We are hosting the St. Louis Small Press Expo on AUGUST 17th 2019 at Saint Louis Public Library Central Library at 1301 Olive Street. St. Louis MO 63103.
We’ve expanded to two floors this year because we had so many great vendor applications – we can’t wait to see all of your amazing work in person!
During the 2019 Expo, we hosted the following workshops:
11am – Risograph Panel with Will Arnold / Work Press & Publication, Brandon Bandy / Riso Hell and Travis Shaffer / theretherenow
This panel discussion includes three experienced risograph print artists / publishers and will cover the who, what, when, how, and why of this printing format. The panelists will explain the basics of riso at the beginning of the session, followed by a discussion led by Brandon Daniels, after which they will be happy to answer all your most burning technical questions about avoiding smudges and using archaic software.
12:30pm – Peter Coogan / Institute for Comics Studies: Stand-Up Scholarship: Superheroes!
Director of the Institute of Comics Studies Dr. Peter Coogan (who has a Ph.D. in superheroes) discusses superheroes in a cross between stand-up comedy, academic scholarship, and improv. Throw out questions or topics on the superhero, superhero comics, superhero movies, even superhero music and watch him riff. Ask just about anything–What is the definition of the superhero? Where did the superhero come from? How did the superhero evolve? Was Superman the first superhero? Is it spelled superhero, super-hero, or super hero? How does the superhero metaphor embody geopolitics? Is Buffy the Vampire Slayer a superhero?(NO! and Joss Whedon agrees that she isn’t). It’s fast-paced, fun, and you just might learn something.
2:00pm – Tiff j Tiff Sutton Photography: Girls with Fruit Photoshoot
Photographer Tiff j Tiff Sutton will be running a Girls with Fruit themed public photo shoot based on her work currently on display at the Kranzberg Art Foundation. Visitors will use fake and real fruit and pose in front of a backdrop and can use their camera phones to photograph. Tiff will be demonstrating how to set up a shoot and will have model releases for anyone she shoots so that she can use the images later.
3:30pm – Shreyas R Krishnan / Kadak Collective: The Making of Bystander Anthology
Over the past year, Kadak Collective has been working on putting together the Bystander Anthology, a collection of graphic narratives about geography and gender, identity and self, boundary and exclusion through the lens and experience of the ‘other’ – the bystander. Shreyas R Krishnan, one of the 6 co-editors of this anthology, will talk about the making of this project, from the running of a successful Kickstarter, to ensuring an inclusive editorial process.
Hi there! We are a brand new group of organizers for the 6th year of the original St. Louis Small Press Expo.
We are Brandon, David, Maria, Max, Rachel, and Teddy. Please also welcome Joceline, our intern.
It is very nice to meet you.
Special thanks to the previous organizing team, and thank you to the founder Nicky, we are thrilled to carry forward the expo. Thanks for trusting us to do so. #TurningOverANewLeaf
Hello. Below is our list of confirmed vendors, check them out and support these incredible creators.
A. GrandMark – Houston, TX – A. GrandMark is the name I publish my sex education and erotic comics under. My work is focused on creating queer-centered, inclusive, accessible sex education comics as well as queer erotic narratives that focus on trans characters. I also create watercolor and digital paintings that focus celebrating queer experiences and centering us outside of a cis-het lens. http://www.agrandmark.com Read STL SPEX’s interview with A. Grand Mark here.
adreena cook dot com – Kansas city, KS – Art comic zines magic isn’t real dot com http://www.adreenacook.com/
Alex Kostiw – Chicago, IL – I self-publish short comics with poetic/loose narratives. They are typically fewer than 32 pages. Some works play with format conceptually — like “Are you even listening,” a spiral accordion fold about spiraling down into an ear to the subatomic level, or “book/mark,” a format-based series of bookmark-shaped books about recurring thoughts. https://alexkostiw.com Read STL SPEX’s interview with Alex Kostiw here.
Allison K. Sissom – St. Louis, MO – Artist, Art Educator and Zinester located in St. Louis. I make handmade collages, zines, and mini-zines. https://www.allisonksissom.com/
Allison Morris Lesch – St. Louis, MO – I am a visual artist whose work combines traditional, hand-drawn media with a focus on color, pattern, and design. I publish screen prints, digital prints, and zines of my work. http://www.allisonmorrislesch.com Read STL SPEX’s interview with Allison Morris Lesch here.
