new kid on the block: the grand newsstand!

So.

Two weeks ago, Miz In Cahoots and I were wandering around the Embarcadero, after a far-too-long hiatus from hanging out. Ice cream had been consumed, the bay had been viewed, and gossip had been swapped. Heading back to the subway station, I thought that life couldn’t possibly get any better.

I was wrong.

At Market and Steuart, I was stopped in my tracks by a Most Wonderful Place.

the work of Roman Madov and Angi Brzycki

Have you visited The Grand Newstand? Have you heard about this project? If not, you should, because it’s AMAZING.

Courtney contemplates the difficult question of “favorite zine”…

We met Courtney Riddle (one of the mistress-minds behind The Grand Newsstand kiosk) who explained to us that the newsstand stocked zines, small press editions, and the occasional artistic project (prints, broadsides, home wares) — housed in one of the vintage-ish newsstand kiosks lining Market Street. The two of us were immediately enchanted.

the work of Evah Fan…

If you’re looking for gift to give a budding zine maker or an inspired per-zine to read on your daily commute…

…this is your kind of kiosk!! It was wonderful to see a variety of artists I know and love hanging out right there on Market Street. In a city strapped for art space and DIY culture, it was such a joy to bask in the ambiance at the Newsstand.

the work of Awkward Ladies Club (just in time for Burning Man!!!)

So: what are you waiting for?!?! The Newsstand is (usually) open six days a week; check out their hours on tumblr. Stop by, support small press, and get an eyeful of this quintessentially San Francisco endeavour.

–JH

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look mom! I’m on youtube!

I know, I know: two posts in one week. But I just couldn’t save this one until next week (especially since I’ve got a FANTASTIC interview with Hope Amico all lined up!) So I figured I’d share this as a “welcome to your weekend” sort of thing.

I was interviewed at the ALA2015 Conference by Joseph Coco, on behalf of Rebecca Hillburn and her “Natto Soup” blog. Joseph and I chat about mail art, zines, and how to get involved in the Network — take a look! (everything was completely UNSCRIPTED –> insert some sort of anxiety emoji here…)

PS: there is a little flub that I made at the very beginning of the interview…did any of you catch it? If you hit the 2 minute mark, you’ve gone too far!

–JH

 

 

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ALA2015: zine pavilion! (wrap up)…

This past weekend I felt oh-so-lucky: I was an invited artist for the American Library Association’s Zine Pavilion! Imagine if you will: a national conference of librarians descending upon San Francisco, who are brimming with curiosity about zines and zine making!

I spent most of last week getting a bunch of new (and old) things ready: issues 1-4 of RLD, rubber stamps, zines that were due to be reprinted…

…and Miz Happenstance put together a handful of “Herstorical Oakland” artistamps (shown above), in order to showcase them at the table.

Much of the weekend was spent discussing zines: what sorts of people make them, how they can be defined, the different ways in which libraries collect them. In the photo above, you can see some zines on display; ALA attendees could read anything they wanted, with the entire collection raffled off to one lucky winner on the final day of the conference.

Interested parties could contribute a page at the make-a-zine table…

…using materials and supplies provided by Zine Pavilion organizers.

The idea being that: on the final day of the conference, if you had contributed a page to the group project, you could return to the Pavilion on the final conference day and collect a copy of your zine! (I really really really love this idea, and would like to figure out a way to implement it into my own zine making projects.)

Some of you may remember punk rock poet/zinester/mail artist Irene Dogmatic from last year’s Ex Postal Facto event; she was my tablemate for part of the event, which I greatly enjoyed. XPF was so frenetic, I didn’t have a real chance to connect with Irene in just the right way. Sharing the weekend with her was enlightening, entertaining, and wonderful.

I learned a new party game called “Knuckle Sharpie” from Alex Wrekk (one of my zinester heroines) and Jonas Cannon (buy his zine Cheer The Eff Up RIGHT NOW): cross your arms at the wrists and have a person on the left and right hand side of you (different folks, naturally!) write four letter words across your knuckles. No peeking! When everyone has written something silly/serious, put your right and left hands together: that’s the name of your new punk rock/goth/emo band! Hilarity will ensue.

