A Hardy Town
- At June 04, 2018
- By Clawdaddy
- In news, process
0
I would like to thank everyone for coming out to the unveiling of our new sculpture ‘A Hardy Town’ on Friday. Paul and I were moved by the attendance and support. I’ve had a few people ask if I have a copy of the words I put together for the unveiling, so I thought I would post them here. It feels strange that people may want to read my words, but the thoughts are sincere and if it helps someone understand the piece, or public art in general, then I’m willing to put this out there.
A Hardy Town • Unveiling Words
June 1st, 2018 • Fernie, BC.
I hope, this is not just a sculpture… that It’s more than a showcase of ironwork or stone-cutting… that’s it’s more than a fancy bench or a giant paperweight. More than all those things, I want it to be a mirror. A good mirror should reflect the viewer back at themselves, and my dream is that this piece of public art is a public mirror for Fernie.
When you look at it, take a minute or a day or a year to evaluate what feelings it brings out in you, and then talk to your neighbour about them. Do you see good things about your community? Do you see missing things? Is it discomforting? Does it bring you joy?
All public art is designed to create the kind of discussions that help us define our community more clearly. It is designed to help us figure out who we are by stirring up emotions and refining our idea of our identity as a town. Think of it as a large conversation-starter at the centre table of our ongoing community banquet. It may not appeal to you visually, but it’s not designed to be liked, it’s design to help you find out more about the person sitting next to you at that table.
In 1908, the city of Fernie burned to the ground in 90 minutes. 10 people lost their lives that day and nearly every building was levelled. Designing a piece of art that commemorates a tragic event so long ago has many challenges. When we started looking at historical photos of the aftermath, the most visually striking images were the ghostly brick facades with their empty window frames. The buildings, hollowed out by the fire, took on new personalities as they were transformed by flame. We used those facades as a stark acknowledgement of the power of fire, and as we were reminded last summer, it’s a power that is just as real today as it was 110 years ago. The curving plumes allude to the speed at which it all happened and create a visual dance that changes as you move around the piece.
The most emotionally striking thing about those images, were the cutlines: every photo we looked at had a caption that read “…The People of Fernie are a determined community, and vow to rebuild…” and rebuild they did. The city was largely rebuilt by 1912, and as part of the legacy of the fire, our brick and mortar downtown core now provides us with a unique and admired business & cultural centre.
We didn’t feel, however, that leaving the viewer stuck in the middle of the fire was appropriate. These stones, strategically placed for sitting and viewing, are an important part of the piece: They symbolize the rebuilding. As you sit, they tell the real story of the human connection to the event–the lives affected–and now provide a spot to rest or ruminate. You, the people, complete the symbolism of the Great Fire of 1908: The story of a hardy people from a hardy town.
A project like this does not get from idea to installation without involving a significant number of people. Without those who wrote the grant that provided the bulk of the funding, those who submitted their own ideas, and those who sat on a selection committee, this project would not have gotten out of the gate.
To those at the City of Fernie, the Mayor & councillors, city staff and city workers who managed the project from the side of their desks with diligence when Lloyd was not longer able to do so, you all made sure his vision kept moving forward.
The staff at Reimer & Co. Blacksmiths provided insight, technical knowledge, and muscle on many long, hot days bending 5” pipe; you’re a rare and talented lot, thanks for welcoming this softened printmaker into your fiery crucible for a few few weeks.
I’d specifically like to thank Paul Reimer, my ongoing partner in large-scale art. We’ve worked on many projects together over 17 years and each one is new and challenging. Through each one my respect for Paul and his gift grows. This project became my baby because it was for my town, but while he allowed me the latitude I needed to find a vision for it, he was always there as an affirming voice, or helpful problem solver, or supportive friend. There would be no sculpture without you, Paul.
And Finally, I have to thank this community; to the people I see daily on the street, who asked how the project was progressing, who voiced their excitement, and who balanced questions and conversations when they arose. Also, to those who grew up here, who’s families trace their roots in this valley back to the days of the fire, who persevered and rebuilt and all these years later provide a welcoming place for many young families and new residents from all over the world… this piece is ultimately for all of you. You’ve allowed Fernie to grow and embraced many changes over the years, you’ve saved it from many fires, and that willingness has given Fernie a new life that is enviable for any mountain town.
