Those who say print is dead are fools. The same people thought that vinyl had gone the way of the Dodo. But, somehow, you can find USB record players and newly released tracks pressed straight into the grooves on those little black plates of plastic accompanied by a digital download code.

Print is not dead, it has simply changed.

Digital hasn’t killed analog. Instead, they have combined into something grand and new. Someone who has embraced this newfound harmony is Joseph and his company Black Heart Letterpress. He’s taken vintage equipment and new technology to breathe new life into the art of print making.

Amidst an assortment of incredible steampunk-style machinery and a menagerie of wooden and steel letterpress dies, I was able to find out how a design, originally imprinted on a brain, becomes indelibly imprinted on paper.

What made you decide to start designing and printing your own cards and designs?

I’ve been designing things for years, as well as doing “fine art” printmaking. With letterpress, I am specifically drawn to the actual machines (presses, paper cutters, paper drills, etc) as well as the look of the printed materials. I also really like the repetitive nature of manufacturing something.

Can you tell me a little bit about the presses you use to create the prints, cards, and invitations?

We have 3 presses now. Our primary press is a Chandler & Price 10 x 15 New Series press. It was built in 1926 and weighs 1,500 pounds. My first press is a much smaller tabletop Kelsey Excelsior, which we bring out to all the craft shows. I think people really enjoy getting to see it and learn about how it works.

Where did you get your hands on the awesome vintage equipment?

The Kelsey was my first press, which I found on eBay. I got the big C&P from a cool old printer (Alan Runfeldt) in Frenchtown, NJ. He’s been my Letterpress Yoda for the last couple of years, and we finally convinced him to sell that one to us. We’ve gotten other random bits from all over eBay, craigslist, old print shops, etc. (more…)

The Corzo Center at the University of the Arts is teaming up with Side Arts to present an interactive workshop for artists that want make their work visible.

The session will, according to the Corzo Center, “will introduce visual and craft artists to Side Arts, an interactive platform where users promote, connect, and sell. The demo will cover the basics of how to use the service.”

Basically, they’re going to help you build your online presence. Which, let’s face it, is pretty damn important.

Make sure you show up ready to work. Bring your laptop or mobile device, and don’t forget business cards so you can network. Registration is required, so visit the Corzo Center’s Ticketleap page.

Side Arts Demo and Interactive Workshop
Saturday, March 24th, 1:00 – 3:00 PM
corzocenter.ticketleap.com

Corzo Center at the University of the Arts
Room 1107, Terra Hall
211 S Broad St, Philadelphia, PA

You already know that NextFab Studio is expanding. That’s old news, but there’s plenty of new interesting stuff still going on at their 3711 Market Street location. Evan Malone and Itsuki Ogihara were kind enough to take me around the facility and show me the tools and resources available to their members.

Touted as Philadelphia’s “gym for innovators”, NextFab Studio is a membership based workshop and prototyping facility with tools not available to the average geek. We’re talking about 3D printers, machining tools, and computers running high end software. Don’t know how to weld? Worried about the chances of losing a finger to a CNC machine? NextFab also provides educational courses, workshops, and technical services to help achieve whatever you’re trying to create.

 
Aluminum object milled by CNC machine

NextFab Studio offers more than just tools and software. They provide experience, networking, and a place to congregate for the creator community in Philadelphia. NextFab sponsors a high school robotic team competing in the FIRST Robotics Competition. This year, the challenge is to build a robot capable of shooting basketballs into a series of hoops. NextFab’s facilities give the high school students access to high tech tools not available at their own workshop. The high school group is not the only robotics group taking advantage of the resources at NextFab.

The USMART Team from the UPenn GRASP Robotics Lab also uses the tools at NextFab Studio. GRASP stands for General Robotics, Automation, Sensing, and Perception. They build robots that can sense their environment and move autonomously. Their quadrotor videos make their rounds on the Internet and in my nightmares. I often wake up from visions of swarming quadrotors flying into my bedroom window.

The USMART (UPenn Space, Mobile, and Autonomous Robotics) Team is presenting an overview of of their robotics and how they use an open-source system framework called Robot Operating System (ROS). Check out the event on March 24, 2012 at NextFab Studio if you have always wanted to learn what it takes to make a robot and why they don’t feel love.

Well, maybe you won’t learn about the love part.

USMART Presentation @ NextFab Studio
Saturday, March 24, 2012
http://www.eventbrite.com/event/2978152735/eorgf

Chris White Gallery, located at Shipley Lofts in downtown Wilmington, DE, is a place designed to cater to the needs of local artists and art professionals. Originally constructed as a furniture factory, the structure was abandoned until it was transformed in 2010 to be the first live/work space for artists in Delaware.

For their June exhibit, curators John and Lorraine are seeking comic artists and illustrators. The show will run for a month, opening on Friday, June 1st. They’re anticipating this to be a lively, fun, creative exhibit.

Interested parties should contact the gallery via email (chriswhitegallery@gmail.com) with “ATTN: Lorraine” in the subject.

