Text Project/Concrete Poetry

New prints available on Etsy! The students of Hartford Prints! were challenged to create a print with the city of Hartford as the subject matter and using the lead and wood type in the studio, rather than linoleum, to create an image. These prints were first exhibited at the 100 Pearl Street Gallery in Hartford, CT and more recently at PRESS in North Adams, MA.

Learn more about PRESS: Letterpress as Public Art Project at their blog!

Or, visit them on Facebook!

Check out the 100 Pearl Street Gallery here!

The Hartford Prints! Etsy store!

Good news! You can now buy our work online! That's right, we have finally established our Etsy store. We are slowly but surely adding new work, so visit us frequently at etsy.com/shop/hartfordprints!

Reception at 100 Pearl Street Gallery

This is a very last-minute invitation... Thursday, December 2nd, there is a reception being held at the 100 Pearl Street Gallery. The exhibition was put together by the Greater Hartford Arts Council and it is called Art@Work. Showcased is work by two recipients of the Hartford Arts & Heritage Jobs Grant: The Workshops at Billings Forge and Hartford Prints!

We are delighted to have been asked to be a part of this exhibition. Since the Greater Hartford Arts Council is really the reason we were able to create art over this last year, it is our honor to be giving back.

Each of the Hartford Prints! students have three to four prints on display. We hope you can join us between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m. to see just how talented the students are and how far their work came over the last year. As per usual, all work is for sale.

For more information please visit the Greater Hartford Art's Council's website

A second chance to see Home Is Where ♥ford Is!

If you missed the show at La Paloma, you're in luck! There is a second opportunity to see "Home Is Where Hartford Is" at Così in West Hartford Center. The work is up now and will run until May 21st. A small reception will be held on Wednesday May 12th from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Open Space by Andrés

My image of the three Hartford buildings popping out of the map of Connecticut is the end of a very long process for me.

My idea started with a bedroom scene where one wall had a brick pattern with radio station call numbers in the bricks. The other wall had a pattern of flags representing the different nationalities of the residents of Hartford.

This idea changed overnight from a closed room to an open space. I went from inside to outside because the bedroom was too individual and a map is more universal. By having the map and the buildings of Hartford, the viewer can relate to the image.

In designing the three buildings, I drew them separately and then put them together by tracing them onto one piece of paper. But the three original buildings were way too big for the image size, so I had to shrink them to look like they are coming up out of the map.

I chose to print the buildings in the color blue, to represent the Connecticut flag, and the map in orange to make the image pop.

The Gold Building by Ashley

A tourist group walks around the city of Hartford on a brisk October afternoon, enjoying the beautiful architecture. Suddenly, an amazing building catches the eye of one of the tourists, just as the sun is setting behind it:

“Hey, what’s that building over there?” she inquires.

“Which one?” says the tour guide.

“The tall, shiny gold one next to that church.”

“Oh! That’s the Gold Building!”

“Wow. It’s beautiful,” says the tourist, full of awe and captured by the stunning reflections in the building.

“It certainly is,” replies the tour guide, “especially at sunset.”

Homeward Bound by Brian

The beginning of my artwork was not a sure thing- I started with only a bus. I got the idea of a bus because I was thinking about how I spend my days, how I get to school and to work. I realized that I see a lot of the city from inside the city bus. Also, I believe at some point in our lives, we all take the bus to get home.

As I got more into the project, the bus was looking lonely. Then Ms. Gale and I both came up with the idea of putting some of the popular buildings in Hartford as a skyline in the background. When I was looking at photographs of the city for inspiration, I really liked the pictures that showed Hartford with the Connecticut River, so I decided to include it in my image.

After weeks of drawing and finding the right buildings to put in my work, I was finally happy with the image and started to carve. It was not hard for me because I am good at carving. The only problem I have with carving is putting in the time. But I finished and the end result is what you see.

A Stegosaurus In Hartford by Danny

This piece took me longer to complete then I planned for. Getting my carvings to print together perfectly was very difficult because the drawing was so weirdly shaped, just like the actual sculpture. It was hard to make all three colors line up perfectly. I ended up having to carve everything twice.

