londonprintstudio is featuring some beautiful artists’ books as part of the Carte Blanche exhibition. The books occupy a central part of the display, unusual in shows of larger works, and are accessible for handling by visitors. Delicate manipulation by the artists has transformed plain sheets of paper into a study in white within these covers. From the sky above us, to elements of the urban cityscape, to the workings of plants growing underground, this selection of paper-worked artists’ books offers a small glimpse into the beauty and mystery of our surroundings through an eloquent use of materials.

Kaho Kojima’s A Drop of Cloud of embossed pop-ups (which was the well-deserved winner of the Exhibition Prize in the Sheffield Book Arts Prize competition 2011), and Alison Bernal’s Skies, delight in a transient glimpse of the sky above; whether noting the idiosyncrasies of a particular cloud formation or a wondrous fantasy of a tiny universe hidden within a ‘drop of cloud’. Coo Geller’s intricate, laser engraved book How Do Your Parsnips Grow? offers a curious and affectionate micro-study of tender paper strands of the thinnest parsnips, delicately laid out side-by-side in their protective incubator. Clare Bryan’s Canopy, again raises our eyes to the sky above and onto the ground below as it unfolds its complex, knife-drawn sections of pages to reveal a canopy of dappled shadows, observed by the artist as sunlight falls through the leaves of individual trees.

These beautiful book works reveal the tiniest detail of our immediate surroundings, presented for our individual attention, things that we often overlook, laid out for us in these magical surroundings of worlds made of white paper.

Sarah Bodman

londonprintstudio’s upcoming show ‘Reincarnation’ (September 2012) is essentially an exhibition that describes the creative virtues inherent in re-creation and reawakening. Essentially the tampering with something! Tampering is good as it reminds us of fiddling or tinkering, and in the mindset of an artist a feeling of jubilant liberation derived from the corruption of published truths so that refreshingly new stories and inventions can be made.

David Ferry

The londonprintstudio is not just a friendly and useful place for an artist…it’s also a truly special place. It has helped me find inspiration for my art.

Andrzej Krauze

Thanks for your prodigious newsletter, lps. Its spine-tingling cocktail of black humor and good news is very stimulating. The bottom line seems to be: For printmakers just to survive is a big success.Keep up the good work!

Mike Booth, World Printmakers

Working closely with londonprintstudio, Rich Mix is delighted to be hosting a retrospective of British-Bangladeshi artist Sanchita Islam in March and April 2013. The project will consist of film screenings, panel discussions, poetry readings, an exhibition of three thirty foot scrolls, a doodle room that will be open to the public, plus workshops for young people.

However, the centrepiece of the retrospective will be the exhibition of bespoke prints of Sanchita’s work produced by londonprintstudio, which will fill Rich Mix’s mezzanine gallery and will likely be seen by over 20,000 people during the two month show.

londonprintstudio have been more than producers of the actual prints. They have been deeply involved in curatorial discussions between the artist and Rich Mix. Their dedication, thoroughness and attention to detail have impressed throughout, and we’re all excited about seeing the final result displayed in our gallery.

Jane Earl, Chief Executive of Rich Mix London

Tehran Calling London / London Calling Tehran exhibition is the kind of bold undertaking that could only have been initiated by londonprintstudio, an exhibition and print space that has always been in the forefront in generating ideas and interesting images, alongside practical solutions for artists and audiences.

Lutz Becker

londonprintstudio is an extremely valuable resource for artists working with print. Employment at the studio helps some of our students, and the Graduate awards are enabling Matthew Paggett and Elizabeth Gossling access to technical resources, which are really helpful during their first years of graduation. The focus on print in the exhibition program is  also wonderful for our graduates  Echo Morgan, Justin Larkin and Christopher Mercier have all been exhibited in recent shows. The collaborative space of the londonprintstudio also allows for chance encounters, collaboration and the mutual support, which is often crucial to the continuation of a creative practice.

Jo Stockham Professor of Printmaking Royal College of Art

My main company, Turnaround Publisher Services, is perhaps the leading independent sales and distribution business in the book trade and helps publishers market, sell and distribute their titles into mainstream outlets in the UK, Ireland, Europe and further afield.

Over the last two years we’ve been diversifying; taking on a wider range of UK and overseas artist produced gift lines for distribution both in bookshops and stores such as Urban Outfitters, Top Shop, Conran, Saatchi Gallery, National Theatre, Tate etc.  In this venture we’ve had a very creative relationship with the londonprintstudio – sourcing several products from designers following advice from John and Nadia about interesting work being produced there.

Although still in the process of development, this new venture is beginning to make headway and last year we also opened a retail outlet – ‘Volte Face’ in Great Ormond Street, just opposite the children’s hospital.

LPS have also helped us in other areas of our work. Earlier this year we published 3 times Booker shortlisted author Timothy Mo’s new book ‘Pure’. The innovative and much praised cover of the book was designed by the londonprintstudio. Additionally, we have worked with LPS on several exhibitions featuring book illustrators and graphic novels.

The studio is a wonderful resource, supporting young, talented artists. Their facilities and expertise enable designers and creative workers to try out ideas and shape them for the market.

Turnaround clients include Nobrow, Garudio Studiage, Moleskine, Noodoll, TMOD and Palomar Crumpled City Maps.

Bill Godber

londonprintstudio has established itself as a ‘must-see’ destination
for anyone interested in printmaking and graphics, whether as a
curator, a collector, or as an artist. Every event at londonprintstudio offers
something different, fresh, thought-provoking and inspirational, and
their programme encompasses the whole spectrum of print –
everything from music graphics and comics to fine art prints and
innovative digital technologies. The gallery is also an effective
showcase for the printmaking skills taught in their workshops. For a
long time now londonprintstudio has fostered innovation and
excellence, offering professional training facilities and teaching.

From my perspective, as Curator of Prints at the V&A, I see
londonprintstudio fulfilling a vital and unique role in the sometimes
insular world of printmaking – emphasizing accessibility and diversity,
and reaching out to new audiences in the community, whilst
continuing their exceptional contribution to the support and
development of artists who want to work with print.

Gill Saunders

londonprintstudio is an important conduit between academic research in the field of printing and the visual arts and the professional development of artists. The studio is an exemplar of Knowledge Exchange involving a two way process presenting research questions from the field of professional practice and assisting with the dissemination of research findings back to the printmaking community.

The Centre for Fine Print Research, University of West of England, is delighted to work closely with the londonprintstudio and the relationship between the two organisations is symbiotic and important to reputational gain for both.

Professor Stephen Hoskins

One photo can change a life. The ‘Wembley to Soweto’ kids are an example of that. When my grandfather, Nelson Mandela, saw the work of these students he remarked, “they are so young, and yet so deeply talented”.

We are hugely grateful to londonprintstudio for the opportunity they are affording these young South Africans in presenting this exhibition and hosting the Wembley to Soweto and Back photographic workshops that will afford similar opportunities to young people in London.

Kweku Mandela

From the moment I saw the cover John Phillips of LPS had designed for us I knew we had the perfect artwork for my novel. It was the coolest thing. The book was called Pure and John’s design matched the title in its elegance and simplicity. It was bold and understated at the same time, clean in its lines, without fuss or distraction but made the eye work just enough to make out the plain embossing of the title. For us it was the exact exterior the book should show the world.

Timothy Mo