Andrew Cohen – Washington, DC – My main project is Howzit Funnies, which are collections of short comics that are written in rhyme and deal with dark surrealism and absurd humor. Howzit Funnies also includes small art zines, and illustration chapbooks. http://howzitfunnies.blogspot.com
Anxiethree – St. Louis, MO – A trio of graduates of the WashU Communication Design program, the Anxiethree is a group of friends who have stayed in St. Louis to pursue their illustrative careers. As a group, their work often consists of fanart and original pieces that feature both charming characters and fantastical worlds. https://www.alicia-chen.com, https://andrewckay.com,
https://www.madison-yang.com
Bad Jacket – St. Louis, MO – Bad Jacket is a creative collective dedicated to the publication and promotion of artists and writers in St. Louis and beyond. In 3 years we have published 11 zines and 8 collections of poetry. https://issuu.com/badjacket
Black Market Books – Ann Arbor, MI – Comics & picture books. mostly funny. sometimes sciencey. http://sketchsketchsketch.com Read STL SPEX’s interview with Black Market Books here.
Blue Mask Studio – University City, MO – Patrick Weck is an artist, Illustrator and turtle saver whose work is inspired by natural history, surrealism, and speculative fiction. When not cloistered in his studio, Patrick can usually be found awkwardly crammed into a cage at the St. Louis Zoo painting exhibit murals for herpetological fauna. His comics and illustrations usually feature Rodinia, a land inhabited by steampunk megafauna and vengeful bird gods. https://patrickweck.artstation.com Read STL SPEX’s interview with Blue Mask Studio here.
Boulevard Magazine – St. Louis, MO – Boulevard’s mission is to publish the finest in contemporary fiction and poetry as well as definitive essays on the arts and culture, often covering both topical and historical subjects, and to publish a diversity of writers who exhibit an original sensibility. It is our conviction that creative and critical work should be presented in a variegated yet coherent ensemble. We publish a double issue of the magazine in April and a single issue in September, which amounts to the work of sixty to eighty writers a year and over four hundred pages of previously unpublished writing. We estimate that we serve approximately 25,000 individuals a year—writers, readers, and volunteers. http://www.boulevardmagazine.org
Brain Cloud Comics – St. Louis, MO – Brain Cloud Comics is an independent comic book publisher and maker of paper artifacts. We strive to publish some of the coolest indie books around. https://braincloudcomics.com Read STL SPEX’s interview with Brain Cloud Comics here.
Capsule Books/ Capsule Stories – St. Louis, MO/ Los Angeles, CA – Capsule Stories is a print literary magazine published once every season exclusively by Capsule Books. Our first edition came out March 1, and our summer edition debuted June 1, concurrently with our Summer 2019 capsules. The theme of our Summer 2019 Capsule is: SUMMER DAZE. https://capsulebooks.com/capsule-stories
Chaos Collage – St. Louis, MO – Chaos Collage is a collection of orginal artworks by Rachel Wyrick. Chaos Collage produces mixed media collage, prints, zines, and accessories that make art that is thought provoking and easily accessible. https://www.inprnt.com/gallery/chaoscollage/
Christian Meesey – St. Louis, MO – Independent Cartoonist. www.meesimo.com
Christianne’s Comics – Centralia, MO – Self-publisher making comics about trans people and zines about movies. http://christiannesart.blogspot.com Read STL SPEX’s interview with Christianne’s Comics here.
Christina Wang – St. Louis, MO – Fantasy and adventure comic artist, illustrator, and zinester. https://christinawang.me
Coleton Mastick – Chicago, IL – Comic book artist making action and adventure comics as well as auto biographic slice of life zines. http://www.coletron.com
Cosmic Dino Books – Des Moines, Iowa – I publish a dinosaur barbarian comic book with my brother called Dino Beasts. http://www.dinobeasts.com
Dan Zettwoch – St. Louis, MO – I make slice-of-life comics, narrative diagrams and homemade screenprints in my basement. They’re often about history, science, birds, local culture and humor. http://www.zettwoch.com
Danny Houk + Family – Swansea, IL – I’m a cartoonist and mixed-media artist local to the Metro East, IL area. My projects include zine comic compilations and prints. I’m engaged to a poet and photographer, and have five young daughters, and plan to showcase prints, stickers, buttons, chapbooks and other goods from my whole family. https://www.instagram.com/dannyhoukart/
David Hough/TheBrotherSpoon – Kansas City, MO – David is a graphic designer and illustrator from the Kansas City, Missouri area. He went to the University of Central Missouri where he learned to draw pictures good. When he isn’t lost in thought about “gourmet” ramen, or listening to podcasts that make him cry, David likes to illustrate robots, dinosaurs, and pretty much anything his 7-year old self loved to draw. He also likes reptiles. http://www.davidhoughdesigns.com
*SPECIAL GUEST: Dorothy, a publishing project – St. Louis, MO – Dorothy is a feminist press dedicated to publishing fiction, near fiction, and books about fiction–mostly by women. http://dorothyproject.com
Read STL SPEX’s interview with Dorothy here.
