From Zines to Metal: Building Community Around Print
About this Event
Arion Press is proud to welcome C.C Stern typecasters Brian Bagdonas & Rebecca Gilbert as the final speakers in the 2026 Arion Press Craft Talk series, in which we draw from our creative community to highlight the joy and industry of various handcrafts.
As printers inspired by the traditions and culture of craft printing, and by the DIY punk ethos of the 1990s, Rebecca Gilbert and Brian Bagdonas discuss their personal paths through print——from zine making to commercial printing and hot metal typecasting. This talk will touch on their shared histories in community-focused printing and publishing, including the establishment of the Independent Publishing Resource Center (IPRC), Stumptown Printers Worker Cooperative, and the C.C. Stern Type Foundry. As they consider the past three decades of their adventures in print, Rebecca and Brian will point out a few sights of interest — the inspirations and key influences that have kept them in pursuit of meaningful, well-crafted print.
Doors open at 6 PM at the Bayfront Theater on the third floor of Fort Mason Building B. The talk will be 45 minutes long, with an additional 15 minutes for audience Q&A. Reception will follow in the Arion Press Gallery.
***
Rebecca Gilbert holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from PNCA, where her studies integrated community publishing, graphic design and book arts. She has been involved in founding and growing small community arts non-profit organizations (The Independent Publishing Resource Center, C.C. Stern Type Foundry, Partners in Print), and is a past publisher of both print and audio zines. Inspired by the sharing of cultural subjective histories, Rebecca is implicated in a variety of documentation projects related to typecasting and printing, and ongoing archive and legacy consulting with regional artists.
www.rebeccangilbert.com
Brian Bagdonas has worked as a commercial printer since 1992. During work shifts while operating production printing machinery, he likes to dream up ways to use the equipment for non-commercial purposes. With an affection for the tools and techniques of "hot metal" letterpress printing, he activates his commercial experience to create whimsical print work that celebrates the "art" and "industry" of the craft. He is a volunteer and board member of the C.C. Stern Type Foundry. Brian is also an active participant in the Portland, Oregon traditional music community.
www.fiddleink.com
Together Brian and Rebecca operate Craft Printing House, a small letterpress shop located in Clatskanie, Oregon. Previously they were partners in Stumptown Printers (1999-2019), an offset and letterpress shop specializing in paperboard music packaging. They are also both active Board members and volunteers at the C.C. Stern Type Foundry, and have received certificates for hot metal typecasting from Monotype University.
www.craftprintinghouse.com
www.metaltype.org
Agenda
🕑: 06:00 PM - 06:30 PM
Guest Check-In
🕑: 06:30 PM - 07:30 PM
From Zines to Metal: Building Community Around Print
🕑: 07:30 PM - 08:30 PM
Reception in the Arion Press Gallery
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 12.51
