This week marks an exciting shift for Spudnik: Our next Executive Director, Sara Emerson, has arrived in Chicago and is eager to begin meeting Chicago’s artistic community. We are enjoying a brief overlap period, and I can confidently say that we share a deep love for the art and craft of printmaking and a dedication to expanding its equity, accessibility, viability, and vibrance. 

The initial stages of this transition have heightened anxiety, and brought concerns about equity, transparency, and organizational culture to the forefront. Sara understands that as a member-based organization, community participation is essential for moving forward and I am excited about her early commitment to member engagement. Monthly membership meetings are scheduled through the summer with agendas determined by member input. These meetings will culminate in Spudnik’s Annual Member Meeting in August where members can cast their ballots for any artists and supporters nominated to join the board of directors. 

Spudnik has experienced continual growth and expansion since the 2007 grand opening in my humble apartment. Now firmly in its teenage years, the next phase of growth may be less about scale and more about focusing who  Spudnik is, what Spudnik does, and how Spudnik operates. Change and transitions are rarely easy. There remains a tremendous amount of work ahead to repair division, interrogate how privilege and inaccessibility show up in the organization, and rebuild finances and staff.

I hope that my departure as the founding executive director signals that the organization has matured into a reliable resource with a strong network of artists, supporters, and programs. It is now ready to be guided by the next generation of artists. As I leave my staff leadership position, I look forward to supporting Spudnik as a community member.

Looking back over the past 15 years, I am incredibly proud of the organization that I founded. I’ve made my share of mistakes as well and I’d like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and apologize for any harm and hurt I’ve caused.

Spudnik has been looked to as an inspiration for many community print spaces across the country, and has helped shape the next generation of printmakers. This accomplishment is the direct result of an incredible network of current and past staff, teaching artists, volunteers, and board members contributing above and beyond. I am so grateful for everyone’s support. 

With deep appreciation of everyone within the Spudnik community,

Angee Lennard
Founding Director of Spudnik Press Cooperative

Spudnik Press is excited to announce the appointment of Sara Emerson as the organization’s incoming executive director. Sara Emerson will lead a new era of community engagement and inclusiveness for Spudnik Press. Holding a BA in Printmaking and Social Practice of the Arts from Bennington College, Emerson comes to Spudnik with a strong background of collaborative printmaking, arts programming, financial operations, and managerial positions across higher education institutions throughout the US. Sara Emerson joins Spudnik from Williams College, a liberal arts college in Massachusetts, with graduate programs in the history of art and a track record of ambitious goals encompassing sustainability; diversity, equity and inclusion; and accountability and transparency. As Williams College’ Studio Manager, Emerson provided broad leadership and managed day-to-day operations of the printmaking facilities.

“On behalf of the board, we are excited about the creative perspective, plus management, and programmatic experience in the printmaking arts that Sara will bring to the position as Executive Director. We are delighted to have attracted someone of Sara Emerson’s talent, enthusiasm and accomplishment. She brings all the key skills that Spudnik needs to be successful at this stage in its history,” says board member and chair of the search committee Hellen Colman.

As Emerson begins her leadership at Spudnik, she looks forward to continuing work with community partners, and developing new collaborations and programs that explore the range and diversity of our community.

Welcome, Sara!

This Spring, we’re reducing our offerings as we select and welcome our next Executive Director, and as we continue to prioritize strengthening engagement with our members and community. 

This decision is a necessary step to ensure that the organization manages this time of change and transition with care and transparency. This plan centers our staff and our internal community – members, and those who are currently engaged in our programs.

Artists and students currently enrolled in programs will also not be impacted by this change. Our Open Studio, Keyholder, and  Residency Programs will also continue to operate, and will not be affected. 