CHRIS WHITE GALLERY GROUP
701 N. Shipley Street
Wilmington, DE 19801

Photo by CJ Dawson

My least favorite part of moving into a new place is living with white walls. Luckily there are people like Sean Martorana who spend their days making sure I don’t have to.

Sean, however, does much more than paint.

He’s the do-it-all artist you can’t possibly keep up with. Not satisfied by the thousands of paintings and drawings he’s created over they years, he’s begun to take on increasingly bold challenges such as designing jewelry, painting entire facades of restaurants, or covering office interiors floor to ceiling in a mash of murals and paintings. Hailing from Glassboro, NJ, Sean now inhabits Northern Liberties and spends most of his days working out of Indy Hall.

You create nonstop. What is it about the act of creation you can’t seem to get enough of?

Creation serves two very important purposes in my life. Selfishly, it’s a very therapeutic process. I feel good when I complete a work of art or a beautiful design; it’s a type of high. If I go too long without creating something, my thoughts start to get really chaotic. Keeping up my creativity keeps me sane (for the most part).

The other side of it is the fact that somebody is going to enjoy what I’ve created, possibly even developing an emotional connection to it. I never cease to be amazed by this intersection of myself, my art, and the people who connect with it.

What sources of inspiration do you draw upon to put yourself in such a consistently creative space?

This is a question that I get asked a lot, and I never feel like I give a solid answer. Mostly, I’m inspired by my current emotional state and the energy and emotions of the people around me – good or bad. Strong emotions of any sort create extremely strong energy, and I definitely feed off of it.

I’m also inspired by the people around me getting shit done every day. Philadelphia has no shortage of this. I don’t like feeling that I’m not working as hard or as intelligently as I’m capable of. I can be very hard on myself that way.

Then it’s just the day to day… what’s going on around me, what I see going on in other places. The world is full inspirational content. (more…)

Philly Tech Week is a month away. People are busy planning lectures, happy hours, showcases… you name it. And right now, Andrew Cameron Zahn is getting his design and art show together, and needs your help.

HACK: A Technology-Based Design and Art Exhibition, is “an open call for technology-based projects, inviting participation from designers and artists working for/ with hacker spaces / maker spaces.” Andrew and his team are seeking “a range of works: From 2D to 3D works, applications, wearables, installation, objects, and performances. Works from groups or individuals not associated with hacker / maker spaces will be considered for submission as well.”

For those of you artsy types interesting in sending something in, Andrew is seeking submissions now through April 6th. For more information on how to submit, visit HACK’s official website.

However, to make all of this even happen, Andrew needs your help. He has a Kickstarter up, with a modest goal of only $500. We’ve already donated, and so should you!

Good luck Andrew! For more details regarding HACK, check out the website.

HACK
April 27 – 28th, 2012, 5-8 pm
www.hackphilly.com / http://kck.st/yEGT3l

Photo via the Zoe Strauss Billboard Project

19 billboards.

25 miles pedaling.

So, I’m sure by now you all know that local artist Zoe Strauss (who now is internationally recognized) has a rare, mid-career retrospective at the Philadelphia Museum of Art: Ten Years. You may have also seen billboards with portraits popping up around the city… aka the accompanying, city-wide Zoe Strauss Billboard Project.

We were tipped off about this awesome cycling art event happening next Sunday, March 18th: Some folks are leading a group bike ride through the city of Philadelphia to view all of portrait billboards in the Zoe Strauss Billboard Project. [RE: This ride is NOT a sponsored project, just an ad hoc group excited to see some awesome, local art.]

FEEL FREE TO JOIN THE FREE GROUP RIDE IF:

• you have a working bicycle (duh)
• you are comfortable riding your bike in an urban setting (re: with city traffic/ on narrow streets)
• you ride your bicycle regularly (group won’t be going at super fast speed, but will cover ~25miles)
• you would like to experience the billboard installations in an interactive way

BRING:

• your helmet
• a lock
• spare tube
• red blinky light for your backside (safety first)
• a water bottle

DETAILS:

• Meet at 30th St. Station (by Saxby’s Coffee) @ 11am sharp on Sunday, March 18th (rain date is March 25th).
• Cue sheets will be distributed so the group can stick together. Bring money for snacks along the way (or pack some PB&Js).

You can RSVP (or ask questions!) by emailing info@trophybikes.com with ZOE in the subject line.

If you live in Philadelphia, surely you’ve seen the quirky art form known as yarn bombing. Knitters around the city knit covers on all types of stationary objects in the city, like bike racks, street signs, and trees. But Jessie Hemmons of Ishknits takes it a step further and turns this simple act of rebellion into modern street art.

Interested in learning how to yarn bomb? Hemmons will be knitting the Gallery in City Hall on Thursday, March 15, as part of Fiber Philadelphia 2012. An Education in Yarn Bombing should cover you (no pun intended) whatever your interest is, whether it ranges from simple appreciation to desire to join in on the fun.