(I even managed to get some “work” in, during the down time of the event…SF Correspondence Co-op lists shown above, hand stamped with all the usual goodies!)

Weekend’s end: I packed up my remaining zines and headed back out to the fogbelt. As I was making my way to the studio, I spied this work of art hanging from a telephone pole — I felt this was a good omen for the week to come, as well as a lovely way to end the fantastic weekend which had just passed.

May each of you have a creative and inspired week, as well as a happy fourth of July! Light some fireworks for me (my Aries personality LOVES fireworks!)

–JH

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I need more caffeine, STAT!

so bright, so colorful!

Well, September has come (and practically gone!) I’ve spent the month wandering different stationery stores in preparation for my first “back-to-school” day of teaching! The semester kicked off without a hitch, and now I spend my time divided: three days at the studio, two days in the classroom. Oh luxurious days of summer, how quickly you flew by!

and how about these guys?

Once my work for SF Zine Fest wrapped up at the beginning of September, it was time to jump into production mode for the NY Art Book Fair (I’ll be vending there next week). But first, I wanted to squeeze a couple of extra projects into the mix (because, you know…I wasn’t quite busy enough…)

this is what an edition of 65 looks like…

Long time postal pal Mr. Jazz has been involved with the Burning Man PO for quite some time; one could say that he was one of the original postmasters of the BRC PO. As a special favor, he carried SF Correspondence Co-op mail up to the BRC PO, so that it could receive special Burning Man cancellation, and be sent to addressees. AWESOME.

there’s a recurring theme here somewhere, but I can’t quite figure it out…

I’ve also been doing more soft block carving, gaining inspiration from artists such as Julie Hagen Bloch and Carroll Woods. I love the fact that printed, these small size blocks look as good as a wood block print – without all the hassle of actually carving wood blocks. Plus it’s “no muss, no fuss”; I can literally carve a block in 15 minutes or so, depending on how elaborate the design is.

I feel so official, addressing an envelope to PM…

But the main thing that’s been taking up practically all of my time is prep for the upcoming NY Art Book Fair. Brainstorming, stamping, constructing, printing: I’ve spent untold hours in the studio lately, creating an avalanche of new items to tempt! (more photos tomorrow, I promise…)

signed up for “Mail Art 101” at The Ink Pad? This is a sneek peek!…

I’m also thrilled to be teaching two evening classes at The Ink Pad in NYC – what a treat! Putting together class kits and goodie bags, carefully planning all sorts of demos, and selectively choosing artwork for show-n-tell have been additional matters to take care of – but oh what fun! As I taped up my boxes to send to NYC, I made sure to put a little bit of SF mojo in as well.

a whirlwind of tissue, plastic, and bubble wrap…

So there you have it! I’ll post photos tomorrow of the new artistamps, zines, and items that I’ve been working on throughout the month. And if you happen to be in NYC next weekend, be sure to drop by the Art Book Fair and say hello! I’ll be located in “The Schoolyard”, table A17.

Until tomorrow!

–JH

PS: classes held at The Ink Pad are currently sold out, but you can give a call to the store and put your name on the wait list…

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Might I suggest SF Zine Fest this weekend?…

this year’s poster, designed by Squillo Studios…

 

This has been a summer in which I devote my life to zines. Mind you, I’ve always been a believer – but over the last few months I’ve become a true believer. How does the conversion happen? Lots of hard work, enthusiasm, and a pretty near full-time volunteer gig as one of the SF Zine Fest organizers.

 

new work-in-progress…

 

And now, I’m in the home stretch! This weekend (September 1st and 2nd) the SF County Fair Building in Golden Gate Park will play to host to the largest zine extravaganza yet! Free and open to the public, SFZF will showcase small press and DIY vendors, informative workshops, and a roster of exciting lectures. I mentioned that it’s all FREE, right?

 

typing up labels with my cursive typewriter!