It is an emotional journey, as well as a real honour, to be asked to build a large piece of art for the place you live. Fernie has been very good to our family; providing many opportunities to practice the work of creating, but I feel this project is the single most significant blessing we’ve had from you, our community.
In return, we hope that this mirror, this sculpture, is a gift to all of you too. All of us have learned a lot about how (and how not to) get a public art project from concept to completion. My hope is that this unveiling marks the beginning of a trend that contributes to the beauty, resiliency, and sustainability of Fernie. Ultimately this piece of art is a public reminder that we have faced adversity and have emerged a better community on the other side. In a town rich in pride and rich in history, there will always be issues that we have to face, but together we are a hardy people, and this is A Hardy Town.
Thank you.
Michael Hepher
++++++++++
Below is a gallery of the ‘making of’ the sculpture. Thanks again to Paul Reimer of Reimer & Co. Artist Blacksmiths for providing workspace, staff, wisdom and guidance. Also a thank you to Lee, Alec, Derek, Rohan & Aaron for your diligent work on the piece.
Holiday Art Markets
Clawhammer Press will be on the road a bit this holiday season to make sure you all get a chance to pick up some fresh ink, and in some cases fresh paint. Three main sales of note:
Anvil & Easel • Opening Thurs 7pm, Nov. 30, 2017 @ 1710 10th ave. Cranbrook, BC. Duo show with longtime collaborator and Artist Blacksmith Paul Reimer. We will be showing works in iron and in oil, as well as a couple of public art sculptures we’ve made together. Includes refreshments and appetizers, as well as live music by Good Valley (Shawna Plant & Anie Hepher) The show will remain open through the end of December for public viewing. For more info, visit the Facebook Event.
Hearth 7 • 4-8pm, Friday Dec. 1 & 2, 2017 @ 1480 McDonald Ave. Fernie, BC. A wonderful group event hosted by Sarah Pike featuring 6 artists including Janet McIntire, Nichole Yanota, Katherine Russel, Sarah Pike, Holly Kimola and Clawhammer Press. Come and try some mulled wine and appies and meet the artists in this casual environment. For more info visit: www.sarahpikepottery.com
Hawk + Harvest • 5-10pm, Fri. Dec. 8, 12-5pm Sat. Dec. 9 @ Coulee Brew Co. in Lethbridge, AB. This is our first time hawking wares in my hometown! This intimate makers’ market will be a cool way to experience some handmade holiday shopping. For more info visit: www.hawkandharvest.com
Canadian Wayzgoose
- At October 04, 2017
- By Clawdaddy
- In news, press, process, typography, workshops
0
Normally at this time of the year I start to get excited about a trip to Two Rivers, WI. for the annual Wayzgoose at the Hamilton Wood Type Museum. Having now attended three years in a row, it’s become a cultural life-line to me, a small-town Western Canadian printer geographically isolated from the letterpress community. There I found I already had friends and colleagues and it has become a staying force in my daily practice as well as my belief that what I’m doing is important. This year, for a variety of reasons, I found myself looking North of the border at the Gaspereau Press Wayzgoose; a humbler sized gathering of my fellow Canadian printers. Though it’s even farther away as the crow flies, it’s a part of my own country I’ve never visited.
Gaspereau Press is a legendary Canadian publishing & printing house, located in the (what I assume to be) scenic Annapolis Valley–Kentville, Nova Scotia. While I don’t do a lot of literary printing myself, whenever a book project has come across my desk it’s always to their books that I look for inspiration. Gaspereau, along with Nova Scotia in general, have long been on my ‘to visit’ lists with the only real barrier being the 5500kms (give or take) that separates us. This year, however, was the year.
I had committed in my mind to go, and was starting to look at flights and hotels in the area, when to my surprise Gaspereau’s hand reached out to me in the form of an email from Andrew Steeves (one of the partners), inviting me to present at this year’s Wayzgoose. I weighed my options for what must have been several seconds before accepting wholeheartedly. The double bonus is that my co-presenter is a friend and colleague; Myrna Keliher of Expedition Press in Kingston, WA.I recently spent a wonderful 24 hours with Myrna visiting her studio and collaborating with her on a project that rose out of our discussions. It was my first collaborative piece that included a collaborative poem. I haven’t written a lot of poetry since my sullen teen years, which nobody misses myself included, but when I do it’s normally a quiet introspection rather than outward expression. In this case, however, we talked a lot about our process, where we are at in our artistic lives, and the struggles we feel hold us back. I found Myrna to be an open and engaging conversationalist and our dialogue organically distilled itself into a few succinct phrases about how we find ourselves working (or not). It’s about process, it’s about inevitability, it’s about hard work and it’s about space to think and grace with ourselves. There is no real ‘how to’ when you’re talking about art, but it seems like as artist we all have these things in common.
