The Artists

Mark Andrew Morris is a visual artist and musician living in Kalamazoo, Michigan with his wife and daughter. He graduated with a bachelor's degree from WMU with a focus on painting. When he's not making art, he spends his time teaching guitar, as well as writing and performing original music (current bands include Tambourina & Overly Polite Tornadoes). 

Thoughts on the Kalamazoo Calendar Project: I am so grateful to be a part of this incredible group of people. It's been such a source of inspiration and provided a much needed connection to my community. 

Website: tambourina.bandcamp.com, overlypolitetornadoes.bandcamp.com

Social handle: @toomanyanvils

"Outdoor recreation, skeletons and bikes really excite and inspire me. While nature and repetitive designs soothe and bring balance to my anxious mind. This is how I make art.  I love each piece I make to have a sense of whimsy and adventure. As an art teacher, I have worked in dozens of mediums, but really don't stay in one lane.  Ill jump from one art form to the next, but it always comes back to what excites me or soothes me at the moment.  

In addition to printmaking, I also create functional ceramic pieces. I believe an every piece should tell a story or start a conversation. 

My art is a reminder that we are fortunate to grow old. We have to take chances and ‘do the ridiculous things’ while we can."

Thoughts about the Kalamazoo Calendar Project: "The Kalamazoo calendar project is a really special collaboration. A calendar is considered a consistant predictable thing, but in this project, content isn’t discussed and artists can change year to year.   As an artist, my favorite day is “collation” because we get to see what everyone created. Often , without discussion, we find a theme. Other years it’s completely random. Bringing together 12 artists who all have unique ways of putting 400+ prints on paper is what makes this calendar special."

Socials:  off_camber_arts and mckinneyje_mtb  (Instagram) 

Meg Tang is a jewelry artist and printmaker in Kalamazoo, Michigan. She knew at age 5 that she was going to be an artist. By age 15 she was making and selling fabricated Sterling Silver jewelry, which she has done ever since.  Her work is inspired by travel, nature, the moon, and her heritage. She obtained her BA from Michigan State University and has studied at the Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts in San Fransisco. Meg Tang is also a Teaching Artist for Education for the Arts in Michigan.  In her spare time she likes to swim, tend plants, and practice Jin Shin Jyutsu. 

Thoughts about the Kalamazoo Calendar Project:  "The Kalamazoo Calendar Project is a beautiful, ever evolving art experiment in screen printing.  It is always a surprise to see what the artists have created and I’m so excited to be a part of this amazing cross section of Kalamazoo based artists!"

Website: www.megtang.com 

Social Media: @megtangjewelry 

Derek Van Gieson is a mixed media artist currently living in Sioux Falls, SD. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times and his last two books were published by Uncivilized Books and Fantagraphics Books.

Thoughts on the Kalamazoo Calendar Project: There was a small contingent of artists doing silk screened venue posters at the time, and this project seemed to naturally fit right into the work flow. 

Social Media: @derek_vangieson 

Brennan was born in Kalamazoo, raised in Paw Paw and moved back to Kalamazoo before a decade-long stint in the remote mountains of Montana. He now lives in Traverse City with his wife, Rachel, two kids and a menagerie of pets and other critters. Brennan has worked in the non-profit conservation space for 15 years, focused on Trout and Salmon conservation across the USA. In his limited spare time he's an avid fly angler and loves to tinker with intersection of technology and music.

Thoughts about the Kalamazoo Calendar Project: "The calendar project was always a great time. At one point we had four roommates each responsible for a month. It was nearly impossible to navigate the Vine Neighborhood house with all of the prints hanging to dry between colors. I'm proud to have been a part of the start of the project and even prouder that it continues on with new artists and ideas. It's a wonderful way to get Kalamazoo's community together and to create a truly unique and functional piece of artwork."

"I’m Jacob Van Order, an artist who studied sculpture and printmaking at art school. Nearly two decades ago, I created the calendar entry for June 2007. That year was incredibly transformative for me, and I consider this calendar a significant milestone of the time. Now, I work as a computer engineer for Etsy, but I often find myself admiring other artists’ prints while I test my own work." 