Editions NR – West Fork, AR -My work, all of which (so far) is Risography, attempts to blend photography, printmaking, and collage into one singular, obsessive form. I have an ongoing series of mini photozines called Strategies, a larger collage/photozine called Fetchquest, and smaller one-off prints. I am hoping to expand the line through collaboration, and am currently working on a zine called Fuck I Love Art that focuses mainly on illustration by non-illustrators. http://strategiesnoisezine.angelfire.com
Erika Akire – St. Louis, MO – Erika Akire makes zines to explore themes of community, power, fluidity, appropriation, and self. www.erikaakire.com
Filipino American Artist Directory – St. Louis, MO – Filipino American Artist Directory is an independent initiative by St. Louis-based artist Janna Añonuevo Langholz to connect and make visible the broad community of visual artists of Filipino heritage living and working in the United States. It aims to increase the recognition of Filipino American artists through an online resource and series of publications, as well as group events, exhibitions, commissioned works, and collaborations with other artists and organizations. https://www.instagram.com/filamartistdirectory/
Floating Head – St. Louis, MO – We publish science fiction art, comics, illustration, and prose in beautifully designed books and prints. www.floating-head.com Read STL SPEX’s interview with Floating Head here.
Frotoon Press – St. Louis, MO – The brainchild of illustrator/designer Dmitri Jackson, Frotoon Press publishes comic books that explore politics, music and cultural identity. http://www.dmitrijackson.com
GABO – Geneva, IL – Several zines and books about off world fantasy/sci-fi adventures. Hardcover books to basic xerox made zines. http://www.galvosaur.com Read STL SPEX’s interview with GABO here.
Gutwrench Press – New Orleans, LA – Zines, Where You From? about home & hometowns, Keep Loving Keep Fighting about New Orleans and sometimes art, letterpress postcard subscription called Keep Writing. http://www.gutwrenchpress.com
Half Letter Press / Temporary Services – Chicago, IL – Half Letter Press is a publishing imprint and online store initiated by Temporary Services. Temporary Services is now two people—Brett Bloom & Marc Fischer. We have published booklets as an element of our collaborative work since 1998. We created Half Letter Press to publish and distribute book and booklet length works by ourselves and others. We are interested in using this endeavor to build long-term support and expanded audiences for people that work creatively in experimental ways. We are particularly interested in supporting people and projects that have had difficulty finding financial and promotional assistance through mainstream commercial channels.
http://www.halfletterpress.com / http://www.temporaryservices.org
Harry Hillman – Joliet, IL – Harry Hillman is a Chicagoland-based cartoonist who specializes in comics and caricature. His work has appeared in Columbia College Chicago’s Linework, Fresh Veggie Presses’ Trap House, and on a wall somewhere during Riot Fest 2017. He draws a lot of monsters and funny faces and will occasionally get way too deep with it. harryhillmandraws.myportfolio.com
higu rose – Chicago, IL – My name is higu rose. I’m a black trans artist and cowboy from the east coast. I draw comics about queer folx like me, living their lives to varying degrees of success and failure. I’ve done a few memoir comics (TITTYCHOP BOOBSLASH being the most recent one) and a handful of short fiction work. Right now I’m working on completing a book called YINZ CITY, which is based on my experiences (and the experiences of my friends) being queer and black while living in Pittsburgh, PA. I also like to paint and make stationary, because my hands must stop moving, or else I will surely die. http://www.higu.cool Read STL SPEX’s interview with higu rose here.
J Bladder (AKA Chris Homa) – Chicago, IL – Hi! My name’s J. Bladder and I make comics, specifically 16-page black-and-white comics like my latest release, “So Damned Lazy”. I also have a long-running webcomic, “The Varied Follies of Pickles Dickson”. I use comics to explore the big questions – what am I doing with my life? Will I find love? What is death all about? I try to answer these questions with dumb jokes and a bittersweet sense of hope. I draw all my comics by hand with pencil, paper and sharpie, in a style that desperately tries to channel Keith Haring. I also work on visual art and music under the name Chris Homa. Next month I plan to release a full-color 20 page zine of experimental crayon portraits, and I have more zines lined up after that. I’ve previously tabled at Milwaukee Zine Fest and Michigan City’s Small Press & Zine Fest. http://www.chrishoma.xyz
Jacob Bouvet – Springfield, IL – I write comics and collaborate with various artists. I also make themed zines focused on political or social issues. http://www.jacobbouvet.com
Jacob Canyon / Future Total – Kansas City, MO – Jacob Canyon is an artist and designer whose work focuses on bookmaking, in part out of a dedication to paper, pigment and the composition of the page. Pages are meant to be touched, held, turned, written on, read and reread, and so must be leveraged for their inherently social nature. He is also a good cook. http://www.jacobcanyon.com/store
James Mied Illustrations – Kansas City, MO – My artwork primarily focuses on characters as concept and something to explore through both concept art and editorial work. The projects I work on mainly focus on detail and craftsmanship as a means to tell captivating stories. A personal goal for my projects is for my images to captivate the audience with enough details keep the eye lingering on the work for quite some time. https://jamesmiedillustrations.
