Back + Forth in the USA
A selection of prints from Back + Forth will be on display starting next week at the Holderness School’s Edwards Art Gallery in the exhibit Graphic Novels in their Purest Sense curated by David Berona. The show features original prints from wordless novel masters Frans Masereel and Roger Buck and four contemporary artists working in the wordless novel medium, my pals George Walker, Megan Speers and Stefan Berg . The exhibit runs from Friday September 17 through Saturday October 21. I REALLY wish I could go to this show, to see the older work especially. (Also, Plymouth is located just south of a huge national forest! Plymothtonians, I hope you know how lucky you are.)
I had the pleasure of meeting woodcut novel historian David Berona last spring and share some lovely conversations about our mutual love of letterpress art and intense passion for books (he is a fellow librarian!). He is a kind and wonderful man and a willing member of the Back + Forth fanclub. We spoke together on a panel at the Toronto Comic Arts Festival (TCAF) entitled The Artist Book and the Graphic Novel: Converging Traditions , with George Walker, Megan Speers, Leon Rooke and Tony Calzetta, moderated by Jeet Heer (Just realizing that I never posted about that here… my ultimate fail).
If you will be in the New Hampshire region next week, check out this show!
UPDATE! View David Berona’s photo’s of the exhibit.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
Back + Forth on display
Have you ever wanted to view ALL the original art from Back + Forth in a visually appealing grid format? Well, here is your chance! All 90 linocuts from Back + Forth are currently on display at the OCAD Learning Zone, until the end of April.
The Learning Zone is located on the first level of 113 McCaul Street.
You can click on the image below for a digital preview…
Filed under: Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
Back + Forth has been selected as a finalist for the Best Book category of the Doug Wright Awards!!! To say that my mind is blown goes far beyond understatement. Just being able to make this book and see it published has been one of my greatest joys; to be recognized by the comic arts community is… well, it’s wonderful.
Fellow nominees include Seth (!) and Marc Bell. Funny connection: Marc Bell launched Hot Potatoe at Lucky’s Comics in Vancouver just a few weeks before my launch there in November. You can see the poster for his book in the back of this picture!
Check out a list of all nominees here.
The 2010 Doug Wright Awards will be handed out during the Toronto Comic Arts Festival (TCAF), on May 8th at 7pm at the Toronto Reference Library.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
Tags: art, block printing, book, canada, doug wright awards, graphic novel, lino cut, Lucky's Comics, printmaking, shortlist, tcaf, toronto, toronto comic arts festival
Books on the Radio Interview
Awesome Vancouver book man Sean Cranbury interviewed me last week for his show, Books on the Radio. We had a swell time talking West and East Coast, graphic novels and other etceteras. You can listen to the interview here.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
Home and Away (and In-Between)
Yes! There’s even more excitement to be found this week. I will be showing all 90 linocuts from Back + Forth at the Home and Away (and In-Between) exhibition, hosted by City of Craft, opening this Friday! Check out the details below:
Opening Reception:
Friday, December 4th. 7-10pm
Exhibition runs December 3-13, 2009.
Location:
Cream Tangerine Café
At the Great Hall
1087 Queen Street West, Toronto
Artists:
Lizz Aston, Fiona Bailey, Amy Borkwood, Leah Buckareff, Marta Chudolinska, Heather Fagan, Meags Fitzgerald, Sara Guindon, Melinda Josie, Genevieve Jodoin, Serena McCarroll and Tyler Brett, Laurie McGregor, The Misanthrope Specialty Co., Jen Spinner, Gillian Wilson and more.
The Exhibition:
Craft processes and acts of making have a way of rooting people to their surroundings. People make or purchase craft items to enhance their domestic spaces and make themselves “at home.” Alternately, people take comfort in craft and art making when they find themselves in unfamiliar territory or when situated in transitional spaces such as on planes and buses and in waiting rooms. Home and Away (and In-Between) is an exhibition that strives to explore how the act of making enables us to relate to where we are.
Home and Away (and In-Between) is a thematic group exhibition of selected vendors, organizers and installation artists involved with this year’s City of Craft event. The exhibition also includes a few invited special guests artists. Home and Away will serve as a pre-fair party as well as a public preview of the wares in store at this year’s City of Craft. Please join us in celebrating our third awesome year!
