Title page for an artist book

 

Process views of the lino block for the title page of Decorated Women, a small artist book that has been in development since 2023. For additional views and information, visit our sister blog, Moth Woman Press HERE. 

A peep inside… Part 3: WOMEN WITH WINGS

Another peep inside one of the books on the studio table in my recent blog post, A tabletop of artist books.

Pictured above and below: Women with Wings, 2010, concertina book with linocuts and rubber stamps, a rare volume freshly out of mothballs in readiness for the forthcoming exhibition ARTIST BOOKS & FOLIOS at Stephen McLaughlan Gallery.

Photography: Tim Gresham.

To learn the secret of the mysterious masked Moth Women, grab yourself one of the last remaining copies of the zine, The Story of the Moth Masks, pictured below.

ARTIST BOOKS & FOLIOS

Deborah Klein, Elizabeth Banfield and Theo Strasser

South Gallery, Stephen McLaughlan Gallery, Melbourne.

The exhibition runs from September 20 - October 7 2023.

FEAR Zine Market

The time flew by at yesterday’s FEAR Zine Market at Femxle Experience Art Rebellion. But if you missed it, don’t despair. This may have been FEAR’s first zine market, but I have it on very good authority that it won’t be their last.

It was an honour to be invited to participate in the inaugural event and a treat to hang out with some seriously talented zinesters, including Tas Wansbrough (photos 3 & 4 above) and Charlie Timms-McLean (photos 5, 6, 7 & 10 below). It was lovely to meet you in person at last, Charlie. 

Thank you to everyone who called in, including Theresa (photo 8 below). I hope you enjoy your zines!

Huge thanks to the fantastic folk at FEAR for having us and for all your hard work in organising this event. Ballarat is very lucky to have you. 

Work in progress for 100 FACES

Among the projects I’ve been juggling lately is this work in progress, intended for the annual 100 FACES exhibition at Playing in the Attic. This year 100 FACES is part of the Tiny Towns Arts Trail, which falls on Anzac Day long weekend (Friday 22 April – Monday 26 April). The exhibition will continue for a further six weeks.

In recent times, the swan has become something of a personal emblem. Originally I envisioned two self-contained images. But as can sometimes happen, the work directed its own course and soon evolved into a diptych. 

Playing in the Attic also stocks a selection of my books, postcards and zines:

Formerly Ballarat based, Playing in the Attic has recently relocated to nearby Talbot (see below). Its doors will reopen this coming Friday, March 4.

For more about the latest chapter in the history of this “curious extraordinarium of gorgeous things”, visit our sister blog, MOTH WOMAN PRESS. 

Playing in the Attic 

13 Ballaarat Street

Talbot VIC 3371

Opening hours:  Friday - Monday, 10 - 4pm

Meanwhile, at MOTH WOMAN PRESS...

Progress on my latest body of paintings is continuing at a slow, but steady pace. Recently, however, I took a detour to Moth Woman Press, following the chance discovery of a vintage children's poetry book in a secondhand market at Smythesdale.

As if by magic, the little book opened onto Alice, a short poem by Christina Rossetti. I've been interested in Rossetti's work for many years, but was unfamiliar with her writings for young readers. The poem, one of two of her verses contained in the book, refers to an ebullient child. Whether Rossetti's subject was real or fictional may well remain a mystery, but her description fits our little cat Alice like a glove. The urge to combine Rossetti's verse and a selection of my recent photos of Alice in an eight-page mini-zine proved irresistible. This is the result.

The zine is limited to an edition of 60. For further background on Alice, visit Moth Woman Press HERE and for page views, go HERE.

A selection of this and other Moth Woman Press publications are available at Playing in the Attic in Ballarat. This diminutive, delightful emporium, which strongly supports local makers, is currently celebrating its third birthday and is well worth a visit if you're visiting these parts. You can find it here:

Playing in the Attic
119a Sturt Street
Ballarat Victoria 3350
AUSTRALIA

Hours: Wednesday - Saturday 10 am - 4pm
Phone: 0428580309
Email: trudymac@bigpond.com.au

Bev Murray, a visitor from the UK perusing Moth Woman Press publications in Playing in the Attic.
Several (including three Alice zines) will shortly return with her to London.

FOTP2018

L-R: myself, Gracia Haby, Theo Strasser and Louise Jennison at FOTP2018, Melbourne
  Town Hall. Photograph by Shane Jones, courtesy of Gracia and Louise.

Yesterday afternoon's Sticky Institute Festival of the Photocopier 2018 was bigger, brighter and better than ever, but, like many eagerly anticipated events, it was all over far too quickly. This year Sticky Institute received an unprecedented number of applications from zinesters (around 250 in the end, I believe) so all but zine distros were required to share a table. When your zine neighbours are Gracia Haby and Louise Jennison, with Theo Strasser on the adjoining table, this can only be a good thing.  We had a fabulous day. For me it was the best zine fair ever, which is saying something. I for one can't wait to do it all again next year.

Meanwhile, for an overview of FOTP2018, go to Moth Woman Press HERE.

TONERPALOOZA II ZINE FAIR

Poster by Rachel Ang

Alas, there will be no rest for me after the deinstall of From the bower (see previous post).

At present I'm feverishly preparing for the TONERPALOOZA II ZINE FAIR at the State Library of Victoria. Coordinated by Sticky Institute to coincide with the current exhibition, SELF-MADE: ZINES AND ARTIST BOOKS, the zine fair will take place in the Cowen Gallery, State Library of Victoria, on Saturday 23 - Sunday 24 September between 10 am - 4 pm. I'll be there with Moth Woman Press on Sunday the 24th.

To mark the event, I've made three new mini-zines, including Her own Society (see below).