 

Here and there, I’ve been squeezing in time at the studio and putting together a few bits for the SF Correspondence Co-op table at the Fest. You heard that right – the SF Correspondence Co-op will have a table at Zine Fest, and it will be filled with postal delights from Co-op members near and far. If you love postal-ish papery things, you won’t want to miss this!

 

a smattering of ephemera, to be used…

 

The Co-op will also host the Perennial Postcard Project on Day 1 of Zine Fest from 11:00am – 1:00pm. We will have tables set up on the Main Stage in Room B for SFZF attendees to stop by, make some mail art, and have some fun. We did a similar project at our Co-op birthday party in May, and it was a HUGE success.

 

the Perennial Postcard Project, in action!

 

It’s hard to believe that by this time next week, SFZF will be wrapped up for another year – it seems impossible, after working so intensely throughout the summer. But my eyes are already looking forward to the end of September, when I will be vending once again at the NY Art Book Fair as well as teaching a series of classes at The Ink Pad. This fall is going to be non-stop, I can tell already!

 

a story with a happy ending…

 

Will you be able to stop by the Co-op table at Zine Fest? We’d love to see you there! Let me know in the comments if you’ll be saying hello in person…
In all things postal, I remain –
–JH

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What is this thing called a “zine”? * (note the asterisk…)

Hello postal people!

In my daily life of paper, ephemera, and correspondence I find that there’s alot of crossover. This is how it breaks down: bookbinding led to artists’ books, which morphed into zinemaking. Penpal-ing as a kid transitioned into decorated envelopes in college, which then moved into the realm of full-blown mail art escapades once I arrived in San Francisco. (surprising? Not really, when you think about it…) When asked the eternal, killing question “Yes, but what do you do?”, I find myself at a loss, unable to bring all of these varied elements together into a single niche-based sentence.

Readers and friends of the RLD blog know that I do a range of different things (artists’ books, zines, prints), but my true love is mail art. Putting together something special for a far-away Networker or designing the month’s new postal “Cadeux” puts a smile on my face and charges my creative batteries.

I like to be involved-with-a-capital-i, in a very Aries-centric kind of way. I love organizing, putting things together, helping people meet other people — that kind of thing. Each person I meet these days has a story which is so uniquely them that I find myself constantly recalibrating my ideas of art/creating art, based on the discussions I have with somebody. That seems to be another part of the process.

artistamps created for the "Revenge of Print 2011" project...

Participating in events and meeting people go hand in hand. One of my favorite aspects of “doing what I do” (that hard-to-identify thing mentioned above) is vending at shows — Alternative Press Expo, the Printer’s Fair, SF’s Open Studios — each event is an opportunity to meet people, introduce them to the idea of mail art, put on a puppet show (well, not really…) A special fave in my “pantheon of vending” is the SF Zinefest.

SF Zinefest 2011 poster, designed by Lark Pien!

This year is a banner year for the SF Zinefest; they’re celebrating 10 big years! That’s a whole decade of promoting zines, zinesters, and DIY culture. As one of the largest zine events on the west coast, the SFZF continually has a stellar line up of panelists, workshops, and vendors year after year.

a quiet moment at 2010's SFZF, by Green Lantern Press...

In a world where print books are racing to flip the digital switch, zines are experiencing a contemporary renaissance. Hands-on zine projects abound throughout the web; all one needs to do is search “zine projects 2011” or stop by the “We Make Zines” forum to see that zine culture is alive and well. People want (need?) to share their stories via the printed word; turning thru the pages of someone’s real-time zine is an introduction to their thought process, their aesthetic, the things that they are passionate about. Is there a better way to be introduced to someone? I can’t think of one.

zines for reading, at the Tokyo Art Book Fair, 2010...

So what does all this talk of zines mean for RLD readers? Two things: if you make artists’ books, zines, or any sort of DIY (think Renegade Craft Fair or Bizarre Bazaar) product, you might be interested in vending at the SF Zinefest. Tables are still open, but they’re going quickly — take a look at the application page over here. (the .pdf takes a minute to load in…)

a stack of zines, from Sweetie Pie Press' flickr...

