Today's postings

  1. [Baren 41915] Hello from South Africa ("Kalle Pihlajasaari")
  2. [Baren 41916] Re: Hello from South Africa (David Bull)
  3. [Baren 41917] Re: Hello from South Africa (Diane Cutter)
  4. [Baren 41918] Re: a qestion about converting presses ("DePry Clan")
  5. [Baren 41919] tasmania (Linden Langdon)
  6. [Baren 41920] Baren Member blogs: Update Notification (Blog Manager)
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Message 1
From: "Kalle Pihlajasaari"
Date: Mon, 06 Sep 2010 21:11:18 GMT
Subject: [Baren 41915] Hello from South Africa
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Hi All,



I am one of those silent types, I have been reading Baren list for a some
months now and find it delightful. Even though block cutting is not my
chosen field I still feel inspired to do stuff and have got all sorts of
ideas started and one edition for the NSSW10 exchange printed.



I am in South Africa and here print making is a bit less common than in
Europe and USA but still reasonably popular. My chosen field is even more
narrow, specifically Letterpress printing, with a goal of one day publishing
a private press book. It may turn out to have a wood cut or two in it before
I am done so all the knowledge I gain here is welcome.



I have done cuts on Lino and vinyl flooring, on a rubber type carving
material and an old letterpress mounted solid area product (intended for
simple rectangular areas or solid colour) that reminds me of a litho blanket
stuck to a wood block. I have yet to do more than a few strokes on wood but
will try that out one day as well, no material just lying around to play
with though unless I use some of the mounted lino blocks upside down.



I have comparatively little printing experience but use the Vandercook in my
work so it gets to print my hobbies as well and I get better and keep tuning
the press when I get the time.



I have had the occasion to reply to a couple of message in the last while
but when I have got up the steam to do so I have stumbled into a quirk with
the list system, I subscribe to the digest and when I click on the link to
reply (to list OR poster) it uses a spectacularly long URL to generate the
correct mailto command but it does not work, one of them returns a blank
page with error the other opens an email with no address or other details.
I deliberately use a vintage browser which may be partly to blame but the
functionality seems like it should work. So for the moment I cannot reply
to posts and will keep lurking mostly.



I have also entered the Baren #46 print bundle so though it time to at least
introduce myself before I send any prints.



I am a hot metal Typesetter, I was a volunteer apprentice at Calrose
Typesetters for about 3 years and purchased the business (40 years in the
same place) from the owner earlier this year after he retired last year. It
servers a small client base who make use of Ludlow and Linotype slugs, for
mostly hot foiling names onto corporate diaries and hand bound book covers
and a couple of letterpress printers who keep that tradition still alive.
My goal is one day to set up a working museum where people can watch paper
made by hand, Hot Metal type set, printing on a Windmill and binding by hand
of books. As the market is almost gone it is only a two days per week
business but pays the rent. I am able and happy to be so able to keep the
services available as it helps me to keep the machines alive for the future
and for my own creative needs.



As an add on to my museum goal I would like to see Letterpress reawaken here
in South Africa to some extent, mostly so that I would have some locals to
chat to, but as I mentioned the numbers are small. The commercial shops
mostly just do numbering and perforating on their old platen presses and the
craft people are in hiding. Some revival is and has taken place in the
wedding invite field as this is the growth market internationally as well
and the fine arts move along with a few universities making a showing and
some commercial artists print makers also making some use of it. So I set
up a small web site to try and assist locals with sources of supply and do a
bit of promoting for the remaining commercial printers but it is a job that
has need of more time to ferret out the few remaining outposts of
Letterpress printing. Peruse the sites below if you have an interest, I
would love to hear from anyone in South Africa in the
relief/letterpress/block printing field. They have contact details if the
list does not get my details through properly.



