Tag Archives: Letterpress printing

Mar 09 2014
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Book Arts, Jenna Rodriguez, Letterpress printing Link

Download “Extinct” My Single-Sheet Artist Book!!!!

Download “Extinct” My Single-Sheet Artist Book!!!!

Click on the link above to learn more about the show and download all three artists books.

A few months ago Otis College of Art and Design commissioned me to do a single-sheet Artists Book for the exhibition Binding Desire: Unfolding Artists Books. The only restriction was size (8.5 x 11in) so it could be printed from any computer.  The book is now available for download and it includes folding directions. There are two other book artists, Hazel Mandujano and Bonnie Thompson Norman, who participated as well.

“Extinct,” is about the evolution of communication and how face to face interaction is becoming extinct. It is a texting conversation I had with my father. He is trying to adjust to technology and learn/create his own texting abbreviations. It is hilarious and sad because the spoken word is fading. I created the images in the book with pressure printing on a Vandercook and the text is hand lettering.

If you are in the Los Angeles area you should check out the show. The exhibition is up till March 30th. If you are not able to visit the gallery download the artist books.

Here are details about the exhibition: “Binding Desire: Unfolding Artists Books is a group exhibition featuring approximately 120 works from Otis Millard Sheets Library’s Special Collection of 2,100 artists books dating from the 1960s to the present.” (from the Ben Maltz Gallery Website)

Here are some pic of my book…

Extinct
Extinct
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Jan 19 2014
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Art, Book Arts, CBAA Conference, Jenna Rodriguez, Letterpress printing

CBAA Conference in Salt Lake

This post is a few weeks overdue. I had the honor of attending the College Book Art Association (CBAA) Conference. The conference took place January 2nd-4th. It was a wonderful way to start off the year. There are a few reasons I was able to be a part of this conference. I received a travel grant to get there, I presented my thesis project, and I volunteered to waive my registration fees. I also had one of my books in the Members Exhibition and participated in the folded form exchange.  Through all of my involvement I was fortunate to meet and engage with amazing educators, Book Artists, and Letterpress Printers. It is always wonderful to leave these conferences with inspiration and the juices flowing for my next project.  The University of Utah has an amazing facility for their Book Arts Program. I have never seen anything like it. It is located in their library. When you arrive on the 4th floor you are in front of a glass wall. Behind this glass wall is everything letterpress! Their printshop is on display like a working museum. This is wonderful because all students on campus can see printing in action and it may entice them to take classes. Most letterpress shops are hidden in the basement and no one knows they exist.

There was so much going on at this conference. They had a vendor fair all days where Jim Croft selling his gorgeous bonefolders. There was a book created onsite in 24hrs. The edition size was 250. Particpatants from the conference were able to contribute to it by bringing an item from their studio that could be scanned in. I assisted in the final production of the book (folding, Stapling, and trimming).Here is a picture of the final books. Everyone at the conference received a copy.

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There was also another ongoing project happening throughout the conference called [in code]. A group of artists go by the name Shift-lab developed this collaborative project. Here are details about the project from their website http://www.shift-lab.org  [in code] is a social media inspired collaborative project by shift.

1. #tweet #retweet #text between January 2-4, 2014 [cbaa] or March 27-29, 2014 [sgc]
2. Use the hashtags #printedword #woodtype #letterpress #shiftlab #cbaa #sgc
3. Watch your tweets become part of a collaborative print project. 

The picture to the right is one of many prints they produced.

Here are pictures of the shop and the exhibitions…

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Dec 21 2013
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Art, Jenna Rodriguez, Letterpress printing, spudnik press, Teaching

Students at work…

This was my last week of teaching intro to letterpress at Spudnik Press. I loved teaching in an art community environment. It is very different from teaching at a college. It definitely took a little time to adjust and realize there are no grades. These artists are here because they want to learn. What a fabulous experience. I can’t wait to teach my other classes in the near future! The next session of classes will begin January 11th. If you are interested in learning how to letterpress print you should enroll into my class there is still space. If you already know how to print but want to learn the process of polymer plate making then you can take my class in March. If you have any interest or questions please feel free to contact me or Spudnik Press. Here are some pictures of my last class hard at work. Thank you Angelika Piwowarcyk for taking beautiful pictures during class.

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Nov 30 2013
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Jenna Rodriguez

First sale in my Etsy Shop!

I have been working on building an Etsy shop for the past month. I am still working on adding more of my artwork to the shop but right now I have bracelets and prints. Please visit the site, tell your friends about it and maybe even make some purchases! The holidays are around the corner and I have lots of holiday cards for sale. Bracelets also might be a lovely gift for someone special. Everything in my shop is designed and handmade by me! Check out my etsy shop JennaMrodriguez

First Etsy Sale bundled up and ready to be shipped!!!!

