Interview with Cerys Turner

Biography

ALondoner born and raised, I have lived in and explored various partsof this city. I went to Central Saint Martins art college and thenhave done lots of exciting bits and pieces, including a few yearsworking full time in fashion and even a one-time biscuit icer! I amcurrently working freelance and getting into creative projects withdifferent client groups within the community.

Whydo you like to print?

Ienjoy drawing, painting and collaging and find print a good way tocombine ideas and be more selective with colour, shape and line. Ireally like the way you can build up layers, too.

Whatis your favorite print medium and why?

Istill remember the day I learned to screen print at art school. Eventhough I had done other printing before, like mono printing and a fewother techniques and enjoyed them, I got this feeling of excitement and amazing rush that I'd discovered my 'thing'. I didn't want toleave the print studio!

Howlong have you been printing and how has your work evolved? 

I've beenprinting for roughly 8 years, I love to experiment, so my initialwork was very experimental, but having had industry experiencedesigning in-house for fashion companies, I've definitely learned todesign in a more controlled way for specific clients, too.

Whatinspires you?

Colour.I am inspired by the way it's used in art, particularly abstractexpressionist artists like Rothko, Kiefer, Klee where the colour isstrong and evokes emotions. I'm inspired by things I see around thecity, the contrast between the urban landscape, nature breakingthrough and layers of history breaking through; unusual flowers,noisy birds, misplaced trees, clear blue skies over rigid greybuildings, historical architecture, ripped posters revealing hiddenimages. I love finding unusual things from the past and beautifulvintage fabrics - I often go to car boot sales and flea markets insearch of eclectic objects.

Howdo your promote your work? 

Mainly through word of mouth, but havingan Etsy shop has been a great way to start reaching peopleinternationally. I also have a blog and have started to tweet...

Areyou working on any particular projects now? 

I am workingon projects with specific client groups -- I am interested in doingcreative workshops with vulnerable and disabled people and possiblycombining this with Art Therapy in the future. There are a couple ofTextile Design studios that I do ongoing projects for -- I've juststarted designing some really exciting prints for fashion swimwear.Developing my own style further is also important to me and I hope tomake more products with my designs on to sell independently.

Tellus one random fact about yourself:

Icollect deers! I really like their calm nature, how graceful theyseem and living in London it is very rare that I get to see them sothey are quite exotic to me. So far I have deers that are pink,wooden, red, sparkly, ceramic, tiny and even flocked.

Please stop by Cerys Turner's etsy shop and blog.

Interview with Dunja of Doonyaya

Biography

I live in a small town outside of Portland, Maine with my heavily tattooed husband Gerald and our two raw-food eating cats Hero and Suki. I graduated with a Fine Arts Master's Degree from Bard College in 2003, focussing on photography at the time, but found that my real passion is screen printing. I converted our garage and part of our basement into my studio space, and the upstairs of our garage is our practice space for our band Elk Blood - I play keyboards.


Why Printmaking?

I have always loved to screen print since I first took a class at the Corcoran School of Art when I was visiting my father in Washington, DC one summer in College. I was addicted to the speed of it and the ability to make multiples which I could then re-print or collage and make into one of a kinds. It combined photography, illustration, clip art, found images and painting in one medium. I've always been somewhat ADD, unable to focus on one thing at a time, and I also get easily bored once I've learned how to do something. I am always attracted to the next shiny thing, so to keep my attention a medium has to be wide with possibilities, which is exactly what screen printing offers.

How Has Your Work Evolved?

My work has evolved from being an intellectual or theoretical practice, which I learned in school, to being an intuitive process where I have learned to trust my instincts more than my head. It took a long time to detox from the headiness of art schools and learn to be an artist again, something which came naturally to me as a child, then was lost as I became conscious of my place in the world and how I appeared to others. The biggest challenge has been returning to who I am without doubting my abilities or instincts.

What Inspires You?

I am inspired by artists who show the messiness and imperfection of creating. Skill is important, but I am bored by technicians in every medium. I'm more inspired by people just putting themselves out there fearlessly than by a perfected performance or piece.

How Do You Promote Your Work?

I don't really promote my work. I want to see my work as inspiring to people, just as I'm inspired by people who are doing what they love in the world, whatever it happens to be. I think this attitude is attractive, so hopefully people will be drawn to work that is trying to give back something, not just show itself off.

Are You Currently Working on Any Special Projects?
Right now I'm working on opening a store in Portland called The Merchant Company for crafters and vintage collectors. It will be like an upscale flea market. We have a big back room to have craft nights, classes and workshops. There is a great printing community in Portland and I'm excited to bring it all together into a single space. My newest screen printing project is making screen printed pillow cases and duvet covers from upcycled fabrics. I'm also working on a line of coasters with retro RV's printed on linoleum.

Tell Us One Random Fact About Yourself....

I'm vegan and donate 10% of my profits to animal rights organizations. Being vegan saves 100 animals a year!

Check Out Dunja's Etsy Site and Website

Interview with Shannon Kennedy of Sass&Peril

Biography   

Hi! I’m Shannon Kennedy and I reside in Long Beach, CA with my wonderful boyfriend and two adorable kitties! In 2004 I founded my own creative studio, sass&peril. I am a freelance Graphic Designer and I also produce hand-pulled screenprints, stationery, journals, pillows and more.

Why do you like to print?

Because I love seeing my designs through from concept to completion. I don’t have to rely on anyone else to manufacture my vision. There are so many steps and processes involved that it is really up to you not to blow it and that’s a lot of pressure! So when you successfully produce a screenprint it is just the most amazing feeling.

What is your favorite print medium and why?

Screenprinting all the way. I love my ink and squeegee and I am learning to love (and not curse) my emulsion and reclaiming chemicals.

