Chicago Printmakers Collaborative Presents POSTCARDS OF PERSISTENCE, 3/5
By: Christina Mancuso Feb. 17, 2017
The Chicago Printmakers Collaborative (CPC), the city's longest running independent print shop (since 1989), and DailyActivists, a progressive action smartphone app and website, will present POSTCARDS OF PERSISTENCE, a project featuring CPC artists creating and sharing a variety of postcard and poster designs for the community to use to contact legislators, hoping to mail at least a million postcards from around the country on March 15, to The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW,?Washington, DC 20500. Please bring the supplies and snacks listed below.
Not only will participants create marketing materials to support their activism, they'll also get to learn about basic screen printing in person for free. Since the 2016 election, CPC has hosted two similar events where artists interfaced with the community to create protest collateral, donating designs, ink and other materials.
This event will focus on the creation of postcards for #TheIdesOfTrump to be mailed on March 15, although this campaign and all participants' missions are non-violent and free speech-focused, as well as for any activists' other postcard campaigns (postcards have been recommended over letters for mailed communications, which, as sealed items, can be held up in security screenings).
CPC will set up screens with artists' #resist and #shepersisted-inspired designs, then print a single dark color onto light colored card stock or poster paper. The organizers suggest that all cards should contain #TheIdesOfTrump, #TheIdes and/or #PostcardParty, and senders should take finished card photos to share on social media.
The CPC/DailyActivists 3/5 event is part of the national Print/Organize/Protest (POP - www.printorganizeprotest.org) event that currently includes New York, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Columbus, Charlotte, Berkeley and Santa Cruz. #POP #printorganizeprotest #printorganizeprotestCHICAGO
WHEN: Sunday, March 5, 2017, 12 noon - 2 p.m.
Due to CPC's generosity, the event is FREE; however, donations are encouraged to defray CPC costs. Any extra donations will go to the ACLU.
WHERE: Chicago Printmakers Collaborative, 4912 N. Western Ave., Chicago, IL 60625
www.chicagoprintmakers.com, 773-293-7070
BRING: * CARD STOCK (thick paper) 8.5 x 11" sheets on which to print resistance designs
* PINK STOCK is not required, but suggested since this protest emulates a termination "pink slip," plus it supports the pink pussy hat theme of international Women's Marches
* LARGE CARD STOCK 16x20 thick paper for posters
* PINK MARKERS OR CRAYONS to add pink to the cards (as well as any other colors)
* SNACKS are not required, but a welcome addition to any protest party!
MAILING: USPS postcard spex: http://pe.usps.com/BusinessMail101?ViewName=Cards
Postcard stamps (not included at this event) are $.34 ($.49 or "Forever" letter stamps can be used as well). Return addresses are not required or recommended.
INFO: For more information about the national postcard campaign, visit:
https://twitter.com/TheIdesOfTrump @TheIdesOfTrump #PostcardProtest
www.facebook.com/The-Ides-Of-Trump-Postcard-Campaign-1334144579986566/
WHY: CPC Founder/Director Deborah Maris Lader said, "CPC has ALWAYS been a SAFE SPACE for all people, ages, genders, religions, races and backgrounds. Along with our DailyActivists partners, we invite people to our shop to celebrate DIVERSITY and COMMUNITY.
Historically, printmaking has been a DEMOCRATIC medium, a way to get the word out, and a celebration of FREE SPEECH. CPC, in solidarity with other print shops around the country, is opening its doors in the name of INCLUSION. So many feel frustrated, disappointed and afraid, and are looking for tangible political catharsis to voice their fears, and to unify through THE ACT OF MAKING.
CPC artists have created a variety of images that can be screen printed, focusing this event on card stock in regular or large form (see "Bring" above) for postcard writing and other initiatives. We'll provide the inks and screens and other material, just keep in mind we're not able to switch out ink colors once we've started. We're looking forward to having you join us for this gathering!"
DailyActivists Communication Coordinator Karin McKie said, "Our smartphone app and website are pleased to bring our digital activism to the proud tradition of print protests. We're also honored to showcase the prodigious talents of Chicagoland artists in making our voices heard during this time when our democracy is threatened. We hope our passionate community will join us for this boots-on-the-ground and anger-into-action celebration of free speech and advocacy. No matter the obstacles, we persist."
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