If the idea of small-press-with-big-ideas is intriguing, but you’re not ready to commit to vending your wares, never fear! Instead, why don’t you stop by the Zinefest and see what it’s all about? Admission is free, and RLD will be there (with some new surprises on the table!), along with the likes of Two Fine Chaps (beautiful letterpress artists’ books), Monkey + Seal (printmakers and silkscreeners), as well as a galaxy of other talented vendors.

"The Chase", by Two Fine Chaps...

I’ll be sure to show you guys the works-in-progress as we get closer to the Zinefest. But for now, a question: have any of you made zines? And if so, did you like the process? What was your zine about? (and can we still get a copy?…)

Postally speaking (of course) —
–JH

* the word “zine” is pronounced “zeen”

** did you notice those “Revenge of Print” artistamps in the photo above? They’re pretty fancy, right? If you’d like to receive a sheet, send a SASE (self addressed stamped envelope) to the following address:

Jennie Hinchcliff/Red Letter Day

ATTN: revenge of print 2011
PO Box 170271
San Francisco, CA. 94117
(international requests are welcome, but you must include $1.00 USD to cover the cost of postage)

07.23.11 edit: RLD reader Angry Violist kindly emailed an inquiry as to whether international readers could Paypal money for postage — so clever!  Of course you can — let’s use this technology for good, instead of evil!  International readers should Paypal $1.50 USD ($1.00 to cover international postage, .50¢ to cover all of Paypal’s fees) to: redletterdayzine@gmail.com

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Tokyo Artist Book Fair, Day Three.

Here’s the final installment of my report from the book fair! I’ll jump right in with the eye-candy…

Tokyo Cultuart by Beams

I love the fact that publishers Beams built a cabin-shaped booth, complete with shelves, books, and shingles. Adjacent to this setup, they had a screenprinting station: each day, they handed out free t-shirts and folks would que up to pull the squeegee…

the zines of Soda Design...

Did you look closely at Soda Design’s table? Get an eyeful of that show announcement — it’s envelope shaped! The zine “Frei” is great looking on the inside…

Red Fox Press represented by MediaBus/Yebisu Art Labo

This one’s for my friends over at Red Fox Press (hi Francis!); it was super to see these little books on the wall! I’ve long admired Red Fox Press’s work, but since they’re in Ireland, it’s rare that I get to see the full range of their work in one place. It was a treat to talk with the Yebisu Art Labo vendors, and say “oh yeah, the people in these books are all friends of mine!”…

Nishidate-san's mixed media zines and prints...

Nishidate-san had some amazing prints that I fell in love with immediately: the prints were mixed media collages, incorporating ledger papers, tissue paper, gouche, and pen. They were all in subtle shades of white and buff — beautiful. Sadly, I didn’t get a chance to say hello, since his table was always crowded with people.

"InsideOut" -- mapping Tokyo's art spaces...

3331 Arts Chiyoda was the perfect place to have the book fair: formerly the site of a preschool, the building has been turned into a multi-level arts venue. The first floor comprises a cafe, exhibition space, and a few little shops; upstairs there is more exhibition space, as well as artists studio space. “InsideOut” was a show in the upstairs gallery space which turned the entire space into a map of all the galleries and art spaces in Japan — all four walls comprised the entire country. It was interesting to see a visual representation of what’s going on in the arts throughout Japan. Places like Tokyo/Osaka/Kyoto were filled with little brown post-it notes, whereas less populated areas weren’t as well represented. I think it also says alot about the folks who probably come through the gallery space, and where they’re traveling from…

you better believe it!

At the end of the weekend, this was the sign that left a warm fuzzy feeling. また来年ね！

Once the fair ended, my vacation could begin in earnest. So far, I’ve spent the last couple of days on “stationery safari”…I’m happy to report that 文具(stationery) is NOT an endangered species here in Tokyo. Tomorrow I hope to have a rundown of some of the cutie things I’ve been finding, as well as some “day in the life” pictures…

Keep those questions coming! You know I love to answer them. Is anybody out there looking for anything special, in the way of envelopes/paper/office supplies? 🙂
–JH

PS: one of the cons of Tokyo: the love of canned muzak. So far today, I’ve heard clinky-Casio piano versions of Abba’s “Dancing Queen” and “Cocomo” by the Beach Boys — both songs I detest. Ugh. However, for those of you, like me, are in love with The National: I heard “Bloodbuzz Ohio” over the speakers at Tokyu Hands. Go figure.

