Sometimes the themes that clamor for our artistic attention are overwhelming. The old Chinese curse, “May you live in interesting times,” takes on a special significance for artists. Chandler O’Leary and Jessica Spring know this, and chooses to focus at least one series of print creations on the mystery and politics of the rising feminine, the struggling feminine, the fighting feminine, the powerful feminine. A cornerstone of this line of work is the Feminist Broadside Series, an increasingly celebrated, hand-press letterpress series emphasizing the work and lives of great, dead feminists. The latest work, End of the Line celebrates the life and work of Harriet Tubman, who would have been more than ready to take on all the social challenges facing the world. The poster features her famous quote: “Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”



“The studio has been buzzing lately — not just with creative activity, but with debate and discussion,” says O’Leary on her blog. “The sheer number and variety of social, economic, and environmental issues that are competing for our attention are staggering. So instead of focusing this quarter’s Feminist Broadside one particular issue, we decided to create a tribute to the journey itself. We have a long way to go to reach our collective goals, and the only way we’ll get there is together. Perhaps nobody understood this idea better than Harriet Tubman — abolitionist, feminist, agent of social change.”



Letterpress is hot these days. It’s a sort of relief printing, where pressure is applied to a piece of paper placed over a raised form that is covered with a thin layer of ink. The form can be fashioned from a carved block of wood or linoleum; a raised plate made of magnesium, plastic or other materials; or movable type made from metal or wood. Forms are hand cut. It’s painstaking work. This latest piece emphasizes the painstaking work we have ahead of us, as a nation that is.



“This is why we chose Harriet Tubman for our latest piece. There are so many pressing issues vying for our attention — war, the economy, healthcare, the environment, transit, equality, etc. — that we couldn’t choose just one. So we decided to focus on the journey itself. For all the ground we’ve gained in our country’s short history, we have a long, long way to go — and the only way we’ll get there is together.”