In a great feat of trans-continental travel, I fly directly from Nova Scotia to Vancouver to attend the annual Vancouver Alcuin Society Awards, where I will be part of a post-awards panel about how analog book arts have been engaged in digital age. I’ll be dialoguing with fellow panelists Sylvana D’angelo, Erika Wilk, and moderated by Jon Bath of the University of Saskatchewan.
The more I find my way into this community of letterpress printers, book artists, typographers, and print makers, the more I am struck with wonder at being part of such a community. At the risk of adding pressure to careers that are already full by way of mere survival, these are the people that will save the world, if it is to be saved at all. Anywhere I look around in my life and find humans that value success not as a factor of growth and profit, but as a matter of fulfilled calling, community involvement, and long-term sustainability, there I find people who will save the world. They save the world not because each book book or broadside literally holds the world together, but because each of these pieces become symbols of shared values systems that allow them to create work that represents the underlying need for humans to be in good relationship with one another. This desire for relationship teaches us all what it’s like to be human, to be understanding and helpful and kind. These books are touchstones to those culture-saving values.
As I embark on this coast to coast epic, I am grateful for all the printers and book arts practitioners I’ve come to know and love, and I’m looking forward to know more of you–you’re all important in so many ways.
To my friends at the Two Rivers Wayzgoose, have a pint at Berzerkers for me… I’ll miss you all.
Show on the Road
This is a busy time for Clawhammer Press. Our participation in Gillbilly just finished, a trip to Two Rivers is impending in November, and between now and then there’s a whole bunch of things happening. The main thing we are doing is hosting Chris Fritton, widely known now as The Itinerant Printer. Chris has been touring North America visiting print shops and promoting letterpress printing through education, speaking, demonstrations, and workshops. This is his first jaunt up into Western Canada and we’re looking forward to hosting him.
For a bit more information about what he does check out his website at www.itinerantprinter.com
If you want to catch up with us this week or next, here is what we are going to be doing:
October 12th, 2016: University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
Event: Art NOW Presentation – October 12th, 2016, 12:00p
October 13th, 2016: Alberta College of Art & Design, Calgary, AB, Canada
Event: Presentation & Pop-Up Exhibition – October 13th, 2016, 3:00-5:00p
October 13, 2016: Grain Exchange Building, Calgary AB.
Event: Evening Meet & Greet chez Monica Kidd & DeAnne Bedier
October 14th & 15th, 2016: Festival Hall, Inglewood, Calgary, AB, Canada
Event: New Craft Coalition sale – 4pm-9pm Oct 14, 10pm-6pm Oct 15. Festival Hall, 1215 10 Ave SE.
October 16th-18th, 2016: Clawhammer Press, Fernie, BC, Canada
Event: Meet and Greet & Pop-Up Shop – October 18th, 2016, 7:30-9:00p
If you have any questions or want more details about any of these events, please don’t hesitate to email myself or Chris and we’ll get back to you asap.
Cheers!
Clawdaddy Mike
Moving Right Along…
Remind me not to move for a good long time…
Now that the big stuff is moved, with the help of our generous friends and community, I have reinforced the fact that moving is just not a fun thing to have to do. There are positives: fresh start, fresh space, a chance to rethink a workspace, but on the whole it’s just something one gets through.
Regardless, I thought it was about time that I give you an update. We finished the move, sweep, and clean at about 10:30 on the 14th of April, then bugged out for a weekend of music and hangouts in Invermere–a welcome change of pace to be sure. Below is a photo of me taking down the sign at the old location. It was a happy/sad few weeks. That old space had been my ‘home’ for the past 4+ years and I was quite fond of it. I’ll miss my colleagues at the Ghostrider Trading and nearby shopkeepers. Moving forward, though, mostly what I feel is excitement (mixed with a bit of apprehension) for the next chapter.My life these past few weeks has been characterized by sorting, packing, boxing, moving, opening, unpacking, and re-sorting. To be straight up with all y’all, I’m ready to get back to working and printing. I’ve got some exciting projects coming up like the New Craft Coalition sale in Calgary in May, some collaborations with local businesses, and some new prints that I’m dreaming up in my head.
