CSA=Community Supported ART

I LOVE this idea!

The following message was just sent to me from a very good friend of mine. He's a fabulous artist here in Lexington, Alex Brooks. I think this idea is brilliant, and I hope supporting a local artist and reaping the benefits of getting monthly handmade (professional, beautiful) art in the mail is interesting to you.



(BTW, I am asking for this for christmas, both the share and the box. So, if you decide to spring on this for me, just ask Alex if someone has already sprung for me or not...if so, you can share the delight with another loved one instead!)

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Date: December 15, 2009 11:57:02 PM EST
Subject: 2010 CSA: Community Supported Art

Dear friends & family:

I’m writing to tell you about a new project I’m planning for 2010; I’m calling it a CSA, or Community Supported Art project. I’ll be offering 100 shares of a year of my artwork. Each month, beginning January 2010, shareholders will receive an envelope in the mail with a 8x10” print, hand-signed and hand-numbered, along with various other writings and musing I’ve composed for that month. This is a unique way to participate in my year of art making, support a local artist, and get some great prints for a great price. In fact, each print will only cost $4. The total cost of one share will be $48 + $12 shipping ($60 total), and you can expect multiple color reduction woodcut prints, multiple block woodcut prints, and single color woodcut prints. You might also expect some use of wooden & metal type, linoleum cuts, wood engravings, and all sorts of other printmaking experimentation. A CSA share also makes a great gift and I can provide a hand printed card to present the gift to its lucky shareholder (please contact me immediately if you’d like a gift card).

I’ll also be offering custom, hand made conservation boxes to hold the year’s worth of prints. The cloth covered archival box will have paper spine & front labels and will be perfect for storing all your prints on a bookshelf or coffee table. The hand-made boxes will be $50 additional.

Throughout the year shareholders will also have opportunities to order greeting cards, journals, or other materials printed from the CSA woodcuts.

How to sign up: If you want to become a shareholder, support my printmaking endeavors, and reap the benefits of an original print every month you can:

1) Come by my studio and see my restored antique presses, paper cutters, and bookbinding tools. Give a call to let me know you’re coming (859 608 5860) and bring a check or cash for $60 per share and $50 per box.

2) Reply to this email with your name and address and pay by paypal. You can pay to alex@press817.com, or I can send you a paypal invoice.

3) Send me a check in the mail, along with your name and address.

There will only be 100 shares available, so become a shareholder now!

thanks, Alex Brooks
press eight seventeen
437 N Martin Luther King Blvd.
Lexington, Kentucky 40508

if you're interested in more of my work, or pictures of machinery or my studio, go here.


Also, please forward this to anyone you think might be interested.


p.s. For years I’ve enjoyed the Kentucky growing season through a CSA, or Community Supported Agriculture program from Three Springs Farm in Carlisle. It’s a special community based endeavor where a group of people buy shares of a farm and each shareholder profits from the farm’s produce. It’s been a blessing in my life and I’ve purloined the acronym and business model in hopes that my CSA can create some small similar community spirit & happiness.