All three zines can previewed on Moth Woman Press HERE.

Her own Society, 2017, mini-zine, signed and numbered edition of 100. Published by Moth Woman Press.

The Melbourne Art Book Fair and Australian Zine Showcase, NGV International

Photo credit: Shane Jones

Yesterday, Saturday March 18, from 2.30 - 8 pm, Moth Woman Press took part in the rotating Sticky Institute Australian Zine Showcase, the latest and freshest addition to the annual Melbourne Art Book Fair at NGV International. Directly below is the view from our stand -

followed by a wider view of the Australian Zine Showcase.

Due to the number of participants, Moth Woman Press was relegated to a half table, but we were pleased with the final result.

Some of the day's greatest pleasures were provided by visits from friends, some old, some new. Below on the righthand side is one of the former, Louise Jennison, mugging with my indispensable assistant, Shane Jones. Louise is one half of the team of artist book makers, Gracia and Louise, who are showing their books and zines in the Melbourne Art Book Fair. She and Shane are pointing to the location of their stand in the Great Hall.

In the Great Hall, Moth Woman Press is represented by Esther Gyorki (pictured right) at Assembly Books. My artist book, Castles in the Hair (2013) hangs open, next to the Assembly Books sign. The Melbourne Art Book Fair opened on Friday, 16 March and ends at 5 pm today. For more views of the book and zine fairs, visit Moth Woman Press.

A group show, a zine fair and a book fair

This morning I'm heading off to Warrnambool Art Gallery to meet up with fellow artists, Loris Button, Carole Wilson and Louise Saxton, to begin the hang of our long-planned exhibition, From the Bower - patterns of collecting. Loading the car will be a job of work. Shane is convinced it will all fit; I'm not so sure... Currently our hallway looks like the warehouse scene at the end of Orson Welles's Citizen Kane (all that's missing is Rosebud) and some of the boxes have also started to colonise the living room. From the Bower opens on 18 March (see also previous post). For more about the show, go HERE.

Meanwhile, it's also been a hive of activity at Moth Woman Press. We've been working on two new zines for the Sticky Institute Australian Zine Showcase that will be running concurrently with the Melbourne Art Book Fair at NGV International, National Gallery of Victoria. Moth Woman Press is part of that too; our books will be represented by Esther Gyorki at Assembly Books. For progress views of the new zines, go HERE and HERE. For more about the MWP publications that will be shown by Assembly Books, go HERE.

The Melbourne Art Book Fair runs from 16 - 19 March. The website is HERE.

I'll be presenting a selection of Moth Woman Press zines at the Sticky Institute Australian Zine Showcase at NGV International on Saturday, 18 March from 2.30 - 8 pm. Sticky's website is HERE.

Left - right: Fuchsia, Harpy and Cactus Flower, 2013, one-of-a-kind artist books,
pigmented drawing ink, cloth binding, each 80 x 15 cm (open) will be presented by
Assembly Books at the Melbourne Art Book Fair at NGV International from 16 - 19 March

On the cutting board: PRESSING MATTERS, one of two new zines heading for the Australian Zine Showcase at
NGV International. Moth Woman Press will be there on Saturday, 18 March from 2.30 - 8 pm 

FOTP 2017

Pictured below are a handful of highlight's from yesterday afternoon's spectacular 2017 Festival of the Photocopier Zine Fair at magnificent Melbourne Town Hall. Despite a number of conflicting events in our fair city, the turn-out was fantastic, with visitor numbers well into the thousands. With Sticky Institute at the helm, support from the City of Melbourne, assistance above and beyond the call of duty from my partner, Shane Jones, and warm companionship from our stall neighbours, Gracia Haby and Louise Jennison, what could possibly go wrong? Well, thanks in no small part to Sticky Institute and the dedication and professionalism of our fellow stall holders, absolutely nothing did.

Pictured with some of my zines. To my right are Gracia and Louise with some of theirs. Photo: Shane Jones.

With the indispensable Shane Jones, minutes before the doors opened to a deluge of zine fanciers.
Photo credit: Gracia Haby.

Feeling justifiably proud of my new Moth Woman Press sign. Photo by Shane Jones.

Gracia Haby and Louise Jennison.

It seemed to us that the visitor count was even higher than last year.

People continued to arrive in droves right up until the very end.

It was a day to remember and treasure. Thanks so much to all of the above and to everyone who came along. For a more detailed pictorial view of the Festival of the Photocopier Zine Fair, visit Moth Woman Press HERE.

'The artist's hand' in the artist's hand

The artist's hand, 2017, mini-zine, 10 x 7.5 cm, edition: 100

What with the artist book Leaves of Absence nearing completion, two more artist’s books on the go and three zines in various stages of completion, Moth Woman Press is a hive of fevered activity. But I think I have the situation in hand.

Pictured above: The artist’s hand, an eight-page mini-zine, one of three new MWP zines to be unveiled at the Festival of the Photocopier zine fair (FOTP 2017) on February 12. For further information and page views, visit our sister blog, Moth Woman Press, HERE.

Easter Greetings

An Easter egg from Deborah Klein's Art Blog

 and Moth Woman Press:

Happy Easter, everyone.

Deborah

The 2016 Festival of the Photocopier Zine Fair

Last weekend was a mammoth one. On the afternoon of Sunday, 14 February, the day after the Modern Myth artist talks at Counihan Gallery In Brunswick, I was a first-time participant in the legendary Sticky Institute Festival of the Photocopier Zine Fair (FOTP16) at Melbourne Town Hall . I'm pictured directly below with a selection of my Moth Woman Press zines. (Photo credit: Shane Jones). It was a wonderful experience and I can't wait for FOTP17. For more views of this year's zine fair, visit Moth Woman Press HERE.