POSTER FOR THE ST. LOUIS SCIENCE CENTER August 20 2010

Peep our new poster for the St. Louis Science Center! It covers a couple million years of evolution in one simple image... dinos to rockets. Hey! where do you think we get all that precious rocket fuel? Learn all about these things and more at the Science Center and while you're there stop by the giftshop to pick up a poster.

HOW TO FOLD A BILLIKEN CLUB POSTER INTO A BOOK August 18 2010

The 2010-2011 season of Billiken Club posters will all fold into books! That's right, take that poster you ripped off of the street and fold it into a limited edition book. Collect both Fall and Spring semester posters (...or books?) and watch the story unfold. 

Here's how:

Step 1.
Place the poster flat on a table.

Step 2.
Gently tear along the center perforation.

Step 3.
Turn poster over.

Step 4.
Fold in half length-wise.

Step 5.
Fold in half width-wise.

Unfold.


Step 6.
Fold top down to center fold.

Unfold.


Step 7.
Fold bottom up to center fold.

Unfold.


Step 8.
Unfold entire poster.

You should see 8 equal segments.



Step 9.
Squeeze center panels into 2 peaks.



Step 10.
Pick up the peaks and fold under,

forming a plus sign.


Step 11.
Fold cover (the segment that says "Billiken Club") around the other pages. Smooth fold and enjoy your finished book.

TYPE NERDS UNITE! August 07 2010

Come join your fellow typophiles as Bob Mullen discusses his book, Recasting a Craft: St. Louis Typefounders Respond to Industrialization. He will be presenting examples of typefaces and talking about the change in printing over the years. In addition to his expert take on historical printing in the Lou, we will be printing a type specimen. What's more, you get one of these hand-printed works of art for the price of admission! Come learn & see the presses in action! 

ONLY $5 per person. Space is limited, so reserve your seat today.

Saturday, August 14th at 2 PM at The Firecracker Press.

Address:
2838 Cherokee Street
Saint Louis, MO 63118
Phone: (314) 776-7271

BEATLE BOB'S 5000TH SHOW August 04 2010

Join the Firecracker Press on August 10th for Beatle Bob's 5000th consecutive show at The Duck Room. It's bound to be a great night with a huge lineup of StL rockers. This is a sneak peak of the limited edition poster for the event and we'll be selling it the night of the show.

POETRY READING WITH PAM GARVEY AND NICKY RAINEY August 03 2010

Please join us Saturday, August 7 at 2 pm for our second printing and poetry reading. Local poets Pam Garvey (author of the chapbook Fear) and Nicky Rainey (St. Louis rep at the National Poetry Slam 2009) will be this Saturday's featured poets, and a hand printed broadside of one of their poems is yours with admission.

ONLY $5 per person. Space is limited, so reserve your seat today. You can RSVP for this event on Facebook, and stayed tuned for more exciting Saturday events!


Saturday, July 17th at 2 PM at The Firecracker Press.

Address:
2838 Cherokee Street
Saint Louis, MO 63118
Phone: (314) 776-7271

LUMBERYARD MAGAZINE PARTY August 02 2010

The Lumberyard Magazine (issue 6) Release Party - the village was on fire. Get your copy at the Firecracker Press today!

POETRY READING RECAP July 24 2010

If you missed our first poetry reading last Saturday, you missed some fun! Richard Newman & Joseph Sulier read for us while we printed broadsides of their poems. You can check out pictures of the event here, and be sure to join us for the next one on August 7 when Nickey Rainey & Pam Garvey grace us with some more beautiful words.

LUMBERYARD #6 - RELEASE PARTY - JULY 31ST July 22 2010

We've been working hard on Lumberyard Magazine for three years now. With two issues per year... that makes this Summer's issue, say, number six? That's right, number six.
If you've followed Lumberyard's short history you know that it's gotten plenty of attention from the graphic design community and the poetry community as well (see the July issue of Small Business Monthly.
If you know nothing about Lumberyard it's your lucky day. Saturday, July 31st at 7:00pm, The Firecracker Press will host "The Lumberyard Magazine #6 - Release Party." We'll have plenty of copies for sale, Kate from Beep Beep Boop Boop will DJ the night away, and Summer refreshments will be available.
Be seeing you.

