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TYPE-TRUCK VISITS FIRECRACKER January 11 2012

Kyle Durrie, of Power and Light Press, will be bringing her mobile type-truck to The Firecracker Press on Feb 28th from 6pm-9pm. She'll be cruising in from Alabama so please come on down, make some posters, and show her a warm StL welcome.

Kyle's been traveling the country spreading the "good word" about printing and letterpress. We're tickled to be considered a stop on her trip! Make a collaborative poster the night of her visit... you print one color on our monster signpress and then run outside to the TypeTruck to print the second color in Kyle's mobile printing studio.

We'll have tons of prints for sale (as little as $2) and we'll have plenty of snacks and drinks on-hand.

What's better than a mobile printing studio?.. I knew you couldn't think of anything.

MORE TYPE-TRUCK


THANK YOU 2011 December 31 2011

As 2012 approaches the folks at The Firecracker Press realize we have so much for which to be thankful. The last year has been amazing in more ways than one and we have our friends, families, and community to thank the most for our good fortune. A few of the highlights...

- In March St. Louis hosted the Southern Graphics Conference and welcomed thousands of printmakers from all over the world. The shops and artists on Cherokee Street had the honor of being a highlight on many conference goers schedules and we're still talking about the party. Thanks to all who came by the studio, talked shop, and supported us during the conference and beyond.
- In June we saw a two-year project with the Gateway Arch come to completion. We'd been discussing redrawing an old engineers rendering of the inner workings of the Arch and contextualizing that into a poster highlighting such a complex structure. The project went so well that we ended up designing a set of postcards to accompany the poster. We've had a love-affair with the Arch since childhood and pinch ourselves when we think about the opportunity to work with such fine folks.
- In August we were tapped to design and print posters for The Great Forest Park Balloon Race. This race is an annual tradition in St. Louis. For many people it marks the end of Summer and a graceful transition into Fall. We're glad that our poster has joined a long line of Balloon Race posters designed by St. Louis artists/designers.

There are so many folks to acknowledge from Typecast Publishing, The Billiken Club, The Land of Nod, countless wedding couples, small business clients, poets, musicians, the freaks and geeks of Cherokee Street, and individuals that walk in our door everyday. The next year marks our 10th Anniversary and we can't believe we're fortunate enough to do what we feel passionate about everyday.

Thanks and Happy New Year!
Eric, Matty, Maggie, (and for a short time longer) Jill


LIVE! SAMUEL BECKETT'S, "KRAPP'S LAST TAPE" December 06 2011

The Firecracker Press will host four (4), weekend performances of Samuel Beckett's, "Krapp's Last Tape" Dec. 9-10 and 16-17 at 7pm. LIVE theater in the printshop!


Samuel Beckett (1906-1989), an Irishman, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1969. He is considered by many the 20th Century's greatest dramatist.

KRAPP'S LAST TAPE, a 1-man Beckett classic, is said to be as near an autobiography as Beckett wrote. In it, the 69-yr-old Krapp listens to a tape of himself at 39, comments, then records a new tape reviewing the events of the last year.

Per Beckett: "I saw Krapp small and wizened Krapp has nothing to talk to but his dying self and nothing to talk to him but his dead one."

With Rob Suozzi as Krapp, directed by Dennis Corcoran and presented by The Black Mirror Theatre Company. Krapp will give out hand-printed playbills prior to the show. Come see great theater in the oddly fitting setting of the printshop at The Firecracker Press.

We'll take a $10.00 donation at the door. You can also make your reservation with Director, Dennis Corcoran at... donncha@swbell.net or (314)740-6514.\r\n\

DATES: December 9-10th and 16-17th
TIME: 7:00pm
PLACE: The Firecracker Press - 2838 Cherokee, STL, MO 63118


CUSTOM HAND-PRINTED PET PORTRAITS December 01 2011

Your pets are family right? Provide us with a photo (or many photos) of your pet (or pets) and we'll print a custom portrait that shows all of their lovable quirks and personality. These are woodcut portraits, printed by hand on our antique presses, in two colors, on archival paper of your choice. We offer four different sizes that fit standard frames and any lifestyle (frame not included)...

