Angee Lennard is the founder and director of Spudnik Press, a Chicago printmaking press that offers open studio sessions and hosts events such as poetry readings. Recently I spoke with Angee about her influences, directing Spudnik Press, printmakers collaborating with bands, starting a subscription program, and Spudnik Press' artist residency programs. 

Dan: How did you first get interested in the arts?

Angee: I took art lessons since I was young at an art store in Toledo, Ohio called "For the Love of Art". It was purely hobby though until I went college and started to really evaluate what interests could make me happy for the duration of a career.

Dan: Who are some of your influences?

Angee: The first artist that had a profound effect on me was Anselm Kiefer. I was in awe of the emotional effect his paintings had when viewed in person. Once I moved to Chicago, I became motivated by the Chicago Imagists, particularly Roger Brown. Once I began working in the field of printmaking, I found Dieter Roth, Warrington Colescott, and Tom Huck. Lately I have been looking more and more into poster design, both contemporary and WPA era prints.

Dan: What is an early memory you have of doing something in the arts?

Angee: My grandmother loved to oil paint. She was completely self-taught and was my role model. We mostly painted scenery from calendars and for some reason illustrations of Emmett Kelly, Jr., "The World's Most Famous Hobo Clown." When I was in high school, I would often visit and we would watch Bob Ross on TV. We bonded over mocking his approach to painting.

Dan: What are some things that you like about printmaking?

Angee: Two things draw me to printmaking as an artistic practice. First, I love the process and technique involved in print. I enjoy engaging with my materials in a critical or scientific way, and that there is a separation between the creative brainstorm that goes into work and the production of printing it in multiples. Second, I find working in a communal setting incredibly motivating and important to my practice.

Dan: How would you describe how the printmaking process is affected by the dynamics connected with a collective of artists working in a print shop? 

Angee: In a print shop, artists are not necessarily collaborating, but they are influenced by each other. There is constant casual conversation about the work being produced, and styles, color choices, printing methods begin to rub off on each other. We share resources with each other, and help keep each other focused on improving our craft. When working alone, it is so easy to get in a rut, and not now how to get out.

Dan: How did you come up with the idea to start Spudnik Press?

Angee: Spudnik Press grew out of a genuine need for space to make my own work. I felt that at the time (2007), Chicago was lacking a community-oriented press that welcomed students and others still developing their craft. I was missing the sense of comradeship that I felt as a student in the print shop at SAIC, and decided to see if I could make something happen. I started with no pre-conceived notions of what the press would become. The project began in my apartment with an open studio session once a week.

Dan: What are some recent developments with the press?

Angee: Lately we have been trying to create more collaborations in the city.

Dan: What's an example of one of those collaborations?

Angee: Our most recent project, and largest to date, is called "10x10". We are working with Homeroom Chicago.The impetus of the project was to develop relationships between Chicago bands and printmakers that went beyond show posters. To this end, ten visual artists invited a musician or band to join the project by recording an original song. Each artist then created a 10" x 10" print inspired by the song they commissioned.

Dan: What other developments have been happening with Spudnik Press? 

Angee: Another completely different type of development is that we recently mailed our tax-exemption application to the IRS!

Dan: Congratulations! What other projects has Spudnik Press been working on? 

Angee: We have a few main projects we have been spending time on, and they are all inter-related. In 2011, I hope to begin publishing work for artists I love. I have already published work for Jeremy Tinder and Eric Unger as trial runs, so to speak. To help promote the work we print, we are planning on starting a subscription program in 2011.

Dan: How do you plan on rolling out that subscription program?

Angee: Throughout the year, subscribers will be sent new work being produced at the press ranging from prints we have published to gig posters to work created through our Artist Residency program. We are also currently working towards is raising money to purchase letterpress equipment. We are going to do a little more math and figure out just how many subscribers we will need to be able to get letterpress printing off the ground. All the proceeds from the subscriptions will be used for this end.

     Spudnik Press is at 1821 W. Hubbard, Suite 308 in Chicago. Its open studio hours are Monday and Thursday 6:30 – 11:00 p.m., and Saturday 12:30-5:00  For more info, call 312.532.0304. 

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