Next on our journey hearing from those in industry who make space for others through community-building, we have the living print legend, Amos Paul Kennedy Jr.! Amos Paul Kennedy Jr. is an American printer, book artist and papermaker who has been puttin’ ink on paper since 1949.
In this conversation, I chat with Amos about creative living and making, as well as his community printing space in Detroit, Michigan: The Pile of Bricks.
Amos ran a workshop a number of years ago at my institution, The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University, which I unfortunately wasn’t able to attend so our paths never crossed. But several of Amos’ posters hang in the halls of the building in which I work and I have had the great fortune of admiring them consciously — and delightfully subconsciously — for years.
In episode 163: Podcasting in Printmaking with Hello, Print Friend’s Miranda Metcalf, you heard Miranda mention that a conversation with Amos Paul Kennedy Jr. was on her list of conversational highlights. By coincidence, I had the interview you’re about to hear scheduled a few days after having spoken with Miranda and I’m so grateful for the time with Amos and the conversation that ensued.
In this episode, you’ll hear how Amos describes himself and his work, his entry point into printing and his counter-cultural (wise!) advice of setting low-expectations. You’ll also hear Amos’ experimental approach to making multiples, the way in which his signature printing process was born, and how systemic injustices can negatively impact creative living and making. Finally, you’ll hear about Amos’ labour-of-love community printing space in Detroit, Michigan: The Pile of Bricks.
Let’s listen in…
*Diana's creative musings about creativity, inspired by my conversation with Amos. As human beings, we are ALL creative — humans all check off the 'YES!' box. Instead, the creative experience is a nuanced sliding scale based on a variety of factors that look different from year-to-year, month-to-month, day-to-day, minute-to-minute. WE ARE ALL CREATIVE BEINGS.
Thank you Amos for leading the way for creative, experimental makers. The community coming up in the next episode is one of the largest typography, lettering and calligraphy hubs on the Internet: Goodtype. Stay tuned…
About Our Guest:
Amos Paul Kennedy Jr. is an American printer, book artist and papermaker who has been puttin’ ink on paper since 1949.
Music: Oopsie Doodle Master by John Bartmann, Licensed Under CC0 1.0 Universal Talk Paper Scissors Theme Music: Retro Quirky Upbeat Funk by Lewis Sound Production via Audio Jungle Boat Origami Photo: Boat Origami Photo by Alex on Unsplash