16"x20"......$745.00
12"x16"......$495.00
8"x10".......$345.00
5"x7"........$285.00
(Shipping not included. Sales tax for MO residence)

Contact us to place your order or for more information. We ship worldwide!


SIDEWALK SALE FEATURED ITEM October 28 2011

Kelsey 5x8 tabletop letterpress w/new rollers, a can of ink, and an antique galley cabinet to put it on. This press is print-ready! Take it home and put it to work the same day.

The sale of the press will be done silent auction style. There will be a minimum opening bid (TBD) and the winner must be present with cash in-hand (no check or CC) to claim the prize. All other items in the sale will be priced as marked.


CHEROKEE PRINT LEAGUE HOLIDAY SALE - A FULL RUNDOWN October 22 2011

St. Louis, MO. (October 2011) Cherokee Print League, a vital contributor to the blossoming art scene in the South City/South Grand area, has announced plans for its fourth annual holiday print sale. The print sale showcases local artists and businesses whose work is print-related including printmaking, letterpress, screen printing, and printed fabrics. The sale is Saturday, December 3rd, 10:00AM - 7:00PM and provides holiday shoppers with creative ways to complete their shopping lists. Some of the unique activities planned at the numerous print shops and galleries along Cherokee Street include tours, demonstrations, and custom items printed on the spot. Galleries will host several of the artists whose work is exhibited. Maps will be provided at each participating location.


In March of this year, Cherokee Street was fortunate enough to host an evening of printmaking events as part of the SGC International Printmaking Conference sponsored by Washington University. With thousands of attendees (participants and on-lookers), the street was lit up in celebration of art and community, gaining international attention. Several businesses continue to make their mark in printmaking and other creative fields including architecture, literary culture and art galleries. Annually, hundreds of people turn up for this event to mosey along the historic shopping district and purchase the printed wares of local artists. Building off of the excitement from SGC, this year's bound to be larger than ever. A sampling of the participants and their events for CPL 2011 include the following:

PRINTMAKERS

The Firecracker Press (2838 Cherokee St.) was recently named one of the Top 40 Letterpress Studios in the country. This year, the folks at Firecracker will be hand-printing custom stationery on the spot. What could be more fun than picking your favorite image & paper, and then watching as the skilled artists crank your one-of-a-kind goods through the nostalgic, big, metal presses? The Firecracker Press is building a nest on Cherokee Street among the grassroots movement of artists, rehabbers, restaurants, coffee shops and entertainment. Eric Woods, owner of The Firecracker Press, is excited about this year's sale. I've been in it from the beginning, and it keeps getting bigger and bigger each year. Also at Firecracker during the print sale event will be a special performance of presses and instruments. All the presses will be running while printing a book, accompanied by guitar, drums, and other traditional musical instruments. The performance is over when the edition is complete. Audience members will be encouraged to participate, and everyone gets to take a freshly made book home with them. It will be a cacophony of printmaking and musical experimentation!

All Along Press (2712 Cherokee St.), a cooperative print shop specializing in letterpress printing, screen printing, fine art printmaking and book arts, works with artists, writers and designers on a local and national level to create a variety of printed materials. You will find many unique items available for purchase, including limited edition books and prints. Take a tour of the impressive studio stocked with letterpress, etching, silk-screening and bookmaking equipment and machinery. If you are intrigued by these age-old processes, sign up for one of the many workshops and classes open to the public.

Porter Teleo (3323 Cherokee St.), designer and maker of high-end, handmade wall coverings and textiles in Chicago, New York, L.A., and Miami showrooms, will be selling seconds, off-color and off-printed wallpapers. The special wallpapers and fabrics are used in the most exclusive homes in the country, and the small business has been a favorite among Hollywood celebrities and trendy magazines including Vogue, Architectural Digest & Elle. Usually closed to the public, owner Kelly Porter says, one spot here or there, and the whole roll has to be scrapped. We'll be selling these yard by yard at drastically reduced prices for people to use as artwork, gift-wrap, whatever inspires them. Porter Teleo will also be selling hand-dyed scarves and other holiday gift items at the sale. The Porter Teleo team will be making wallpapers on the spot so curious participants can have fun watching & learning.

