Maintain My Typewriter Art!
Hi Everyone!
My name is Rachel Mulder. I am a printmaker/draftswoman living in Portland, Oregon. Currently, my drawing tool of choice is my Sears Citation II manual typewriter.
My very first typewriter drawing (above) was made using a grid to recreate an image onto 158 five-inch square sheets of paper. I began this project in November of 2013 after I fatefully landed a manual typewriter. With my background in printmaking, I had fantasized about drawing with a typewriter while I was in college, but I'm not a big collector of 'things' so I'd just never owned one. I fatefully found my beloved Citation II in a thrift store for $28 when I wasn't looking for it!
I display these large works by arranging a grid of thumbtacks on the wall (4 for each corner) and use tiny 1/8" magnets to hold the corners to the tacks, so there's no puncture to the paper. It takes roughly 5 hours to install.
I've only recently begun working smaller, beginning with a commission piece for my friend of his grandmother. Then this Spring I began my most current series, Unrevealed, consisting of portraits which are roughly 8x10 inches, what I can feed through my trusty little typewriter.
I'm so thrilled to continue to make new work and exhibit my latest large- and small-scale typewriter drawings. I've been fortunate to have many opportunities with upcoming shows, but I need your help in order to make them happen and to maintain my practice.
Studio View + Patsy In Progress
First thing's first, I recently acquired a 100 year old (!) Smith & Corona typewriter with an 18" carriage, which means I will be able to work larger and complete future commissions with ease and a larger scale! BUT perhaps needless to say, she needs some major repair in order to function at all. I'm fortunate enough to share a city with Blue Moon Camera & Machine and need $99 to fix her up! (That is the exact quote they gave me--I love them...) I am super excited to work larger in the near future--but I need to save up in order to fix this pretty baby!
Next, I'm having a show at my beloved Cafe Lulu in Milwaukee, Wisconsin--my home-away-from-home in my hometown--and I need to raise money in order to fly out for both the install AND deinstall! It's impossible to do this based on my part-time non-profit income! Both trips combined will cost roughly $1000 altogether.
Lastly, student loans have unfortunately hemorrhaged any ability to save money--I really want to frame my work so that it is more easily installed and readily available. Framing ten 8x10" images will cost nearly $500.
Jamond, 2015
I am so thrilled to have the privilege of making this work and I hope that you can help me in any way to make these exciting possibilities happen!
Donations of any amount will get you my endless gratitude (of which you may already have...but I appreciate you!).
If you donate $30 or more, I will send you an 8x10" print of one of my smaller typewriter-drawn portraits of your choice!
If you donate $150 or more, I will create an original 8x10" typewriter-drawing for you!
If you donate $450 or more, I will create an original 16x20" typewriter-drawing for you!
If you donate $600 or more, I will create an original 22x30" typewriter drawing for you!
To see more of my work and stay tuned, please check out my website and my Instagram feed! Thank you so much for supporting my work!
Finished Portraits:
Dominic , 2015(SOLD)
Madeline, 2015 (SOLD)
Self Portrait, 2015
In Progress/Details:
Thom, 2015--hot off the presses!
Erica's ear detail, Erica, 2015
Studio View/Erica, 2015
detail, Patsy, 2015
I thank you so very much for your time. Thanks a ton for your consideration.
Endless Gratitude,
Rachel