Even though I initially had problems printing, I didn’t change my idea because the sculpture is very appealing to me. As a kid, the stegosaurus was my favorite dinosaur and to this day I still find it the most intriguing.

The actual sculpture is bright orange, and this is my favorite aspect. I wanted to recreate that color, as best as I could, in ink. The blue is intended to make you think about a bright sunny day, a good day.

I included the text in the image because I wanted the viewer to think about the real sculpture and its location. In addition, I think it is good to have a little humor in art!

The Heart of Hartford by India

When I first started thinking about this project, my idea was to draw the Hartford Building. I began to rethink this idea when most of my colleagues also started drawing buildings. I began to realize that for me, Hartford is not represented by the buildings but by the details of the city. I was having a hard time connecting to my drawing because it was so architectural, so linear. Ms. Gale and I talked and the idea came about to take the deer, or hart, from the Hartford Building and the stars from the Colt Building and create a scene along the Connecticut River. The boarder was made from the state flower, the mountain laurel, and leaves and acorns representing the Charter Oak tree. I chose to have a boarder to make the viewer focus more on the image. I also wanted a boarder because I enjoy more decorative art and my image looked unfinished without it.

There's No Place Like Hartford by Liz

I enjoy writing poems. Poetry is a way to express my feelings and thoughts in words. At the age of nine, I was introduced to the world of poetry and since then I have always liked the same kinds of poems. I like poems that are very descriptive and expressive but at the same time are suggestive. I only started writing my own poems at the age of ten. Most of my poems are written in Spanish, but then I later translate them into English.

When I wrote this poem about Hartford, I was thinking about my audience. I wanted to bring Hartford alive for people who have never been here. Most places have a distinct smell or sound and I wanted to express that in my poem. I also wanted to focus on the variety of cultures that we have here in Hartford.

When it came time to print my poem, I chose old-fashioned colors that you might see in an old map or manuscript. I am very attracted to things that are old or old-fashioned looking and I wanted bring that to this work. However, my drawings are really abstract and sort of modern. I liked the idea of combining the old with the new. I wanted to illustrate my words but not draw anything specifically representational. My poem mentions many senses, so the drawings are interpretations of those ideas.

Bushnell by María

When I was younger, I remember asking my mom to take me to the carousel. I would get to the park and run towards the carousel to get in line. As I waited, I watched the carousel go in circles until it was my turn.

Getting older, I found myself neglecting the carousel and park, but every now and again, I think of all the good times I had at Bushnell Park’s Carousel.

These memories inspired me to create a piece that incorporated the ride, the park, and the sense of home they once gave me.

Late Arrival! by Michelle

The reason why I decided to create something about Union Station is because ever since I was young, I have wanted to travel to different places around the world. When I think about traveling or departing, Union Station is the first thing that comes to mind because I have lived in Hartford nearly my entire life.

It took me a while to finish my piece because there were a lot of lines and details, but my work was made easier because I had help from my co-workers. :) Printing wasn’t that hard, but when I finished I realized that my clock was upside down. This mistake lead me to come up with the title Late Arrival!

I like the idea that when you think about time, or life in general, it is not something you are in control of. You can’t rewind time so why not live life to the fullest? Why not travel across the globe, socialize, have fun, laugh, and love? Have no regrets because each day is a gift and once it’s given, you never get it back.

Greetings From Hartford by Trinh

I have always been very impressed with black and white pictures and photographs. I enjoy looking at them because they are pleasing to my eyes and simply the classic of all classics. This is the reason why I steered toward such a simplistic color scheme in this project.

I started this project by sketching my hand as though it was in the middle of doing a drawing. I liked the idea of drawing a picture inside of a picture. I therefore decided to further develop this idea. I used perspective drawing to create buildings inside of what is supposed to be a postcard. Then, I later carved away the hand and the details within the postcard. This left an abundant amount of white space. The result is an extreme black contrasting with a stark white. It creates an intense but classic look. I am thrilled with the result and cannot wait for another project to come along.

Home Is Where ♥ford Is

Home Is Where ♥ford Is

An exhibition of art by the students of Hartford Prints!