Jess Cadwell – Chicago, IL – My zines and artbooks both riso and inkjet printed centralize on the usage of stereotypically masculine imagery redefined through my identity as a gender non-binary person. The compositions are chaotic, humorous, sometimes dark, and the imagery is based in my personal reflections of humanities’ condition and my place in the world. I also create a variety of art objects like ceramics, apparel, posters, or patches as an extension of my illustrative practice. http://www.jessicacadwell.com
Jessica Checkeroski – Chicago, IL – My work uses humor to reflect on the ongoings of daily life, explore dating, as well as take jabs at pop culture. Occasionally my comics feature my terrific dog Oscar, and illustrations that only begin to capture his magnificent beauty. http://www.jessicacheckeroski.com/art
Jim Mosley – St. Louis, MO – Individual prints of original artwork. St. Louis-centric, social justice forward. http://jim-mosley314.tumblr.com
JJ Mcluckie – Chicago, IL – JJ McLuckie is a Chicago-based illustrator, cartoonist, muralist, and handpoke tattoo artist. They primarily self-publish queer body-horror comics based on under-appreciated aspects of the world, gender/sexuality, mental health, and stream of consciousness writing. https://www.jjmcluckie.com
Read STL SPEX’s interview with JJ Mcluckie here.
Jon Mastantuono – Chicago, IL – My new comic is called ‘poems about anger’. http://www.drawdoer.com
Joss Barton – St. Louis, MO – Joss Barton presents a limited edition print zine of her poem The Wagons Ain’t Here Yet… What began as a short poem eulogizing Brandi Seals, the 26th trans woman to be murdered in America in 2017, slowly became a collection of visions, hallucinations, dispatches, and warnings from the fourth dimension. The Wagons Ain’t Here Yet… is both a call to arms and a prophecy for America. https://vimeo.com/user40935030
Kane Shirley – Chicago, IL – I am a comic artist who primarily self publishes, my work has covered a wide variety of topics including fantasy my lived trans experience and horror. I started with a two part fantasy series before making a bunch of short zines focused on single topics, I am currently in the process of printing a 42 page comic about a woman falling in love with the monster under her bed and working on a short drawing zine based on the stations of the cross as well as another comic primarily focused on bugs and body horror. https://www.kaneshirley.art
Kate McDonough – Mason City, IA – I make a webcomic called Pretty, Pretty Ugly about living with anxiety and seeing the humor in awkward moments. I make zines about coping with anxiety and the lessons I have learned over time. I also make zines about sillier things like the bizarre items I’ve seen working in a thrift store, and why ice cream cones suck. I turn some of my comics into encouragement greeting cards and magnets. I also sell prints and stickers of my illustration work. https://www.prettyprettyugly.com
Katie Armentrout – Chicago, IL – My comics are primarily auto bio based with stories from my day jobs, marriage, insecurities, anxieties, and how I deal with my body. I’m really into accentuating the grotesque and highlighting the funny in the lowest of everyday moments. My cartoon work/art aesthetic is inspired by Pee Wee Herman, John Waters, and personal neuroses. I like to turn my self deprecation into a good time and hopefully connect with others who may feel similar! http://www.katiearmentrout.com Read STL SPEX’s interview with Katie Armentrout here.
