Hammerpress photos

Finally got the camera to work. Here is the first batch of photos.

Below are a couple of set ups. As I was ridiculous and forgot to photograph the actual presses, I will have to do that another day. Here is a break down of the presses though. Four are Vandercook Universal I models, one is a Vandercook Proof Press 4 and Four more are platen presses that I photographed futher down the page.

The set ups below are for a father's day card, a bike promotional poster (diagonal set up) and part of the wedding invite I worked on last week.

Some of the giant type that I've been raving about. Brady got it in Illinois (or Iowa) from a Billboard company that went out of business. He was going to get a large press to fit it, but that ended up not going through, and now he just has alot of large wooden type.

Two of the four platen presses. Three are electric and run by motors, one is run by a foot petal.

Below is some of the lead type that Brady has. This is just a sample but you can kind of get the idea of how much there is. There are more type cabinets I could take pictures of if people are interested.

The next two pictures are of the front shop where Brady sells his wares. I forgot to take a picture of it, but there is a wedding invitation alcove there too.

This is it for now. I'll have more pictures up later.

First Friday

I finished the packaging! No more rep boxes for me.

I packaged until 4:30 ish, at which point we started getting ready for First Friday. Hammerpress is one of the stops on the First Friday circuit, so naturally Brady wanted the shop in top shape. We sweeped and scrubbed and priced for about an hour at which point Bobby, who I finally met, went to get beer and the party was started.

Hammerpress did indeed get busy. The garage door was opened and people came streaming through. Outside, Lindsay, Brady's partner, set up her vintage, 1950's, snowcone trailer much to the delight of the crowd. She was swamped from the minute she opened to when she sold out later in the evening.

Around seven Halliday and Joe came by and I joined them on a walk around Crossroads. Eventually Joe drifted on his own, and Halliday and I went to go see some of her fashion line, which was part of a photoshoot Sicon gallery was premiering. The art of Kansas City is very crafty. Metal sculptures, quilts, eccentric fashions, and assemblage art were popular. There was a fair amount of photography as well. I was told by one that Kansas City was weird, but really, I think I've seen lewder and wilder things in the galleries of Portland. I'm just not phased so easily. I guess T.B.A. does that to a person.

One difference between Portland's First Thursday and Kansas City's First Friday is the party atmosphere. I feel like Portland is saturated with art, and thus First Thursdays really aren't that big of deal. Yeah people come to look around, but not throngs of people. I know myself I've thought "oh, I'll be able to see that later when there aren't so many people around." Here, alot of venues open just for First Friday. Art isn't in every coffee shop, and most of the city doesn't encounter it on a day to day basis. The people that showed up to party, weren't just the "artistic" types. It seemed like the whole city came down. Beer flows freely and bands are playing out on the street.

We wandered for probably two or three hours before calling it quits. Halliday had to grab some shirts she'd made for a store and I was getting overwhelmed by the crowds. We parted ways and I went back to Hammerpress to grab my stuff. I was waylaid when I arrived and helped ring people up for a bit. The night started settling down and I bowed out for the evening.

Bobby invited me to a potluck tonight. I'm not sure what I'll bring. Maybe lemon squares. The Hammerpress crew will be there around 9 to ten, which is the perfect time for dessert, but then if I bring lemon squares, it will seem odd for me to bring them to work one day.... The 18th Street fashion show is also today, at sundown. Halliday has a dress that will be part of it, I'm excited to see it walk down the runway! http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5464304 There is great promotion with having work in the show.

Settling into a routine

Yesterday was spent doing more packaging. All twelve rep boxes are finished and eight out of twelve orders are ready to go. Today will be finishing the packaging and then getting ready for First Friday.

I spoke with Brady and I'll get to finish at least two projects while I'm here. One is going to be a banner for the Perceivers and another is going to be a personal flier, either for the Perceivers or the Pistol, maybe if I have time, both. I was looking through some of his extra large type, and I intend to use it for the banner. As for my flier, I'll be able to use Brady's lead type, which I am told not everyone gets to do. *eeeek!*

Since I did very little yesterday worth describing, (except for using the giant paper chopper, that was cool) I will instead enlighten my readers with a few misc facts that I've forgotten to slip in.
- Brady is missing a finger, well part of it, his middle right. Since he is very particular about anyone other than him using the platen presses, I thought maybe he lost it in a horrible printing accident. Nope, not the case. He wasn't looking and when hooking up his lady's snowcone trailer to his (car?) he took off the tip. The cost was disproportionate to the worth it's use, so he didn't reattach it.
- Everyday a man called Timothy stops by to ask Brady for work. He is not homeless, but almost so. He live at the Catholic Mission, which requires tenants work to pay a small rent fee. Once a week Brady has Timothy clean up the street outside and pays him for the job. Brady said Timothy has been following him around since '95.

After work I found Sunfresh, the local grocery store, and bought fixin's for dinner. About eight I cooked up a stirfry for my roommates and treated them to a nice homemade meal. In the evening I watched the Colbert Report and worked on my entry for the local zine.

