Important Information Regarding the Annual Meeting, the Board of Directors, and Bylaws of Honolulu Printmakers (and an announcement of my departure)

Aloha All,

I have a few bits of information share with the Honolulu Printmakers community, please read carefully.

As previously communicated, on Sunday, April 10, at 4 pm, Honolulu Printmakers will have its annual member’s meeting. At this meeting members will have an opportunity to vote on a new proposed slate of officers and directors for 2022-2023, and to thank your outgoing board members. The membership also needs to approve some proposed changes to our bylaws. In addition, the treasurer and executive director will present their annual reports. This will be a virtual meeting, with zoom link and informational packet to come at a later date.

Please read on for details and information on how to vote.

- dd

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PROPOSED SLATE 2022-2023

PRESIDENT - Denise Karabinus
VICE PRESIDENT - Marcia Morse
SECRETARY - Marcia Pasqua
TREASURER - Paul Weissman

DIRECTORS - Jeffrey Davis, Mary Hattori, Vince Hazen, Lizzy Lowrey, Dieter Runge, Helena Noordhoff, Nanea Lum, Shirley Lam

*(individuals new to the board of directors are indicated in bold)

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Proposed amendments to the bylaws of Honolulu Printmakers

The proposed changes to the bylaws can be reviewed here (in red type); and compared to the existing version here. Please get in touch if you have questions about these changes.

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How to Vote

Voting is now open via the following link.

Only current members in good standing may vote. Please get in touch if you are unsure of the status of your membership; this might be a good time to renew… Voting will conclude at noon on April 10, 2022.

How to Attend the Annual Meeting

You must complete the voting form linked to above, and opt in to receive the zoom link and packet for this meeting.

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A Message from the Executive Director

me, caught in a moment of executive directoring

I want to inform the community that I have recently made the difficult decision to leave my position of executive director here at Honolulu Printmakers.

However bittersweet it is for me to leave, I feel strongly that my work with HP has concluded, that it’s time for me to move on to other projects and endeavors, and frankly, to make room for another vision. It’s been an honor and a pleasure to serve this venerable organization since 2013, and I’m proud of the work I’ve done in that time, culminating with the establishment of our new studio on Bethel Street. I feel confident that the organization is well positioned to thrive going forward under new leadership. We are securely ensconced in the new studio, and in spite of the tumult of the last 2 years we are on a solid financial footing and poised for growth.

In terms of who will be replacing me, you should look forward to an announcement from the board of directors on a search process and the way forward. I will continue in my position until the end of May, and during that time, in addition to tying up loose ends, I will be working with the board in any way that I can to facilitate this transition. And of course, I’ll still be around beyond that date, helping out and participating as I can; after all, I am a printmaker here in Honolulu, and Honolulu Printmakers is my community.

Regards,

Duncan

Honolulu Printmakers - News and Updates 10/4/21

The 2021 Annual Exhibition continues…

There are two more weeks to experience our 2021 Annual Juried Exhibition — 78 diverse print works by 44 artists from around the state of Hawaii. The exhibit is split between two venues: our studio on Bethel Street, which is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11-3; and Art & Letters Nuuanu, open 11-5 on the same days. Drop-ins are welcome in both locations but you can also make a reservation specifically for our studio if you’re coming with a group and want to make sure we can accommodate you in our small space (5 maximum). Vaccination is required for entry, so bring your card, or better yet use the state’s SMART Health Card. Please help spread the word!

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2021 Gift Print

There are still a few prints available from the 2021 Gift Print edition by Kamran Samimi, you can purchase one here. The Gift Print project, running continuously since 1933, is an important piece of our mission of promoting the culture of printmaking in Hawaii. It’s also a fundraiser, and great way for our members and collectors to show support for that mission while getting great art at a very good price. It was a pleasure to work with Kamran, who I’ve known for a long time, starting as a student at UH Manoa, and who I admire as an astute and focused artist with a singular vision. I recently sat in conversation with him and recorded this video, where he explains some of the inspiration behind his print Resilience.

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Save the Date…

• Honolulu Printmakers Open Studio will re-open on a limited basis on Tuesday, October 19. Stay tuned for info on hours, fees, and how to make reservations.

• Honolulu Printmakers 2021 Print & Book Fair, December 3 & 4, dates and venue TBA.