Paper Boat Studios (located just east of Jefferson Avenue) is a cross-country collaboration between artist, Amy Thompson, and her Seattle based-business partner.\r\n\
The print studio offers letterpress printed cards, calendars, gift tags, games, and ornaments, in addition to hand-bound journals and sketchbooks, and custom work. Alongside her collaborative project, Amy teaches typography and book design at Maryville University.

Sleepy Kitty is the graphic arts and music project of Paige Brubeck and Evan Sult.
The duo arrived at Cherokee Street on a visit from Chicago because they were hunting for Retro 101, a vintage shop of legendary sweet finds. Once on the street, they started fantasizing about setting up shop in one of the many available buildings there. They couldn't afford afford to design and print posters, make artwork, write and play music in Chicago. As the artistic community has coalesced on Cherokee, they've been able to make their own artwork their own way. The duo started making posters for their own bands in Chicago in 2007 and relocated to St. Louis in late 2008 to set up their screen printing and art studio. Sleepy Kitty creates posters and screen printed goods for bands, theater companies, venues, wedding and commitment ceremonies, and other interesting events. They were named 2011 Best Poster Designer by the Riverfront Times. Their band, also called Sleepy Kitty, is active in St. Louis and the surrounding region, and just released its first album, Infinity City, in July 2011. During the sale, you can find them exhibiting at Foam Coffee & Beer.

STL-Style / Lighthouse Print & Design (3159 Cherokee St.), featured by the New York Times, are creators and purveyors of colorful, diverse, quirky and loveable St. Louis-inspired apparel and merchandise. Creators (and identical twins) Jeff and Randy Vines have been active in a number of civic efforts in the revitalization of St. Louis, and they use STL-Style as a launching pad for their advocacy. STyLehouse is the collective home base of two of Cherokee Street's emerging creative enterprises: STL-Style, whose neighborhood branded apparel and merchandise are must-haves for any proud St. Louis city dweller; and Lighthouse Print & Design, an independent specialty screen printer and graphic design shop. The two companies operate separately, but they join forces to make STyLehouse a premier destination on Cherokee Street and beyond. Jeff Vines feels the neighborhood art sale is rare and special, full of creative talent and an intangible sense of hopefulness and whimsy. He says about the ever-growing arts district, Cherokee is the perfect example of an urban district evolving in just the right way. There aren't one or two heavy-handed developers calling the shots here; it's a neighborhood effort that everyone takes an active role in shaping. Longtime businesses sit shoulder-to-shoulder with a recent crop of immigrant-owned merchants and dynamic artists and creative enterprises. Cherokee also has incredible bones. It's a solid, dense neighborhood that evokes a distinctive sense of place, and when you're here you know you're in a cool city. There's a collaborative spirit here that is not common everywhere, and we need to embrace that. It sounds hokey, but there's a sense that we're all in this together.

GALLERIES

During the print sale, each of these galleries will be open to the public hosting a handful of artists who are exhibiting their wares.

Aisle 1 Gallery (2627 Cherokee St.) was founded by Bryan Walsh and Jenn Carter, presents work by established and emerging artists. Showcasing painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, sculpture and mixed media work, the gallery will host solo and paired solo shows, with additional group exhibitions throughout winter and summer.

Fort Gondo Compound for the Arts (3151 Cherokee St.) fell in love with Cherokee Street's main street like facades, reminiscent of an Edward Hopper painting. The gallery provides a forum for emerging artists, local students and community members. The gallery currently features new prints by Dan Zettwock, well-known for his St. Louis cartoons and caricatures.

