Here it is the last day of 2013. I have been pretty quiet through the holidays. It was a crazy madhouse at the AP studio shipping Christmas orders. Then the holiday break was a nice respite. But I had a certain big thing “THING” as in event/stress/goal planned for the 27th of December. This was the day that will have a huge impact on Antiquated Press moving forward into 2014 and beyond.

2013 year end… what a year. I am glad it is over for many reasons. But when reflecting on Antiquated Press this year and where it was a year ago today, I cannot help but be a bit taken aback. When you are knee deep in the intricacies of the day to day week to week month to month, Personal deadlines, release dates, etc, well it is easy to lose sight of the big picture. A year ago I was just getting my studio all set up and dialed in.. I had only a couple of the clockworks plates being proofed and the whole clockworks series was just this almost unachievable hopeful vision. I had all sorts of ideas on how this phase of my work would be accomplished and received. I imagined crickets and boos, I imagined no one even noticing. It really didn’t matter. I wanted to do it. I wanted to work with my hands and start something lasting and substantial.

And now here a year later it actually exists. I have a stack of copper and drawers of editions and prints. And there are these whimsical robot prints hanging on walls all over the world. That is pretty damn rad. I am quite pleased with the evolution of AP this year.

Right, so how does 2013 end? What happened on the 27th? What is the result of Clockworks and all the efforts and the ultimate success of the series? Well AP has gotten a supercharged upgrade kit. Using the proceeds of the Clockworks series I have purchased new equipment… The main piece being a Beautiful (if not a bit intimidating) Praga Press (looks kinda like the death star). This new press will allow me to make prints BIGGER.. it will allow me to work on giant copper.. GIANT copper. The Field and Ibex prints pretty much maxed out my Griffin press. That was as big as I could go. Instead of being limited to a 16X22 sheet of paper.. I can now print 30X50… Which is no small upgrade. The Praga is a university class press and it is currently sitting in my studio - ready to go to work. (not to worry, my griffin will still be used and loved and taken care of.. now she just gets to sit next to this massive beast.)

Add to that mountains of paper and copper and this incredible stainless steel sink/table designed and fabricated specifically for etching and printmaking, new supplies and gear.. this list goes on and on. Thousands of pounds worth to take AP to the next level. It is HUGE. this retooling has my studio in a complete state of disarray.. which right now is just making me kinda a neurotic stressed out mess. But I will slowly get everything sorted and ready to rock. Rest assured many updates and photos will follow.

Speaking of which, what can be expected in 2014 from Antiquated Press? All these new toys.. Well, the whole collaboration efforts will actually come to fruition and i wish I could say more about that but i’m not gonna.. you’ll just have to wait and see. Also I will be making some single prints here and there releasing them as I edition them. And then in the summer there will be another AP series that is currently in the works. It is a series that will be a lovely follow up to Clockworks, it will be ambitious and I hope will really help define more of what AP is all about. I am stoked. I am looking behind at a year of infancy and growth, AP came a long way in 2013 and 2014 will be full of kick ass intaglio crazypants happenings. So exciting.

I want to thank you all, everyone who has ordered a print, everyone who has shot me a supportive email or clicked the little like button on our facebook page. All of you who have participated in this. You have my eternal gratitude. Making old school ancient prints these days is kinda whacky, unless you are a high brow sophisticate. Which I am the opposite. I like to think maybe AP can bridge the gap between that sophisticated world and the low brow hillbilly art me and my pals make. Our modern culture of homegrown independent artists which moves a hundred miles a second with experimentation and vast pools of amazing talent and work has a lot to offer- and the forgotten antiquated substantial hand crafted methods of old is my favorite place to hang out. It’s all really bitchin. 

OH one last thing, My work will be featured in THE HAND magazine next month, so that’s pretty cool. Buy one cause it is a great magazine full of awesome hand made art.

Merry new years eve.

Joe