At this point in time, the following activities will be reduced or paused: 

• Group classes and workshops, including Papermaking Labs.
• New Printing Services. All current projects and projects that we  provided a quote for will be completed as planned. 
• Summer internship program. We welcome college students to apply for a Fall 2022 internship position. 
• Studio Fellowship program applications are paused at this time. Our current cohort is active through September 2022. 
• Private workshops, including youth program field trips and private corporate workshops,  are not available at this time. 1-hour group tours are available on a limited basis. Please contact info@spudnikpress.org with any inquiries.
• We are continuing to offer select Studio Access Trainings and Private Lessons that can be booked through our website. We are not able to schedule sessions outside of this limited availability.

As new staff are welcomed to the team, we will gradually resume our programs, and continue to keep you updated on any new developments. 

Thank you for your patience and understanding, as we navigate this important transition for the organization. 

The Spudnik Press Cooperative Board of Directors is seeking new Board Members! We encourage members of our community to consider supporting our mission by joining our Board. 

The Spudnik Press Board of Directors is a team of volunteers working behind the scenes to ensure our organization is resilient, mission-driven, and advocating day-in-day-out for artists and the arts. Board Members provide long-range leadership, governance, and oversight for the organization. Members of our board work collaboratively with each other, the Executive Director, and the staff of Spudnik Press to support the mission of our organization and any challenges that arise during their tenure. 

Priorities for the coming year focus on our current leadership transition and working closely with staff to ensure that the organization is accessible, diverse, inclusive, and equitable.

Board Members serve two-year terms and are eligible for reappointment for additional terms. Board meetings are typically held in the evening, every month, with additional meetings called as needed. Directors are expected to serve on at least one committee, meeting approximately once per month.

We have recently created dedicated seats for Spudnik members, without annual dues. These member seats are part of our commitment to ensure we are representing the needs of the community in our guidance and decisions. To be eligible for these seats, Spudnik members must have at least two years of membership with the organization, and these years do not need to be consecutive. Membership must be active at the time of application.

At this moment, we are accepting applications for general and member seats. 

Please send your resume plus a letter of inquiry to boardofdirectors@spudnikpress.org. The board of directors will select new Board members to temporarily serve through August. These Board members will be eligible to be voted into the full two-year term by Spudnik membership in the Annual Member Meeting in August.

Spudnik Press Cooperative is looking for a new leader to change and grow the organization into its next phase. As the Executive Director of Spudnik, you are a strong advocate of the organization, staff, and printmaking community. You uphold Spudnik’s mission of providing printmaking facilities and services for artists who need a place to create or exhibit their original artwork, and of offering education in printmaking practices by uniting professional artists with a diverse community of learners.

View the Executive Director job description

Founded on the premise that art should be a democratic and empowering medium, Spudnik is committed to being an approachable and affordable print shop; a space where professional printmakers can meet aspiring students; and a space that encourages collaboration and the sharing of ideas. As Spudnik enters its fifteenth year, you will be uniquely positioned to move the organization in a new direction, ushering in new growth and building upon Spudnik’s legacy.

This is a permanent full-time position. Applicants should be based in Chicago by the start date. Occasional evening and weekend events will require attendance. Employee benefits include paid vacation, paid holiday and sick time.

View the Executive Director job description

Spudnik Press Cooperative does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and firing of staff, selection of volunteers and vendors, and provision of services. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, clients, volunteers, subcontractors, vendors, and clients.

Dear Spudnik Community,

We have heard from many of you – both current and former community members and staff – on areas we need to improve to ensure Spudnik is an approachable, inclusive, respectful, and nurturing community space and workplace. Thank you for coming forward and speaking to us. Please know that we hear you and are working on moving the process forward.

Instrumental to this process will be a close working relationship with our staff, who are dedicated to making this transition effective.  We would like to state that the staff were not the subject of these concerns, and that they were not informed of the concerns brought to the board by former staff and community members when this news was initially announced. The staff are committed to collaborating with us as we work toward change.

As a largely new board, we are committed to positively shaping the culture at Spudnik to ensure we’re living our values across all facets of the organization. As part of these efforts, this year we’ll be adding two board seats dedicated to Spudnik community members, without annual dues. We are working on revising our grievance process to ensure that staff feel safe and supported, and we will revisit the salaries of current staff. We will also commit to engaging our community member base on more ways we can improve in the coming weeks.

