Holiday Hours

Pyramid's staff and volunteers are enjoying a well deserved rest.
The art center will reopen on Monday, Jan. 2, 2012. Happy New Year!

Selling like Hotcakes

Saturday's pancake breakfast was bustling, complete with blueberry pancakes, fruit, juice and plenty of hot coffee. Many pancakers stuck around to create a couple of holiday cards in the screenprint area.

Pancakes, please?

Multiple maple syrup vessels. Photo by Lisa Helfert

Rollin-Rollin-Rollin!

When Howard County school contacted us and asked us if we were interested in partnering with them to help their students produce large scale woodblock prints, based on the theme of Dia de los Muertos, we said "great!" When they asked if they could be printed via steamroller

in our parking lot we enthusiastically replied "Count us in!"

Here are some photos of the fun that took place last Saturday.

COOL meets COZY

Elizabeth's work looks at home at Tryst

Pyramid Atlantic regular Elizabeth Graeber celebrated her solo show at Tryst in Adams Morgan on December 8. The homey venue is a natural backdrop for Elizabeth's watercolors of everyday items like poodles, chairs, birds and asparagus. Hung salon-style on warm walls, the paintings are deceptively simple. Harkening Maira Kallman, Graeber animates her subjects with an ironic wit—particularly apparent  in the angry reindeer trophy above the mantle. Elizabeth hopes "all the work will sell". This show is a must-see. Bring your laptop and stay a while.

MAKE + TAKE: Setup

All hands were on deck to prepare for the wildly popular first annual "MAKE + TAKE" Dec. 3rd DIY evening at Pyramid. The event drew a huge crowd who were treated to festive drinks, homebaked cookies, hot hors d'oeuvres while encouraged to try out the different disciplines in each studio. The fabulous and famous letterpress calendar, "Drink Me" beverage book and Pyramid sketchbook went like hotcakes. Kudos to all who helped plan and donate to the cause.

SAVE THE DATE: Pancake Breakfast & You

Event: Pancake Breakfast You; Holiday Card Making
Date: Saturday, Dec 10
Time: 8:30 am - 11:30 am

Place: Pyramid Atlantic, 8230 Georgia Avenue

Come one, Come all to the Pyramid pancake breakfast hosted by Chef Daniel Beavin at Pyramid Atlantic. For just $5 you can enjoy a plethora of pancakes, fruit, juice and coffee and enjoy making holiday cards from handmade paper for friends and family. We'll provide the envelopes too!
Proceeds from our pancake breakfast will benefit Pyramid Atlantic’s arts & education programs.
RSVP (so I know how much syrup to buy!) to: Jose

Make & Take: A DIY evening of cocktails and creativity at Pyramid Atlantic

Image Credit: Laura Kinneberg

When: Saturday, Dec. 3rd
Time: 6 pm to 9 pm
Where: Pyramid Atlantic, 8230 Georgia Avenue
Cost: $10 (Only $5 for Pyramid Atlantic Members)
Admission includes a print and two festive drink tickets.

*MAKE
a monotype print for your "secret santa"
paper garlands to "deck the halls" & Furoshiki japanese gift wrapping cloth
2 color holiday postcards in the screenprinting studio
2 color wrapping paper in the letterpress studio
Ornaments from old book pages in our book bindery
 
*TAKE them home and impress your friends and family with your art skills!
 
*PURCHASE gifts created by Pyramid Atlantic artists including: our 3rd annual Letterpress calendar;
"Drink Me," our recipe book containing 13 linoleum block prints & 13 winter beverages recipes; and
our Pyramid Atlantic sketchbook (8"x 9.5") packed with handmade paper!

Tis The Season To Celebrate Your Inner Artisan!

Familiar Face

So nice to see Kristen Ripley in the studio. In from NY, she will be with us for a week teaching a bookbinding class and otherwise brightening up the studio.

Maggie Michael in the Studio

Last week, Maggie Michael visited the print studio at Pyramid for the first time to delve into the creation of a limited edition print. 

In the artists words: "I plan to create a work that approaches the historic cliché of windows and painting via abstraction, layering and seriality. I look forward to working with a master printer and combining processes and composition structures by playing with screens, framing devices, piano rolls, and records. These are some of the analog objects I repurpose or freeze into still images, which contrast familiar newer technologies – like how we scroll for information and sometimes meaning." 

Maggie came into the studio ready to roll. The screens were exposed, the ink was mixed, and the mylar was awaiting its first layer of ink. It was exciting to view Maggie's process for determining which part of the image she would use. She had a viewing frame which she moved around the image, sort of like a Ouiji Board indicator. Once she found the most appealing composition, we proof printed on mylar, a transparent glassy paper. Maggie has a great sensibility for composition and concept.

Maggie Michael is easily one of the most dynamic artists in the DC Metro Area. She is represented by G Fine Art, has exhibited at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. Maggie has also been the recipient of numerous awards, including the coveted Trawick prize.

Donors who contribute $250 or more will be gifted one of Maggie's limited edition prints. Help us continue to spread beauty and help people of all ages and abilities make creative connections at Pyramid Atlantic.

                   Thank you Maggie for joining us at Pyramid!
      

Lecture night with Emma Steinkraus

Come one, come all! 

Please join us at Pyramid on Tuesday the 15th of November for a rousing lecture from our fall Keyholder resident, Emma Steinkraus. The event will start at 7 pm and be held in the Screenprint Area.

