Hi everyone!

Well summer is officially over…back to work hahah! It’s okay since fall is my favorite time of the year. Yaaay leaves on the ground and wind and no more warm muggy air. It never lasts long in Chicago but it really really should!

Anyway, I have some super exciting news! I applied for the Artist in Residence program at Spudnik Press and recently heard the news that I got it! So, I will be the Artist in Residence this coming Fall, from September through the end of November. Hooooraayy!!!

Here is a short segment from my proposal:

Heinrich Hoffmann’s ‘Der Struwwelpeter’, first published in German in 1844, contains ten cautionary tales for children, each one with a clear moral and overly exaggerated consequences for misbehavior. Since its first publishing, the book has retained a cult following, similar to Grimm’s tales.

For the residency, my project is to create a series of editioned, screen printed books illustrating this story. These old tales embody the whimsical, dark sensibilities that I closely identify with. Their morbid but playful nature lends itself freely to my line-work and interests in folklore and the surreal. This project is not intended to be a book for children; the drawings will emphasize the grotesque aspects of these tales, and will be for an adult reader.

(old cover to the book, 1845)

Basically, I will be illustrating all ten stories – most are pretty morbid and weird, such as the one about a girl playing with matches and consequently setting herself on fire, or a boy getting his thumbs cut off after sucking on them, things like this. Then I’m screen printing everything and putting it all together in a hardbound book.

As it stands, the book will be about 50-60 pages long with 20+ illustrations, screen printed by hand and hand-bound. I’m hoping to make about 50 books. So I will be completely absent from all social engagements mega busy over the next 3 months!! Art is fun, ja?

I’ve been planning and sketching out some things during the last few days, hopefully I can post some process soon. I plan on posting small previews of the book as it develops over the coming months, so keep checking back!

Lastly, thank you so much everyone at Spudnik Press for this opportunity! I feel incredibly grateful to the extraordinary community of printmakers, artists, teachers and volunteers at Spudnik. I am looking forward to being around all that wonderful creative energy and enthusiasm during the residency period.
And I am super excited to get started! :)

sanya