Snowflake Gallery (3156 Cherokee St.) was the winner of River Front Times Best Gallery Exhibition of the Year in 2009. Showing local, regional, and national contemporary artists since 2003, the gallery's most recent exhibition (Wonder Koch + Eliza Newman-Saul, What's the Use?) was reviewed by Jessica Baran, of White Flag Projects, in the September edition of Art Papers.


FOOD, ETC.


Foam Coffee & Beer (3359 South Jefferson Avenue), located on the corner of Cherokee and Jefferson, will be hosting artists during the Cherokee Print League sale. It's an ideal place to start/end your tour of Cherokee as you can pick up a map, buy prints, coffee, hot chocolate, irish coffee, whatever you want and relax in the comfy seating areas along with the artists, including Sleepy Kitty.

This vibrant community of local artists, musicians, and foodies await your participation in this year's Cherokee Print League Sale. Come enjoy the music, antiques, books, great food, and a variety of art galleries, print shops, and venues. The perfect place to do your holiday shopping! The sale takes place along Cherokee Street Saturday, December 3rd from 10:00AM - 7:00 PM. Maps will be provided at each location.


SIDEWALK SALE October 19 2011

The coming of 2012 will mark our 10 year anniversary at The Firecracker Press and in that time we've collected a fair amount of junk. While we sometimes love having an eclectic collection of odds and ends we've decided it's best to let a small portion of it go... at bargain prices!
Join us Nov. 5th from 11am-5pm for a Sidewalk Sale like none other. Here's a partial list of what we'll have to offer.

FEATURED ITEM: 5x8 tabletop Kelsey Letterpress - fully operational with new rollers, a can of ink, and an antique galley cabinet to put it on.

PRINT RELATED ITEMS: advertising printing blocks, old engraving blocks, offset printing plates, 1.5HP 3 phase motor, 1.5HP 1 phase motor, large galley cabinet, spare galleys, industrial press parts and misc. mechanical items, a large wooden dolly w/casters, cans of lead type.

PAPER: various paper remnants, printed Firecracker Press paper scraps, business card blanks, coaster blanks, paper sample books, no hunting/exit signs.

MISC: tons of CD jewel-cases, a box of Grateful Dead bootleg cassettes, plastic soda crates.

POSTERS: as low as $2.00 ea!!!

AND a GROWING LIST of MORE, MORE, MORE.


CHEROKEE PRINT LEAGUE - HOLIDAY SALE 4 October 18 2011

FOURTH ANNUAL CHEROKEE PRINT LEAGUE HOLIDAY SALE!

Following on the heels of the SGC International Conference, an event that brought international attention earlier this year to Cherokee Street, galleries and businesses in the district are teaming up once again to showcase artists working in print media for the annual Cherokee Print League Holiday Sale: Saturday, December 3rd from 10am-7pm. This indoor print-themed arts and crafts sale will take place up and down the street, with businesses hosting over 50 artists from all over the St. Louis area (as well as the greater midwest) whose work is print-related (printmaking, letterpress, screen printing, printed fabrics, anything printed goes!)

WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU PARTICIPATE!

Last year, hundreds of people turned up for the event to mosey along the historic shopping district and purchase the printed wares of local artists. As the first street-wide art event following SGC, this year's show will be bigger than ever! Organized as a sale rather than an art show, the event promises a huge turnout and will be a great way to make some cash before the holiday season. Hosting businesses will be advertising the event extensively: 100% of participation fees go toward advertising.

All artists will be guaranteed a comfortable, easily accessible location to showcase their artwork. You will be provided with a table in an indoor, heated space, and your name and location will be included on a printed map of the event that will be available the day of the sale.

Participating Venues Include:
The Firecracker Press -- www.firecrackerpress.com
Aisle One Gallery -- www.aisle1gallery.com
All Along Press -- www.allalongpress.com
Foam Coffee and Beer -- www.foamstl.com
Fort Gondo Compound for the Arts -- www.fortgondo.com
Paper Boat Studios -- www.paperboatstudios.com
Porter Teleo -- www.porterteleo.com
Snowflake City Stock -- www.snowflakecitystock.com
STyLeHouse -- www.stl-style.com

REGISTER BY NOVEMBER 18 for the Early Bird Rates:
Professional: $50 (tables can be shared, two artists for $25ea)
Student: $35 solo (shared tables available at professional rate only)

Entries received after November 18th are $65/professional, $45/student.