How long have you been printing and how has your work evolved?

I’ve got about 3 years of experience under my belt. I learned to screenprint in college and fell in love with the process. Once I graduated and started working as a Graphic Designer full-time I stopped making art with my hands and really missed the process. I took my screenprinting efforts back up a couple years ago and after many mistakes and ripped screens later I felt I was at a point where I could share my work with the world. I would say my work has evolved in that I have carved out a niche for myself with a certain aesthetic that has helped to define my brand.

What inspires you?

Color, shapes, nostalgia, music, movement, good food, fashion, animals, and all things cute!

How do your promote your work?

Besides having an Etsy shop I also blog and post frequently on Facebook and Twitter. I track my views and visits through Google Analytics and those seem to bring in a lot of traffic. I also have the partnerships with my stockists and my customers to thank for spreading the good word!

Are you working on any particular projects now?  

Yes! I’m constantly working on evolving the line and lately that has meant screenprinting on other mediums besides paper like fabric for totes, pillow covers, tees, and more. I’d love to have a range of products that could appeal to all ages and genders but while staying true to my aesthetic. I also would love to be able to start pulling larger sized prints.

Tell us one random fact about yourself 

I’m obsessed with basketball and I can name most of the players on all 30 teams in the NBA. Go Clippers!

Check out Shannon's Etsy Shop and Website

Interview with Cassie of Dark Days

Biography 

Right now I'm living in the New York area, but I will be moving to Philadelphia soon. I went to college in that city, and once I left, I found that I really missed it! Philly is a great place to be if you're an artist in terms of community. Plus space is fairly cheap there; I feel like it has the potential for lots of exciting things to happen. A few artist run galleries and the like have popped up in recent years. And of course, the Institute of Contemporary Art and the museum at Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art have some of the best shows, not to mention that they're totally beautiful spaces for viewing art.

Why do you like to print?

I'm a very process-oriented artist, and printmaking gives me the freedom to explore the different avenues that pop up during the act of making a print. Most of my prints on paper are monotypes. I like that I can take a structured beginning and go in several different directions and achieve varied results. I also do commercial printing, like t-shirts and the tote bags that you find in my Etsy shop. Printmaking is really versatile in its application more so than other mediums. I find that it helps me bridge the gap between making fine art that may never get seen, and making more commercially accessible (and sometimes wearable) work.

What is your favorite print medium and why?

While I mainly use silkscreen for commercial projects, I would actually say that lithography is my favorite print medium. I had the chance to study with a very talented Tamarind master printer who showed me the amazing range and richness that lithography has to offer.  It is more challenging than silkscreen and definitely requires finesse, but the results are very rewarding.

How long have you been printing and how has your work evolved?

I have been printing seriously for about 4 years now. I started off by making works on paper, and now I mainly do textile printing. Through a lot of practice and trial and error, I finally have a good handle on the printmaking processes that I'm using, and I can get more complex results. Printmaking is really addicting; the more I learn, the more I want to experiment!

What inspires you?

My interests are somewhat all over the place and I could probably go on forever about the things that I like, but one thing I know for sure: I'm a music fanatic. I like all sorts of different music, from obscure female-fronted punk rock groups to 70's soul to Bollywood steel guitar music. I couldn't make art without it! I also draw inspiration from science fiction films and books. I feel like the true aim of good science fiction is to get to the essence of the human experience; its a very existential genre. I also enjoy art and experiences that contain an element of mystery, such as unfamiliar landscapes, ancient artifacts, myths, and so on.

How do your promote your work?

I have to admit that I don't do much promoting. I am fairly new to Etsy. I do hope to fill up my shop with my different print-related pursuits, but as of now I am more concerned with making my items and exploring different ideas. I believe in living a very curated life, and my Etsy shop is just my way of offering my aesthetic to the world.

Are you working on any particular projects now? 

I do have one other project I am involved in besides Dark Days. Its called Clones and Fashions. Clones and Fashions is a web-based media platform that focuses on past and present punk subculture. I am involved in the merchandise and podcast aspects of this project. Our website is set to launch later this month. We are always on the lookout for fellow punk enthusiasts to feature playlists by, so drop us a line if you have something you'd like to share!

Tell us one random fact about yourself

I have been skydiving. It was a true eye-opening experience.

Check out Cassie's Etsy Shop and Tumblr Site

Screenprint Treasury!

It's a Yudu, not a Gocco!

A tutorial on this convenient screen printing method contributed by Kitty Kilian

Introduction:

Suppose, just suppose, you are an artist and you want to do screen prints. At home, that is. Just the occasional print in between all those other nice techniques you are pursuing. So you need something small and practical. Something you can put away in your small studio between printing rounds. May be a Gocco machine? That nice Japanese invention from the 1970's that let every Japanese family print its own greeting cards? May be.. but Gocco prints are necessarily small in size. And because Gocco's are not being produced anymore, supplies will run out in the future.May be a Yudu then? Just like a Gocco, a Yudu can expose a screen for you. The screen is much bigger however. It also has a drying compartment. It doubles as a lighting table. And it makes a table for the actual printing. The screens can be used over and over again- other than Gocco screens. Yudu has been around for a few years now but in Europe (where I am from) it is mostly unknown. So I did a lot of online research and finally got one and reviewed it. It put my info online in three tutorials... read on here for the tutorial

Bio:

Kitty Kilian (Utrecht, Netherlands) was a journalist for many years before she turned to illustrating. She occasionally pulls her own screen prints - less often than she would like. One of her prints is currently traveling through Holland in a harmonicabook with graphic work by 10 artists on the theme Of Fishes And Birds.  See the site for the exhibition here