Chicago Printmakers Collaborative-Chicago, IL

The Chicago Printmakers Collaborative is a community print shop located in the Lincoln Square neighborhood. I met with the owner and director, Deborah Maris Lader, who has been running the shop for over twenty-five years! She is an artist and musician herself and continues to exhibit her prints and drawings nationally and internationally. I was lucky to be able to visit the shop at their new location which is completely brand new, renovated, and gorgeous. CPC accommodates all print mediums with a variety of presses and even a separate silkscreen room. They offer facilities for etching copper and zinc plates, a darkroom, and a large collection of litho stones. There are also private studios for artists on the first and second floors. The studio offers classes and a membership program for printmakers to rent studio time. CPC even has a discounted rate for recently graduated students to help them get back on their feet and establish a studio practice again after leaving school. They occasionally host events and have a gallery space located in the store front and exhibit, sell, and promote a large variety of member work which I was able to take a quick look at. There were a lot of beautiful prints from the talented group of printmakers. It was exciting to see the new space and I can only imagine all of the new work that is about to be created there. It takes a lot of time and effort and drive to keep a business prospering for a period of time like that and I can't wait to see what CPC accomplishes in their next chapter at the new location!

http://www.chicagoprintmakers.com