Approximate Table Size: 3 x 5' with optional wall space (let us know if you're interested in some wall).

Advertising prospects include: St Louis Magazine, RFT, KDHX, handprinted posters by Sleepy Kitty, The Firecracker Press, and All Along Press and postcards by Paper Boat Studios.

After Party: FOAM 8pm-close

For more info on the event:
visit www.cherokeeprintleague.com
email Becca Moore at cherokeeprintleague@gmail.com
or call The Firecracker Press (314)776-7271

HALLOWEEN SPECIAL - 9 POSTERS FOR $124.95 October 05 2011

Lookin' to deck out your pad for an awesome costume party? Why get a bunch of cheapo, third-world, lead painted plastic from the mega-mart? Show your friends that you're dialed-in and buy hand-made, frame-worthy, A - R - T! We're offering a full set of 6 Mexican Folklore Posters and 3 Halloween Monster Posters for as little as $124.95 (normally $135.00).
These posters are all 17"x17" and letterpress printed from hand-carved woodblocks. You can see the hearty woodgrain in every print and each poster's printed on heavy cardstock so you can use them over and over and over.
This offer ends at the stroke of midnight on Oct. 31st, 2011 so don't miss out.


A IS FOR... AWESOME. June 27 2011

The Firecracker Press is happy to have teamed up with COCA (Center of Creative Arts) to help design, woodcut, and handprint imagery for this year's fundraiser/exhibition "A is For..." This project invited 26 local artists and asked them to produce a work of art based on a letter of the alphabet in the context of how children impact art-making.
COCA invited The Firecracker Press to design and print a book cover, poster, and a mark that could identify the exhibition. All of these things can be purchased at the Millstone Gallery inside COCA and the proceeds support programs at the Center.
The Exhibition runs through August 13th and more info can be found here.


SUMMER READING SERIES - 2011 June 25 2011

CALL FOR ENTRIES

The Firecracker Press is preparing for its 2011 Poetry Reading Series. This is the first call of the year, and while dates remain tentative, we will begin booking as selected poems are gathered. The following outlines some general information regarding the event:

- There is no submission fee
- Readings will be twice a month starting in July and running indefinitely through the remainder of the year. The event will begin at 2:00 p.m.
- The prints are part of the entertainment; we will be printing as you are reading. For those not familiar with The Firecracker Press, we use antique printing technology, complete with all of the clicks and groans of our manual presses. 
- Participating poets will be given three prints of his/her poem for personal use.
- Audience members pay $5 to listen to your reading & receive a print.
- Of course, poets will retain the rights to all accepted submissions.
- Any length of poem is acceptable. Since we will be hand setting this, however, the content limit for prints made is 100 characters maximum. This limit is to include spaces and punctuation (think: old-school classified ad). Please be prepared to fashion one such excerpt. Keep in mind we may need to change line breaks for formatting purposes.
- One line of the print will be reserved for your name and contact information, such as a website or email address

Feel free to pass this call on to those who may be interested.

NEW! CORE OF DISCOVERY POSTCARDS May 23 2011

If you're visiting St. Louis and you don't know what to see first let our handy postcards be your guide. This set of four postcards highlights Eads Bridge, The Riverboats (named after Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher), The Citygarden (our newest downtown addition), and the Gateway Arch itself... a few highlights of the Core of Discovery.

This project came to us by way of the good folks at the Gateway Arch and, it's our understanding that you'll be able to get a pack of these by booking a room in St. Louis and visiting our historical attractions. While we don't know the full details yet we'll be sure to post them when we do.


