A Sense of Belonging - the Nova Scotia Printmakers 2015 Portfolio Exchange and Travelling Exhibition

In December of last year I mentioned at the NS Printmakers Annual General Meeting that I would like to organize a portfolio exchange within the organization. Everyone agreed and so I went ahead. This was the birth of the 2015 Portfolio Exchange. The edition size is 27. There are 25 participants. One of those editions is going on a travelling exhibition tour around Nova Scotia between September 2015 and August 2016. We found 9 different exhibition venues around the province.

The portfolio's theme is everyone's interpretation of local Nova Scotia culture as well as the culture around the buy local movement that has really stood out to me since I first moved to NS.
The twenty-five interpretations are vastly different but equally exciting; I can't wait for the opening of the first exhibition of "A Sense of Belonging".

For my print "Creative Energy at Alderney Market" I combined lithography and screen print. 

This is me signing my edition and eliminating the poorest prints. 

The Dynamic Trio. Bonnie Baker (right), Julie Rosvall (centre) and myself at Julie's gorgeous studio.

Without the excellent support of Bonnie Baker (the president of the NS printmakers) and Julie Rosvall (in charge of publishing newsletters, social media and in general spreading the word) this project would have probably died in its infancy. I am eternally grateful to these two ladies for sitting through several 3 hour long meetings with me working out all the details.

Once I received the editions from all 25 participants, I organized them, pulled one print from each for scanning, removed packaging material, etc., so they would be ready for assembly.

Next I made the folders that each assembled portfolio would reside in. I measured, cut and scored 29 folders (can't hurt to have extras) and then screen printed the cover. 

Between the cover and the first page (colophon) I printed for 13 hours this past Saturday. Assembly was on Sunday, time to get it all done. And my arms are made of rubber now.. ;)

 Thanks to my husband Scott for taking some of these action shots! 

Then, yesterday, I drove back to Wolfville and laid out all the editions, all the folders and all the colophon sheets to be assembled in Julie's studio. Julie's Mom was there for a visit and was eager to help out. 

Once all the editions where assembled we did a lottery and Julie's Mom pulled names out of a bowl and we figured out this way who received which edition.
Number 1/27 is the portfolio that will be the archive and also the back up should there be any problems with the exhibition. 2/27 is the portfolio that will go on the travelling exhibition.

All others are now being distributed back to the members.