About City of Craft:
City of Craft is a collective of craft-engaged locals who aim to build community in the Toronto craftscape, support independent craft businesses, and encourage the larger community to get involved with crafty happenings in the city. City of Craft is also a community-based craft culture event where community-arts groups, craft based initiatives/projects, studios, and other organizations are invited to do outreach to the public alongside a curated craft fair and craft-based installations. City of Craft is a place to buy, observe, experience, chat about, share and re-imagine all things handmade. This year’s City of Craft event takes place December 12-13th at the Theatre Centre. Don’t miss it!
Filed under: Uncategorized | 1 Comment
Lucky’s Launch
Thanks to Lucky’s Comics, the most colourful and magical shop, for hosting my West coast book launch. Fun times!!
I also got to meet the wonderful Sean Cranbury of Books on the Radio for a wee interview, coming soon.
Filed under: Uncategorized | 2 Comments
Tags: art, book, book launch, books, Books on the Radio, canada, graphic novel, lino cut, Lucky's Comics, vancouver
Back + Forth travels West!
I`m happy to announce the upcoming West Coast launch of Back + Forth in lovely Vancouver, British Columbia!
If you hail from the west coast, please come out to Lucky’s Comics at 3972 Main Street on Friday, November 27th from 7 to 9 pm!! Check out this sweet shop at luckys.ca or luckystown.blogspot.com.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
Back + Forth Book Signing
You are cordially and officially invited to the downtown book signing for Back + Forth! If you can, come down to Ben McNally Books at 366 Bay Street, just south of Queen Street on Tuesday, October 6th from 5 to 7pm to hear me blabber about the book, sip some wine or beer and maybe pick up a signed copy of my wordless wonder. Hope to see you there!
Filed under: Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
Tags: ben mcnally, book, canada, graphic novel, lino cut, porcupine's quill, printmaking, toronto
Thank you!!!
I wanted to send out a big warm thank you to everyone that was able to attend the launch of Back + Forth last night! It was a night I will always remember.
I also want to say thank you to the great folks at the Robinson McNally Bookstore who organized this event and many more exciting literary happenings.
And while I’m thanking, I’ll also say thank you to Tim and Elke Inkster of the Porcupine’s Quill, and George Walker, my professor and advisor on this project. They’ve made the process of publishing my first book an incredible learning experience and also great fun.
Finally, I would like to say thank you to the Ontario Arts Council, who provided funding for this project and helped make its creation possible.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
Tags: book launch, canada, graphic novel, ontario arts council, porcupine's quill, robinson mcnally
Back + Forth News!
Only one night away from the launch of Back + Forth. By this time tomorrow, you could all be cradling up with my graphic novel before bed.
I’ll use these last minute excitement jitters to include some new events and other news:
Queen West Art Crawl
This weekend, my pal Megan Speers (authour of Wanderlust, the next book in the Porcupine Quill’s graphic novel series) and I have a table at the Independent Press area of the Queen West Art Crawl. An excellent opportunity to see or buy the book, hot off the presses! Also expect original prints, zines and handmade books.
Dates: Saturday & Sunday, September 19 & 20, 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Location: Green P Parking Lot at Queen/Cowan
Blurb: The Independent Press is dedicated to casting the spotlight on Toronto’s left-of-centre independent publications. This includes but certainly is not limited to: zines, comics, silkscreened posters, show posters, t-shirts, and print-based art in general. Be sure to stop by, you’ll be surprised at what you might discover! (source)
Downtown launch at Ben McNally Books
If you’ve missed the boat on the first, amazing, official launch, you can still make up for your misdeeds by attending the Ben McNally book signing in October! Expect merrymaking!
Date: October 6th 2009
Time: 5:00 to 7:00
Location: Ben McNally Books, 366 Bay Street at Richmond St.
Interview with Open Book Toronto
A regular feature that asks ten probing questions. Read it here.
They also posted an interview I did on Sarah Feldbloom’s radio show, Womyn’s Word, which aired on CHRY 105.5 FM on May 27th. My first audio interview! I was a bit nervous but I think the final product is rather entertaining.
Click here to listen!
Filed under: Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
Back and Forth 