Kels Choo – Colorado Springs, CO – I’m a self-publisher of comics and zines. Most are short narratives with whimsical, magical environments, but I also have informational zines, illustrative zines, and am working on some auto-bio projects. http://kelseychoo.com
King-Cat Comix / Spit and a Half Distro – Beloit, WI – I’ve self-published my autobiographical comicx zine King-Cat since 1989. Since 1992, I’ve run the Spit and a Half Distro, which makes available idiosyncratic comics from all over the world. http://www.spitandahalf.com
Kirixin – Springfield, MO – I am an epicene designer and illustrator currently working in comic production. Usually selling at zine conventions, my previous books include themes of music, travel, ghosts, virtual pets, femininity in masculinity, and murder. I also sell mixtapes, prints, mini sculptures, and tshirts. www.kirixin.com
Kith & Kin Press – Cincinnati, OH -K&K focuses on printed matter that helps us be more literate of each other and engenders empathy through cooperation. The books we produce serve to explore artists’ and writers’ innermost minds and hearts to get at something approaching the truth. https://www.instagram.com/kithandkinpress/
Kpolly.com – Milwaukee, WI – Humorous comics and zines. http://www.Kpolly.com
Kristin Ousley – Bloomington, IN – Midwestern comic artist and illustrator, creating work about everyday feelings in emotions through the lens of magic and fantasy. Also jokes. https://www.instagram.com/krousley/
KZW Print – Chicago, IL – KZW Print is run by Kevynne, a queer printmaker and zine creator based in Chicago. Their work focuses on mental illness, identity, feminism, and all the places where those ideas intersect. They are passionate about confessional art, goofy drawings, and the relationship between artist and audience. https://www.instagram.com/kzwprint
Las Topo Chicas – Chicago IL – Las Topo Chicas are a queer femme poc artist collective based on the southside of Chicago. Our mission is to cultivate and sustain creative space in and around the southside of Chicago that invites femmes & queer poc. We commit to creating financially and physically accessible spaces that center non-normativity, pro-hoe, and radically compassionate community building. Our collective of artists’ work range from zines, prints, embroidered patches, and hand-made jewelry. https://www.instagram.com/lastopochicas/
Lillian Stephen – St. Louis, MO – I am and an artist living and making in St. Louis, Missouri. Working with a range of media, from printmaking, to furniture design, to sculpture, I am interested in the process of making and remaking, and repetition both in form and process. I view art making as a kinetic activity, moving pieces around until I get something satisfying. This playfulness of movable parts takes away from the anxiety of making something so polished. I strive to make things that are clean, considered, smooth, and crisp, while simultaneously maintaining evidence of the hand. http://www.lillianstephen.com
Maddy Mueller – St. Louis, MO – Illustrator who makes whimsical prints and comics. I like drawing cats and magic. http://www.maddymueller.com
mancameron – Spring Hill, TN – My work varies from autobiographical (Twenty Two & Alone, collection of autobio comics/poetry, self pubbed Mar 2018) to adult fantasy (Bad Magik, erotic fantasy, published on Slipshine 2018-current). I also have a variety of smaller projects, including scary stories, mini-zines, art zines, patches and enamel pins. I plan to have a variety of new work and mini comics ready for the show! http://mancameron.com Read STL SPEX’s interview with mancameron here.
*SPECIAL GUEST: Meekling Press – Chicago, IL – Meekling Press is a small publisher, printer, and community arts organization in Chicago, founded in 2012 by graduates of The School of The Art Institute’s MFA in Writing program. We are a low-scale and DIT (Do It Together!) press, with a 100-year-old letterpress at the center of our operations. Our editions are generally handmade, at least partially printed on the letterpress, and hand-bound. We are as delighted to publish a single sentence as we are in publishing a novel-length work. What matters is language, playfulness, openness to the encounter, the way the work creates a space that’s very much its own. In this way we envision the process of bookmaking as a way to wed words and form, of creating a physical space where the book is not just a repository or vehicle for words but instead is considered essential to the work. http://www.meeklingpress.com Read STL SPEX’s interview with Meekling Press here.
Meggie the Ramm – Oakland, CA – I have a lot of instructional work, I have a “Teaching Kids Comics” zine that has all my lesson plans from being a comic teacher as well as the “Anti-Anxiety Pocketbook” which is an instructional book on how to deal with anxiety. I have a plethora of memoir comics (I drew a comic a day in 2018) and also a series of kids comics (“Red and Pod Go on a WitchHunt”, “Red and Pod Meet the Cosmic Octopus”, “Bailey the Bard”, “BatCat”). I’ll have several new comics to show at StSpex, including a comic activity book for kids and a new story, “Rosemary Lee Cheats Death”. http://www.meggieramm.com
Mountain of Knives – St. Louis, MO – I do samurai comics and animation. http://www.chanbaragogo.com
Natural Bridge, A Journal of Contemporary Literature – St. Louis, MO – Natural Bridge publishes high quality poetry, fiction, essays, and art from established and emerging writers. https://blogs.umsl.edu/naturalbridge/ Read STL SPEX’s interview with Natural Bridge here.