“Yarn bombing is more feminine,” Hemmons says on her website, “It’s like graffiti with grandma sweaters.” Check out Hemmons and artist Christina LeFevre at the reception, which you can RSVP for on Facebook. I can barely knit a sweater when it’s not being knit directly onto a torso, so I’m definitely going to check it out and see the magic in action.

An Education in Yarn Bombing @ City Hall
Thursday, March 15th, 2012
www.facebook.com/events/118755011582911

Have you ever had to present an Elevator Pitch? For those that don’t know, an elevator pitch is where you try to present an idea or premise as simply as possible in about 2 to 5 minutes. You may think that sounds easy, but you would be wrong. Knowing how to effectively make a good and coherent elevator pitch is an invaluable tool to have at your disposal.

Luckily for all you up and coming architects out there, the Young Architects Forum, in conjunction with The Designated Sketcher, has you covered. On March 22nd, they will be presenting the Elevator Pitch event at Garden State Tile’s new showroom. Five young architects will try to present the best elevator pitch in front of a jury of their peers including Julie E. Hoffman, Sean Flanagan and more.

The event kicks off at 6 PM with presentations beginning at 7. It is open to the public but you do have to RSVP if you plan to attend. So if you need to work on being able to pitch an idea in a hurry, this might be just the thing for you.

Young Architects Forum Elevator Pitch Event
Thursday, March 22nd, 2012
thedesignatedsketcher.com/yaf-side-work/elevator-pitch

Photo © Rosamond Purcell

With 18 million specimens in their vast library of amazing things, The Academy of Natural Sciences is a treasure trove for any photographer looking to turn their lenses and flash bulbs on some of the most amazing creatures that nature can offer.

The curators have recently let photographer Rosamond Purcell run amuck amongst the shelves and shelves of dead, and occasionally live, specimens. Instead of simply setting them up on a sparse table under carefully controlled light, Purcell decided to have the ones she selected them brought to the roof.

Six stories above Logan Square, truly new light was being shed on some of The Academy’s most intriguing inhabitants. They patiently waited, three week-long visits to be exact, until the weather cleared and the sunlight was just right to capture all of the oddities and intricacies in each specimen.

The collection of about 20 never-before-seen photographs are currently on display in The Academy’s Art of Science Gallery, now through May 20th. Everything Under the Sun is free with regular admission to the museum and is definitely worth your time to check out.

Everything Under the Sun @ the Academy
Now through May 20th, 2012

Academy of Natural Sciences
1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 299-1009
www.ansp.org

In connection with the awesome From Asbury Park to the Promised Land: The Life and Music of Bruce Springsteen exhibit, the National Constitution Center is hosting a special screening of The Promise: The Making of Darkness on the Edge of Town on Wednesday, March 14th.

In the 90 minute documentary, Emmy award winning filmmaker Thom Zimmy follows Bruce and the E Street Band through the entire process of making the album.

According to the NCC, the “documentary debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2010 and combines rare archival footage of Springsteen and the E Street Band shot between 1976 and 1978, including home rehearsals and studio sessions, shots of young Springsteen and Steve Van Zandt at the piano, as well as interviews with Springsteen, band members, manager Jon Landau, former manager Mike Appel, and others closely involved in the making of the classic album.”

Tickets to the screening are $20… and while that might seem like a steep price, admission also includes access to the Springsteen exhibit. You can score tickets via the Constitution Center’s official website.

The Promise: The Making of Darkness on the Edge of Town @ the NCC
Wednesday, March 14th, 5pm

National Constitution Center
525 Arch Street (19106)
(215) 409-6600
www.constitutioncenter.org

Running through March 11th, the Philadelphia International Flower Show is part of the holy trinity of major draws at the Pennsylvania Convention Center that also includes the Auto Show and Wizard World. Unlike those other two events, the annual horticultural celebration has never had a hands-on tech component. Until now. Available for the iPhone, iPad, Android, and other compatible mobile devices, the new Flower Show App is a game changer in terms of how it allows visitors to experience the fragrant festivities.

Along with providing basic info like the show’s schedule, special guests and presentation lineup, the free app also features a detailed floor map, interactive trivia game, the ability to leave Yelp-like comments on each exhibit, and the opportunity to participate in real-time judging of the various competitions at the Designer’s Studio –which is likely the closest you will ever get to becoming a reality show judge.

The theme of this year’s show is Hawaii: Islands of Aloha, and as you can expect from previous flower shows, the usually drab Convention Center will be bursting with colors and smells unlike any other time of the year. (Expect maybe for Wizard World, though the scents wafting through the air then ain’t exactly pleasant).

The creation of an app to help navigate the show floor and present an abundance of info about the show has been long overdue. The fact that attendees can now take advantage of one that is so thoughtfully crafted brings an additional burst of joy to what is already one of Philly’s most celebrated events.

Click here to download the app.

The Philadelphia Flower Show
Through Sunday, March 11th.

Pennsylvania Convention Center
12th & Arch Streets