LUMBERYARD #6 - RELEASE PARTY
SATURDAY, JULY 31st at 7:00pm

The FIRECRACKER PRESS
2838 Cherokee Street
St. Louis, MO 63118

OPEN STUDIOS THIS WEEKEND July 17 2010

Come visit us next Saturday as part of City-Wide Open Studio! We'll be open 11-5 and offering tours of our work space. If you've never seen how letterpress works, here's your chance! 

INTERVIEW WITH ELEVEN MAGAZINE July 10 2010

Eleven Magazine caught up with Eric a while ago to talk about the shop and current projects. Unfortunately, the interview is no longer available on Eleven Magazine's website.

SIAMO GRANDI IN ITALIA! July 10 2010

Check out our interview in the Contemporary Standard. You can find the Italian version here, or read the translated interview below.



Q) Hi Eric, tell us your story.

A) We started The Firecracker Press in 2002 after a long string of unsuccessful graphic design jobs and in the aftermath of my Father's death. I was unhappy with the state of my traditional design career and motivated to turn life's sad moments into positive things. I quit my job, bought our first press from a small-town printshop that was closing its doors and moved it into a studio that we shared with three other studiomates. We eventually took over the space after everyone else dropped out and began designing and printing business cards, stationery, and posters. In the eight years we've been in business we've moved three times, survived a fire that burned half our building, supported a small group of loyal employees, and collected an army of antique printing equipment. We're happy to work for an eclectic group of clients... some walk in and need relatively little, others are name brand entities that need more attention.


Q) Who's the illustrator/graphic designer from the past which inspired you most?

A) I try not to look at illustrators or designers too much though I guess there's no escaping. I used to like looking through history books and latch onto one thing or another. If you'd asked me this question ten years ago I'd said, Andy Warhol. It sounds corny but I like old signs in forgotten neighborhoods, science fiction movies, sleeping... long walks with my family.


Q) Which moment of the day makes you particularly creative?

A) I work out the kinks by working. I could work just about anytime and find there's no time like the present. I love working.


Q) Your work in 3 words.

A) Light-blue, red, chipboard


Q) What are you working on right now?

A) We're putting the finishing touches on our first hardcover book with Typecast Publishing, called Monkey Bars by Matthew Lippman. We designed the cover and a few pages inside the book and had it perfect-bound with another printshop. Last week thirty boxes showed up on our doorstep. We just finished printing a wrap for the book in two colors and have an assembly line of folks putting them together. The official launch takes place in New York in the Fall of 2010. So far we're pretty happy with the project and hope the rest of the world is too!


Q) Say bye to our readers in your favorite language.

A)Word

PRINT YOUR OWN TEE July 05 2010

'Cause nothing is cooler than wearable art. Bring a t-shirt & we'll help you create a unique print from a selection of the same woodcuts we use to print our posters. Pre-printed t-shirts will also be available. $25 for printing on the spot, $30 for pre-printed.

The fun starts at 2 and goes till 4 on Saturday, July 10.

WINE CLASS JUNE 2010 June 26 2010

During June we hosted a wine class taught by Ernesto's Wine Bar. Participants enjoyed eight different types of wine and gourmet food, and left with freshly-printed wine coasters.

Jim Reed presented the wine.

Cassy Vires had prepared food to go with each tasting.

Jim covered all aspects of wine, from how it is made to how to taste it.

A wine tasting in a printshop setting.

The class was held right next to our presses.

During a break, we printed the coasters and explained our process.

Wine Class June 2010.

WINE & PRINTING June 26 2010

Last Saturday we hosted a wine class taught by Ernesto's Wine Bar, and did we have fun! Participants tasted 8 wines and enjoyed gourmet food, and walked away with some freshly printed coasters. Make sure to stay tuned for more exciting events happening this summer at the press.

