Friends,

A more substantial transmission will come before we cross into Summer but for now, there is only time for the most time-sensitive bits. Let's get into it.

I'll have a table at the Vancouver Art Book Fair this weekend at the Roundhouse. This event is extra special in that I'm appearing under the banner of hellaniche — an independent print project that's been quietly simmering for the better part of a decade.

In name, hellaniche first surfaced around 2015 as local vernacular within our family. It represents the happy collision of two chapters — 'hella' from our Oakland chapter, 'niche' (pronounced neesh ¹ ) from our BC chapter. In spirit it expresses the passionate pursuit of the particular. As a thing, it's an unfolding project.

For now, hellaniche is home to my own small catalogue of printed matter, with the longer-term intent of bringing others under the same roof — work by other artists, with projects within or even beyond print. Its DNA owes as much to the indie music labels I grew up on as to anything in the print publishing tradition — it's all mixed in there, all organic, all colliding.

Kicking off this chapter, we'll have some new stuff at the table to celebrate. Many of you have likely seen images from the series of street trees I've been making for a number of years. I'll have a new zine, Vedettes, at the table that holds 21 more of these images that are appearing for the first time in print. Along with the new zine, we'll have hellaniche t-shirts, stickers, prints and selections from the back catalogue including Umwelt and limited copies of each of the five Surrounded volumes.

As always, there are a heap of exhibitors at this year's fair, combining a great mix from the very local to artists, bookstores and publishers from around the world. Tristesse will be there at least some of the time so if you're in the city this weekend, come through and say hello.

Speaking of Tristesse, she opened a solo show, Soft Systems: Radical Matters, at Victoria's Deluge Contemporary Art in April. It's a beautiful show and it's been great to see such a warm embrace of the work from the community there. The show runs for another 10 days or so and Tristesse will be doing an artist talk Saturday May 23rd at 2PM to close it out. If you're in town, it's an excellent opportunity to hear her discuss her process—from points of inspiration to finished works on the wall. There's something especially valuable about hearing an artist talk through work that's so clearly born of human experience and experimentation.

Take good care out there.

Until next time!

✌️✨D