Red Bat Press-- NEWS

7/19/07 Three Stationery sets (hand printed!) online to order: Bike Haiku, Oo La La Dancing Girl, Good Luck Dragon.

7/19/07 NEW SPECIAL - Free 2007 Calendar Card with Purchase (any online order or if you spend $10 at Last Thursdays). There's still half a year to enjoy one of these wonderful mini desk-sized calendars. If you order online, please write which one you'd like in the comment box.

7/19/07 Red Bat Press has just signed on with a west coast fine card rep Crow & Canary based out of Portland, Ore. My hope is to get my cards in more places up in Seattle and Washington State, the Rest of Oregon (I'm pretty saturated here in Portland now!) and also in California, especially L.A. Since I'm still a one-person biz, I will not be taking part in gift shows, but who knows, I'm now setting up a new printing studio in my converted garage - my production level may just go up in the new digs.

7/18/07 Find Red Bat Press cards at a couple of new venues. One is a new specialty bike shop, and the other is a well-known bookstore. Clever Cycles is a really cool unusual bike store in SE Portland specializing in Dutch bikes. One of the owners, Todd Fahrner, is also a big fan of my work so he is carrying all 10 of my bicycle themed art postcards. In fact he has pretty much the last few At Midnight, We Ride art postcards - which ended up be a limited edition run. Also the Bike Haiku Stationery is available. The store is gorgeous - lots of local mixed in with import. Suzanne of Mugwump is even making lovely cushions for the fancy Dutch bakfiet bikes!

Also I've just gotten an order for Annie Bloom's Books in SW Portland in the cute historic Multnomah Village area. So look for a selected variety of art postcards at the end of July.

7/17/07 Happy Summer! It's a been a little while since I sent an update. Unfortunately Last Thursday June was rained out, and I'm not going to be in the Summer Handmade Bazaar since my parents are in town that weekend. But if the weather permits, I WILL be out on Alberta Street for Last Thursday next week, July 26 from 5 to 9 pm (around 28th Ave in front of Bernie's if I get my usual spot). And if all goes well, I'll have the next bridge postcard I've been promising. I want you to know that the bridges are the hardest images I design - so that is why it usually takes me months, often pushing the release date before another arrives. It's a challenge making an image from an existing landmark, and making the card fit in with the others.. so I hope I come through for you next week, and if I do, there will be 8 bridges in the collection!

6/12/07 The letterpress demo at the Friend's of the Library Store had a little press. A write-up in Willamette Week under Word events (though they called it a workshop, which it was not) and also a mention in the Oregonian's A & E cheap events. Also in the picture you can see the City of Roses souvineer that was made at the event.

6/7/07 On Monday, an interview about Red Bat Press was on the "DIY Alert Blog. This site is by Diane of Church of Craft and is a fabulous resource to find out what crafty events are going on in Portland, Oregon.

6/6/07 What a weekend! On SaturdayI taught an Intro to letterpress class at the Independent Publishing Resource Center (IPRC) And on Sunday, I brought the mini kelsey press on the road again. In the morning I was the Friends' of the Libary Store (in the Central Library in downtown Portland) letting interested folks pull a "City of Roses" print and also was showing the wood-cut tools I use. Then in the afternoon I brought the press over to the Lov.li Craft fair at Rontoms on E. Burnside as part of the IPRC table. Lov.li is an online store based out of Portland for folks to set up their own online shops to sell their crafts. On Monday I took a day off from letterpress.

5/30/07 Over the Memorial day weekend I lead a bike ride (as part of my monthly Small Museums by Bike series) on the theme of book arts and fine print. Stops included the Central Library (Philip Smith exhibit & rare book ) room, the Independent Publishing Resource Center (we made our own book using simple bookbinding, and the letterpress), and the New American Art Union's "By All Means: Artist Books & Objects where artist Diane Jacobs gave us a talk about her process. See photos from the tour. {Photo: Debbie West pulls her own print from the Golding Letterpress]

If you missed this one, don't worry, I plan to organize a few more fine printing/publishing/arts bike tours in Portland this Fall.