La Paloma Sabanera Coffee House

405 Capitol Avenue

Hartford, CT 06106

March 15 to April 15, 2010

Opening Reception: Thursday March 18th

from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m.

The students of Hartford Prints! were asked to think about what it means to live in Hartford. They have created nine lovely prints that showcase the city in a positive way. The art will be up on the walls from March 15th to April 15th, but please come join us for the opening on Thursday March 18th!

You can also view the event at Facebook by clicking here: Home Is Where ♥ford Is

All of the students worked hard to get these invitations printed! Special

thanks is given to Andrés for carving the background design,

Brian for carving the logo, Danny for setting the type on the front, and

María for setting the type on the back.

Press Release

"Home Is Where Hartford Is,"
An art exhibition of work by the students of Hartford Prints!
To be Held at La Paloma Sabanera Coffeehouse

The students at Hartford Prints!, a letterpress studio that employs Hartford Public High School students, are presenting their art works in a special exhibit called “Home Is Where Hartford Is.” The exhibit will take place at La Paloma Sabanera Coffee House from March 15 - April 15, 2010. La Paloma is located at 405 Capitol Avenue, Hartford. A reception will be held on Thursday, March 18, 2010 from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. The public is invited to the reception and art will be for sale.

For this exhibit, the students were asked to create a visual representation of their view of or experience in Hartford, keeping in mind the theme of Hartford as home, in both a personal and universal perspective. The resulting images range from interpretations of the skyline of the city, to the Bushnell Park carousel, to a Calder sculpture. One student wrote a poem about walking the streets and another wished to share his experience of seeing the city via public transportation.

Hartford Prints! is the creation of Adrienne Gale and is made possible by the Hartford Arts & Heritage Jobs Grant Program, Eddie A. Perez, Mayor. Adrienne Gale is a third-generation Hartford resident and graduate of Hartford Public High School. In a recent interview for a video that is being made about the studio, Adrienne said, “Hartford Prints! is a love of Hartford from me and my students and it is an attempt to give back to the people of Hartford, the residents and the visitors.” Nine students from Hartford Public High are employed by Hartford Prints! which creates pro-Hartford printed matter and ephemera. While supported by the grant, the goal of Hartford Prints! is to donate the art to other area businesses.

La Paloma Sabanera Coffee House is hosting the art exhibit. Virginia Iacobucci, the owner of La Paloma, stated, “We are committed to supporting the arts in Hartford and this was a wonderful opportunity to showcase young talent. It also celebrates Hartford and its many wonderful characteristics. We are thrilled to work with Hartford Prints!”

♥ford

This wonderful logo was designed by my sister, the talented and amazing Aurelia Gale. For many years now, this is how our mother has been writing her return address on letters. A couple of years ago, Rory created this design for her and had it made into a rubber stamp. I have always loved the play on Hartford/Heartford.

Hartford Prints! is in the news!

Yesterday I went to an informational meeting at the Charter Oak Cultural Center to learn about the next round of grants. Mara Lee, a writer from the Hartford Courant, approached me to learn my story. She liked the project so much she sent a photographer to the studio that afternoon. We are mentioned in the article about stimulus money for artists. Click here to view the story on courant.com

Open Studio & Holiday Sale - day two!

The second day of our open studio was a smashing success. One of the principals from HPHS stopped by (thanks Ms. Ryan!) and we had visitors from MA, NY, and LA!

Visit our facebook page to see more photos!

Open Studio & Holiday Sale

On Saturday December 5th we had our first open studio at Hartford Prints!

It was great to have people come into the studio to see the work, learn about letterpress, and try printing on the press. Please visit our facebook page to see more photos and RSVP to the event.

We are having another open studio this Saturday, December 12th. Come visit!

February by Zanaisja

March by Andrés

April by India

May by Michelle

June by Brian

July by Ashley

August by Trinh

September by Liz

October by Maria

December by Danny

Open Studio & Holiday Sale

Been wondering, "Just what is letterpress printing?" Well, the HPHS students of Hartford Prints! and I invite you to an open studio and holiday sale December 5th at our studio. Come see what we have been doing since October, try printing for yourself, and maybe buy something! There will be snacks! And an excessive use of exclamation points! If you can't make it this weekend, we will be having another open studio on December 12th!

