Thursday, November 17th at 6:30 PM at BookWorks Studio

Bill and Vickie Stewart, Vamp & Tramp BookSellers are coming back with a new collection of books, spreading contagious enthusiasm for the art of the book! Please join us for this free event.

We love books that haunt and comfort us. That’s what we’ll try to have for each of you. ~Vicky & Bill Stewart

As part of the BookOpolis weekend festivities, Sept. 23, there will be 40+ posters by Amos Kennedy on display at BookWorks. In addition, visitors will be delighted by a special screening of Proceed and Be Bold, a film about Amos Kennedy by Laura Zinger / 20K films. The film will be projected outdoors, larger than life, against our building wall.  The screening will commence at dusk, around 7:30, following the drawing for this year’s Small Book Edition, we’ll begin the screening. No Fee for attending any of the BookOpolis weekend activities. Anyone interested in viewing the film in it’s entirety in the comfort of your own home, you can stream it for 1.99. You can also view the trailer on YouTube.

How far would you go for your one true love? Would you give up all of your earthly possessions, your job, and your family? What if your one true love was a printing press…

At 40 years of age, Amos Paul Kennedy Jr. abandoned the traditional American Dream to follow his own. Unsatisfied with his comfortable, middle-class life, Amos traded in his computer for a printing press and his white collar for a pair of overalls. Armed with life, liberty, peanuts, and a meager yearly income of $7,000, Amos cranked out a new, mutinous declaration of independence.

Proceed and Be Bold! Join Amos for a titillating retelling of his story, while examining the pretensions and provisions of the art world. The work of this self-proclaimed “Humble Negro Printer” raises emotionally-charged questions and reveals remarkable depth beneath the bold print. By learning the rules and then choosing to break them, Amos redefines what life (and letterpress printing) can be: exhilarating and subversive.

His provocative sense of humor seeps out of every word he speaks and his radical philosophies on the American consciousness (or unconsciousness) will awaken any listless bystander. After experiencing Amos’ humble journey, you’ll never look at your middle class life the same way again.

What an amazing weekend. The panels, demos, talks and printers’ fair were inspiring, knowledgable and diverse. Jessica and Kysenia did an amazing job organizing the conference and making last minute changes to accommodate an overwhelming registration that surprised and delighted us all, over 150 letterpress printers and admirers attended the three day event. Here are just a few of the postings found on the internet following the event.

http://pyramidletterpress.blogspot.com/

http://www.feltandwire.com/2011/08/10/ladies-laddies-of-letterpress-celebrated-art-industry-the-fabulosity-of-asheville/

http://anagram-press.com/blog/tag/ladies-of-letterpress/

http://www.feltandwire.com/2011/08/08/ladies-of-letterpress-declare-brava-to-judith-berliners-broad-view-and-her-broadside/

http://www.seasideinvitations.com/ladies-of-letterpress-conference

August 5 – 7, 2011 – Asheville BookWorks

Ladies of Letterpress Conference Organizers, Kseniya Thomas and Jessica White with 2011 Key Note Speaker, Judith Berliner.

LofLCon2011: Art and Industry is unique in the fact that it is the only modern-day conference devoted entirely to letterpress printing. The conference will focus on topics important to the LofL community: how to run a letterpress printing business, utilizing letterpress printing as a teaching tool in academic settings, setting up and running a community print shop, and using our printing skills as a device for social change. Along the with panel presentations, attendees will be treated to printing related demonstrations held in state of the art facilities at Asheville BookWorks and a fabulous fair by select members. Hope to see you here!

Please click here to visit the Ladies of Letterpress Website for more information and conference registration

LofL, “Dedicated to the proposition that a woman’s place is in the print shop.”

LofLCon2011, “Dedicated to the proposition that a woman’s place is at a print conference.”