2021 Gift Print Artist Kamran Samimi

Every year since 1933, the Honolulu Printmakers has commissioned a local printmaker to produce an edition of prints that the organization makes available to its members and the public to raise funds for its activities. The Gift Print Artist for 2021 is Kamran Samimi.

Kamran grew up in rural Laupāhoehoe on Hawaiʻi Island, drawing inspiration from a range of sources and cultures. Building upon his experiences living in a world which is so dramatically changing, his multi-disciplinary art practice draws upon both the physical and intangible aspects of nature, seeing their capacity for insight on concepts of space, time, change, and resilience. In so viewing his work, one may discover new ways to see their environment, themselves, and the interconnectedness of humankind and nature.

This year the Gift Print was produced in a limited edition of 50 impressions. Kamran produced his image by printing directly from a slab of manipulated basalt stone, utilizing a personally resonant material that has become one of the signatures of his oeuvre. Profits from sales of the Gift Print go directly to support the work of the Honolulu Printmakers as we establish our new studio during these challenging times. The print is pre-sold sight-unseen until the opening of our annual exhibition, after which the price increases. The first and second impressions are retained for archival purposes. Gift Prints will be available for pick up after the start of our Annual Exhibition on September 17, 2021.

Pre-sale member price: $75 (HP MEMBERS: GET IN TOUCH VIA EMAIL FOR THE DISCOUNT CODE)

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE

Pre-sale nonmember price: $100

Price for all after September 17, 2021: $125

*** For local pick up select the “HOLD FOR IN PERSON PICK UP” shipping option when checking out; otherwise select the “2021 GIFT PRINT SHIPPING & HANDLING“ option. ***

CALL FOR ARTISTS!!!

Hi All, hope everyone is staying healthy, happy and productive.

It’s been awhile and I have much to update you on but I want to limit this communication to the matter at hand — our 2021 Annual Juried Exhibition. Yes, it’s happening, and yes, it is coming up quick, and yes, this is short notice…

There is a lot going on, things are unpredictable, and getting the new studio open has frankly been an enormous challenge. But we feel it’s important to forge ahead and have this exhibition in 2021 regardless, in whatever form it may take, and whatever limits we may face in the near future. I strongly encourage the print artists amongst you to enter. If you have any questions or concerns please contact me directly, and please help spread the word. Any work you’ve made in the past 3 years is eligible, and the process is easy (details below) — we’ve even waived the requirement for framed work this year, if that helps…

I will have more news shortly about the imminent opening of our studio as well as other developments and goings-on.

Please stay healthy and stay printmaking!

- Duncan

 Honolulu Printmakers 2021 Annual Juried Exhibition

CALL FOR ARTISTS!

Honolulu Printmakers invites all members and nonmembers working in the state of Hawai'i to participate in our 93rd Annual Exhibition by submitting up to 5 entries for jurying. This exhibition will present a carefully juried selection of the best print work from artists around the state of Hawaii working in traditional printmaking media as well as contemporary forms and hybrids. Allison Wong will be the juror, and the exhibition will run from September 17 - October 17, 2021, at the new Honolulu Printmakers Studio and at Arts & Letters Nuuanu. Entry day is September 1, 2021. Work will be juried in person for Oahu based artists, and via file upload for Neighbor Island artists.

JUROR

Allison Wong, former Deputy Director, Honolulu Museum of Art

MEDIA POLICY AND EXHIBITION STANDARDS

This exhibition seeks print works in all printmaking media, including lithographs, screenprints, relief prints, intaglio, monoprints, letterpress, artists books, digital prints and print-based installations.  Work may be traditionally framed, or presented in an alternative, unframed way; if the later, you must provide a written installation plan and any required hardware or apparatus for installation. We encourage experimentation and the generation of a dialogue about what printmaking is or can be.  The Honolulu Printmakers reserves the right to exclude work deemed not to meet these criteria. Work must have been created within the last three years and may not have been previously shown in a juried exhibition on Oahu.

JURYING AND NOTIFICATION

Unlike the previous few years, jurying will be conducted in person, with the actual work presented in front of the juror. Work submitted for jurying should be 100% complete at the time of submission. Work can be submitted framed or unframed, but it should be submitted just as it will be installed. In the case of unframed work, a clearly written installation plan, including details on hardware, should be included. Neighbor island artists will upload images of their work for the juror to consider. Work should be accurately and truthfully represented; do not submit digitally re-touched images or simulated drafts of projected work. Honolulu Printmakers and the juror reserve the right to exclude delivered work that deviates from how it was presented at the time of jurying.