Emma will be talking about the construction of her book, "Memorial", within the context of her recent work.  The book is loosely based around her grandmother and pairs text with imagery.

It has been fun seeing Emma around the studio, using the foil stamper, researching, and most recently, burning the mid-night oil on some gorgeous screenprints she will be using for "Memorial".

You can visit her website at:

www.emmasteinkraus.com

2012 Letterpress Calendar for sale!

The 2012 Letterpress Calendar is for sale! See photos and purchase information on the Pyramid Letterpress blog!

5th Grade Paper Making!

Last month we had 75 fifth grade students from Sligo Elementary School visit the studio. We made mini-explosion books, toured the Washington Printmakers Gallery and worked together to create two huge sheets of paper! This was the first of a two part session. Later this year the students will return to make prints on the handmade paper they helped create. The students had such a great time!

Sampler Sample

Laura Kinnenberg holds a handmade sketchbook, one of the many goodies at the Sampler evening

Mark your calenders! One month from today, December 3, 2011, Pyramid will host a "Sampler" evening. The gift themed event will feature hands-on participatory projects in all the studios (guaranteed to help with the holidays), refreshments and lots of original hand crafted and printed items for sale.

"What Does It Mean?" CONTEST!

We found this print hanging around our studio the other day. It's so great! But what does it all mean? We turn to you, dear readers, for the answer.

Give us your best guess at the idea behind this thought-provoking print and our favorite answer will receive a special something from the interns.

Leave your thoughts in the comments section by next Thursday the 27th at noon!

A day in the life...

A lot goes on here at Pyramid, but today we have a peek into a day at the studio from our intern's point of view. Enjoy these photos from Tuesday!

Etching tools all lined up!

Jake taking us through an etching process.

Hanging out in the print shop

Litho sponges drying in the sun ;)

Tarlatan all ready for wiping our plates

Making a huge sheet of paper takes many hands!

2012 Letterpress Calendar - Almost ready!

The 2012 Pyramid Atlantic Calendar is almost ready.... We've got 9 of the 14 pages fully completed and 3 more half-way done. The completed calendars will be assumed and available for sale at the end of next week!

Check out preview photos over at the Pyramid Letterpress blog!

Screenprint Society's Intern Interview

Katelyn talks about her unique approach to screenprinting.

Introducing Myself

Hi, My name is Amanda Lay. I have been volunteering at Pyramid Atlantic now since July. I help to get the word out about classes and special events on blogs and forums.



When I am not at Pyramid, I love going to concerts, seeing movies, bargain hunting at thrift stores and going to Washington Redskins games!


I have been at Pyramid almost a month now. I love it here. I have learned so much and met so many terrific people at Pyramid who are always interested in what I am working on and also sharing with me what they are working on that day. Pyramid is a great place to be!

Be a Pyramid Atlantic Studio Intern!

Winter is just around the corner, and with it will come a 

new group of studio interns here at Pyramid Atlantic!

Our fall interns are having such a wonderful time here, 

we thought we would ask them about what a new intern could expect. Katelyn, Amanda, and Aly say:

"You might be a Pyramid Atlantic Studio Intern if..."

- You love prints, paper, ink, books, and the like...

- Learning new printmaking techniques makes you giddy.

- Helping run events such as our annual Upscale Yard Sale is your cup of tea.

- You'd brave the pouring rain to join the team at our Crafty Bastards booth.

- You collect found objects in anticipation of including them in art projects.

- Handmade paper gives you the warm fuzzies.

- Making handmade paper gives you soggy socks and soaking shoes.

- You're a hot foil stamping fool in the book bindery.

- You foresee yourself swapping art-making techniques with other studio-dwellers.

- You find yourself teaching a screenprinting class to a fun group of newbies.

- Documenting and blogging about your life as an intern makes you smile!

The deadline for our Winter Studio Internship is November 11th.

Learn more about the internship and how to apply here!

Katelyn in the paper studio

Aly with a mould and deckel

Amanda pressing a post of handmade paper

After-hours intern hangout at Jackie's Sidebar

Shop Guilt Free This Weekend

Event: Upscale Yard Sale
Date: Saturday, Oct 15 AND Sunday Oct 16
Time: 9 am - 4 pm
Place: Pyramid Atlantic Parking Lot

Antiques, Furniture, Collectibles, Clothing, Jewelry, Pottery, Silver, and so much more! Click for a sneak peek of items.

Our members & friends have cleaned out their homes for you! You will not believe your eyes when you see all we have in store for you! All of the money raised supports our arts & education programs, so you can shop guilt free!

If you want to come shop and don't have a car, no worries, our friends at Zipcar will give you a ride home with your loot if you live 1 to 2 miles from Pyramid.

FREE GIFTS TO THE FIRST 50 PEOPLE TO SHOP

Image Credit: Source

Pyramid Atlantic Visiting Artist Lecture

Featuring Screenprinter, Maggie Gourlay! 

Using her ongoing screenprinting projects as a case study, Maggie will discuss the challenges, and rewards, of screenprinting on panels, adjusting to new studio environments, and some technical and aesthetic problem-solving strategies.

Join us OCTOBER 22^nd downstairs in the screenprinting area, 6 to 7pm

Visit her site at www.maggiegourlay.com