Twelve Teens a Printing

Kim Vanderheiden instructs teens in setting up for letterpress printing

Twelve teens from The Contemporary Jewish Museum came to our studio this Sunday to print invitations to their new Teen Architecture Tour program. They are part of a new paid teen-led internship program with the museum. Recently, they have been training to lead visitors on architecture tours through the museum’s unique structure, designed in 1998 by Daniel Libeskind.

Intern Vanessa Cabrera drew the artwork for the invitation. The wild angles of her line drawing reflect those within the museum. I attended the museum the week it opened, and was thrilled with it – particularly with the Yud Gallery, a fabulous place for sound exhibitions. It’s staged for quiet contemplation, but truthfully, I was so excited by the room, the way the window light reflected off the angular walls, and the sound installation that it was hard to be still!

I highly recommend that readers take the teens up on their offer and join one of their tours. For more information, please contact Leah Greenberg at lgreenberg@thecjm.org

Here are some pictures of the process and print:

Painted Tongue Press teeming with teens! Students divided into three groups, one at the Vandercook, one at the Heidelberg, and one at the computers.

The polymer plate we printed from.

Teens print at the Vandercook with CJM Youth Programs Coordinator Leah Greenberg and Painted Tongue owner Kim Vanderheiden looking on. and

Voila! The blue is printed. Now for the orange!

In the guillotine for trimming.

The studio packed with students during the workshop. Students divided into three groups, one at the Vandercook press, one at the Heidelberg press, and one at the computer to talk about design programs.

The final trimmed stack is always satisfying.