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Tokyo Artist Book Fair, Day Two.

Some photos from the fair!
These are mostly pics of new friends/other vendors. In the next day or so, I’ll post additional photos of interesting books and other funny things I saw at the fair…

Mari Yano

This was one of my favorite projects, and I know exactly why. Mari’s book “Mizuisu” captures the process of a book in transition, and is all mixed media textures and organic color. I bought the offset printed book the moment I saw it; on days two and three, she had the actual books at the fair. Thick with paint and ink and texture, they are some of the best altered books I’ve seen. And that’s saying alot.

Anna Gleeson

“Goodbye Shoes” by Anna Gleeson is an artists’ book that nearly every girl can identify with. Six different pairs of shoes, six different scenarios…the book is gocco printed and delicious. It’s in the same vein as Sue King’s “Redressing the Sixties” and is utterly charming.

the many zines of Invisible School

These guys kept me laughing all weekend long, mostly because they were so serious about not taking themselves seriously. They also had a posse that hung out in our corner of the room, providing instant rockstar status…

Mon Mon Press -- one of my faves!

Another one of my faves. I purchased “Haru no Okurimon (“Gifts of Spring”) for the charming silkscreen illustrations and story (it’s about Mon Mon’s pup!). I also picked up a totebag, and it has become my new “can’t live without” accessory, since the weather is too hot for an actual purse…

Alex of A/B Books

Alex Buhler creates beautiful things; I want everyone to know that. He’s also a great guy to spend a weekend with. Swiss-born, he has spent the last year living in Tokyo and has recently completed the CCA Research Program in Kitakyushu, Japan.

close up of some zines by Rain or Shine Press

You know what I love? Anything that incorporates maps and old papers. (that’s really no secret to anyone who reads this blog…) So when I saw that Aya of Rain or Shine Books had a zine that incorporated both of these things into one zine, I knew the weekend was going to be just fine!

Aya of Rain or Shine Press

Aya saved me a couple of times over the weekend, providing necessary on-the-fly Japanese verbage when my language skills couldn’t rise to the challenge. For this, I thank her!

Himaa-san...

Himaa was a big favorite at the fair, and somehow always managed to be smiling. What was his secret? He also left our section of the room in awe because he would arrive fresh in the morning with a new project that he had concocted out of thin air the night before.

So, postal people, those are the folks I’ve spent the last three and a half days with. There’s alot to be said for hanging out with a group of people in an extremely hot room, selling zines for three or four hundred yen; it builds a sense of camaraderie and community. Sure, I could’ve gone to the fair as a spectator, but it wouldn’t have been the same. At the end of the day, I’m glad I’m sitting on the vending side of the table.
–JH

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Tokyo Artist Book Fair, Day One.

Quickly, quickly, quickly: this will be a fast post for you, dear correspondents. I’ve gotta make it swift (you know, like “USPS overnight mail” kind of fast…) because A) I’m typing this in the hotel lobby and B) my laptop battery’s about to run out of juice. Why am I in the hotel lobby? It’s a long story that I’ll explain later.

For now, some eye candy:

What's my name again?

Yep. That's a school desk.

Hey look! It's Red Letter Day!

Zines on display, vertical

zines on display, horizontal

Alright. Discuss amongst yourselves, ask questions galore. I’m ready to answer ’em! The next post will feature some of the artists I’ve been meeting, as well as their work.
–JH

PS: did I mention it’s humid here? Yes. Yes, it is.

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Can you keep a secret?

the "good old days" of mail art...

Correspondents near and far: I have a secret to confess to you.

There’s something that I haven’t told you yet, something I’ve been hiding.