First easy sale!

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Nov 24 2013
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Art, Letterpress printing, Uncategorized, Wood type

New Print Shop in Town called Tandem Felix!

Husband and wife Jamiel Dado & Liz Isakson-Dado recently started Tandem Felix Letterpress Print Shop located in the Lacuna Lofts in Pilsen. Liz was a colleague of mine from grad school. They are super excited about this new edition to their family. The Lacuna Lofts and print shop are gorgeous. They have acquired a C&P Platen Press, Sign Press, and a good size collection of wood and metal type. They are offering a variety of workshops for anyone who is looking to get their hands inky! They are also starting to produce work to sell in their etsy shop. So far they have a variety of posters using wood type and coasters. If you have any interested in learning letterpress printing I would definitely give them a holler.  Check out some pictures from my last visit.  Photos are not the best and do not represent how beautiful the shop is. I guess that means you just have to go check it out for yourself!

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Oct 27 2013
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Uncategorized

Teaching at Spudnik!

I will be teaching letterpress classes at Spudnik Press starting next week! Spudnik Press is a community print shop that allows artist to come and use their facilities. They offer open studio times to work on your own work or classes to learn new printing processes.  The letterpress I class is full but there are still spaces available for the card workshops that will take place in November.  Perfect for making your very own business cards, christmas cards, or anytime cards. Add a personal touch to your cards by making them. If interested go to their website Spudnik Letterpress Classes. I am super excited to be able to teach letterpress printing again.  Here are pictures of their shop.  I only have photos of their letterpress/offset equipment but they also have screen print, litho,  & intaglio. Come take classes with me!!!!

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Sep 29 2013
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Uncategorized

Work Around The World!

Busy, Busy, Busy… The past couples months out of graduate school and into the real world have been a roller coaster. Trying to create a balance to make your own work, stay involved in the arts, submit work to shows, write grants, make money, work a full time job, and a could part time jobs, and teach workshops can be crazy but sounds pretty normal for artist. The last month I have committed to applying for shows and grants and I think it paid off. The next couple of months I am honored and super excited to have my work displayed in multiple locations. If you are in the vicinity of any you should stop by to check out my work along with all the other work!

China: Exhibition of Miniatures in Jiujang University
New York: New York Bound: International Book Art Biennial at Islip Art Museum
Alabama: Juried 918 Letterpress Printed Ephemera Show at Samford University Art Gallery
Chicago: At the Arcade, 618 South Michigan Ave. I received a grant last year and this is a show for all the grant recipients. It is on display now check it out!

Utah: In January I will be presenting my Thesis Project at the College Book Art Association (CBAA) in Salt Lake City

Sometimes I feel like applying to shows and grants can be a full time job in itself. There will be lots of rejections but there will also be times of excitement. I think all artist should make a personal commitment to apply for so many grants and shows every couple months. In the end you should never give up this is an integral part of an artist’s life.

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May 14 2013
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Art, Columbia College, Jenna Rodriguez, Letterpress printing, Uncategorized

The End Is Here!!!!!

This weekend I will be walking and officially receive my MFA in Interdisciplinary Book and Paper Arts. It was a long and fast three years. (if that makes sense)  Looking back I feel the time has flown by but during these three years I remember feeling the end of the tunnel was soooo far away. Now I am trying to figure out the question everyone in the past couple months has been asking me… “What is next?” As of now I am hoping and praying for a job in the near future!!! The search mission is beginning. I currently have THREE part-time jobs (I produce the Journal of Artists Books (JAB), teach art at two public schools in Chicago, and the not so fun job of waiting tables). My goal is to find ONE full time job. Oh how lovely that would be. Well that is it for now. Enjoy some pics from my thesis show!

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Apr 02 2013
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Art, Columbia College, Letterpress printing

JAB33 Release Party!

JAB33 is finally complete! We are having a release party and reading this Friday, April 5th @ 6:00pm on the 2nd floor in 1104 South Wabash.  Come join us.  For those of you wondering what JAB is let me fill you in…

JAB (Journal of Artists’ Books) “provides a platform for both theoretical and creative expression, a forum for the study of artists books.”  For the past two years I have had the honor of being the print production fellow for JAB where I work closely with Brad Freeman the editor.

If you would like to subscribe or learn more about JAB visit the websitehttp://www.journalofartistsbooks.org/index.php

jab cover

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Aug 27 2012
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Uncategorized Video

I’m Sexy And I Know It!

I thought I should share the music video the other interns and I created while at Wells. The printmakers at the University of Kansas created a music video in their printmaking shop and thought we should create a response video in the Wells printmaking shop. We had so much fun doing it and it also shows off the shop. I hope you enjoy. After you watch our video you can watch KU’s and see where we got our inspiration from.

 

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