Nick Kuntz – St. Louis, MO – Nick Kuntz is a cartoonist, risograph printer, and comics educator. Their most recent work is the introspective dungeoneering comic Underworld Adventure. https://www.etsy.com/shop/AnyOtherTime
Nick Osetek/Subaru Piston Press – Raleigh, NC – Drawings, illustrations, fine-art prints and fabrications! I’m currently honing my pen and ink drawing while studying sustainable forms of printmaking. For the Small Press Expo I plan to display and sell traditional hand-pulled prints (block, screen and intaglio) and live-print carved blocks with a custom printing press that I repurposed from a damaged car engine; the Subaru Piston Press. www.nickosetek.com Read STL SPEX’s interview with Nick Osetek here.
Olivia Gibb – St. Louis, MO – I am a multidisciplinary artist with background in printmaking and ceramics. I have been making zines for over 10 years. www.oliviagibb.com
Omnia Sol Art – Chicago, IL – Omnia Sol (Latin for “Everywhere Sun”) is an artist, cartoonist, and musician creating visual and auditory noise residing in Chicago, Illinois. https://www.instagram.com/omniasolart/
Pallor Pink – Chicago, IL – I run a small collective zine series called Pallor Pink! Each edition has a different theme and is edited, curated, and printed by me, usually with a unique method of print such as silkscreen, offset or risograph. Some of the past themes have been dogs, extreme sports, and an edition by exclusively people of color. I also print and publish my own books and zines, usually with a risograph. http://www.yewonkwon.com
Patrick Lay – OH – Patrick Lay (he/him) is a cartoonist from Northwest Ohio. He gets just as excited about sad things as he does about happy things (imagine a Golden Retriever raised by cats). His comics are teen and all-ages stories about our relationships with each other and the ups and downs of a wild world. He earned a earned an MFA in Comics from the California College of the Arts. Patrick is regularly updating his first webcomic, Screaming Mimi Kids, and working on a graphic novel, Ramble. https://www.patricklaycomics.com
Pete Faecke – Minneapolis, MN – Pete Faecke is a weirdo cartoonist living in the twin cities. His work revolves around loving comics, fetishizing men, and trying to unlearn capitalist socialization. https://www.instagram.com/the_stink_hole/
Pete Holohan – St. Louis, MO – Woodcut prints published in St. Louis, MO – all hand-carved and hand-printed. http://www.peteholohanprints.com
pitymilk press – Milwaukee, WI/ Detroit, MI – pitymilk is predominately interested in hybrid, experimental, and collaborative forms. We like work that does not rely on normalized poetic interpretation or aesthetic; strange, little beauties. We are committed to providing space and support for marginalized voices and are foremost interested in the work of non-cis-white-hetero-male voices. Started in milwaukee in late 2012, pitymilk publishes a collaborative online journal and print journal, gritty silk and DUETDUET respectively, along with short-run chapbooks exploring a wide breadth of production methods and materials. http://pitymilkpress.wordpress.com
plant_boi – Chicago, IL – plant_boi exists as an online art presence that I can describe by partially quoting the Chicago duo Sonnenzimmer. plant_boi “reconstructs an order of reverberations perhaps mirroring personal queer experience as graphic knowledge back into the world, as image.” plant_boi has allowed me to connect with other content creators, include illustrative work in multiple anthologies and connect with other humans. I create and will table with riso and inkjet books primarily, but I also design and produce art objects and merchandise that will be available for sale. https://www.instagram.com/plant_boi/
Rachel Bard – Tinley Park, IL – I make a variety of handmade mini-comics with a focus on inventive book formats and funny, all-ages stories. www.rachelbard.com
Rachel Jackson – St. Louis, MO – I am a graphic designer who very recently graduated from WashU. I most enjoy working on projects that repurpose found imagery and that manipulate the intersection between the tactility of print materials and the use of digital design processes. I spend a lot of time sourcing out-of-print books from thrift stores, scanning their images, and reinvigorating them with fresh graphic approaches. I think modern graphic education valorizes Swiss design above all else, and much of my work has been an attempt to reclaim the vernacular and revolt against what I was taught to be the standard definition of good, clean design. I’m also very interested in the reproducibility of my work and the ability of repurposed visuals to democratize design. I’m very print oriented and I use the creation of zines, posters, and t-shirts to express my visual voice. http://www.racheljax.com
Red Herring Illustration – St. Louis, MO – Gunchiss: the warrior who died 1000 deaths is the story of a bond of love so strong that even death cant stop it, as the Warrior Gunchiss dies and is reborn in his quest to defeat the shadow kind, return the voice of the fate of the present, and reunite with the princess ogweena who lies in an enchanted sleep. Life with girls is the story of a dad, his daughters and the friends and family in their lives. http://www.redherringjeff.com
River Styx – St. Louis, MO – We are the oldest continually published literary magazine and reading series in St. Louis. We publish poetry, literary prose, and art. www.riverstyx.org
Rose Garden – Batavia, IL – I have a 10 page comic I am self printing in limited quantity. It is a short sci-fi work about the commodification of the female image, and how that would exist in a future filled with androids. Additionally, I have a number of radiographer prints featuring my original work. https://www.instagram.com/99orenji/
Same Coin Press – Fairfield, IL – We make photobooks and zines. https://www.nathanpearcephoto.com
*SPECIAL GUEST: Sarah Becan – Chicago, IL – I’m a prolific self-published comics artist, but my latest book is Let’s Make Ramen!, coming out July 16 from Ten Speed Press. It’s a fully illustrated comic book cookbook of ramen recipes. My first graphic novel, The Complete Ouija Interviews, won a Xeric grant and a Stumptown Trophy Award, and I published my second gn with a Kickstarter. Lately I’ve been working with food as a subject a lot, and I spent a few years drawing an autobio webcomic on the subject. http://sarahbecan.com Read STL SPEX’s interview with Sarah Becan here.
