materials put into contemporary use. All proceeds go to support the mission and education programs of the WNY Book Arts Center.

For more information on custom letterpress work from Mohawk Press email

Hero Exhibit at WNYBAC Jan 13-Feb 20 2010

Pulled to the Limit.
Hero Design Studio Retrospective Exhibition at WNY Book Arts Center
Wednesday Jan 13- Sat Feb 20, 2010
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In a relatively short time, Hero Design Studio has become a fixture in the Buffalo music and design scene. Hero is husband and wife team, Beth Manos and Mark Brickey. The screen printing, illustration and design duo have created hundreds of hand printed posters and art prints since starting as Hero in 2003 and expanded their presence via their Allentown studio/shop.

Pulled to the Limit at the Western New York Book Arts Center's gallery will feature the most comprehensive exhibit of Hero's silkscreened works to date. Along with limited edition prints and posters, the exhibit will feature one-of-a-kind prints, experimental work and works-in-progress that will help explain the creative and production process.

An artists' reception with live printing will be held mid-Exhibit on Friday, January 29, 2010

An additional Demo day, free and open to the public will be presented February 17th 6-8pm

For more details