This weekend promises to be busy. I'll be printing my poster, going to the 18th street fashion show, and possibly the local Dr. Sketchy's - which happens to be right down the street.

***!* Folks should be looking to their mail boxes for goodies! *!***

* Also for those who don't know, The Perceivers is the art collective I started back in Portland with some friends.

Perennial wallflower

I'm a little embarrassed for how last night turned out.

I felt awkward, and in the end both hid in my room and sulked on the edge of the crowd. I should have done what I've been doing elsewise, just dive right in and socialized, but maybe the combination of having my room to hide in and the daunting task of approaching a well knit group were too much for me. I bowed out around midnight, and only the second band had played by then. I'm kind of running out of things to say. How far does "How did your day go?" and "Are you from Kansas City?" go?

I need to rethink my plan of attack. If I'm going to make the most out of this, I can't sulk when there are shows at my house. It isn't too late to redeem myself, I just have to overcome last night. Maybe next time I'll cook food for the band or something to get me more involved. These people are friendly, I just don't know what to say. However, this summer is a summer of changes and social awkwardness is something I'm ready boot out the window.

A genuine smile goes a long way. If you feel awkward and act awkward, people pick up on it and treat you as such. Remember that Karen.

Not much happened yesterday. Work entailed more packaging and a little printing. I stayed late to finish some boxes, but in the end only almost finished them.

The show was interesting, but like I said, I took the social scenario entirely the wrong way and completely bombed. I could have enjoyed it a lot more. The music was good, but I was in the wrong mindset to really appreciate it.

The heat smothered me in my bed

I meant to finish my post last night, but I came home and just plain passed out. I think my brain was fried a little from the humidity.

Anyway back to Monday night and then I'll sum up Tuesday.

The Power and Light District is a large outdoor complex that hold a great deal of bars and restaurants. There is a plaza with a fountain that bands play from time to time. If Pacific Place, in Seattle, was outdoors and just the food court section, you'd have the Power and Light District. It is a contrived meeting place that has locals either loving it or hating it. Come to think of it, downtown Disney has a similar vibe, but with out the shops , take that how you will.

P & L takes the place of parking lots and old buildings that were coming into disuse. I've said before that Kansas City is going through a revitalization phase, Power and Light was an attempt to bring people to a downtown that once wasn't used after five and business was finished. It is a modern move and happening across America, not just here, but Joe mentioned that any local color that was there, has been lost.

AMC has headquarters in Kansas City, but until Power and Light, didn't have a theater to match. Now they do. I didn't expect anything unusual when I went, the theater on Main was the only one I'd seen. Stepping inside, I knew something was different. First I was greeted with a two or three story entry, giant chandelier and marble-like floors with famous movie quotes set within. Although it was the seat assignment that said I was someplace different. A symphonic hall would have made more sense for the atmosphere. A full scale bar and restaurant added to the effect. The theater itself was probably the largest I've ever been in, and had a screen to match. Everything was very classy, and except for the screen in front of me, if you'd shown me the room otherwise I would not have guessed it was for movies.

Up was good, I agree with Trillian's review so I'll post it here: "Up was a really wonderful movie. A wonderful little story about an old man attaching balloons to his house and traveling to South America to fulfill his late wife's desire for adventure. There were talking animals and large birds and plenty of heartfelt moments that were not overwrought in the slightest. Highly recommended!" The only thing I'd add, is the dogs flying planes were a little much, then again, how else was the guy supposed to have a fighter squad?

Tuesday, June 2nd
I spend yesterday in a very hot and very muggy Hammerpress putting together rep packages. Lame. Brady apologized, but stressed the importance and money they'll bring when finished. On Thursday he is going to take Wendy and I out for drinks, or at least buy drinks and bring them to us, in exchange for our diligent efforts.

Thunderstorms were on the horizon all day long, and it finally rained around 2, dramatically cooling the air off. Last night was almost cold.

The evening was spent at Halliday and Danielle's. Danielle is part of a potluck group that meets every other Tuesday at rotating houses, it was her turn to host. Alas, this weekend she broke her wrist, so I helped her make sweet potato fries and finish her cake. A large group of people arrived, probably twenty or so. The food was excellent and Halliday's spring rolls were a hit. The sweet potato fries could have used more garlic.

Around ten I bowed out and meant to come home and finish this blog and Joe's poster, but Flora and I bedded down to a short nap that turned into a night's sleep.

Now Flora is meowing outside my door, probably wanting to come shed on me. Tonight, the Pistol hosts the first show of my stay. We'll see how that goes.

Up and getting away

Monday was hot. Too hot, at least in my apartment - so I decided to bolt and do some exploring.
I drove back to Westport and bided my time. I did a little looking at American Trading Company - the Kansas City version of Buffalo Exchange and found nothing worth buying except a dress I could have possibly taken in - it was a size fourteen, and a wide brown belt which I'd seen the other day. I got the belt, but not the dress. Maybe I should have, but then again it was twenty-five bucks, so maybe not.