Susan Beal of West Coast Crafty also wrote up a nice plug for the tour

5/14/07 Heres's a little update on stores. Ivy Studio - next to Jupiter Hotel closed up this month, but the good news is June 2nd they will open at a new location: 3059 NE Glisan in Portland. [5/29/2007: Note I just learned the shop will be children's only, and they will no longer sell Red Bat Press cards - oh well, it was a fabulous year with Luke & Erika, the owners of this awesome shop] Another opening is for June 7th for a new storefront for Tender Loving Empire. Mostly a Indie Rock shop - but they will be carrying some of the bridges and tattoo inspired cards. Also I'm very pleased to make my debut in the downtown Powell's City of Books. One of the associates had an idea to make the downstairs gift area all about locally hand made work - and contacted lucky old me. They will be carrying Portland Bridges and Bike Art Postcards.

5/14/07 How do I make my cards? what tools do I use? Please come to a letterpress demo on Sunday June 3 from Noon until 2 pm at the Friends' of the Library Store at the Central Library in downtown Portland (801 SW 10th). You'll get to try your own hand on the press to make a take-home "City of Roses" souvenir (To go along with June's Centennial Rose Festival). I'll also have wood-cuts and tools out so you can see how I make each design. Also the Friends' Store carries a good variety of Red Bat Press art postcards.

5/13/07 On Saturday the Art Scene gets kicking on Alberta Street for the annual Art Hop. It's like a mellower Last Thursday, and since I didn't get out on Last Thurs in April - I'll be street selling twice on NE Alberta Street in Portland during the Month of May. This Saturday the 19th from Noon - 5 pm (Parade goes by around 2:30 pm) and again on Last Thursday, May 31st from 6 - 9 pm. I'll attempt to set up on the 29th block on the sidewalk outside of Bernies. Weather permitting of course on both dates. Enjoy street specials - 4 art postcards for $10 and Stationery sets only $10. If you haven't been out on NE Alberta Street for art events, please note activity stretches (on & off) from around NE 10 until NE 30th.

4/11/07 Last Sunday the 4th Annual Bunny on a Bike ride brought smiles to both riders and Portlanders who happened to see 150 Bunnies on Bikes pass by on Easter. Check out the ride report and photos. Red Bat Press sponsors this ride that is inspired by the Bunny on a Bike Print.

4/5/07 One of my favorite designs, Explore, which original debuted as a 2005 Calendar Card Design is now an Art postcard. Now there are 10 bike-themed art postcards currently in print!

4/4/07 This Sunday it's the Bunny on a Bike Ride - the 4th edition sponsored by Red Bat Press. Please join us dressed as a bunny AND in your Sunday's best for a 2-hour loop bike ride with a mass of bunnies. Bring your friends! Also just in... the original Bunny on a Bike movie made by Greg Pitters using footage from the first Bunny on a Bike Ride is now available to watch on YouTube! Check it out here!

4/2/07 My almost 92 year old grandma will be so proud! A funky art shop, Cherie's on Beach Drive in St. Petersburg, Florida will be carrying a few of the more beachy cards starting next week. My grandma lives nearby in Dunedin, and while I've sent her plenty of my art over the years, It will be fun for her to see my art in an actual local shop. In fact I was just letting the See you later, Alligator go out of print, but when Cherie emailed me, I told her I'd bring back the card just for her since I always wanted it to go to Florida - since that is where the imagery comes from. For a time I spent a week in Florida every year to see my grandparents. Visits to Alligator Land and other swampy natural parks were always a part of visits. Cherie has also cleaned me out of Come in the Water's Fine & Blue Mermaid - both cards are also going out of print. Don't worry a new mermaid design is in the works.

