Russell Squires is an accomplished local photographer and also has another interest in letterpress printing. He now runs Space Monkey Press and has recently been creating some letterpress tags and planting them around the city.
Russell created the tags using an Adana 8×5 which he purchased on ebay last summer. Looking forward to see much more work produced and hung out around Portsmouth.
“I find letterpress printing a great escape from digital work, it has a wonderful history and a richness that is unmatched via other printing methods. From setting the forme to inking the plate the process has an organic element to it. The paper is not squirted with ink, it is bitten into, the colours are mixed by eye not selected via hex# the process is a labour of love. “
He is also an accomplished photographer – his website well worth investigating. Watch Strong Island soon for more updates on Russell’s tags and his photography.
Local event management team Love Southsea will have a market the first Sunday of every month at the Square Tower in Old Portsmouth, starting Sunday 6th March. The market is a free, family event and they are always on the look out for local people to sell their goods, so if you are interested in having a stall then get in touch via lovesouthsea.co.uk.
P.S. Each market will be caterered by The Tea Party, who make old fashioned cupcakes and sandwiches all served on vintage crockery. So its worth pooping along every for a cuppa!
Mark Persaud and his graphic, web and print design company Devine Aesthetic have just dropped a new print poster, The Pompey Eye Test. The print is available in a wide range of colours on paper and canvas and can be ordered online here. ‘Din’ always makes me laugh.
I found these truly amazing posters on one of my many Flickr travels. All circa 1930s and all fantastic. Click the images for the direct links to Flickr.
Come down to the first Southsea Boutique Market. 12-3pm, Saturday 5th March 2011. You will be able to browse for wonderful unique bargains from local crafts people and traders. Market sellers include Butterfly Beauty who have just opened a new shop on Albert Road, Blanche and Lola with their vintage reworked jewellery, Rare Designer Must Haves with funky children’s clothes and hand crocheted products, Kids Cottons, original art work from Badger Press, pre-loved goods, tea, cake and a whole lot more.
There will be a play area to keep the little ones entertained plus The Tea Party will be running the cafe area, complete with delicious cakes and vintage cups and saucers. Ye Olde Bike Shoppe will also be there, showing people how to make the most of their bicycles and offering bicycle TLC.
So be sure to pay a visit as it will a warm and welcoming event for all the family.
Ornate tea cup ring, just one of the stunning pieces of handmade jewellery available from Blanche and Lola by Amy Evans.
Giant hand crocheted mushroom pouffe stool by Dutch designer Anne-Claire Petit on the Rare Designer Must Haves stall.
Heart Keyrings by Suzy Fieldhouse of Bloodstone Bay
Taken over the past 2 months around the city. As you can see I do document quite a lot from dog walks, beer competitions, Print This exhibition, Strong Island Round Tower development, more dog walks, beach shots, architecture and street art.
DURTY 45 returns to Little Johnny Russells for another off the hook party. Last time the placed rocked with tunes you grew up with, wish you had and will always love. This is about great music, not guilty pleasures. Expect a party extravaganza with a soundtrack to rival most.
Deejays Macaco Do Paolo & Che Sirena de Niebla play the finest selection of vinyl 45s. With special guest Ms Mono (Big Chill Bar)
Its not just about old classic 45s. The 7″ record has made a comeback, with labels like Sunday Best, Third Man Records, Wah Wah 45s, First Word Records and XL Recordings, to name a few, producing them. There is still some fascination with these shiny pieces of plastic. FunkHipHopRhythmBluesDubRockJazzRaveDiscoReggaeSoul on 45s.
There’s going to be a raffle too and they’ll be selling ‘No More Durty Water’ & ‘Durty 45 Bus’ Tee Shirts. ‘No More Durty Water’ is a campaign to help provide safe and abundant water for the people of the world. Clean water is a basic human right and it is essential for the health of our species. Unsafe drinking water and poor sanitation is detrimental in the fight against poverty, hunger & disease. Providing clean water is a simple task that the governments of this world have failed to achieve. Perhaps they don’t care?
This Saturday at the One-Eyed Dog sees the monthly residency of the love-child night featuring DJs from perennial Southsea favourites Pet Sounds. This week Charlie is joined by Keef, supplying sublime 60s garage, rubber legged funk and indie masterworks. Expect fun without cheese, bring your dancing shoes and leave your week’s troubles at the door.
The last few nights has seen a queue up Elm Grove and 1-in-1-out as the night gets late so arrive early to avoid disappointment. It’s payday people, spoil yourselves…
As you may know each year we run a home brew competition in February where the winning brew has the opportunity to be brewed by Irving & Co Brewing Co. and sold around the city in the summer. Last year’s brew, the Strong Island Hopper Ale, was hugely successful being one of Inving’s best selling ales and selling out so quickly it went through a second brew run. This year’s winning ale is Dry Dock No. 1, originally brewed by Lee Immins, went on sale in some of Portsmouth and Southsea’s pubs over the weekend.
We spoke to The Hole in The Wall in Southsea who said the new ale went down a storm with it being their best seller on Sunday and with almost two barrels empty by the end of the Bank Holiday weekend. Those guys at the Hole in The Wall and their regular ale drinkers know their stuff so for us this was amazing early news with the ale.
To officially launch Dry Dock No. 1 we are having a launch party with the lovely souls at The Belle Isle on Thursday evening. The ale will be on full flow, come down and try a pint or two. As well as being on sale all around the city the ale will also be available in Chichester’s Belle Isle too, so you can drink it away from home for the first time too.
Just over a year ago, a group of Strong Islanders were sat on the Isle of Wight ferry on our way to the yearly Randonnee cycling event; 60 miles around the island spread across 5 checkpoints. Whilst on the crossing we couldn’t help but admire various enthusiasts and their custom team jerseys. Fast forward a year and it is my great pleasure to unveil the Strong Island cycling jersey. Made as a one off for the event, the jersey is our way of representing this city and all the values that come with it. Thanks to the combined designing efforts of Chris Ballingall and Tristan Savage, we were able to produce this clean, retro looking jersey that 11 of Southsea’s finest could wear to conquer the island’s endless hills. Well done chaps.
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