Simon Goes...

Works featured in CORRESPONDENCE, a set on Flickr.I’ve...

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 10:43:39 -0400

Works featured in CORRESPONDENCE, a set on Flickr.

I’ve three books which are soon to be travelling to Poland to be featured in a book arts festival #bookarts

Chicken King on Flickr.

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 02:57:35 -0400

Chicken King on Flickr.

Traffic Street Press, St. Paul MN, a set on Flickr.Book artist...

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 07:27:31 -0400

Traffic Street Press, St. Paul MN, a set on Flickr.

Book artist and master letterpress printer Paulette Myers-Rich’s Traffic Street Press, St. Paul, MN. #bookarts

Oh my god I love you.

Sat, 23 Jul 2011 05:58:00 -0400

Oh my god I love you.

Fin.

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 13:10:41 -0400

I am back in London.

I spent ten weeks in the USA, travelled 13 states, visited 17 cities, and have countless blogposts to catch up with…

I’ve met so many inspirational people, workshops, studios - it’s astounding.

Watch this space.

(I’ve jet-lag to deal with now)

Santa Barbara Mission, CA

Sat, 09 Jul 2011 12:36:14 -0400

Santa Barbara Mission, CA

Santa Barbara, CA

Fri, 08 Jul 2011 20:34:15 -0400

Santa Barbara, CA

Elephant seals on beach along Pacific Highway 1

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 23:06:13 -0400

Elephant seals on beach along Pacific Highway 1

California Highway 1

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 23:05:02 -0400

California Highway 1

Chicago, IL

Sun, 03 Jul 2011 21:57:00 -0400

Chicago was pretty amazing. I visited the Columbia Center for Book and Paper Arts (blogpost to come). During the two days we spent there, I don’t think it stopped raining once…

We stayed in a neighbourhood called Wicker Park, which was really great - lots going on, places to eat and drink, cool hipster-y shops and the like.

The city’s almost a little overwhelming (in terms of scale) - I think when I visit again, I definitely have to spend longer than two days.

(Breakfast at Earwax Cafe)

I met with Gerri Newfry for a coffee, which was great. It’s been great to meet with various “internet people” along the trip, if only to put a name to a face!

(typical weather)

So, Chicago - not to be rushed, I would conclude. There’s a lot to see and do. Visit in the summer…

Tugboat Printshop, Pittsburgh

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 04:59:13 -0400

During my 24-hours in Pittsburgh I also got a chance to visit one of my favourite woodcut printmaking studios; Paul Roden and Valerie Lueth of Tugboat Printshop, where we chatted about woodcuts and all things print.

If you’re not familiar with their work, take a look at their site - they are an amazing duo, consistently producing amazingly detailed and vibrant prints, every one of which I’m itching to buy. Paul and Valerie live and work at their home studio, and have been making and selling prints since graduating from college. They have also produced commissions for various clients, including The Decemberists.

The pair posses a wonderful illustration style, perfectly suited to the medium they work in. Paul usually cuts the blocks from plywood sheet, after the illustration has been sketched onto the surface and marked-up.

Above: Plywood block, sketched and inked-up, ready for engraving, then proofing.

All of the work is printed using a beautiful Conrad Machine Co. press, and registration is done using a wooden jig, ensuring that each colour layer prints in exactly the right position.

Above: Tugboat Printshop’s press and front room of their home studio.

Below: Registering a print using a wooden jig (block shown is RV from the Life of Leisure series.)

You can view the whole collection of prints available from Tugboat via their website.

American Foodstuffs Pt.4: Fish Tacos Dee-lish

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 19:00:00 -0400

American Foodstuffs Pt.4: Fish Tacos

Dee-lish

American Foodstuffs No.3: Fries (not chips)

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 08:16:06 -0400

American Foodstuffs No.3: Fries

(not chips)

Sapling Press, Pittsburgh

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 09:45:06 -0400

During my 24-hours in Pittsburgh I managed to pay a brief visit to Lisa Krowinski of Sapling Press, who is based in an amazing, lower ground-level space underneath a business complex.

(please note: Lisa was busy prepping for the National Stationery Show when I visited, so I was told to let you know that it’s not normally this messy)

The space is amazing. She has a Vandercook SP-15 test press, on which the majority of the studio’s output is produced. The studio is also equipped with a lovely guillotine, a Heidelberg ‘Windmill’ platen press, plus various other bits and bobs: round corner cutter, paper drill, etc.

It was great to see a “real-life” design and letterpress studio in action, and the space is amazing - very jealous! Lisa produces lovely work - and I sincerely hope that a lot of pre-orders and sales were made at the fair. Thanks for showing me around!

Downtown Minneapolis by night on Flickr.

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 00:18:50 -0400

Downtown Minneapolis by night on Flickr.

D.C. to Pittsburgh

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 11:48:09 -0400

We missed the first train from D.C. to Pittsburgh, and as there is only one a day, we found ourselves at a lovely Quality Inn for the evening - which gave us an opportunity to take stock, and relax a bit.

D.C’s a funny place. There’s too many facts for me to cover here, so I’d recommend reading up on it if you don’t already know. The hotel was just north-east of the centre, and although it wasn’t too far, a taxi was necessary - a ‘short’ distance in America is still not really walkable, as I’ve come to learn, and also: the area probably wasn’t the best for walking through and slightly lost.

While not the worst, it was semi-industrial, full of warehouses and wholesale depots (think Hackney Wick ten years ago) and the streets were empty (at 6pm). And all the while, the top of the Capitol building is visible.

The day after was spent lounging in the sun -D.C. has a humid subtropical climate- while waiting for the 4pm to Pittsburgh. The train journey was our first long(ish) one, arriving into Pittsburgh at midnight. It was a really enjoyable ride - check my Flickr for more photos.

American Foodstuffs Pt.2

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 02:12:00 -0400

Pancakes, at the Band Box Diner, Minneapolis.

Amazing. Say no more. I ordered two, which was about $5. They were the size of my head. I could barely manage the one, but made an attempt at the second. Classic case of ‘eyes are bigger than’…

Reckon I can get away with having them every day?

Thought not.

St Croix river, WI

Tue, 31 May 2011 02:36:00 -0400

St Croix river, WI

Sunset on the St Croix river, Wisconsin

Tue, 31 May 2011 02:36:00 -0400

Sunset on the St Croix river, Wisconsin

The all-American drink for all Americans on Flickr.

Mon, 30 May 2011 22:08:35 -0400

The all-American drink for all Americans on Flickr.