As we begin our search for a new Executive Director, we are committed to finding a strong leader and team builder that shares our values. We have begun working with a search committee and dedicated members of staff that will be involved in the hiring process.

Please be patient with us as we work towards answering your queries. Emails addressed to boardofdirectors@spudnikpress.org will be answered in turn as we balance a number of tasks that require our immediate attention.

We thank all community members and staff for their patience during this time of transition. This is a difficult time for all of us. Please know that we will do what we can to move in a positive direction.

Sincerely,
Spudnik Press Board of Directors

Chicago, IL – After fifteen years, Founder and Executive Director Angee Lennard is leaving Spudnik Press Cooperative, a community-based art center located at Hubbard Street Lofts in West Town, Chicago, to explore what’s next for her career.

“Printmaking in all of its forms is who I am, so while this is hard to say, the organization is ready for change in order to grow stronger and continue its journey”, says Lennard. “I founded Spudnik Press Cooperative with the aspiration of creating a cooperative space where printmakers can thrive. Together, with the support and dedication of the community, it has grown to become a dynamic organization built on a multi-faceted, welcoming, and resilient studio model. I look forward to staying connected.”

Spudnik Press Cooperative is unique in its dedication to printmaking and the cultural traditions surrounding print. Its studio houses professional facilities and rare equipment for a wide variety of traditional print processes and fine art publishing. The 4800 square-foot studio includes shared work space, private studios and mixed-use spaces for exhibitions, classes and community events.

“What Angee has achieved over the last fifteen years for Spudnik and the printmaking community in Chicago is truly extraordinary,” says a statement from the Board of Directors. “Her expertise as a printmaker has helped forge the organization’s reputation as a trusted resource for artists and collaborators in the printmaking space. She will be missed at Spudnik, and we look forward to witnessing her – and Spudnik’s – next amazing chapter.”

The organization began in 2007 as a live/work studio. Founder – Angee Lennard – created the community-integrated print shop to respond to the needs of printmakers and Chicagoans interested in the arts. Throughout its fifteen-year history, Spudnik Press has seen exponential growth. Programming began with a simple weekly drop-in Open Studio session and now includes a rich network of opportunities for anyone who wishes to be creative through Printmaking.

Between 2008 and 2011, the organization incorporated, received 501(c)3 status, moved to a dedicated studio space, acquired additional printing presses and hired a Studio Manager. Within four years, Spudnik Press Cooperative was able to offer access to professional letterpress, relief, intaglio, bookbinding, screen printing, and offset printing facilities. Programs expanded through new Open Studio sessions, a local residency program, youth field trips, and publishing prints in collaboration with artists and designers. Another studio expansion in 2013 allowed for the creation of an Exhibitions Program, a large-scale free festival, Printers Ball, and the inclusion of Risography into our printmaking resources.

As Spudnik approaches fifteen years of programming, it looks forward to bringing on new leadership at an important moment in its history. During this transition to find a new Executive Director, the organization will continue to minimize barriers to well-maintained, robust printmaking facilities while establishing a rich community of artists and art-consumers engaged in the vibrant landscape of fine art printmaking.

For media inquiries, email boardofdirectors@spudnikpress.org.

—end—

Link to a Letter from Angee Lennard

Dear friends of Spudnik,

Since I founded Spudnik Press Cooperative 15 years ago, I have lived and breathed every moment for the betterment of the organization. Printmaking in all of its forms is who I am, so while this is hard to say, the organization is ready for change in order to grow stronger and continue its journey.  

As many people may know, I had a long-planned sabbatical that was supposed to start in April 2020. However, the pandemic had different ideas. I stayed on and through my efforts we were able to secure needed funding to remain open and viable, and offer ongoing studio access to the artists who rely on our studio. Now that the emergency is over, I intend to take a creative retreat in order to explore what is next for me.