So far the new schedule has felt like a dream. I’ve been running errands and meeting people for coffee and not worrying about having to cover the retail shop. I’ve been home after school for the kids and helped by making supper more, we even eat much earlier so it’s not dinner and to bed for the kids on school days.
The setup at the new shop is going well. I’m taking the time to do it well so it all makes sense. My new studio-mate Angela Morgan has been generous enough to let me dream up my ideal space, and build it, so I’m trying to stay true to that goal by setting it up right the first time. I know from experience that changing your system as you go is much harder, and less likely to happen.
I spent a bunch of time sketching out the possibilities, then I measured each piece of furniture and created a scale replica in Adobe Illustrator. This allowed me to try a number of possibilities with all the pieces of the puzzle. On version 5 or 6 I came upon an arrangement that I felt would work really well. I then went down to the new space and taped it all out on the floor so we’d know exactly where each piece goes.
The digital version below is the final layout, and so far it feels like it’s going to be a great space to work. We were hoping to be up and running by this weekend, but as you will see from the photos further down, there is still a lot of organizing to do before we let people in. We are aiming now for next weekend to hoist the proverbial sail and do some glad-handing with you all. Below is a sneak peek into how everything is coming together and give you a sense of the ‘feel’ of the space. You’ll notice there are lots of boxes left to unpack and lots of things to organize, but it’s looking like a great space in which to work.
Anie and I would like to thank you all again for all the help and support we’ve received from our friends and our community. Without you all none of this would have been possible, and we are very grateful for the opportunity to live and work among you.
Additionally, we’ll make sure you get an update and an invite to come and see the new space as soon as we possibly can! Moving forward our gallery hours will be 12-5 on Friday and Saturday.
Cheers!
–mike
Haul the Anchor
Hey Everyone, we have some big news to tell you about Clawhammer Press, and we wanted you to hear the straight-up story from us.
For those of you who have read my September post about chasing creativity (which now seems like a long ways in the past), you’ll know that I’ve been in the process of orchestrating a change. Originally, my plan was just to change the kind of work I took on for custom orders; to limit it to a few kinds of work I really enjoy and am well equipped for. From there I was going to spend the balance of the time working on my own printmaking, as well as creating some new products for our shop. Wedged in there somewhere was all the other stuff it takes to make a go of it in a rare artisan trade that definitely falls into the ‘luxury’ category in the middle of trying economic times.
It’s not easy to be an artist or an artisan. It’s a full-life commitment. It’s at least 1.5 full-time jobs with no mental or emotional down-time. The artist life is (typically) also not the kind of job that has you calling wealth-management firms to help you make the best investments.
The Back Story: When we founded Clawhammer Press in 2011, we never intended to be gallery owners. We were looking for a place large enough only to hold a printing press, some cabinets of type, and a retail space large enough to sell my own prints and posters. The space we found ended up being so much more–it became a space we held concerts, poetry readings, art openings, political rallies, workshops & demonstrations, in addition to the day-to-day retail traffic. The large space allowed us to showcase several local artists who were teetering on the brink of careers in painting and pottery. It allowed us to create a culture of live acoustic music that found a niche outside the pub venues and Arts Station venues and eventually spawned the Old Type Music Society, which has gone on to host house concerts, old-time dances, and fundraisers at venues all over Fernie.
All these unanticipated things have been amazing. Because of them we have felt a connection to our community that goes beyond what we would have felt if we were just a retail shop. On the other hand, however, they have brought complexity. Not the burdensome kind of complexity that a break-up brings to a heart-struck lover, but the wide-eyed, shit-eating-grin kind of complexity that comes when you have so much of something good you just don’t know what to do with it all. That’s the kind of complexity we have been facing.
Defining Success: To me, success is only in a very small part a financial consideration. I know we live in a society that values the dollar above all, but that’s not the artists’ currency. Money contributes to the overall knowledge that what you’re doing is valued by society in general, and of course everyone needs some of it to pay the bills and buy clothes for kids and maybe once in a while go on a vacation, but really that’s not what I’m out to find. What artists know is that real value is found in many places: being part of a community, finding acceptance, sharing your passion, making positive change, seeking personal growth, and simply feeling like your living your dream are all things that are a strong currency in the life of an artisan.
