Professional Printmaking Programs

Professional Printmaking Program

Self Help Graphics & Art's (SHG) Professional Printmaking Program is the foundation of the organization. The program has produced close to 1,000 editions of silkscreen prints, including 51 Ateliers projects, by an ever-growing number of local and visiting artists. Through its collection, SHG serves as a resource for academic research and scholarship for historians, teachers and students. SHG remains a key institution in the culture of East Los Angeles and California as cultural nexus of development for emerging artists who use its facilities to bring their artistic skills and ideals to maturity. As a result, SHG brings to the community the proud tradition of alternative education models that instill in its youth models of future hope and career aspirations. SHG's PPP offers artists of various ages and experiences the opportunity to create limited edition serigraphs through a peer-led approach that is also dedicated to providing an environment that nurtures and supports our artists' creativity and careers. PPP provides 40 artists with the opportunity to create new work in SHG's nationally recognized printmaking studio. Projects range in theme and content. A week-long artist residency is held in collaboration with the Master Printer at SHG's fully equipped silkscreen studio. Artists are free to use traditional painting techniques or to experiment with text, digital, or photo manipulation in the creation of their work. The artist works with the Master Printer throughout the entire process. Each edition is printed on archival paper, receives Self-Help Graphic & Art's studio chop, and is certified in accordance with professional printmaking standards. Each artist receives 50% of their edition, and all artist proofs. The remaining prints are utilized by Self-Help Graphics & Art (SHG) for programming efforts such as our archive and traveling exhibitions through the Exhibition Print Program. It is our tradition to view the PPP as an exchange process between the Master Printer and the artists. The artist is given the opportunity to create a first quality serigraph edition free of charge, and SHG receives a share of the edition for programming. It is also important to note that print exhibitions created through this program reach diverse local, national, and international audiences,furthering the exposure and impact of the artist's work.

Self Help Graphics & Art's Open Printmaking Studio

Self Help Graphics & Art's Open Printmaking Studio supports working artists in their exploration of both traditional and experimental printmaking in the forms of relief, intaglio, and monotype. Through open studio, workshops, lectures and exhibits, we encourage interest in the art and history of the fine art print - for the general public as well as for artists. Self Help Graphics & Art recognizes the expressive power of all printmaking media and works with artists to explore relief, intaglio, and monotype. The studio is a collegial, creative and experimental environment, with excellent equipment at affordable prices. In order to keep the studio fee modest and to encourage the spirit of giving back to the arts community at SHG, each artist that uses the Open Printmaking Studio to print an edition, is also required to donate 20% of their edition to the SHG archives. It is required that every artist enrolled in the SHG Open Printmaking Studio produce an edition.

Please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to make an appointment to view and/or sign up for the Open Printmaking Studio.

To view our Open Studio Policies & Procedures please click here.