As part of this transition, I support the open call for applications for a new Executive Director.  I will be available during this search and for an expected transition period though Mid May. Between now and when a new Executive Director is fully onboarded, the Board of Directors will be determining the short and long-term strategy of the organization.

I founded Spudnik Press Cooperative with the aspiration of creating a cooperative space where printmakers can thrive. Together, with the support and dedication of the community, it has grown to become a dynamic organization built on a multi-faceted, welcoming, and resilient studio model.

I have loved my time at Spudnik Press, and deeply appreciate the opportunities I have had to collaborate with our staff, board of directors, teaching artists, members, and students, the countless artists who’ve come through our studio and our programs, and the staff, artists, and students of the dozens institutions and organizations we’ve partnered with over the years. 

I look forward to staying connected.  

With gratitude for your ongoing support,
Angee Lennard
Founding Director of Spudnik Press Cooperative

Spudnik Press Cooperative is excited to announce the five Resident Artists in 2022 who will bring new research, programming, and experience to our community: Cameron Mankin, Susy Bielak, Elizabeth Rose, Hale Ekinci, and Hui-min Tsen. The Residency gives mid-career and established artists full access to our studios for the completion of new print-based artwork, along with a stipend and support from our staff of professional printmakers. Each Resident also engages our community in unique public programming that is connected to their practice and open to all.

In addition to these five artists in residence, we are also excited to be hosting artists re-scheduled from 2020. Stay tuned for an upcoming announcement welcoming these artists!

Resident Artist Project Statements:

Cameron Mankin, March/April 2022

Susy Bielak, May/June 2022

Susy Bielak will use a residency at Spudnik to create a suite of portraits of people in the act of listening. This is part of an ongoing series that draws relationships between people and infrastructural and natural disasters.

Inspired by Pauline Ontiveros’ expansive understanding of listening as an act of meditation, tuning, and focus, and R. Murray Schafer’s concept of hearing as “a way of touching at a distance,” Bielak will photograph choreographers, musicians, and poets as they stage acts of listening in their homes. Bielak will translate the resulting images into a series of prints, with accompanying short texts based on conversations with the artists.

Elizabeth Rose, May 2022

Working with intaglio, relief, and risography processes, I will produce a series of unique and editionable works on paper based on my recent experiences living in Poland.

I am interested in ecological shifts as they relate to Northern latitudes within the broader global context, with specific attention to the correlation between Poland’s landscape and the United States.

I will work from my photographic archive along with bright and colorful resource materials I collected while in Poland to create my new work at Spudnik Press.

Hale Ekinci, July/August 2022

Collage and techniques of transference are integral to my multidisciplinary practice. As an immigrant female artist, my work deals with acculturation, hybrid identity, and ideas about gendered labor. Influenced by Islamic ornamentation, my visual language references a mixture of coded symbolism such as oya  (lace edging that traditionally contained meaning in the patterns on a headdress) and kilim rug symbols. As a resident at Spudnik Press, I plan to continue my mixed-media works on textiles and add printmaking to my visual vocabulary.

For this residency, I have a range of processes I would like to experiment with to expand my mixed-media mark-making. I plan to use silkscreen printing and transparent inks instead of solvent photo transfer, which would allow me to layer and play with colors while reducing toxic exposure. I will also use linocut motifs to create repeated patterns and textile materials to make impressions for monotypes. I have a collection of textiles, mostly from thrift stores and my dowry that I want to use to translate onto surfaces. After printing on fabric and/or paper, I will layer embroidery and hand painting as I typically do in my work.

Hui-min Tsen, September/October 2022

I will use the residency to develop a series of small, riso-printed books. The series is part of an ongoing project that brings the reader across a successive line of frontiers, starting with the Illinois prairie and heading westward across the American interior.  Individually, the books tell specific stories of prairie remnants, Ronald Reagan’s boyhood home, the crossing of the 100th meridian, and how-to-find-the-frontier (among others). Taken all together, the books use moments of westward migration to explore the identities and paradoxes of the American narrative, forming a loose story about the ways in which imagined and tangible landscapes can co-occupy a single space.