Thoughts about the Kalamazoo Calendar Project: "Years ago, I always admired this ambitious project that showcased diverse artists within a community in a practical and useful format. I was honored to be a part of it, as I witnessed the contributions of artists I admired over the years. To this day, it remains one of my strongest pieces from that era, and I cherish it fondly. I always enjoy observing the calendar from a distance, anticipating what each year brings, and have been delighted to see people I know and love contribute to it." 

Website: https://www.jacobvanorder.com 

Ryan is a working scientist by trade but has a terminal interest in printmaking, drawing, painting, and photography. He currently lives in Athens, GA and continues to work on a series of photography zines. 

Thoughts on the Kalamazoo Calendar Project: "I was part of the KCP for seven years. During that time, the project deepened my connection to the artistic community in Kalamazoo, helped foster my artistic voice, and provided a way for me to share my work with the rest of the city. It is hard to believe it has been 21 years since the first calendar came out. But I suppose it shouldn't come as a surprise-- it is a beautiful, special thing."

Social Media: @_amissed_

Born Kalamazoo.

Live Kalamzoo. 

Love Kalamazoo. 

I first screen-printed in the late 80's in middle school,

hooked since. 

  Screenprinting. 

    Skateboarding. 

      Cars. 

        Dogs. 

          Music. 

           -- Say, "hi", to somebody you don't know--

Thoughts on the Kalamazoo Calendar Project: Love it, good times, there should be more months in the year. 

Website: www.goldfishprints.net 

Rebecca Patterson is a middle school art teacher of 29 years, residing in Kalamazoo. She enjoys birdwatching, gardening, and is learning how to tattoo. 

Thoughts on the Kalamazoo Calendar Project: The KCP is near and dear to my heart. I'm so glad I was able to be part of it while I could. 

My name is Chafe Hensley, and I am an artist and musician living in Kalamazoo, Michigan. I am a muralist, graphic designer, illustrator, art educator, commercial/residential painter, and co-owner and co- creative director of Weirder Wonderland, a creative goods and services company. My creative work is currently focused on murals, illustration, and painting. I am actively involved in creating music by writing songs, publishing, performing locally and nationally, and curating and marketing shows with a variety of punk rock and roll bands. My mission is to work with communities who embody kindness, compassion, empathy, and approach work and problem solving with a sense of humor and humility. About My Visual Work My work incorporates a variety of materials and explores multiple worlds of abstraction and character- driven compositions. I create digital and traditional artwork for clients using Adobe Creative Suite, Procreate for the iPad, and acrylic paint with a variety of substrates and other mixed-media tools. I gravitate toward character design that stems from my subconscious, intertwining rich, bold, saturated color. My content focuses on emotive energy, attempting to connect with joy, vibration, and whimsy. I approach my content with a graphic, pop art style reminiscent of street and skateboard art.  

Thoughts about the Kalamazoo Calendar Project: The Kalamazoo Calendar Project (KCP) has been a source of inspiration for me for many years. I really enjoy collaborative projects and stepping outside of my comfort zone with trying new mediums and exploring artistic paths. The KCP gave me creative freedom within the content of my designs while enforcing a responsibility of working with a team on a large project that had strict deadlines and public expectations. When I started my first calendar project, I had very little experience with screen printing and received a ton of help from some of the other artists involved in the project and local makers who had experience printing professionally and creatively. I found that screen printers generally want to help one another succeed at what sometimes can be an arduous pursuit. I love Kalamazoo’s extremely supportive art community and it shined bright within this project. My favorite part of the project was the initial brainstorming meeting each year to establish paper stock and thematic guidelines, and the final day of collation when all twelve artists (thirteen one year) got together to assemble prints and package the year’s project. I participated in fourteen years starting in the early 2000s. Collation usually took between an hour and a half to three hours, depending on our logistical challenges. The Sunday collation was always an energized afternoon where we could laugh, cry, and all talk about content, process, mistakes, pains, successes, and be in community with one another. I think my screen printing days are behind me now, but I like to hold the philosophy of never saying never. We’ll see. Who knows? I am grateful for my experience with the KCP. So many fond memories. 

Website:  www.weirderwonderland.com/portfolio 

Social Media: @weirderwonderland