Hi there! These are the projects we are currently working on that you might be interested to know about:
1. Centre of Excellence for Book Arts.
We are going to create a Centre for Excellence which we plan will have a world wide audience over Facebook and Websites.
Not only will we be promoting Artists Books, we will be looking at Bookbinding techniques, having talks about the topics as they come up. We will be inviting people from the big public libraries and other experts to talk about things they love.
We will also have a Book Plate group which will pursue the protocols of bookplates and hopefully create a market for collectors.
This project is exciting, and in development. Any ideas you may have, please let me know!
2. Exhibitions Out and About.
We want to promote the Firestation and Printmaking arts and techniques in a very accessible way. To do this, we need to find alternative venues for exhibitions (small spaces are very welcome!) free or at very reasonable rents. We can then tailor make an exhibition from our membership either thematically or by technique and thus inform the public of our passion...
We are also looking at Touring Regional Galleries with small exhibitions.
3. Exchange Exhibitions
We have begun our first exchange exhibition with Postcards from the North and South, exchanging small works with PressNorth from Townsville. This exhibition will be on show here 25 October to 9 November 2013. In 2014 we are going to exchange with Print Workshops from Overseas. We have had exchanges with Cork, Ireland and Tsbata Community in Japan, and are cementing ties at the moment with other community print workshops. Again, any ideas or contacts would be appreciated.
4. Website developments
We are working constantly to upgrade infomation on the web, including the Blog. We are not website wizards so this is always a slow painful process for us. However a really dynamic wonderful website is my goal even if it takes a while to eventuate.
We have now a volunteer Video Superman who visits the Firestation from time to time and takes footage of our events and workshops. As time goes on, we will have a huge library of film that can be put on the web and UTube so that we can educate and dazzle people with our versatility and artistic virtuosity!
5. Facebook/Twitter
We have a Facebook page and it is slowly growing. Again, no one is a facebook wiz so its all been trial and error learning. Facebook is a useful adjunct to our more traditional avenues of contacting people, but it is fantastic for getting overseas contacts and finding print workshops all over the world. I have contacts in Libya and in Northern Finland for instance and these printmakers are doing beautiful works. We see things we could never see, and we can show our work to the world in a very cost effective way!
6. Programs
Firestation Print Studio has had a Lino Club since 2011 and it is now strongly entrenched in our program. In general it is held on the first Saturday afternoon in the month and has been augmented to become the Lino and Print Club. This is a wonderful way of members participating together in a shared interest, it is economical and its FUN! Art can be a very isolating process but this aims to bring us together.
7. Community Programs
We already have programs that are supported by the City of Stonnington for specific local groups such as Mecwacare and Prahran Mission. We want to extend our programs to other people, such as migrant groups as our printmaking techniques are so therapeutic for many people!
We have a strong Children's Art Group here, Wednesday, Thursday afternoons and Saturday mornings run by Elena Sacks of Artmania. We are strongly committed to promote art to children.
1. Centre of Excellence for Book Arts.
We are going to create a Centre for Excellence which we plan will have a world wide audience over Facebook and Websites.
Not only will we be promoting Artists Books, we will be looking at Bookbinding techniques, having talks about the topics as they come up. We will be inviting people from the big public libraries and other experts to talk about things they love.
We will also have a Book Plate group which will pursue the protocols of bookplates and hopefully create a market for collectors.
This project is exciting, and in development. Any ideas you may have, please let me know!
2. Exhibitions Out and About.
We want to promote the Firestation and Printmaking arts and techniques in a very accessible way. To do this, we need to find alternative venues for exhibitions (small spaces are very welcome!) free or at very reasonable rents. We can then tailor make an exhibition from our membership either thematically or by technique and thus inform the public of our passion...
We are also looking at Touring Regional Galleries with small exhibitions.
3. Exchange Exhibitions
We have begun our first exchange exhibition with Postcards from the North and South, exchanging small works with PressNorth from Townsville. This exhibition will be on show here 25 October to 9 November 2013. In 2014 we are going to exchange with Print Workshops from Overseas. We have had exchanges with Cork, Ireland and Tsbata Community in Japan, and are cementing ties at the moment with other community print workshops. Again, any ideas or contacts would be appreciated.
4. Website developments
We are working constantly to upgrade infomation on the web, including the Blog. We are not website wizards so this is always a slow painful process for us. However a really dynamic wonderful website is my goal even if it takes a while to eventuate.
We have now a volunteer Video Superman who visits the Firestation from time to time and takes footage of our events and workshops. As time goes on, we will have a huge library of film that can be put on the web and UTube so that we can educate and dazzle people with our versatility and artistic virtuosity!
5. Facebook/Twitter
We have a Facebook page and it is slowly growing. Again, no one is a facebook wiz so its all been trial and error learning. Facebook is a useful adjunct to our more traditional avenues of contacting people, but it is fantastic for getting overseas contacts and finding print workshops all over the world. I have contacts in Libya and in Northern Finland for instance and these printmakers are doing beautiful works. We see things we could never see, and we can show our work to the world in a very cost effective way!
6. Programs
Firestation Print Studio has had a Lino Club since 2011 and it is now strongly entrenched in our program. In general it is held on the first Saturday afternoon in the month and has been augmented to become the Lino and Print Club. This is a wonderful way of members participating together in a shared interest, it is economical and its FUN! Art can be a very isolating process but this aims to bring us together.
7. Community Programs
We already have programs that are supported by the City of Stonnington for specific local groups such as Mecwacare and Prahran Mission. We want to extend our programs to other people, such as migrant groups as our printmaking techniques are so therapeutic for many people!
We have a strong Children's Art Group here, Wednesday, Thursday afternoons and Saturday mornings run by Elena Sacks of Artmania. We are strongly committed to promote art to children.
