International Alternative Press Fair 2011

Hello all. Walrus Zines were at the International Alternative Press Festival over the weekend and we all enjoyed the day out, reading, selling and swapping zines. Here are some photo's for those of you who were unable to make it. Thank you to all those who attended and picked up a zine from the walruses.

Musings #2

When I replied to the LCC Library with permission to use images of my zine for promotional purposes, I also (in what I hoped was a polite nonchalant flippant manner, disguising my less than chuffed but less than sad and upset feelings at the possibility that the self-publication was donated) enquired how they came across the zine. A reply wasn't expected as I was sure that the Library had more important things to worry about than stroking my bruised ego and my sense of zine-worth... Needless-to-say I was pleasantly surprised to receive an email from LCC Librarian Leila Kassir...

I've met Leila a few times previously, introduced by the lovely Jimi and Peter of Alternative Press, and she too is a rather nice lady. She kindly informed me that she had brought my zine at the Wolfwind Zine Fair in Tunbridge Wells last year - a fair I couldn't attend but was represented by the rest of Walrus.... And so with my sense of zine-worth restored, I began to feel like a dumbo - laughing at how it didn't even occur to me that my silly little zine could have been brought for the collection...

Hahahahahahaahahahahahahaahhhaaa... what a waste of drama and less than chuffed feelings...

WOO!

Another flyer for the International Alternative Press Festival.... its all so very exciting!!!

Musings

I received an email a few days ago (actually it was a while ago but the email got lost in the vast abysses of my junk folder until recently when I thought I would have a gander... it wasn't pretty - bizarrely full of adverts for fabric softeners) from the London College of Communication's Library. The purpose of the email was to inform me that my zine is part of the LCC Zine Collection and standard practice is to ask if I would allow the Library to use images from the zine to help promote and raise the profile of the collection... My first reaction was one of being chuffed: 'hurrah!" I thought, patting myself on the back... and then I wondered "how did the LCC get my zine?"... and my second reaction was one of ... not quite sad but not chuffed - so less than chuffed but also less than sad and upset (please insert appropriate adjective here)... Someone must of donated the zine to the LCC Zine Collection... they didn't want it ... perhaps it was someone who I had coerced into swapping zines with me at a fair ... and now they were like "man! this sucks" so they gave it away cursing my name because I obviously got the better deal... and then I had my third reaction of ... not quite relief as my second reaction was not strong enough to warrant relief but it was something on the relieved spectrum, as I became thankful that they had appreciated the zine enough to donate it to the library and not recycle... or worse throw it in the bin... With that I gave the LCC Library permission to use images of the zine whenever and however they liked.

Check out the LCC Zine Collection Facebook page here

This got me thinking: the great thing about making zines is that it is open to everyone with access to a pen, a piece of paper, and a photocopier. It’s an interesting medium to work in because it is so accessible. Instead of making work where you, the artist, are removed and where your work is at a distance from your audience, you’re creating something that is tangible - that your audience can hold and take away. You watch as they approach your table, pick up your zine and buy. You also watch as they approach your table, pick up your zine, flick through it, put it back down and walk away. And sometimes you watch as they approach your table, and bypass your zine all together. It’s a really interesting way to assess who you’re creating for, and who exactly your audience are, and in turn why you are creating. It’s also really satisfying to make something that is immediate and mass – produced. I think as an artist, there’s a lot of value in creating your own zines because it allows you to not be so precious with your work, and think about how and why you are communicating.

Alternative Press Festival

The International Alternative Press Festival is fast approaching. It runs from 27th May-13th June with an exciting line up of workshops and events. Walrus, and many many other zine makers, should be at the zine fair on 28th and the 29th May. For more details click out their website: www.alternativepress.org.uk 

I Made A Boo Boo

So Sofia kindly asked me to take pictures at the Papered Parlour event It's Your Write...but in my excitement I forgot.... however with the video in the post below and my fantastic drawing above I think you get a good gist of how great it was....