I didn’t want to mention it just yet, because I wanted to have a Really Great Surprise for you, something that would be like Christmas and Easter and fireworks on the fourth of July, all rolled up into one fun and sparkletastic/noisy package. I feel like we’ve come to a point in our relationship where I can be honest with you, and let you in on this secret.

Ready?

I’m pretty excited about it.

You see, next week I’m going to be out of town, taking part in (what I hope will be) a fun event. It’s something I heard about way back in 2009 (was it really only last year?!), one of those sorts of things that you say to yourself “I’m going to DO that next time — no excuses!”. The event in question? An artist book/zine fair.

Now that in and of itself is not surprising. I’ve done plenty of vendor fairs in my time: whether it was selling vintage clothing in historic venues or working the Alternative Press Expo as part of Pod Post, I’m no stranger to standing behind a table and talking up “the work”. However this fair will be a little different, a little bit more exotic, so to speak.

By this time next week, I’ll be in -wait for it- Tokyo!!!

look at all the magic happening!

That’s right. I’m taking part in the Tokyo Artist Book Fair. Imagine if you will: one hundred plus zinesters and book artists gathered together for 4 days, in the same place! I have all sorts of questions that I’m dying to find the answers to: what do Japanese zinesters write about? What sorts of artists books are being made in a place where the artform is still relatively undiscovered? And it’s true: letterpress printing is starting to catch on like wildfire in Japan. Will I see some evidence of this? What is the overall vibe like, at the fair? Will it be similar or different to the DIY and handmade aesthetic which reign supreme at American events like Renegade Craft Fair and the SF Zinefest?

That being said, I’ve been spending the last month and a half putting together paper-y yum yums and mail art tasties, as well as a new zine and reprints of “Red Letter Day” issues 1-3. What follows is photographic evidence of some of the items I’m squeezing into the suitcase, in between typing this entry and waiting for PVA glue to dry…

like Christmas in July, dont’cha think?

old machines and new perfs!

I’ve been spending plenty of time over at the SF Center for the Book, using their Rossbach perforating machine to put together these mail art seals. If you’re interested, I’ll be teaching folks how to use this baby, as part of my mail art class in August…

delicious! x3...

My kitchen table leads a double life. During the day, it serves as a workbench — completely covered with all manner of creative detritus and spilling over with ephermeric bits-n-bobs. At night, it turns back into a kitchen table. Dinner is consumed, conversation is had. Sometimes wine is spilled. But (hopefully) not on the in-progress projects. In the morning, brownie sprites have put everything back in order, and the whole cycle starts over again.

would you be able to send this postcard out into the world?

Examples of some postcards I’ll be selling individually. I made 60 of these puppies, each one different in it’s own postal way — like an edition of something, but different…

...or this one?

What else is there? Well, some postcard sets. Some sheets of faux postage (Ray Johnson and Mr. Zip). A few — no quite a few — blank journals which use cool papers (ledger sheets/gambling forms/raffle tickets/gocco’d etcs.). I’ll be taking my series of prints titled “Dead Letter Office”. And of course, the new zine.

Ahhh…the new zine.

Because I am so excited about that particular project, I’ll save the details for tomorrow’s post!

You see, I’ve got to keep a few secrets — it gives us all something to look forward to, no? So tomorrow, I’ll regale you with more fabulous photos and tasty bits on the creation of “Waiting/待っています” — ooops!: I let part of the secret slip. You have a title, and soon you’ll have a cover to put with that title!

Signing off for now, and heading to the PO —

–JH

PS: I will (of course) be blogging as much as I can while I’m in Tokyo; I want to keep you in the loop! But to be perfectly honest, I’ll be sending out twitter messages a bit more frequently, so if you want up-to-date, instantaneous info, be sure to keep track of me via @redletterzine!

PPS: to all of you who wrote in to me (both virtually and in-person) about the “Junk Mail” show — thanks so much! I heard word this morning that each and every single piece I created for the show was SOLD! (guess that makes me a sell out: heh heh heh…) I’m thrilled, and couldn’t have done it without your support. And guess what? I have plenty more envelopes to create with, so I bet (wink wink) there will be some more security panels in the near future…

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