More often than not I see my colleagues, those who can on the whole not afford to do so, are the ones volunteering their time, their art, their expertise or their energy to find this kind of currency in their lives. This is a choice they (we) make because our aesthetic values make us conscious of beauty in many forms all around us, and give us that longed-for endorphin rush when we see that beauty, especially if we get to have a hand in bringing it to life. That is the core function of the creative process be it creating community or creating a typographic poster: we are all feeding that addiction to the process of something-from-nothing.
This is a choice we make. It is a lifestyle choice. We choose to gamble at the craps table of creativity knowing we’ll probably walk away with less money than we brought, and that’s okay. Once in a while one of our table-mates gets lucky and makes it to the VIP table, but as they say, most of those stars took 15 years to become an overnight success, and since we define success a bit differently, we always take away this secret stash of other value that is far less tangible but just as real.
The Unexpected: What actually happened to us was that our esteemed artists and our loyal customers have all made the unexpected gallery an unexpected success (in all the above ways). In the last half-decade we have put almost more that half a million dollars of local art in the hands of visitors and residents of Fernie. That feels like something significant. We have been honoured to be trusted with by local artists, even as we figured out some of the logistics of owning a gallery, mostly on the fly.
So while success has been knocking at both front & back doors with the gallery and the print shop, I have a problem: There is too much to do for one person, and just not enough of that elusive success to pay for help. In the last 5 years we’ve tried a variety of employment models from interns, grants, wage subsidy programs, and part-time retail assistants. Each model has had it’s ups and downs, and we’ve made some amazing friends along the way because of our students and staff, but ultimately I end up spending my time managing their time, and paying them out of my own ‘wages’, and ultimately what I set out to do was create something busy enough for me to manage, and successful enough to pay just one person.
That task of balancing the busy times with the down times has been quite a challenge over the years. The rigidity of retail hours in a resort town has us staying at home when everyone else is on holidays. Our kids are going camping without me in the summer, and to Nordic races without me on weekends in the winter. Christmas holidays are short or non-existent. The crux: things have gotten out of balance.
The last 6 months have been so full at the shop that I worked 6 and 7 days a week from September to January. Evenings were spent carving blocks and doing more work from home after the kids were in bed. Even so, the to-do list always far outweighed the done list. This pace is not sustainable for any length, and has left me feeling heavy, drained and unsatisfied with the quality of my work life and my family life.
Hoisting the Anchor: I’ve come to realize what I’ve built is a really, really lovely boat anchor–and as a result, I’ve been stuck in the harbour–but the open sea is calling. Through a series of completely unexpected events in the last 4 weeks, culminating in a hefty hike in our monthly lease payment, we are taking this opportunity to hoist the anchor and (ahem–here is the big news) move the print-shop.
There… I said it: Clawhammer Press is moving, and now that it’s happening it’s going to all happen very quickly.
First, let me assure you that we are only moving up the street. We will have a presence in downtown Fernie, which is still very important to us. What will be different is that we will have very limited retail hours (2 days/week), and we will not have a large retail gallery as we will be selling only our print and letterpress work from there. Thus, it is with great sadness that we are in effect closing the gallery at Clawhammer Letterpress & Gallery and morphing into a slimmer, more agile and flexible Clawhammer Press.
The New Digs: We are going to be sharing studio space and gallery hours with local painter Angela Morgan in her 2nd avenue space. As it turns out, Angela and I hold many of the same values dear; primarily the ability to focus on our work when we are creating, and the ability to focus on our customers when we are retailing. I am looking forward to working alongside, being inspired and challenged by, and learning from another professional artist.
For those of you who are worried about losing your source for cards or posters during the week, we are also working on building some new wholesale relationships with local shops to make sure our most popular products are available anytime.
The Timeline: At this point we are planning on closing our retail doors in the Fernie General Store building after Sunday, April 3rd, and spending the following 10 days moving to our new location to be ready and set up by mid-late April. At some point in the spring we will have a celebration to invite you all to the new space for some wine and cheese.