OUR LOVE AFFAIR WITH THE GATEWAY ARCH May 05 2011


To be from the mid-west and visit the Gateway Arch is a right of passage and for some a pilgrimage. It seems like it's always been a part of the St. Louis skyline, though construction began on the structure in 1963, and it's what separates the city of St. Louis from so many other urban centers of similar size and situation. There is nothing like driving upon St. Louis from the east and seeing the Arch looming in the distance. We're quite smitten. It IS amazing.
The stainless steel marvel must've felt our yearning because roughly two years ago (2009) we started talking with folks at the Arch about reproducing an architectural rendering that they had hanging in their offices. The rendering (above) was done by an engineering firm, but has mysterious origins. It shows a detail of the pod that passengers ride to the top of the Arch, in full-color ink and pencil, on paper that's been stained by years of sitting in (what was probably) a smoke-filled office. The Firecracker Press jumped at the chance but, as many projects like this go, we had to be patient.
Early in 2011 all the parties that need to be involved in something like this found themselves in the same room.The ball got rolling to make the idea a reality. We started redrawing the original drawing, began a little research, and developed a plan to transform the raw materials into a retail friendly poster image. A few month later we finally have our completed poster and couldn't be more pleased by the opportunity to work on something so dear to us. Get your limited edition print here.

 


CINCO DE MAYO CELEBRATION - May 7th April 26 2011


If you've never been to Cherokee Street for the Cinco de Mayo celebration you're missing out on what it means to live on the South Side. We close down the street, call out the local art and food vendors, put up two stages for music, and if that's not enough a surreal parade of fire breathers, artists, and weirdos wanders around the neighborhood. It's great!
What does all of this have to do with Cinco de Mayo? Many Latino restaurants and shops call Cherokee Street home, and what better way to celebrate our unique neighborhood than by coming to the party!
See our posters (handmade) all over town for more info... or check out the billboard on I-44 (we did not run this through the press) if you need a better reason. While you're in the neighborhood stop by the studio for plenty of hand-printed cards, books, posters, coasters and more. Perfect for Mother's BTW.

Cinco de Mayo
Saturday, May 7th
11am-9:30pm


AMOS KENNEDY DEMO March 12 2011

Join The Firecracker Press on Saturday, March 19th from 9:00 am to noon for a demonstration of various printing techniques with Amos Kennedy. Kennedy, letterpress printer and subject of the documentary, "Proceed and be Bold", traded computers for presses and has never looked back. Come learn, listen and watch as he unleashes his very special brand of printed magic in our shop. Free to the public and open to all! 


WE PRINT - YOU EAT! March 12 2011

Make sure to stop by the taco cart in front of Latino Americana next Friday and order a "Printmakers' Special"! The first 250 people to order get one of the cool zines pictured above, full of interesting facts about Cherokee Street and its residents. The special goes from 5-10pm, so don't miss your chance to eat these prints!


A VISUAL HISTORY OF TYPE March 11 2011

On Friday, March 18th the Firecracker Press is hosting a reception from 5-10pm for St. Louis Typefoundries, a display of type designed and made in St. Louis. This exhibit is a visual history of type in St. Louis, with example type kindly provided by Carole and Robert Mullen as well as Dick Niehaus of the St. Louis Letterpress Society and supplemented by our own, before being hand set and printed. Some of these typefaces will look familiar, either from their digital form or their use in television and other media. So come get a little learnin' while enjoying SGC's night on Cherokee Street, before heading off for a screen printed taco or while waiting to hear our band play. We'll see you there!


CLICK, RATTLE & ROLL, BABY! March 05 2011

The SGC International Conference is fast approaching, and with it the debut of the brand spanking new band, Manual Feed, consisting of The Firecracker Press and our friends. While we don't want to ruin the surprise, we thought we'd give you a little taste of how the rattles and clanks of printing presses can be turned into sweet, sweet music.\r\n\

Take a listen here.

Don't miss our performance, Friday, March 18th at 8PM, at the Firecracker Press! Come early, as the first 100 attendees will receive a free book printed at the performance. And if you'd like to commemorate this momentous concert, you can pick up one of our sweet leatherette letterpressed posters.