www.calrose.co.za



www.letterpress.co.za



Regards



Kalle
--
Kalle Pihlajasaari Calrose Typesetters
Johannesburg, South Africa
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Message 2
From: David Bull
Date: Mon, 06 Sep 2010 21:31:40 GMT
Subject: [Baren 41916] Re: Hello from South Africa
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> I have had the occasion to reply to a couple of message
> in the last while but when I have got up the steam to do
> so I have stumbled into a quirk with the list system, I
> subscribe to the digest and when I click on the link to
> reply (to list OR poster) it uses a spectacularly long URL
> to generate the correct mailto command but it does not
> work, one of them returns a blank page with error the other
> opens an email with no address or other details. I
> deliberately use a vintage browser which may be partly to
> blame but the functionality seems like it should work. So
> for the moment I cannot reply to posts and will keep lurking
> mostly.

This functionality is being broken by modern 'security' updates in
browsers, and I haven't had time yet to build a workaround, sorry ...

But there should be no problem posting if you simply use your email's
'Reply' function, instead of our custom links. That should open a new
email window, properly addressed to the group. (Please remember to
then trim away unwanted parts of the previous message, leaving just
enough to form a logical thread, and also adjust the message Subject:
line if necessary ...)

Thanks!

Dave
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Message 3
From: Diane Cutter
Date: Mon, 06 Sep 2010 21:45:45 GMT
Subject: [Baren 41917] Re: Hello from South Africa
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Hi, Kalle...

So glad to hear from you. I have your name on my list of participants in the
Baren #46 exchange. I am the trusty coordinator for this exchange and see that
I have your correct email address for further communications with the group. I
will take this as a 'yes, I'm still in the exchange' and look forward to seeing
your work.


Diane

www.DianeCutter.com
www.theitinerantartist.blogspot.com
www.DCutter.etsy.com
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Message 4
From: "DePry Clan"
Date: Tue, 07 Sep 2010 02:38:50 GMT
Subject: [Baren 41918] Re: a qestion about converting presses
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You can print litho plates on your etching press. The aluminum ball grained plates or Pronto plates are available from Takach. You basically ink the plate in the plate litho manner and lay down your printing paper on the plate, newsprint, and a tympan (plexi-glas sheet) and pull it through the press. Saves your from converting your press. Any clarity email me.
Double D
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Message 5
From: Linden Langdon
Date: Tue, 07 Sep 2010 06:13:53 GMT
Subject: [Baren 41919] tasmania
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Hi John,
Yes I will be attending the print forum - Saturday all day and the museum excursion. I'm sure we will manage to meet up!
Linden Langdon


"I am attending the Tasmanian printmaking forum this month on the 10, 11 & 12. Is anyone from Baren going?



John Ryrie"

Digest Appendix

Postings made on [Baren] members' blogs
over the past 24 hours ...

Subject: Dear Blog Readers
Posted by: Annie B

It's Labor Day in New England, the day that we typically think of as the end of summer even though technically it isn't. The nights are cool, some of the leaves are gaining a rosy hew, the thousands of college students that live here in this valley are returning, and I find myself evaluating my life and my projects as I always do at this time of year, noticing the projects I didn't begin or complete and figuring out the ones I want to commit to before the end of the year.

Okiie Hashimoto, 1967
In that spirit, I want to let you know that I feel a blog change coming on. I started Woodblock Dreams five years ago as a diary of my learning process, a place to record my experiments as I grappled with trying to master moku hanga / Japanese woodblock techniques. Up until now the blog has been very tightly focused on woodblock and only woodblock. Because of that focus, I know that many of you, my most loyal readers, are printmakers yourselves. I love that about you :)

So I want to reassure you that I will still be making woodblock prints and I will still be recording my process. But at this point in my development, I find myself also becoming interested in other art forms, interested in . . .
[Long item has been trimmed at this point. The full blog entry can be viewed here]

This item is taken from the blog Woodblock Dreams.
'Reply' to Baren about this item.


Subject: Aloe (White Line Woodcut)
Posted by: Viza Arlington



This one is about 8X10 printed by hand using a baren onto Rives BFK. water soluble crayons blended with finger tip.

This item is taken from the blog VIZArt.
'Reply' to Baren about this item.