3/22/07 New Art Postcards! Year of the Piggy Bank, & the Ross Island Bridge debuted at the Buckman Art Show & Sale. And an Art Postcard version of City of Bikes. While at the Buckman Sale, a woman told me that the Year of the Piggy Bank was perfect as it is Year of the Golden Pig, which only happens every 600 years. So if you know of a baby being born this year, it's the perfect card for the occasion, plus it's limited edition, only 100 printed & numbered.

3/21/07 The little Kelsey Letterpress I borrowed from the Independent Publishing Resource Center enjoyed at two weekend field trip at Crafty Wonderland (3/11) and Buckman Art Show & Sale (3/17). Visitors pulled the handle and made their own miniature 'Happy Spring' card.
Also the Egg Surprises at Crafty Wonderland were a big hit. Everyone was amazed that a little rolled print, miniature card, toy, and piece of candy all fit inside a standard colored plastic egg. Click on the photos to enlarge.

3/20/07 Red Bat Press is now settling into having a home office again - trying to work amongst a little chaos - where's that file? wood block? a pen? - Hopefully by the end of the month all will find its place. Last week, My boyfriend Matt helped move the office by bike with his trusty trailer. I had been taking loads in my little trailer all month, but several trips with the larger trailer helped get all my furniture home. If you look at the Shift to Bikes postcard, you'll see the cow "moo-ving" by bike. I wish we could say we moved the entire office by bike, but one day we happened to have a car, so did one load that way, but we COULD HAVE done it all by bike. Click on the photos to enlarge.

3/5/07 Mixtgoods is a new online handmade shop out of Portland. There's some great designs available, and very soon Bike Haiku Stationery as well!

3/5/07 On March 16 & 17 come on down to the 17th Annual Buckman Art Show & Sale at Buckman Elementary School (320 SW 16th Ave) in Portland, Oregon. This will be my 4th year selling the usual art postcards plus framed prints & stationery, and $2 Calendar Cards. I hope to debut a new Brige Postcard plus a few others as well. And this year I'll be doing a demo on Saturday Morning. Details: Friday Preview: 5 - 9 pm ($5), Saturday: 10 - 4 pm ($2, free last hour). Some of the best art at this show is kid's art! Support local schools & artists!

3/5/07 This Sunday, come to Crafty Wonderland DIY Table to make your own Egg Surprise! You'll make a miniature print that fits inside of a plastic egg with other surprises. Also, a working pint-sized letterpress will be available for you to pull a print from! Crafty Wonderland is at the Doug Fir Lounge at 830 E Burnside in Portland, Oregon on March 11th. Carye Bye will be at the DIY table from 11 am - 3 pm so do stop by and get crafty. Note Red Bat Press Merch will NOT be at this sale. And don't forget March 11 is Day Lights Savings, so don't show up too late!

3/4/07 Red Bat Press is moving! In just a week or two, the downtown 4th floor office studio at 917 SW Oak in Portland, will be emptied of all bunnies on bike ephemera, wood blocks, & drying racks. After 3 years it will be sad to go, but the good news is I'm looking for press equipment to set up a proper printing studio. Currently the arrangement is I use a community letterpress shop at the Independent Publishing Resource Center, and it's time to spread my own bat wings. So in the meantime, Red Bat Press will move to a home office in North Portland.

Ironically last month, an article came out in the Sunday Oregonian called "Life on the Wedge" about the cool indie building I work in. At the end of last year, Grant Butler the writer of the story, stopped by my studio office after a tip from Shawn Granton. And after 5 minutes was on his way. I had quite a lot of word count, despite the short meeting. Here's a slice: "Another person who takes advantage of the resource center's services is Carye Bye, whose Red Bat Press has been in the building for three years. In her bright, one-room office, she creates art notecards featuring drawings of bunnies riding bicycles that are distributed throughout the area. She also curates what she calls the world's smallest museum dedicated to bathtub art (no more than a file cabinet filled with vintage postcards and drawings showing folks getting cleaned up in the tub). Bye says she was drawn by the block's mix of independent businesses, massage therapists and political action groups, which include forest conservation groups, progressive political organizations and, interestingly, the offices of the labor union representing Powell's employees." Also a little later in the article, "From the giant windows in her fourth-floor office at the North Pacific, Bye of Red Bat Press has watched the rapid changes in the surrounding neighborhoods. A once-commanding view of the Fremont Bridge now is obscured by the Pearl's high-rise Elizabeth condos. But she doesn't see the wedge block losing its renegade spirit." Ah I'll miss you Independent Wedge. Read the full article. And I'll keep you updated on future hang-outs. And use the P.O. Box only for mailing!