Delivery for jurying: Wednesday, September 1st, 3-6 PM, 1142 Bethel Street, Honolulu, HI 96813 (PLEASE NOTE: WE WILL ONLY ACCEPT IN-PERSON DELIVERY OF WORK FROM VACCINATED INDIVIDUALS. SEE OUR COVID19 SAFETY PROTOCOLS FOR MORE INFORMATION).

*Neighbor islands: upload files for jurying by September 1 (details below).

Notification: Friday, September 3rd, at honoluluprintmakers.org/2021-annual-juried-exhibition

Pickup of unaccepted work: Saturday, September 4th, noon - 5 pm

Accepted work will be stored at Honolulu Printmakers until installation during the week of September 13.

ENTRY FEES

$40 for the 1st entry; +$5 for each additional, up to 5 entries. Members and students receive 25% discount on entry; please get in touch to get a discount code before you register and pay.

PAYMENT AND REGISTRATION FORMS

Payment and registration must be completed on this website. Go HERE to pay and register before your deliver your work. Select the item that corresponds with the number of entries you are submitting. Please be accurate, and be sure about your entries before you pay. Because refunds cost us money, we cannot allow changes after you have paid. At the time of payment, you will complete the necessary registration form. When you deliver (or ship) your work, please attach a label to the back of each piece with your name and the title.

AWARDS

Cash and merchandise awards will be selected and presented by the juror.
Purchase awards will be selected by the individual buyers.

EXHIBITION VENUE & DATES

Honolulu Printmakers studio and Arts & Letters Nuuanu September 17th - October 17th, 2021, hours and access TBD *

(*Dates, hours, and access to the exhibition are subject to change at any time due to the current public health crisis.)

SALES FEE

Sales of work are subject to a 40% exhibition fee. This fee supports the continuation of the Annual Exhibition, as well as other activities that further the advancement and appreciation of printmaking in Hawai’i. 

LIABILITY

While every precaution will be taken to assure proper care of the work, neither the Honolulu Printmakers nor Arts & Letters Nuuanu can assume responsibility for loss, theft, or damage to any work submitted.

INFO

duncan@honoluluprintmakers.org

PRINT DOCUMENTATION

Print documentation is optional but if you would like to provide it you can download this fillable PDF, print it out, and deliver with your work.

NEIGHBOR ISLAND ARTISTS

Follow the payment and registration process outlined above.

Upload your work via the following dropbox file request link: https://www.dropbox.com/request/WXXhJiF2y42syNk5mm3L

Please upload one folder containing 1 image of each of your entries. Name the folder with your last name. Name the files with your last name (underscore) the title. For example, Vincent Van Gogh would upload one folder called “vangogh” containing file name “vangogh_thestarrynight.jpg.” Upload criteria: JPEG only; 1200 pixels or greater on the longest side; max file size 5 MB. Uploads must be received by midnight September 1, 2021.

Accepted work must be shipped at your expense to the Honolulu Printmakers studio by Monday, September 13, 2021. All shipped work must arrive in reusable packaging suitable for return shipping. Honolulu Printmakers will cover the cost of return shipping for unsold work. Please make sure you provide a return address that will accept deliveries from Fed Ex (PO Boxes will not suffice).

Please ship accepted work in reusable packaging to:

Honolulu Printmakers
1142 Bethel Street
Honolulu, Hawai'i 96813

A New Printmaking Studio for Honolulu

Honolulu Printmakers is happy to report that we have finally located a new space in which to re-establish our community access print studio! We have leased a storefront space in the Marks Garage building in downtown Honolulu, in the heart of a rapidly-renewing historic neighborhood known for its atmosphere and creative energy. Our new address at 1142 Bethel Street is easily accessible and conveniently located near parking and mass transit, cool and well lit with a no-nonsense utilitarian feel, and is similar in size to our old studio, ensuring we will be able to continue to support a full range of printmaking activities. The space was formerly occupied by the Louis Pohl Gallery and other galleries before that, and is within a stone’s throw of arts nonprofits such as Hawaii Theatre Center, Arts@Marks Garage, and the new Downtown Arts Center, as well as creative enterprises such as Bas Bookshop and Arts & Letters Nuuanu and numerous artists, designers, architects and other creative folk. We’re really looking forward to reopening and developing collaborative relationships with the creative community in this historic arts district. Over the next couple of months we will be performing light renovations, moving in our equipment, setting up operations, and getting to know the neighbors. Please stay tuned for updates as this progresses and as we prepare to reopen in late spring. Thank you for your patience and for believing in Honolulu Printmakers!