Shine in All Shades – St. Louis, MO – Shine In All Shades Adult Coloring Book, celebrates and uplifts women of color in her under-represented shades. Paired with affirmations and quotes by creative leaders each hand-drawn illustration represents the diverse beauty of women of the African diaspora. From queens with locs and fros to headwraps and hijabs, we can never have too much representation and empowerment ESPECIALLY in a creative wellness space. This one of six-part book series is a reminder that: Wellness starts with how we treat ourselves, celebrate ourselves, and speak to ourselves! http://www.ShineInAllShades.com Read STL SPEX’s interview with Shine in All Shades here.
Shiner Comics – Cleveland, Ohio – I create and self-publish both fictional genre-based and autobio comics as well as art zines a giant art book of Grilled Cheese Sandwich Posters. The Lake Erie Monster is a rust-belt horror anthology comic series featuring work by myslef, Jake Kelly and Liz Valasco. We’ve done 6 issues so far. My autobio work is mostly in a new series called Tales to Demystify which features some stories about being paralyzed, and some that are less about BEING paralyzed and rather just stories from my life and since I’m paralyzed, that’s obviously an element of the story. http://www.shinercomics.net
Shreyas & Kruttika – St.Louis, MO / New Delhi – Shreyas R Krishnan and Kruttika Susarla are illustrators and comic makers from India, living in St.Louis and New Delhi. They make non-fiction comics and zines on gender, identity, travel and feelings. http://www.shreyasrkrishnan.com / http://www.kruttika.com Read STL SPEX’s interview with Shreyas & Kruttika here.
Sloppy Queer Press – St. Louis, MO – You know dapper queers? Well dressed, seem to have a plan, ironed pants? We love them, but we’re just not them. We’re sloppy queers. We make zines, digital illustrations, and letterpressed objects. Some of them are about queerness, chronic illness, our feelings. Many of them are about dogs. https://www.instagram.com/sloppyqueerpress/ Read STL SPEX’s interview with Sloppy Queer Press here.
Small Letters Press – St. Louis, MO/Murphysboro, IL – We’re releasing a series of mini-anthologies in which we’ll reprint stories/poetry/letters from women writers of the past (some well-known, others rarely read today). Each collection is based around a theme and illustrated (by us). https://www.smallletterspress.com
Somnadrome Press – St. Louis, MO – Small Press Literary Magazine, Chicano-Maaya-Buddhist Political prints, small hand made zines, poetry chapbooks. https://somnadrome.wordpress.com
Southeast Missouri State University Press – Cape Girardeau, MO – A small, non-traditional university press, publishing mostly fiction and poetry. In addition to our books, we also publish two annual journals with weekly online content, Big Muddy, and The Cape Rock. http://www.semopress.com Read STL SPEX’s interview with Southeast Missouri State University Press here.
Stephanie Gobby Illustration – St. Louis, MO – I am an illustrator with a focus on the place of myth and folklore (particularly from ancient/native communities) in pop culture. http://www.stephaniegobby.com Read STL SPEX’s interview with Stephanie Gobby here.