After spending way much to time in ATC, I mosied over to McCoy's, a local brewpub, and enjoyed their deck for an hour or so. I arrived around four and happy hour was at five so I just sat it out and read the local weekly newspaper. Decks are a big thing out here, and it is a trend that makes sense. The weather is so nice, why would someone eat inside, when they can eat out. McCoy's deck is especially fine with trees and umbrella shades taking the heat off the sun. At night, it is all lit up. Halliday recommended McCoy's to me as one of the best decks in KC, and I can see why she'd think that. Come five, I ordered a pitcher of beer and found it to be too much, after having a glass and a half, I gave the rest to a couple nearby.

Westport is where Halliday works and I briefly visited her before setting off to find Utrecht. The Utrecht here is not as large as the one in Portland, but it has a little of everything. I grabbed some paper for printing and a few scratch boards.

The night ended with Up, the new Pixar flick everyone has been talking about. The only movie theater I could think of was in the Power and Light District so I headed downtown to find it. I had a very interesting movie experience and I will elaborate further when I get back home, right now everyone is waiting on me to go to a potluck, I think I'll pick up some drinks to bring.

Vice and junkyard dogs.

I'm still acclimating to the weather. I feel sticky from when I wake up till about ten at night. There is a subtle blanket of heat that makes it hard for me to concentrate on anything and Sunday was excellent proof of that.

I intended to finish the poster mock up and start in on my zine, but instead the day was spent reading and meeting the colorful folks of West Bottoms.

Uriah and his girlfriend Jenny came home and I briefly talked to them before they went back to Jenny's place, I don't think I'll be seeing a lot of them around.

The warehouse where the Pistol is located, also houses a variety of other occupants. One is "The Ship" - an old bar that has been dismantled and rebuilt downstairs to form a modern sort of speak easy. The aesthetic are 1940's dive and resemble an old galley, thus the name "The Ship". It is used from time to time as a practice space for bands. Joe took me downstairs to meet a Cajun inspired group and we got to talking about St. Maximo.

Joe has an intricate shine in his living room that houses a Guatemalan figure of St. Maximo - the patron saint of vice. It is surrounded by liquor bottles, cigarettes, money, and a wide assortment of other things. The Ship houses a similar one. A Latin mix of Mayan mythology and catholic dogma; the purpose of Maximo is to take one's vices away. It used to be, and in some places still is, for a week in February a man would dress up as Maximo, and while sitting still like a statue, people offer him their vices. Over time, Maximo has somewhat become the patron of the West Bottoms.

Since the day was somewhat cloudy, I took a walk and explored more of the area than I was able the other day. During the day there isn't anyone to bother me and so I feel safe wandering around, so long as I don't go on certain streets. The buildings looked abandoned, but as I found out later, they're not.

Old warehouses tower like a science fiction city that has been emptied. I know I've said it before, but I'll say it again, the whole area is surreal. Looking back, it is the sort of landscape a video game would have. The men in combat suits should have been dropping out the windows. In October a few of the warehouses are opened as giant Haunted Houses with names like "The Beast" and "The Chambers of Edgar Allen Poe". I'm told tickets run from 25 to 30 dollars and the only amazing thing about them is the size.

West Bottoms also has a Graffiti gallery. Some of the professionals of Kansas City have taken one of the walls and made a large mural of their work. Kansas City has a fair amount of artistic graffiti on it's walls, not just on warehouses, but all throughout.

The sun came out and I had to go home for a while, but later as the evening came, Joe and I went for a bike ride tour of the Bottoms. Uriah is a bike master and collects bikes to rebuild, then sell. Alas he sold a my-size bike just before I arrived so I rode around on a little BMX bike with no breaks. Since there are no people or no hills in West Bottoms, this is not a problem, my foot worked fine, well it did until I biffed it. Stupidly I tried riding down a gravel road and totally ate it. I scraped up my arm and possibly broke my little toe.

Joe and I walked over to one of the seemingly empty warehouses and went inside to find a bathroom to clean up my arm. Instead of empty, the warehouse has apartments, artist studios, and even a print collaborative. I met a few of the residents and sat for a bit then we rode on.

We ended the night at Vic's, a nice, older man who runs a woodshop/junkyard. He had a first aid kit to patch me up and we ended up spending a few hours talking to him. Vic is the type of guy people don't mess with. He talked a small amount amount the past, but I can only guess the rest, and what I can say is Vic has seen parts of the street I hope I never see. Before we left, Vic introduced me to Rosie, his junkyard/guard dog. Vic says she won't eat my face off once he introduces me to her. I believe him, both on the fact that now Rosie knows me and the fact that she'd eat my face if she didn't.

West Bottoms gets a bit rougher at night, so I didn't stay out too late. Instead I came home and watched Terminator on Netflix. Man have movie effects changed...