Tuesday, August 31, 2010

print is not dead

This last weekend I spent both days inside a musty university gym sitting behind a table along with about 200 other people, also sitting behind a table. Sometimes we got up and walked around and looked at each other's goods. We chatted with people we haven't seen in a long time or people we have only met online and we chatted with the folks who came in just to look at our little handmade pieces of paper. I love those people.

This last weekend was the 10th annual Portland Zine Sympoium. I have been to all ten. I have tabled at all but one. I am guessing it sounds like a pretty boring time as I have outline above, but it is pretty fun. There are so many people I see there that I only see once a year, even ones who live in town! You get to show off and sell your zines and get inspired by and trade for other people's zines.It is pretty awesome to be in a room of a bunch of people who get what drives you and why you spend your time making these little booklets. Most friends and family don't get it, so to be in a room full of those people is pretty incredible.
Here is a picture of my haul:



And my table:


The new Imaginary Life is done, but not listed yet. I will hopefully get that up soon.

Support the arts! Buy some zines! You can virtually browse the zine symposium by checking out the links for all the tablers that were there on the pdxzines site.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

hello, I must be going

Things have been a little busy around here lately. Personal life and working takes up too large a chunk out of my blogging time! Add to that that I am getting ready for the 10th! Portland Zine Symposium.

Wow, 10 years. I went to the first one back in 2001 and was so inspired. I was already making zines, but had never connected to a zine community before and all the organizers and workshop leaders were so welcoming. I soon became friends with all those people and worked with them on planning the next 2 zine symposiums. I have tabled at all but that first one. Every year I see people I haven't seen since the last one. We say hi and awkwardly trade zines. It is weird to know someone in a way, but not really know them. Many come from all over the U.S. and other countries for the Portland Zine Symposium!

So, yeah, I can't blog long. Gotta get back to the zine making. I am working on a new issue of Imaginary Life. Here is a pic of some of the source images I pulled from my collection. Old photos and vintage wallpaper samples.

If you are in or near Portland, come on by next weekend. It's in the Gym this year, so different location. Free admission and free workshops. You can see the schedule and who is tabling here.


Sunday, August 15, 2010

august is a great month for.....

Here is the last one of the series. I started posting these last September. Not sure what this is? Check out these previous posts.

I think it is interesting that they recommend that August is a good month to shop for "pinafores". That is a clothing type you never really hear about anymore, although I could totally see it coming back soon.


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