Steven J Bolds Art – Kansas City, MO – An original comic called Hazel Heights. This story follows Dustin Bradley who is a new guy to a town with a werewolf problem. I will also have various prints, mario Bros NSFW pin up zine, and more. http://www.stevenjavonbolds.com
Sugarwork – Chicago, IL – Sugarwork is a collection of food comics and recipe zines. http://www.sugarworkblog.com
Taylor Fourt – Kansas City, MO – Organic, Grass-fed zines. http://www.taylorfourt.com
Taylor Paschall – Florissant, MO – Collage. https://www.instagram.com/taylorpaschall/
Ted May and Mardou – St. Louis, MO – Ted May publishes Injury Comics and Men’s Feelings through Revival House Press. Mardou has two volumes of Sky in Stereo graphic novel and various self-published mini comics. http://www.mardouville.com / http://usscatastrophe.com/itlives/
The Butcher Queen – St. Louis, MO – A sci-fi horror mini series about a woman detective saving a city of aliens and mutants from scheming corporate overlords. www.butcherqcomic.com
The Kabine – St. Louis, MO – Within The Kabine’s collection of postcards are “Postcards Stories”, a story told thru a series of postcards. They are suitable to mail all at once or one at a time, spreading out the joy or you may keep as little art/story. Each Postcard Story is printed in small batches and enclosed in unique packaging with handmade touches. The story images are from scenes I created in the studio, images made from textiles and paper and street photography. Some stories are told with only five postcards others are longer and may include some additional objects, like stones. https://thekabine.com Read STL SPEX’s interview with The Kabine here.
The New Territory – Jefferson City, MO – Founded by a journalist in 2015, The New Territory is a print magazine that gives a literary, anthropological, and ecological voice to an overlooked region. Our mission is to connect the land, people and possibilities of the Lower Midwest. We envision a future where the Ozarks and Great Plains inspire and support a very good life. If you’re into borders, we look at Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. But we like to color outside the lines. http://newterritorymag.com
The Unforgiven – Waterloo, IL/St. Louis, MO – The Unforgiven (An indie comic about a group of rebels trying to take down a corrupt government after a war has destroyed most of the planet) http://wearetheunforgiven.com
The Yellow Raincoat Society – Kansas City, MO – As an individual illustrator and designer, I use the Yellow Raincoat Society as a brand and publishing title exemplifying the narrative that many of my prints, zines, and products are centered around. The Yellow Raincoat Society is an optimistic endeavor of yellow raincoat-clad individuals, who strive to ‘fight the gloom!’ in all they do. My zines and prints tell stories for all ages, meant to inspire awareness of an individual’s ability to be a light for a gloomy world. https://www.yellowraincoatsociety.com Read STL SPEX’s interview with The Yellow Raincoat Society here.
the666cat – Kansas City, MO – I’m graphic designer and illustrator who makes bizarre cat artwork. Most of my zines are comics/illustrations and have some merch items to go along (risoprints, screenprints, shirt, enamel pins). http://www.the666cat.com
theretherenow – Columbia, MO – theretherenow is a risograph atelier founded in 2016 by artist/publisher Travis Shaffer. We are currently based in Columbia, MO where Shaffer is an Assistant Professor of art within the University of Missouri’s School of Visual Studies. http://www.theretherenow.com
Theresa Williams Art + Stuff – St. Louis, MO – I am a multidisciplinary artist/designer/printmaker. http://theresawilliamsshop.etsy.com
Tiff j Tiff Sutton Photography – St. Louis, MO – Photo zines. http://www.tiffjtiffsutton.com Read STL SPEX’s interview with Tiff j Tiff Sutton here.
Vagabond Comics – Cleveland, OH – Vagabond Comics is an all-ages, independently published comics anthology based out of Cleveland, Ohio. Vagabond was created in 2015 by Sequoia Bostick and Amalia DeGirolamo with the intention of providing a welcoming platform for comics creators from a variety of backgrounds and skill levels to share their work, and since then we have published 10 issues and have grown into lively community of contributors, collaborators, and supporters both locally and internationally. http://www.instagram.com/vagabondcomics
Valley McWest – Kansas City, KS – I am a self-publishing comic artist/illustrator with a focus on short comedic and anecdotal comics. www.valleymcwest.com
Work Press & Publication – St. Louis, MO/Champaign, IL – Work Press & Publication is an independent print and publishing house founded in 2013 by Will Arnold and Tate Foley. Work Press started because of a mutual interest in small-press, short-run, desktop publishing and Risograph printing. We are interested in creative projects that situate themselves in a mezzanine between fine artist’s books and efficiently produced zines. While a lot of Work Press’s books and prints contain various printing and production processes, Risograph printing is at the heart of our shop. www.workpandp.com Read STL SPEX’s interview of Work Press & Publication here.