Andrés Felix

Andrés is getting ready to print his image on the press. He spent a lot of time carving out little squares to create a checkerboard pattern!

Ashley Hunt

Ashley is looking through different sorts and cuts of type for inspiration. She wanted to find something that would compliment her image for the month of July in the calendar project.

Brian Austin

Brian is cleaning the ink off the press. Note the apron, gloves, and rolled up sleeves - all key in keeping clean!

Danny Tobias

Danny is applying double sided tape to the back of his linoleum. This will help keep the linoleum in place for printing.

India Harrison

India, posing here with Brian, shows off the geraniums she carved for the calendar. She was inspired by the geraniums we have in the studio windows.

Lizuannette Arroyo

Liz, on the right, with Trinh. They are holding the end result of all their typesetting. A lot of little letters and a lot of patience!

Maria Galán

Maria is getting ready to run a proof of her tree image for the calendar. She did a great job of carving it and the end result is lovely.

Michelle Sturges

Michelle is working on printing images of balloons for a birthday card she designed. As can be seen with her shirt, Michelle loves bright colors!

Trin Tran

Trinh, on the right, is setting type for the Open Studio & Holiday Sale invitations. Trinh and Liz did a great job setting the names of all the students.

Zanaisja Williams

Zanaisja is working on a postcard with an image of a butterfly which she carved in linoleum. Zanaisja likes butterflies because to her they represent the true form of a person and new beginnings.

Current happenings at Hartford Prints!

The students of Hartford Prints! are currently working on two major projects: a 2010 Calendar and a set of greeting cards that are inspired by the streets on which they live.

Ashley :D

Hi, my name is Ashley! I'm a senior in the Law & Government Academy at Hartford Public High School. I am very excited about working at Hartford Prints! because it's an exciting new experience that I'm looking forward to being involved in. I'm hoping to attend the University of Hartford or Central Connecticut State University after I graduate high school to major in Music Education. Yay!

Brian Austin

Hey, what's up? I am a high school senior getting ready for the big change of going to college. I am hoping to attend UConn or Central next year. This job is awesome and a great experience for my first job. Right now I am working on my part of the 2010 calendar that we are making. I can't wait until we are done because the calendar is going to be great! I am working on the month of June, which is great because my birthday is in June.

Lizuannette Arroyo

Hey. My name is Lizuannette, but you can call me Liz. I am seventeen years old and I am attending Hartford Public High School in the Law & Government Academy. Hartford Prints! is awesome. We get to print text on the press and one of my favorite things is the color of the ink when it is on the rollers of the press. I get to express myself in the art that we make and the words that we write. It is great that we get to learn this old fashioned art.

Andres Felix a.k.a JUNIE

Hello my name is Andrés Felix. I got this job through my school, Hartford High. I am in the Law and Goverment Academy. I'm a senior, the best class ever 2010! I'm so thrilled to have this job- we are making old style press printing by HAND. I think this is the best experience you could have because its an unusual job, not every one knows about it. So spread the word.

from creator Adrienne Gale

I am honored to be one of the recipients of a Hartford Arts & Heritage Jobs grant.

My proposed project, Hartford Prints!, will be a letterpress and book binding studio. Over half of my budget will go towards hiring ten students from my alma mater, Hartford Public High School (the second oldest high school in the country), who will learn from and work with me in the studio. The intention is to create ephemera such as blank books, greeting cards, buttons, prints, and more that all promote the city of Hartford. These items will then be donated to Hartford area institutions such as the Mark Twain House, the Wadsworth Atheneum, the Old State House, and coffee houses, etc. It is hoped that these institutions will be able to sell our work with a 100% profit for themselves. There will also be open studio events, workshops, and exhibitions to educate the public about Hartford Prints! and further Hartford pride.

You can learn more about the grant and the other recipients here

Hartford Arts & Job Grant Recipients