South Florida art aficionados can delve into the world of printmaking this Saturday at Fort Lauderdale’s second-annual Small Press Fair (SPF). Crowd-pleasing attractions such as a giant steamroller will return, and fun diversions such a postcard-making station will debut.
The extravaganza of printmaking, artist books, and zines is cosponsored by Girls’ Club and IS Projects. In a digital era, SPF aims to expose South Floridians to traditional printmaking and media publication methods while creating a vibrant community where participants in this subcultural movement are able to share their work.
Ingrid Schindall, owner and director of IS Projects, believes SPF is a great way to connect local artists not only with their audiences but also with fellow visionaries working in the same medium. “Things like SPF help add interest to printmaking, which is a vital part to a thriving art scene," Schindall says, "and encouraging people to get together and collaborate really makes the entire art scene developed and rich.”
This year's fair is projected to be twice as large as the inaugural year, and the exhibits will fill two full warehouses in FAT Village. Sarah Michelle Rupert, gallery director at Girls’ Club, is excited to see the scope of the event. “It’s really going to be fun to see the block being taken over by printmaking geeks and really get that shared energy in such a large place,” she Rupert says.
In addition to an exhibitor market, which will provide a space for independent publishers and artists to present their work, there will be live demonstrations of printmaking techniques by local printers. The steamroller and letterpress stations will be joined by gocco and screenprinting stations.
Rupert believes these events are just as important to the artists as they are to the guests. “We’re such a young arts community, and we’re still sort of figuring out who we are, our voice, and how we grow as a community as individual artists. So having these educational and high-quality events is not only beneficial to the public.”
The fair will have indoor and outdoor components and offer food and beverages for purchase, so it'll be kid- and dog-friendly, Rupert says. Plus, there will be food trucks, exhibits, and presentations courtesy of various local organizations.
Small Press Fair. Sponsored by PNC Foundation. Noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, November 11, at FAT Village, 523 NW First Ave., Fort Lauderdale; 954-760-5900; fatvillage.com. Admission is free.