CAKE, MOBS & A GOOD TIME June 26 2010

Don't miss hanging out with the Firecracker Press at the fifth annual Let Them Eat Art festival on Friday, July 9th, from 6 to 11 pm. We'll be printing t-shirts and flyers, as well as showing off this year's official poster. There's tons to do this special night in Maplewood, including music, dream interpretation, lots of art, dancing, and a fire-shooting ice cream truck. If you feel like being part of the fun, there will also be a costume contest. Bring the kids, bring your friends, and make sure to stop by and see us while you're out. More info can be found at the city's website.

THIS JUST SHOWED UP AT OUR DOOR June 12 2010

In 2009, we were contacted by a German company to see if we'd be interested in submitting work for a book about letterpress printing. We said, "sure... it's what we do" and a year later our handsome FedEx driver dropped this at our door. It's chock-a-block full of work by letterpress studios and screenprinters from all over the world. We are tickled to be representing St. Louis and proud to be bound with such great company for all corners of the globe.

Get your copy wherever fine books are sold (we're sure your neighborhood bookstore carries it) or stop by the studio and look through ours. We don't mind sharing!

Find out more here.

MONKEY BARS - FINISHED! June 12 2010

We've just finished up Monkey Bars, a hardbound book of poetry by Matthew Lippman. We designed the cover and a few pages inside the book and had it perfect-bound with another printshop. Last week thirty boxes showed up on our doorstep (thirty boxes take up a lot of room). We just finished printing a wrap for the book in two colors, and had a fold & wrap party earlier this week to put the finishing touches on. Monkey Bars will have an official launch in New York this fall, so stay tuned for more info on that.

Pre-order your copy here.

COME TO ARTCRANK & EAT IT! June 05 2010

NICE DOGGY - ARTCRANK 2010 May 22 2010

Make sure to join us Saturday, June 12 7pm - Midnight & Sunday, June 13 Noon - 4pm at Atomic Cowboy for this year's Artcrank events. Posters, bicycles and a good time to be had for all. The show features posters created by 36 St. Louis area artists, all for sale. You can see a tidbit of our poster-in-progress above but come see the finished piece at the show!

ART OUTSIDE 2008 May 22 2010

2008 art fair held at Schlafly Bottleworks.

2008 Art Outside

People arriving at our booth

Eric replacing a poster

Our back wall

The place starts hopping

Some of our woodblocks

Posters hanging along the tent

More posters

A few of our offerings

One strong momma!

MISC PHOTOS May 22 2010

Here are some photos that don't need a page of their own, but that we thought you'd enjoy.

Our table at the 2010 SGC International

It's nothing but chupacabras around here!

Our booth at the 2009 Farmer's Market

Mmmm.meeeeaaat

More of our booth

The shadowy presence of Firecracker Press at Art Uncorked 2010

Art Uncorked 2010

DR. FUNK WOULD LIKE A WORD WITH YOU May 15 2010

There are some exciting things going on at the press! Above you can see the beginning of a project we're working on - various sizes of unique framed prints.

More info (and images) will be coming soon, but drop by the shop to check out our growing collection of odd images. We are open to the public Monday - Friday 10-6 and Saturday 11-5.

We're also coming out to see you! Catch us printing live for Art Uncorked. This year's event is being held Wednesday, May 27 from 6 - 9 pm at the Bridge Tap House and Wine Bar. Come enjoy a wine tasting & some art. See you there!

CINCO DE MAYO 2010 May 15 2010

Pictures from the 2010 Cinco de Mayo event held right outside our doors on Cherokee Street in St. Louis.

One of our tabletop presses being put to work

Our tent, set up outside the shop

A sample of our wares

Live t-shirt printing!

First the block is inked

Fully loaded & ready to go

Then a t-shirt is placed on the bed for printing

Finished product, as shown off by Matty

La Llorona shirt, with the wicked eyes

Chupacabras!

Some of the luchador shirts

View from inside the tent

More chupacabra

And another luchador

It was a very lovely day to be outside

BOOKS FOR NESTLE PURINA May 15 2010

A while back the people at Nestle Purina contacted us to do a project to help inspire their employees. They loved our sketchbooks, but to take it to that extra level we designed a custom cover. It was a great project to work on and we're happy with the results, which you can see above. Featuring shooting stars, animal silhouettes, and some encouraging phrases, the book can be turned in any direction or laid flat to see the full image.