I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine’s Day. My weekend was nice but just seemed to fly by. We had a great time checking out the Hatch Show Print exhibit at the AMOA.
Hatch Show Print is still a working letterpress and design shop creating posters today using the same lettepress methods they started with since the company was founded in 1879. Many of the posters we saw were for musicians, state fairs, vaudeville programs and picture shows.
I loved seeing the hand-carved wood blocks that were on display next to some of the posters. Such great work. I tell you, one of these days I really do want to take a class on letterpress. How fun would that be?
But that’s not all, today as my Valentine’s gift my husband got me a book that had been on my wish list since last year, Book + Art: Handcrafting Artists’ Books by Dorothy Simpson Krause. While there are instructions on making some book structures, this is really more about taking a blank book and making it your own by using a variety of mixed media techniques. Basically adding some meaningful content to your book structure.
I haven’t really tried doing much of this before, just a book here or there, and I don’t think I’ve even finished one so hopefully this book will inspire me to try again. I think what has stopped me in the past is that I haven’t really paid attention to what I would like to focus on for a project like this.
Anyway, so that’s the scoop. Oh yes, and I still need to finish my book for mystery book group night. So have a great start of the week everyone and more book talk soon.
The show sounds really interesting. I love looking at old style posters like that, especially state fair ones.
Glad your Valentine Weekend was such a nice one. Your husband knows how to pick that special gift, doesn’t he!
What a nice weekend and a nice gift from your husband. The food on sticks poster made me laugh. At the MN State Fair we are all about food on a stick. I don’t eat any of it but I am continually amazed. Supposedly the chocolate covered bacon on a stick is good but personally I just think that’s wrong on so many levels 🙂
It does sound like it was a nice show. I like the old style posters as well.
Great Valentines gift from your hubby 🙂
What a fun exhibit to see. I think I need a little culture/art in my life about now. And what a nice husband to get you a book for Valentine’s Day (and it will last much longer than chocolates!).
vivienne – I do too. They had some wonderful ones of carnivals, with ferris wheels, bearded ladies, you know, the whole bit. I wish they’d had some copies for sale. I think one would look cool in my studio!
jenclair – He’s a smart cookie 🙂
Stefanie – Oh that’s too funny. I was just talking about that with my husband saying how anything with chocolate is good but I guess maybe not bacon and chocolate on a stick! haha…
bookworm – It was fun. They also had a little video of the working press so that was neat!
Danielle – Well, I did steal some of the chocolates I got him so in a way I got chocolates too 🙂 I know what you mean about getting more art in our lives. It’s been a while since we’ve been to an exhibit so I was definitely looking forward to it.
Ok everyone – Hope you had a nice weekend. I actually started up my blog today: http://pickygirlfoodfilmfiction.wordpress.com/
I hope you will all visit and give any suggestions on wordpress or blogging in general as I’m new to all of it.
I love posters like that – I’ll check out the gift shop as I’m looking for art for the walls of my house.
sounds like a great show…and right up your alley. Sounds like you had a great time. We spent Valentine’s Day inside, vegging out.
jrav – Yay, so glad you started your blog! Going over to visit 🙂
Serena – Vegging out is always a good thing too right? 🙂
This sounds like it was a perfect show for you!!!
Happy Valentine’s Day…mine was a solo event. LOL