Were we really ready for this? No, but I don’t think we ever would be. These words have been feeling so true for us these days:
“It’s a terrible thing, I think in life to wait until you’re ready. I have this feeling now that actually no one is ever ready to do anything. There is almost no such thing as ready. There is only now”
–Hugh Laurie
What an unexpected delight it has been to grow this gallery from nothing. I am so proud of the Clawhammer Letterpress & Gallery. It has become an important part of my life and the downtown Fernie retail and arts scene, and I trust it will continue to be as we grow and change.
Anie and I have truly cherished the time we have nurtured the gallery, and as we hoist the anchor and set out on the next chapter of our adventure, please don’t be strangers. As an aside, I feel like we have proved that there is a demand for a professional retail gallery in Fernie, and it is time to pass the torch and see who swoops in and picks up where we left off.
Clawhammer Press
Staggering Spirit: Chasing Creativity in the Wind
Last night I was watching a documentary about The Eagles, the legendary country rock band from LA. They burned bright with creative energy for 10 years, and when success and #1 singles started pouring in the band started simmering internally until after 10 years of forced creativity together the wind of change whistled in and snuffed the flame (almost) permanently.
Creativity is a slippery, elusive thing. It’s like cupping a drink of water; if you don’t sip that quenching liquid quickly it all leaks out around your fingers and leaves your throat parched. You can’t hold it long. Like quantum science you never know for sure where it’s going to be or where it’s coming from at any given moment, but when inspiration hits you better take advantage because its appearance is fleeting and startles easily.
This morning I read this quote in The Painter’s Keys, a twice-weekly letter sent by Sara Genn (artist & daughter to lauded Canadian painter Robert Genn) the following quote:
“The trick to being truly creative… is to be completely unselfconscious. To resist the urge to self-censor. To not-give-a-shit what anybody thinks. That’s why children are so good at it. And why people with Volkswagens, and mortgages, Personal Equity Plans and matching Louis Vuitton luggage are not.” – Linds Redding
I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately: how does one foster creativity in one’s self? Redding is correct in that many of our modern trappings do interfere. I know from experience the pressure to create knowing that my artist income is the only thing making sure there is food on my family’s table. For years I’ve been searching for a better balance: do I take the stable, bespoke work or gamble with turning customers away and focusing on making great art?
I have found that the clamour of every day living, parenting, small-business owning, and all the other things that just simply ‘are’ in life consume 90% of time and creative energy, and it takes another 8% to get to ‘that space’ that allows me to generate, refine, and articulate artistic ideas that are more than just competent.
I’m realizing now that as Anie and I attempt simplify our lives, I take on less and less ‘custom’ work and push further into that risky ‘artist’ range where there is no safety net… just blessed cool air whooshing past as we fall.
Some may find that scary, and with good reason: It is. Calling yourself an artist is a life-long pursuit because no one can confirm or deny that truth except for the artist themselves… and as artists we are chronic self-doubters.
What I’m finding, however, instead of fear in the free-fall, is joy: I can’t remember being happier. I’ve always been a slow-burn, long-game kind of a guy. I’m willing to be patient, never content to sit and wait, but my progress (self-assessed) has been a crawl forward rather than a sprint. It’s taken me 41 years to find this path but now that I’m on it the Armies of the Nations will have a tough job getting me off.
All that to let you in on this new truth: Clawhammer Press is changing a bit. The past 4 years have been stellar and crazy and wonderful. We’ve worked with some amazing people, and learned some hard lessons. In the end though I realize that I have to chase that happy… and right now that happy is coming from expunging ideas from my head that have been rattling around for years. It’s about finding models and industries and clients that allow Clawhammer Press to do what we do best: Create forward-thinking art with a historic process, to create memorable projects for memorable people, and much of the time that person will be me chasing my spirit animal through the woods.
This is part of the reason why artist are chronically low-income. We realize that often the trappings of success come with golden handcuffs and we need to dance on that razor’s edge of survival in order to generate enough inner turmoil to generate passion to generate ideas. Whether or not it’s true in each artist’s life, security has the perception of complacency. If you don’t need anything why would you chase an intangible thing through an imaginary forest? As Mickey Rourke says in his film Barfly “It’s a cage with golden bars”. Being an artist with a family, I have to be more pragmatic than some but I still get that sense: I must chase the white stag.