The space at 1142 Bethel Street as of 3/20/21

Facing the street at 1142 Bethel

The distinctive facade of Marks Garage, featuring brightly-colored aluminum “fins”; 1142 is visible at bottom center, with the windows papered over while we get set up.

Coming soon!

Letter to Members and Supporters

Dear Members and Friends of Honolulu Printmakers,

Almost 30 years ago, the Honolulu Academy of Arts invited the Honolulu Printmakers to take up residence in the newly-renovated Linekona School. Trustee Henry Clarke and then-director George Ellis saw the value of having a grassroots creative community embedded within their institution and understood how we would help open up the Museum to a more diverse population and breathe life into the nascent Academy Art Center. As a de-facto nonprofit-in-residence we did just that, contributing significant energy to that place through our open studio, exhibitions, workshops, and outreach programs. Over the last three decades tens of thousands of people have attended or been impacted by our events and operations. We’re proud of our contributions and grateful for the long-term collaboration.

You may have heard that the Honolulu Museum of Art intends to close Linekona for extensive renovations in the near future, and after multiple discussions with leadership at the Museum, it seems the best path forward for all involved is for the Honolulu Printmakers to secure a new studio space as soon as possible. We will establish a vibrant, independent, and permanent home for Honolulu Printmakers, where we can fully develop our programming and continue to fulfill our mission.

Prior to establishing the Honolulu Printmaking Workshop at the old gas station at Honolulu Community College, there was no community-access printmaking studio available to members of Honolulu Printmakers. Although there were private presses and institutional studios over the decades, the organization had for years existed as a virtual entity, supporting print culture through their exhibitions, the Gift Print project, and by hosting visiting artists in collaboration with institutions such as The Academy and UH Manoa.

(at left, the now-demolished gas station on Dillingham Blvd.; at right, the nascent HPW studio.)

As a member or friend of ours no doubt you’re aware of the good work that the Honolulu Printmakers is known for, but I’ll reiterate it here. Our mission is to promote print culture in Honolulu and throughout the state of Hawaii, with the goal of nurturing a sustainable creative community within which artists can realize their potential through print. We accomplish this through community outreach and education, a high-caliber exhibition and visiting artist program, and perhaps most importantly, our community-access printmaking studio, the only one of it’s kind in the state. 

That last bit is crucial: a physical space where the community can come together (socially-distanced these days, of course) and which supports the artistic and professional development of local artists of all ages and backgrounds. 

Honolulu Printmakers has been hammering out a vision of an expanded scope of programming and operations that puts artists first and positions printmaking as a unique and powerful tool for individual and community development and expression. To do this we need a physical space that is large and flexible enough to accommodate our technical requirements, and within which we can expand our goals for education and outreach, and grow our exhibition and visiting artist programs. We have been thinking along these lines for a couple of years, and have developed a sustainable plan for programming, which, with a little creativity, we can quickly refresh and implement in light of the current pandemic. There’s no reason why Honolulu shouldn't have a world-class, independent print center supporting the technical needs of a diverse local arts community while hosting innovative exhibitions and visiting artists from around the Pacific Rim. 

In the early nineteen-nineties, Honolulu Printmakers and the Honolulu Printmaking Workshop merged as they established the studio in the Academy Art Center at Linekona School, providing a crucial home-base for print culture to flourish. In the ensuing decades HP brought energy and life to Linekona as we nurtured a creative community centered on print.

(at left, moving presses into Linekona around 1993, for which we completed structural and electrical upgrades; at right, the crowd spilling out at the opening reception of our 2020 Annual Exhibition.)

Frankly, what we really need now is someone, or a few people, who want to help us move on to our next chapter, who want to see something truly remarkable established in this town — something community-focused, artist-run and artist-oriented, independent from existing institutions. We will soon share this news with the greater Honolulu community as well, casting a wide net for leads on a space and support. 

