SFCB ROADWORKS '09

One of the most fun activities in San Francisco every September is volunteering at the San Francisco Center for the Book's Roadworks event. Whether you are working "inky hands," helping in the children's area, lifting the 3x3-foot prints off the ground after they are printed, driving the Steamroller or just participating in this free event, you feel part of something pretty unique.

A detail of Rik Olson's large linoleum plate before printing.

This year I photographed the event. One can't help but be fascinated as the steamroller slowly rolls over the plate which is sandwiched between some board and blankets. The layers help the paper to squeeze into all the linoleum cuts to pick up the ink. Several volunteers and staff members have the pleasure of driving the Steamroller as the crowd around them expands throughout the day.

A volunteer driving toward the plate after the the mid-day crowd has gotten quite large.

But the most fun part of the day is when each large print is pulled off the plate. After the artist's inspection, the print is held up for the crowd which breaks into applause while the camera's flash.

Megan Adie's print is lifted for her inspection.

The artists continue to print their large plates until they get a perfectly inked image. These images are then sold at the SFCB Auction event which will be held this year on October 3, 2009. This year, rather than an expensive extravaganza, the Center for the Book Auction will be open to everyone for $20. So even if you don't get to bid on a large print you can go eat and dance with a fun group of book artists and printmakers.

Rik Olson's plate is lifted.

Olson, who makes the most detailed, large plates every year, is pleased with his perfectly printed image. He changed the direction the Steamroller approached the plate so that it rolled over with the curvature of the street rather than down the middle, allowing more even pressure across the plate. It glows in the afternoon sun.

Michael Wertz's bold print drew loud applause.

Little Linos are 12x12-inch plates that are cut by any artist in the community that chooses to participate. You pick up your plates at SFCB weeks in advance, plan your image, cut your plate and deliver it for printing. During the event one print is made for the artist and one (or more) are made to be sold to the public. For only $40 you can own a piece of a well-known artist's work.

Volunteers that sign up to be "inky hands" people, roll out the black ink and roll it onto all the small 12x12-inch plates that individual artists have made. You either love this job or you choose not to do it--Lisa here obviously loves it.

The Little Linos are placed on the board nine at a time, ink side up, paper on top, then a blanket and then the steamroller.


Brad and other volunteers make sure all the plates are square so they print centered on the paper.

Maggie spends the day hanging up all the Little Linos so visitors can see all the work produced.

Terril Neely checking out the Little Linos.

Rik Olson's Little Lino is in the front row on the left.

This year I bought a small Rik Olson "Duck driving the Steamroller," and Maggie Engebrandt's rabbits in ice cream cones. Last year a bought a great Gary Comoglio print which was immediately usurped by my 15-year old, Tobey, and hung in his room.

Kids print scratch styrofoam in rainbow rolls.

This year more organizations, individual artists and businesses participated by setting up booths. My volunteer job was to photograph the event and document every booth for the record. I'll post just a few, but the range was great.

Artist and Exhibition Coordinator for the California Society of Printmakers, Gary Comoglio.

Gary spent the day talking with visitors. He began the day with a few bins of prints to share by members, and by mid-day he was mobbed with both prints and visitors.

The Graphic Arts Workshop had prints to view.

Kim Vanderheiden's booth included her two cute kids.

M&H Type casts lead type. How many people in the world do you think are doing this? You can find almost everything in SF! M&H is the oldest and largest letterpress type foundry in the U.S. And they give tours. Check out the link.

There were classes going on inside the SFCB as well, "speed" classes on letterpress. Previous Roadworks prints were exhibited in the Gallery to give people a little history of the event.

The event was enjoyed by all, human and canine alike.

By the end of the day, most everyone was exhausted with some people plum tuckered out.

Except Colleen from SFCB kept rolling on.....