Cafe Royal 'Rubber Stamps' by Stephen Fowler

My Rubber Stamps book for Cafe Royal came out in the Summer. I'm over the moon with it.
Thanks to Craig Atkinson, the fantastic publisher and photographer.

Rubber Stamps
11cm x 8cm x 1.5cm
Hand made tray with lift off lid, both 1500 micron card.
Coated with Amethyst Wibalin Buckram
Foil blocked in flat black

edition of 50

Contents:
32pp zine, b/w digital
a selection of hand made prints and badges

each box contains different prints and badges. Some contain more of one and fewer of the other. Max two badges, min one badge.

The stamp impressions are all from the Minnesota Centre for Book Arts Scott Helmes and Picasso Gaglione Stamp Archive.

You can buy the book here.

The S.Helmes & W.Gaglione Stamp Archive is one of the largest repositories of rubber stamps and stamp-related materials in the world. Comprised of hundreds of commercial and one-of-a-kind boxed sets and over 70,000 individual stamps spanning a period of 120 years, the H/G Archive is both comprehensive and incredibly diverse. In addition to physical stamps, the collection includes original stamp art, artists’ books, limited-edition publications, journals, catalogs, reference materials, correspondence art, assemblings, design specifications, posters, and production materials.

Unusual Finds from the H/G Rubber Stamp Archive, Minnesota Centre for Book Arts.

In amongst the treasure troves, I found these curiosities. 

1. A Rubber Stamp traveling salesman's suit case. 

2. French School Stamps. 

3. A Spam Rubber Stamp

4. Wheel Stamps and Cube Stamps 

Inside the boxes from the H/G Rubber Stamp Archive, Minnesota Centre for Book Arts.

Over the length of the 4 week residency I gradually opened all the boxes in the archive. Each held a treasure trove of rubber stamp surprises.

Rubber Stamp Artist in Residence at MCBA Minnesota Centre for Book Arts July 2017

The Minnesota Centre for Book Arts has recently acquired the rubber stamp archive of two leading lights from the history of rubber stamp art; Scott Helmes and William “Picasso” Gaglione.

SCOTT HELMES  

Scott Helmes is a visual poet who began collecting rubber stamp sets in 1974. His poetry stretches the limits of language, explores the multifaceted concepts of meaning, and encompasses all manners of reading. His work also investigates typographic concepts, printing methods, and alternative letter forms within the modern meaning of communication. Helmes’ poetry is realized through a variety of techniques and materials such as rubber stamps, stencils, and collage. He has exhibited internationally and his work is in the collections of some of the world’s leading institutions, including Minneapolis’ Walker Art Center, New York’s Museum of Modern Art, London’s Victoria & Albert Museum, Paris’ Bibliotheque Nationale de France, and Frankfurt’s Museum für Kunsthandwerk.

WILLIAM “PICASSO” GAGLIONE

An avid collector of all things, William “Picasso” Gaglione was the original owner of Stamp Francisco and has been involved with rubber stamp art and rubber stamp manufacturing for decades. He is currently the co-proprietor of Chicago's Stampland. His artistic influence on the world of rubber stamping has been documented extensively through numerous international exhibitions and publications. As a publisher, he has produced multiple boxed exhibition catalogs and assembling periodicals such as Stampzine. Gaglione has created many aliases and identifications during his long career as a conceptual artist (Picasso, Dadaland, etc.) and he continues to prolifically create and perform as a neo-Dadist, Fluxus practitioner, and correspondence artist.

Jeff Rathermel, the fantastic curator of MCBA, invited me to be the archive's first rubber stamp artist in residence. 

The large archive, (amounting to 70,000 stamps, and stamp related material) was in the process of being documented and catalogue whilst i was there. I was very kindly given access to the rubber stamp archive room.

Behind the Scenes of the Passport Office, Arnolfini, Bristol.

My niece and I had such a great time running our Passport Office at the Bristol Artist Book Event.
Here are a few photographs from the day. All photographs by Tom Sowden.

The passport office was based on Lucy from Peanuts, psychiatrist booth. 

























At the end of the weekend we both collected stamps in our passports from all the participating exhibitors/stall holders/publishers.

See you next time !