There are things happening and I am participating in them.
In order of appearance!

One.
Tonight my dear friend Chelsea Wolfe has an hour long set on KDVS, from 11 PM till midnight. Chelsea is a brilliant musician and the other half of The Wolf and The Rabbit, so you should listen regardless, but there will also be a recording of me reading a few sections from The Pecan Tree. You can stream online at KDVS.org.

Two.
This Saturday the San Francisco Center for the Book is having their annual Steamroller Printmaking event. It’s super fun and if you’re looking for a good overview of the possibilities of letterpress and printmaking, this is the event to attend. I’ll be volunteering, probably inking blocks and whatnot. Noon to 5 at 300 De Haro street in San Francisco.

Three.
Erica Schrag is opening a new gallery space, Greenville Presents, in Greenville, SC and I will have work in the inaugural show on October 16th. I dearly wish I could be there, so if you can attend, you should!

I’ve traded in my usual writing music, Cat Power, Animal Collective, Nick Drake, ETC, for Wu-Tang Clan, Lil’ Wayne and that Matt and Lil’ Kim mash up, Double Ice Creams Tonight. I’m producing some seriously quality writing right now.  Coincidence? I think not.

Let’s start at the beginning with these posts. Before I left for Nashville, I did some printing at my home studio, the San Francisco Center for the Book.

My friend Colleen’s 2009 calendar was up in the SFCB calendar show.

Last year Colleen completed a gorgeous book done completely in graphite. She has an interview in the upcoming issue of Ampersand regarding the work. You can see much better photographs of Elemental Edifice on her website, Colleen Stockmann & Analogue Anatomy Press.

I neglected to write down the name of this artist. One of my favorite pieces in the show.

Self printing on a Vandercook SP-15, wearing what Les called “The California printer’s uniform.” Black shirt, blue jeans.

Julie Chen is a well known book artist in the Bay Area. She teaches at Mill’s College. Her website is beautiful and so is her work. Flying Fish Press. 

Raoul was in town last week (or the week before? I’m a mess these days!) and it was delightful to see him. I asked him a couple of months ago if he would be interested in allowing me to print a chapbook of his poetry. He sweetly agreed. He tells me that that the work is nearing completion and I’m hoping to have the book done by the end of the year, but we’ll see! I don’t want to rush it and I’m currently studio-less.

I’ve been packing like mad and ran across two business cards from The Regional Assembly of Text that I picked up when I went to visit Raoul earlier in the summer. This little shop was so charming! They have an amazing zine and self published book collection. My favorite piece was an original handmade copy of Jordan Crane’s The Last Lonely Saturday. But I adored their button-making station. You can type up your own buttons on their typewriter, or color them with pencils and markers, and you see all those drawers on the front page? I was over the moon when the woman helping me opened a drawer and just pulled out the button maker and all the supplies. It seemed almost wizardly. I would love to know what wonders are hiding in the rest of the cabinet. If you’re ever in Vancouver you should absolutely add this place to your list of things to do.

Also, the San Francisco Center for the Book’s steamroller print making event is next week. Rich and I have volunteered the past two years as part of the inky hands crew (mixing, application and clean up). I’m sad to be missing out this time around, it’s always been a blast. Last year we also participated by carving smaller linoleum blocks which were printed with the steam roller and offered for sale as part of the fundraiser. don’t go small god was my contribution. If you’re in the Bay Area I highly recommend this event.

Rich inking in 2006