NINE YEARS OF LOVE AND INK February 26 2011

In all of the excitement around the upcoming SGC International Conference, something almost went overlooked - our ninth anniversary! We've come a long way from one press in a basement, and there's no way we could have gotten this far without a lot of support. So, to our families and friends, fans, clients and casual acquaintances, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. And while you're learning and having fun at SGC this year, raise a glass (or two) to nine glorious years of blood, sweat and tears - all captured on paper.

Many thanks,
Everyone at the Firecracker Press

Pictured above is the owner of Firecracker Press, Eric Woods, with his sister Jen, long before he began dreaming of owning his own letterpress shop one day.


PRINTMAKERS ARE TAKING OVER ST. LOUIS February 24 2011

Watch out, St. Louis! This March hordes of hungry, inky, chemical-smelling printmakers are descending upon the River City for the 2011 SGC International Conference. The conference is an annual printmaking convention hosted by a different city each year. This year is St. Louis' chance to shine, and all of its printmakers are working hard to make that happen, including The Firecracker Press. 

Here are a few highlights to get you ready. We'll add more info as we get closer to go time.


Friday, March 18th:

Cherokee Printmakers' Special
Time: 5-10p
Location: In front of Latino Americana, 2800 Cherokee St.

Project coordinators Eric Woods and Kim Wardenburg are collaborating with Carlos Dominguez of Latino Americana Restaurant, as well as Ana Rivera of El Chico Bakery and other participants from the neighborhood, to serve up the "Printmakers' Special, a taco meal complete with edible, printed tortillas inspired by the people of Cherokee Street. A free, limited-edition zine with their stories will be given to the first 250 people who purchase the "Printmakers' Special.

Manual Feed
Reception: 8p
Location: The Firecracker Press, 2838 Cherokee St.

Join The Firecracker Press for the first and only performance of Manual Feed, an experimental music group comprised of print-makers and print-lovers! We'll click, rattle, and roll our way to an ear-shattering fusion of printmaking and musical experimentation as we play our presses. All this cacophony will produce a physical realization, a short book printed before your very eyes as we play that will be free to all takers. Audience members are welcome to join in.

St. Louis Typefoundries
Opening Reception: 5-10p
Location: The Firecracker Press, 2838 Cherokee St.

In the late 1800s, St. Louis was rich with typefoundries that were casting the popular typefaces of the day. A few were even hiring designers to develop new type styles that would also be cast and distributed from St. Louis. Many of those typefaces are still being used today and have been transformed for use in digital form. The Firecracker Press is exhibiting a host of type specimens and samples that were designed and cast just blocks from our studio door.

Saturday, March 19th

Publisher's Fair
Time: 8a-3p
Location: Lindell Ballroom Prefunction and Khorassan Ballroom, Chase Park Plaza.

The Firecracker Press will be out in force to bring you a selection of our prints, books and cards. Take a little bit of the River City home with you!

 

 

Amos Kennedy demo
Time: 9a-12p
Location: The Firecracker Press, 2838 Cherokee St.

Amos Kennedy, letterpress printer and subject of the documentary, "Proceed and be Bold", will be hosting a demonstration of various printing techniques at The Firecracker Press. Amos left his white-collar job to pursue his love of printing and never looked back. Come learn and listen. Free to the public and open to all!


EL CHEAPO POSTER SALE January 29 2011

Come one, come all to our first poster sale in SIX years!

We're marking posters down super cheap, some as low as $2. Worried someone else might get their mitts on that one poster you've been lusting after? Then come down for our special preview. $5 gets you in an hour early so you can be sure to get the sweet print you want. The sale will be going all day, from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM. In addition to the posters, we have cards, books and plenty of other eye candy ready for your shopping pleasure.

Saturday February 5th from 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM.

$5 entry fee for a special preview starting at 10:00 AM.

Call (314) 776-7271 or visit our Facebook page for more info.


