Ink, paper & the art of Bisbee
Hands-on guides to printmaking and book arts, honest advice on collecting original prints, and notes from the galleries and studios of Arizona's copper-mining town turned art town.
Since 2009 this address has belonged to the print studio, the paper dress, the open call and the second-Saturday art walk. The journal keeps those threads going.
We write about how prints are made, how to tell an original from a reproduction, how to hang what you buy and where to see art in Bisbee. Everything here is written for working artists and curious collectors alike.
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Relief blocksFour ways to make a mark
Start with the technique that suits your space and tools. Each guide covers materials, process and troubleshooting.
01Relief
Linocut and woodcut: carve away what you don't want to print.
02Collagraph
Build a plate from texture, then print it like an etching.
03Monotype
Paint on a plate, pull one unique print, then a ghost.
04Book arts
Fold, stitch and bind prints into objects you can hold.
Most-read guides
Our most-read guides on printing, collecting and displaying work on paper.
How to Print a Linoleum Block
A step-by-step guide to printing a linocut: inking with a brayer, registering paper, burnishing by hand or pulling on a proof press, plus fixes for common problems.
The Dos and Don'ts of Collecting Artists' Prints
How to buy original prints with confidence: what edition numbers mean, original prints vs. reproductions, how to check paper and signatures, and how to care for prints at home.
How to Hang Art at the Right Height
Hang art like a gallery: the 57-inch center rule, how to measure for the nail, spacing for gallery walls and art above sofas, plus an interactive hanging-height calculator.
Copper built the town. Artists kept it alive.
Main Street, Bisbee · 1940
Old BisbeeA mining camp that became an art town
Tucked into the Mule Mountains near the Mexican border, Bisbee grew rich on copper and turquoise, then reinvented itself as a haven for artists after the mines closed. Today its steep streets are lined with galleries, studios and a monthly evening art walk.
Our guide covers the neighborhoods, the art walk, community art spaces and how to plan a visit.
Read the Bisbee art guide →Latest writing
How to Hang Art at the Right Height
Hang art like a gallery: the 57-inch center rule, how to measure for the nail, spacing for gallery walls and art above sofas, plus an interactive hanging-height calculator.
Life Is a Process, as Is Art
Simplify, purge, transition: a practical framework for artists juggling family, teaching and a studio, and for making room to build a real body of work.
Mail Art: How to Start a Mail Art Exchange
A practical guide to mail art: what it is, how to run an open call or swap, postal rules for decorated envelopes and postcards, and how to exhibit the work you receive.
Wall Musings: The Eight-Hour Wall Drawing
Why make a drawing directly on a gallery wall in a single day? Notes on wall drawing as performance, materials that work on drywall, and how to plan a durational drawing.
Stitches and Folds: Sewing on Paper
How to sew on paper by machine and by hand: choosing paper and thread, stitch length, folding paper garments and dress forms, and ideas for sketchbook projects.
Anniversary Art Gifts by Year
Traditional anniversary materials as art prompts: paper prints and books for the first year, cotton for the second, leather for the third, and handmade gift ideas for each.
Have a story, a show or a print to share?
We feature printmakers, book artists and Bisbee happenings, and we run occasional mail-art exchanges. Drop us a line.
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