2/15/07 The Fourth Annual Bunny on a Bike Ride details have been announced! This bike ride began in 2004 based on the popular wood-cut card. This year the theme is "Parade in your Sunday's Best" and we'll start and end the ride at the little known Oregon Park in NE - almost SE Portland. So if you live in or will be in Portland Oregon on Easter Sunday April 8th, start planning your costume now. As always this is a free event & we ride rain or shine.

2/14/07 Hot off the Presses! The Spring 2007 of Adorn is now out, with a great article about Portland by Susan Beal. Susan's such a sweetheart and gave Red Bat Press a little plug - "..Right next door is Reading Frenzy, which offers a great selection of 'zines and books from independent presses, along with cool stationery and woodcut art postcards from Red Bat Press." Adorn is in it's 2nd year, and it's a cute 7 1/2 x 9 in glossy mag with the byline: The Crafty Girl's guide to embellishing life.

2/05/07 This Sunday, February 11, from 11 am to 4 pm the local Portland craft art sales start up again with Crafty Wonderland at the Doug Fir (830 E Burnside). I'll be there with 40 other cool artists & crafters with my Valentines & Stationery. Do stop by!

2/05/07 The last few days have been spent changing & adding content to the website. You'll notice there is a now a Red Bat Press Museum where retired and sold out items will now live. Also I've added a new Stationery & Custom Category to the Shop. So far, there is just one stationery set, and the custom page is not up yet. There will be more to come about custom stationery & calling cards. Also in the Shop under theme, there is a new category to browse - Animal Kingdom. And under Calendar Cards - I've now posted all the past year calendar cards for you to have a look at. When you browse in the shop and click on a design, you'll now notice all related designs will show up in a clickable menu to the right. The last two changes made are you can now buy sets of 6 Bridge postcards for $12 in the paypal shop. And blank bird cards are available only as singles for $3.

2/04/07 SALE SALE SALE. 2007 Calendar Cards are now only $3! The remaining few floating around are marked down from $8. I know you still want one by your desk or in your kitchen. Get one for yourself. Four designs!

2/02/07 I'm very pleased to present to you LAB Magazine curated & designed by Joseph Robertson & Co. He interviewed and solicited a variety of photographers, artists, writers, DIY businesses, & other creative folk and put together this gorgeous mostly online publication. Pages 52 to 55 of Issue .5 are devoted to Red Bat Press, with an interview, a few printed postcards, and a picture of me posing in my new furry black hat. You can print the whole publication on demand, but if you live in Portland there is a copy for browsing at Half & Half Cafe (923 SW Oak St.)

2/01/07 This is one news item that didn't make the news for last year, as I was surprised to find Red Bat Press, 1 of two local card designers to be featured in the Sustainable Life section of the Portland Tribune 12/12/2006. Read the whole article.

1/11/07 Happy New Year everyone! I'm a little behind in adding some news, that isn't so news worthy anymore, but it will have to wait, as I'm going on long train trip this very afternoon. One of my stops will be in San Francisco where the name, Red Bat Press comes from. When I lived there in the late late 90's I discovered a store with 100s of boxes of Red Bat kites they were trying to get rid of for $1.50. I bought many but gave all away except for my mascot kite which hangs above my desk as I type. Now everytime I go to Chinatown in San Francisco I like to hunt down red bats - it's not so easy since mostly red bat imagery is found on older things - Americans prefer pretty pheasants & colorful dragons, so less bat-themed things are being made. As you can see for the actual Red Bat Press symbol, I flipped the wings upside down since the span was too long!