I don’t have a lot of information for you about what this all means exactly in practical terms (I’d tell you if I know), but don’t worry because there’s no urgency. Clawhammer Press not going anywhere, but I did want to give you all the heads up that we’re refining our vision and narrowing the focus of our headlights. I’m going to keep chasing that spark and trying to let that extraneous distractions fall away.
Someday, when the fires have burned hot and long, like The Eagles, I’ll let those winds carry me on to the next thing. For now, however, keep your eyes out for the signposts on the journey… it’ll be hot off the press.
10-4.
-mike
Summer Student Internship 2015
Clawhammer Press is excited to announce that we again have an opening for a 14 week paid position for an intern and summer staff person starting mid-May and running to August 30th. The only requirements are that the student must be finishing post-secondary school in April and returning to school in September. Preference will be given to students in graphic artist programs or print-making students who are interested in enriching their knowledge of letterpress printing, typography & type history.
The lucky candidate will begin their 30-hour/week internship on May 10 (ideally) and continue through August 30th. Some weeks may have more hours, and opportunities for a week or so off for family visits are negotiable. July and August will see the learning continue, with more responsibilities, including at least two weeks where the intern becomes master of the shop; overseeing all retail sales, printing projects, and daily operation of both retail shop and print studio.
Position includes 24/7 access to a well-equipped letterpress studio, and supplies at cost for personal projects. Interns with initiative may end up with products and projects for sale on commission in our retail shop.
Important: Expressions of Interest will be accepted EXTENDED TO: Friday, April 17th @ midnight. Select hone interviews will take place Saturday & Sunday, and a decision made by Monday, April 20th. This should give the student ample time to find lodging if necessary, and arrange for arrival.
To express your interest in the position, please read carefully and then forward the following information to mike@clawhammer.ca:
1. Your name, phone number, email address
2. Why you are interested in the position.
3. A bit about yourself, your experience and your journey.
4. Some samples of your work or a link to your website/CV.
5. Tell us what you are passionate about regarding typography & letterpress, please be specific.
In addition, please also make sure:
• You spell everything carefully. We like good spellers.
• The email subject line reads: “Internship 2015 – Expression of Interest”.
• You are entirely available from May 10th to August 30.
• You have a creative, open mind that’s ready for learning.
Questions you might have:
1. What can I expect to do during my time there?
Interns can expect to everything that is required in a letterpress shop. This includes type cleaning, sorting, distributing. Sorting… lots of sorting. It can include cleaning up ink, cleaning presses and cleaning shelves. It can also include data entry, inventory, and creating lists. The upside is that it also will include extensive experience hand-setting type, creating photo-polymer plates, operating flatbed proofing presses, platen presses, troubleshooting, creasing, binding, mixing ink, talking to customers, quoting, product ideation, articulation, and production. Also, anything else that we think is necessary, relevant, and will enrich your time and experience at Clawhammer Press. If you don’t like following instructions and doing a variety of tasks cheerfully, please don’t apply. Don’t worry, there will be plenty of time for creativity. Did we mention sorting?
2. Where will I live?
The city of Fernie is not a cheap place to live, but May is a good time to look for a home because the seasonal workers from the hill will be clearing out. We cannot subsidize your living expenses for the four months, but we can assist with looking for a place to live and helping find ways to keep your living expenses at a minimum. We have connections and may be able to find a room/board situation, or a shared accommodation depending on availability and your preference.
3. What is Fernie like?
Fernie is a resort municipality. There is plenty of recreation to be had in the area: hiking, mountain biking, swimming, live music, fly fishing, and whatever else floats your boat for summer entertainment. It’s a great place to spend a summer. The downtown core is full of boutique shops, good coffee, international cuisine, and artsy things to do and see. People move here from all over the world. You’ll like it here I promise.
4. Will I get some time off?
Yes! The hours are somewhat flexible, and we can work together to work out a schedule that works for you. We do expect you to make yourself available when we need you, and you’ll have lots of notice about when that is. Part of the reason we are offering the position is so we can take some holidays, so that is our priority. Any other time we can be quite flexible about when you work your hours for internship and/or summer staff. Additionally, if you have a week planned away with your family already, that’s okay, I’m pretty sure we can work around it.
5. Will we be doing this every year?
That depends. We’ve had good experiences with interns before, and we’ll continue to offer it as long as it makes sense, but we haven’t had a specific position with a set purpose, so if this process goes well we may continue to offer an internship. It is certainly an opportunity that we would have liked to have when we were looking for a place to learn.
