Chicago Printers Guild Records

The Chicago Printers Guild (CPG) was established in the spring of 2009. A preliminary and informal meeting to discuss the intent and benefits of such an organization was held in April at The Hungry Brain bar. “It was just a bunch of inky printers sitting around discussing how we might go about seeing more of each other and elevating our art form,” as Dan MacAdam of Crosshair put it. A follow-up meeting was held at Sonnenzimmer in May where the Guild’s logo was voted on; several print artists submitted designs including Baker Prints, Sonnenzimmer, and Letterform. The winning logo in use today was designed by Alex Fuller. $25 was then collected, not as a membership, but simply so an enamel pin could be produced. In July 2009, Dan MacAdam hosted the CPG meeting on the rooftop where the first official board for the Guild was elected.

As a nonprofit trade organization, CPG supports and fosters the work of printers and seeks to bridge the gap between commercial printing and fine art printmaking. Each month, the group holds meetings at members’ shops and studios to foster the promotion of print culture through open sharing among Chicago-area printmakers. Its members’ network functions to allow fellow printmakers to ask questions, communicate methods, announce events or share opportunities. Of historical interest is the collective creation of a printers’ family tree that tracks local printmakers and the studios they have worked under or established. In 2010, a print archive of member artworks was initiated through voluntary annual submissions and serves to document the variety print work being actively created across the Chicago area, both commissioned and self-initiated. CPG also sponsors other activities such as lectures, workshops, field trips, and art exhibits to bring awareness of print culture to the Chicago area. In 2016, CPG held its first Publishers’ Fair at Elastic Arts at 3429 W. Diversey Avenue.