Learn more about the Spudnik Press Artist Residency

Image Credit (left to right): Details of “Ronald Reagan Rides a Horse” by Hui-min Tsen, “Covid Atlas” by Cameron Mankin, “Untitled Ellis Island” by Hale Ekinci, “Listening, Fireplace, Susy, 2020” by Susy Bielak, and “Altitudinal Zones”  by Elizabeth Rose.

Spudnik Press Cooperative is proud to introduce our 17th Studio Fellowship cohort:

golden collier
Clara Fischer
Frannie Miller
Alexander Tsanov
Logan Woodbury
Xingyi Zhao

Eight months of free and unlimited studio access is the foundation benefit of the program. Additionally, through the course of their fellowship, these artists will receive professional, artistic, and technical support catered to the needs of printmakers. Through working in our shared studio and monitoring weekly Open Studio sessions, fellows engage with our community of printmakers and benefit from ongoing support and feedback from staff and peers.

Established in 2013, this program to date has supported 66 artists with unfettered studio access to support the creation of both traditional and experimental print-based artwork, as well as a variety of other resources and opportunities.

Studio Fellow Bios:

golden collier

golden collier is a multidisciplinary artist based in Chicago who is deeply inspired by the creative vitality of the margins and places where disciplines, techniques, and ideas overlap.

Clara Fischer

I am a research-based artist who uses science fiction to talk about humanity’s relationship with nature and the impact this relationship has on food systems. My practice is an extension of my core belief for environmental justice and an examination of the destruction caused by agriculture. These passions are a reflection of my upbringing in rural New Jersey and my parents’ joy for the outdoors. My printmaking and material explorations delve into the extraordinary capabilities of plants and enthuse the vast unknowns of the plant world. I allow my interdisciplinary practice to be dictated by material and earth sciences.

Frannie Miller

I am a cartoonist from Skokie, IL. For the past five years, I have been teaching people how to create using technology in public libraries and academic spaces. I started making comics as a teenager and after, as an Orthodox Jewish schoolgirl, I read all of Love and Rockets haven’t been the same since. I went on to study comics and technology at the University of Michigan and have been living in Skokie since I graduated with my tiny, bossy Pitbull, Matilda.

Alexander Tsanov

I am a multimedia artist and recent graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago with a BFA in Printmaking and Visual Communications. Much of my artwork deals with the combination of mediums to process and re-contextualize memories and emotions. I often tie-in my multicultural background to my pieces as a way for me to come to a better understanding of my identity. Since graduating from SAIC, I have primarily been working at Fulton Market Kitchen as the Marketing Director and Art Director, where I have organized a number of gallery shows and live painting events with Chicago artists.

Logan Woodbury

I am a graduate of Northern Illinois University working with relief and lithography.  I moved to Colorado for four-ish years, working as a commercial screen printer and doing some studio work on the side.  I also spent time there learning 3D and animation.  I recently moved back to the area and am trying to get back into print fully.  I am an LGBTQ+ artist exploring ideas along that vein with newer work while also using my knowledge of 3D to create mixed media projects.

Xingyi Zhao

Xingyi Zhao is a Chicago-based artist. She creates prints and handwoven textiles that investigate our relationship with domestic space and everyday objects. By taking daily life as subject matter while commenting on the everyday aesthetic of the 21st century, her work deals with memory, privacy, and a sense of forced optimism with a subtle minimalistic approach. She is currently in her final year as a BFA student at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago with an emphasis in printmaking.

Image (Clockwise from top left):
golden collier, Frannie Miller, Xingyi Zhao, Clara Fischer, Logan Woodbury, Alexander Tsanov

Spudnik Press Cooperative is excited to announce the following open position:

View the Education Lead job description

Spudnik Press Cooperative seeks an organized, outgoing, and collaborative individual to support our mission to provide education in printmaking practices through bringing together a diverse community of learners including emerging artists, established artists, youth, and adults.