6. Are there other opportunities?
Yes… we are open to talking to you. If you have 3-6 weeks and want to come and volunteer your time as an unpaid position here, we can certainly provide that as a work placement and/or intensive learning experience. We’d basically be trading learning and use of the shop in exchange for your labour helping run the shop and learn about letterpress. We don’t have a set program but can work with people to develop something that may work out depending on the person. We’ll do this on a very limited basis, so we reserve the right to say “that’s not going to work for us right now”. We also do custom 1-3 day workshops for individuals and small groups, which is another, less intense option.
More answers will be added as we get asked by potential interns, so don’t hesitate to ask.
Wherefore Art Thou, Romero.
Even though we’ve cultivated a pretty decent group of traveling musicians to play at Clawhammer Press over the past three years, it’s a rare treat to have a group as talented as this husband-wife duo. Banjo builders by day, world-traveling musicians by night. Pharis & Jason are Canadian Folk Music award winners, and in the last year have played on Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion twice. If you’re not familiar with the show, picture CBC’s The Vinyl Cafe, but in the USA, with a listener base that exceeds the population of the Lower Mainland, and regular performers like the Punch Brothers.
At any rate, it’s rare that you get to listen to a group like that, it’s great. When you get to print posters for them, and host them in your own venue with a seating capacity of 60 people, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime treat… or rather, it would be if this weren’t the second time they’ve played here.
Regardless, this show is one not to miss, so don’t wait to get your tickets. More info about the event is available on our Facebook Event here. We’ll also have posters to raffle off at intermission, so that’s one way of getting one.
Fall Fun & Returning Heroes
Hello Everyone, we have been fielding lots of great questions about our music series for the fall, and we do have some great stuff to announce! First, let me first thank you for giving us a bit of time off the concert hosting to get our brains back in order. We love doing it, but it is a lot of work and there just wasn’t time over the summer to make it happen. Here is what we have booked this fall and winter:
Monday, November 24 – Guitar & Banjo Workshop with Award-winning performers Cara Luft and Scott Nygaard. This is a unique opportunity for people in the East Kootenay. Cara is a Juno-awarded singer-songwriter and founding member of The Wailin’ Jennys. She’ll be showing us how to get a start playing Clawhammer Banjo. Scott Nygaard was not only the editor of Acoustic Guitar magazine for 15 years, he is also one of the great acoustic guitar players of our time. He has recorded with such acoustic music stars as Joan Baez, Chris Thile, Darol Anger, Jerry Douglas and Laurie Lewis, to name a few. He will be imparting his guitar knowledge to a lucky group of eager players. To top it all off, Cara and Scott will be giving a short, and exclusive concert to the attendees at the end of the workshop. For more info go to the Facebook Event here.
Tuesday, November 25 – The Foggy Hogtown Boys – Live at the Arts Station. We simply couldn’t fit enough people into our place to host these guys, so we sent them to the Arts Station but we’ll be helping promote the show, and printing some collectible posters to boot! Don’t wait for tickets to this great performance of Canada’s most energetic bluegrass act.
Friday, December 5th – Zachary Lucky – Returning for his second time at Clawhammer Press, Zachary is returning with a new batch of lonesome cowboy tunes, a new recording, and a 3-piece band. Don’t miss this highly underrated performer from the bald, flat prairies.
==> Holiday Break <==
January – Date TBD – The Small Glories – Cara Luft returns with her new regular duo and musical partner JD Edwards. Their collaboration has cemented into a new recording with Neil Osbourne of 54-40 fame, and tours of Europe, England, Ontario and Quebec. They now turn their attentions West and aren’t we delighted to have them back.
February – TBD – Who knows what could happen
March – Date TBD – Pharis and Jason Romero (!!) These wonderful people, and wonderful musicians, will be returning to Clawhammer after a 2 year absence. Their last show has to be one of our favourite all-time concerts. It sold out last time, and no doubt will do so again. Since their last performance here, Pharis and Jason have gone on to win Canadian Folk Music awards for Best New Act, Best New Album, as well as made two appearances on A Prairie Home Companion, a Vinyl Cafe-style show in the US that has millions of loyal listeners. In addition, they’ve welcomed into their midst a lovely little girl, Indigo who is just clearing her first year in this world, and will no doubt be a great banjo player and singer given time…
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