Bailey Romaine is a Chicago based bibliophile and maker of things whose work explores the intersections of language and landscape. She is co-founder of Rough Ray Press, a collaborative publishing project and printshop. Bailey received her BFA in studio and liberal arts from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2011.
Morgan Sims received his BFA in printmaking from the University of Washington, Seattle in 2004, and MFA in Graphics from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, 2010. He often teaches at Elmhurst College and was recently a Visiting Professor at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA. He is a painter, printmaker, and neon artist. He shows his work in many venues locally, including recently with Bert Green Fine Art, Heaven Gallery, and Intelligentsia. He’s also shown recently in CA, WA, and NY. You can see his work at .
As a multidisciplinary artist, I collect and recombine sounds, words, images, and actions. I design experiences and pursue a research-based practice grounded in audience participation and collaboration.
My socially engaged creative work ranges from community-driven oral histories to guerrilla interventions in public places. Projects that feature the history and people of a particular place take different forms appropriate to the situation. The most recent features food heritage stories compiled as an audio book with 3D elements, designed for an audience of people with low or no vision.
Ali Aschman is a multi-disciplinary artist based in Chicago, originally from South Africa. She received an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2013 and a BA from the University of Cape Town in 2006. She has exhibited internationally, and after her residency at Spudnik Press she will be attending residencies at the Rensing Center, the Art Students’ League and Elsewhere.
Lydia Godfrey Evans is a letterpress printer who incorporates design, illustration, and many printing and craft methods to create one-of-a-kind pieces. She specializes in wedding invitations and other custom pieces for clients, in addition to printing for other designers. Lydia designs and prints unique pieces for each client to match their style and bring their vision to life. She loves the creative process and the craft of letterpress and how it can empower individuals to express themselves in a personal, tangible way. Share the joy of letterpress!
Caroline Walp is a printmaker who works primarily in silkscreen and letterpress, although she also enjoys making books and knows a thing or two about papermaking. After receiving her BFA in Printmaking from Ohio University, Caroline spent six glorious months as a studio intern at the Women’s Studio Workshop in Rosendale, New York where she learned how to screen print and assisted in the creation of several artists books. Her work focuses on embellishing and exaggerating every day, mundane occurrences while attempting to make you laugh. Caroline recently became a resident of Chicago and worked for Spudnik Press as an administrative intern for the 2014 Printers Ball.
Lauren Anderson lives and works in Chicago, IL. She was born in Virginia, on the same day as Bette Midler, and Richard Pryor, and then she earned a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She has exhibited at ADDS DONNA, Adult Contemporary, CCS Bard, Golden Age, Megamall, and Roots and Culture, and you can find her publications in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art Library, at Printed Matter, Ooga Booga, and elsewhere. During the Summer months she does extensive damage control as the Print Technician at Ox-Bow School of Art.
Josh Dihle (b. 1984) is a painter, printmaker, and sculptor working in Chicago. Dihle teaches at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where he earned his MFA in Painting and Drawing in 2012. He has exhibited at Autumn Space in Chicago, Champion in Austin, Texas, and most recently at Dutton in New York. Active in Chicago’s art dialogues, Dihle has curated several group exhibitions of emerging Chicago artists and, while earning his master’s degree, developed a novel system for exhibiting student work to wider audiences.
Don Widmer is a book and paper artist who uses hand papermaking, relief printing, and bookbinding (separately or in combination) to create unique works of art. After graduating from Columbia College Chicago’s Interdisciplinary Arts program, Don launched his paper arts business, Lion of Bali, which exhibits at numerous arts and craft fairs throughout the Midwest. Much of his work is inspired by travel and his background in ethnomusicology. Don primarily uses a technique called pulp painting to create his handmade paper artworks, particularly his images of urban architecture. He has had several residencies at Morgan Conservatory of Papermaking in his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. Don has recently set up his papermaking studio in Skokie, Illinois.
Elise Forer is a printmaker and Minnesota native living and working in the Chicago area. Forer received her Bachelor of Fine Arts at Minnesota State University Moorhead (MSUM) in Moorhead, MN in 2013. In her time at MSUM she served as Studio Intern and Teacher’s Aide under John Volk in the printmaking studio, and the resident intern at the Hannaher Studio in the Plains Art Museum in Fargo, ND. Forer’s work has been shown in several exhibitions, including student shows juried by Curator Lisa Elder Melander and Michael Byzewski of Aesthetic Apparatus. Forer also operates Take Aim Press and Bindery which offers stationary, prints, and handmade boxes and books.
Judith is an illustrator and lettering artist with a love for letterpress printing. She received her BFA from Ball State University with majors in Graphic Design and in Photography.