VOTE FOR FIRECRACKER THIS SUNDAY AT SLOUP! January 25 2011

The crew at The Firecracker Press are teaming up with Kim Wardenburg (Artist/Printmaker), Carlos Dominguez (owner of Latino Americana), and Ana Rivera (of El Chico Bakery) to make fully printed, edible tacos this year during the SCG printmaker's conference in March. We've been collecting stories from Cherokee Street businesses and residents in order to develop imagery that will be printed on tortillas, cooked, and made to order while you wait. The goal of the project is to build bridges between cultures in one of the most diverse neighborhoods in St. Louis, Cherokee Street. Stop by SLOUP on Sunday, January 30th from 2-4pm at the Contemporary Museum in St. Louis to vote for our proposal and help make this project possible.

It's important to note that this is a non-profit undertaking and if you'd like to read our proposal it's listed here...

SLOUP #12 
Proposal: Cherokee Street: A Collaboratory for Edible Ideas
Facilitators: Eric Woods (Firecracker Press, Owner/Printmaker) and Kim Wardenburg (Artist/Printmaker)

The establishment of community is almost always thought of in positive terms, but the borders and common characteristics that define a community can also create divisions within or around it. Kim Wardenburg took this as the underlying theme when she began a series of edible prints on flatbread, in contemplation of the significance of covenant and community in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. While FRESH BREAD was very successful in stirring conversation, it is hard to gage any immediate or lasting impact, due to the geographical distance of the issue in comparison to the involved community. Thus, currently, Eric Woods and Wardenburg are now reconsidering the themes in FRESH BREAD and the possibilities of stimulating conversation and positive community relationships in a localized context: the Cherokee Street neighborhood of St. Louis. 

Cherokee St. boasts a socially and culturally diverse community of individuals who have invested their lives and families into the growth and future of the neighborhood. In an effort to facilitate cross-community convergence on Cherokee, project coordinators Eric Woods and Kim Wardenburg are collaborating with Carlos Dominguez of Latino Americana Restaurant, as well as Ana Rivera of El Chico Bakery and other participants from the neighborhood, to serve up the "Printmakers' Special", a taco meal complete with edible, printed tortillas inspired by the people of Cherokee Street!

★ Inspiration: Interviews and conversations held prior to the conference with local business owners and residents.
★ Focus: The importance of developing community and the impact of family-run businesses on the progress of the neighborhood.
★ Materials: Interviews will be translated into imagery and printed on corn tortillas with edible ink. Additionally, plates, napkins, and the tissue wrapping each taco will be printed, making an edible, printed (and delicious) meal.
★ Date: Friday, March 18th, 2011, concurrent with the SGCI Printmaking Conference.
★ Intent: This project is an opportunity for the local community to voice their impressions of the neighborhood and introduce Cherokee Street to the 1500+ visitors who will be there for the conference.
★ SLOUP's involvement will extend the aspect of community involvement in the project even further, beyond Cherokee to the rest of St. Louis. If this project receives SLOUP funding, the money will pay for: 

  • the cost of ingredients for the edible ink and the corn tortillas 
  • silk screens, emulsion, squeegees, and other materials for printing
  •  food-safe letterpress ink for napkins, cups, and tissue paper."

FIVE YEARS OF ELFIN MASCOTS AND MUSIC January 15 2011

This is our fifth year designing and printing the posters for St. Louis University's Billiken Club, a series of concerts showcasing both local and national talent. Each semester we receive a line up of upcoming musicians and put our associative thinking caps on. This year's series features two colors and is perforated in the middle, allowing each poster to be folded into a mini letterpressed book. Don't believe it? You can buy any one or all of these posters on our website or in our store, and you might catch a few SLU students hanging them around town to promote upcoming shows. 


A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR YOU January 08 2011

Hey Firecracker supporters! After all the love you've shown us over the years, we've got something just for you! Enter FACEBOOK as the promo code when you're ordering from our website and we'll send you an authentic memento swept from our floor! This offer is available to the first 200 orders and only through our website. We recently reached over 1,000 fans on Facebook and just had to spread the letterpressed love around a bit. Enjoy!