This is a permanent part-time position (30-32 hours/week) with flexible hours and a blend of in-person and remote work. Benefits include paid time off, some paid holidays, and unfettered studio access.

To apply, please send e-mail with cover letter and resume to angee@spudnikpress.org. Applications review will begin January 3, 2022 and continue until the position is filled.

Spudnik Press Cooperative does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and firing of staff, selection of volunteers and vendors, and provision of services. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, clients, volunteers, subcontractors, vendors, and clients.

With the end of the year rushing up at us, Spudnik would like to take some time to sit with our community and reflect on everything that makes us who we are. Starting November 30, we invite you to come help us in Unwrapping Spudnik. We have five weeks with five themes that will focus on different elements of our community, artistic life, and what makes Spudnik such a dish. We’re also asking you to help us raise $5,000. That’s just $1,000 a week, and will help us keep the studio stocked, supplied, and affordable. 

Every week from now to the end of the year we’re going to unwrap another gift. Everyone who donates $25 to us that week will be entered into a drawing to win that gift. If you want to make sure you’re entered in all five drawings, just donate $100 at any time during the campaign and you’ll be entered in all the remaining drawings. However much you give, make sure you leave your mailing address; we’re sending something special to everyone. 

DONATE NOW

Here’s a sneak preview of the treasures we’re sharing with you.

You probably know we have a risography printer, but have you been formally introduced? Do you wonder what it’s like to be a piece of retro-modern equipment that’s equal parts charming for its simplicity and full of moving parts ready to wear out? Check out the equipment week announcement to learn more about what it takes to keep our beloved riso printer running and some of the very cool projects that it has helped make during its time with us. Also, take this opportunity to share a tool, space, or piece of equipment you love and use in your artmaking. 

Help us maintain our equipment. Give today!

Our members are the core of our Cooperative here at Spudnik Press, so our second unwrapping week is going to focus on them. Meet some of the fabulous and remarkable people who’ve joined Spudnik, the amazing work they’ve done, and revisit what it means to be a non-profit, community-driven print studio. Do you have a favorite Spudnik memory that you’d like to share? Pass it along by email or social media and you can be part of the Unwrapping.

Give the gift of creativity, gift a Spudnik membership!

The studio is more than the walls and the presses; Spudnik is its people, too. At that intersection is Spudnik’s staff, the intrepid team of folks who keep Spudnik running. For staff week you’ll get to know some of the staff, hear about their art, their pets, and their favorite part of Spudnik. You should be prepared to share back, especially if you have cute photos of your pets!

Become a sustaining donor.

Twenty-five dollars to enter a drawing is just $5 a day, which is basically the price of a nice coffee. But we all know one cannot simply deprive the artistic muse of caffeine tithes. Instead of pitching the virtues of chemical withdrawal, we’re spending a week focusing on coffee, and more importantly, what different members of the Spudnik community do to focus and find inspiration even when the flow isn’t coming easily. Do you have something you’d like to share for this week? Share ahead of time and we’ll include you in Coffee Week! Tea drinkers are strongly encouraged to join in and start the theobromine-addicts of Spudnik club.

A sip is good. Investing in the Chicago creative community is great.

Twice a year Spudnik brings in a cohort of fellows who get access to the studio, professional development, and peer support to further them in their artistic practice and support their emerging careers. This is one of many ways we support our community and foster an expansive love of print. Fellowship week will give you a closer look at this program, a chance to meet some of our fellows, and an exciting window on the real world impact of your spudly support. Speaking of support, do you still have your first print? We want to see it! Don’t have a first print to share? Show us any piece of art you have and love.

Help us continue our Fellowship Program. Donate now.

For sharing each week, you can interact with us on social media, or email jessica@spudnikpress.org. Also, keep your eye on your inbox and on our social media to see the prizes each week unwraps (hint: week one has art!) and get updates on our progress.

HELP SPUDNIK FINISH 2021 STRONG