We have scheduled a Zoom talk story session on Saturday, August 22, at 3:00 pm, and invite all members and friends of Honolulu Printmakers to join in to ask questions and brainstorm about next steps. You are a valuable part of the organization, and we want to include you throughout this transition. Please see the invite information below. If you have specific questions or connections to share, please feel free to email beforehand so we can have a productive and positive conversation about the future of Honolulu Printmakers. 

Regards,

Duncan Dempster, Executive Director

Honolulu Printmakers Board of Directors

Hannah Craft, Jeffrey Davis, Brady Evans, Paul Anthony Galang, Vince Hazen, Leslie Hopf, Alan Levy, Elizabeth Lowrey, Marcia Pasqua, Dieter Runge, April Sham, John McCaskill, Paul Weissman, Yuhuan Zhang

Join us on Saturday, August 22, at 3:00 pm

https://zoom.us/j/2756382809?pwd=ZnhBMlBDRTRETE1Wc2c5cFFLNDFaZz09

Honolulu Printmakers Will Reopen on 7/16/20!

Honolulu Printmakers is thrilled to announce that we will be re-opening with a modified schedule on July 16, 2020! Access to our studio will be by appointment only, on Thursdays (10-6), Fridays (10-9), Saturdays (10-9), and Sundays (10-6).

In order to open safely, we have instituted a system of exclusive working zones that keep studio users physically separate, we will require mask use at all times, and we will have a regular schedule for cleaning and disinfecting commonly touched surfaces. At any given time a maximum of 4 printmakers can be working, spread across 1500 square feet of studio, separated by closed doors. All payments and transactions will be handled via our website. In the event that an open studio user gets sick, we will automatically close the studio for 2 days for cleaning and sanitizing. We are committed to keeping both our studio volunteers and our members well, and will not compromise on health and safety precautions.

Those interested in making a reservation to work in Open Studio can do so here. Please get in touch if you need any assistance with the reservation process or have questions about our new Open Studio policies or health and safety issues.

At this stage, things obviously have to be a little restricted in terms of open hours, maximum capacity, etc. Our hope is that we’ll be able to modify some of these conditions over the next several months and provide more access in support of our members’ needs. It’s a start, let’s see how it goes…

Honolulu Printmakers -- virtual community

The Honolulu Printmakers has taken its first steps towards adopting videotelephony as a means to maintain connections with our members and the larger print community. This technology — video conferencing using such platforms as Zoom, Google Meet, and others — is familiar to many but is new to some of us, including this writer, and is proving to be a critical tool for communication within and beyond our organization. Something of a pandemic cliche at this point, the videoconference nevertheless has great potential for community building for Honolulu Printmakers.

On April 25 we held our Annual Meeting via Google Meet. I’m happy to report that we actually had a record turn out, and attendees seemed genuinely grateful for even this remote connection to their community. The purpose of these annual meetings is to approve a new board of directors (see them here) as well as for the Treasurer and Executive Director to deliver their annual reports. Google Meet allowed us to get these routine business tasks accomplished, but also provided a much-needed human element and a modicum of fellowship, however mediated. By the way, if you missed the meeting, you can get in touch for a link to watch the archived video.

The current Board of Directors has adopted videoconferencing in order to continue the governance of the organization via monthly zoom meetings. The first such meeting was on May 6, and despite a few glitches, was genuinely productive. As time goes on I think this will prove to be an invaluable tool for accessibility and inclusivity, as well as productivity, as it allows board members to work more efficiently around busy schedules and stay connected while traveling or even living off-island.

Videoconferencing has also been a handy tool as we begin to develop online content for our members. I recently conducted two interviews with past jurors and visiting artists, and was able to record the discussions, then edit them and upload them to youtube (did you know we had a youtube channel?). You can watch my zoom interviews with Sonnenzimmer (Nadine Nakanishi & Nick Butcher, jurors in 2015) and Jeffrey Dell (2019) here and here; please go check them out, and hit “subscribe” to get updates on future uploads.

There’s quite a bit of interesting work being done online right now involving arts education, presentation, and organizing, with the goal of improved community engagement in these uncertain times. Would you be interested in attending printmaking discussions, demonstrations, or other programming and “events” via videoconferencing? Get in touch with your ideas, or leave them as a comment below.

Regards,

Duncan