First mailed-out copies arriving ...

 

These copies were received by Ronelle Hart Jaspen in Melville, Johannesburg, today!

The eagle lands once again ....

 

The cactus of a bright sky, a chapbook of seven poems by Alan Finlay, has just arrived from the printer.

Published by Dye Hard Press, limited to 50 numbered copies. 

Psychotic cottage cheese with Frida Kahlo

 

The proof copy has arrived, and it's looking good ...

The proof copy of Alan Finlay's The cactus of a bright sky, a chapbook of nine poems, published by Dye Hard Press.

16 pages.

Limited to 50 numbered copies.

Coming soon!

New from Dye Hard Press: Outside the cave by Gary Cummiskey

Outside the cave is a selection of Gary Cummiskey's poems from 1990 to 2019, selected and introduced by Kobus Moolman.

164 pages.

ISBN 978-0-9869982-8-7

Outside the cave will be available from select bookstores. If you order directly from the publisher, the cost will be R280, including courier to your door.

I need to make a plan for overseas orders. The reliability of the South African Post Office is at an all-time low, worsened by delays due to Covid. For example, some Dye Hard Press books mailed to England and France last October have still not arrived. But keep watching this space!

In the meantime, for domestic orders, please send an email to dyehardpress@iafrica.com.

Almost there: The cactus of a bright sky by Alan Finlay

Alan Finlay's The cactus of a bright sky, a chapbook of nine poems, has gone to the printer for proof copy, which I should receive by Friday.

16 pages.

Limited to 50 numbered copies.

Watch this space!

Thunder on the highway ... after nine months

A copy of Thunder on the highway, which was sent nine months ago to Sreemanti Sengupta in Kolkata, India, finally arrived yesterday ... 

 

The eagle has landed

 

Coming soon: The cactus of a bright sky by Alan Finlay

 

The cactus of a bright sky is a new chapbook of poems by South African poet Alan Finlay.

16 pages.

It will be a limited edition of 50 numbered copies.

Due out early June 2021.

Order details to follow.

i'll wait and pray

 

Coming soon: Outside the cave: selected poems by Gary Cummiskey

 

Proof of Outside the cave received

 

Here she is! Just a few tweaks here and there, and Outside the cave will roll to final print!

Outside the cave at the printer

Outside the cave, the selected poems of Gary Cummiskey, has gone to the printer for a proof copy.

Outside the cave is a selection of Cummiskey's poems from 1990 to 2019, selected and introduced by Kobus Moolman.

'Cummiskey writes devoid of the lyrical ego found in much of South African poetry. Perhaps his progenitor is Beiles, but this collection shows he is a much more consistent poet, and ultimately, I think a better one. I first read his poetry nearly 30 years ago – and have read his many chapbooks since. This powerful and exciting selection of poetry should as much as possible be read in one go. His poems accrue meaning.' - Alan Finlay

164 pages.

ISBN 978-0-9869982-8-7

Pricing and availability to be confirmed soon.

 

Almost there .... Outside the cave

Almost there ... just attending to some spacing issues and then it will be ready to be sent for a printer's proof.

Outside the cave is a selection of poems by Gary Cummiskey from 1990 to 2019. The poems are selected and introduced by Kobus Moolman.

164 pages.

Published by Dye Hard Press.

A Dye Hard Interview: Michael Wilson: Putting the work together

Photo: Susan Christine Spencer

                                                   

Michael Wilson is an assemblage artist who has always been heavy on techniques using artifacts and disassembled objects from an era long gone. He avoids plastics to make his assemblages look as though they were antiques themselves. Stuff from the dustbin, collected up and transformed. A solid piece needs to have electricity and some of them literally do. That's when a viewer’s responses can be very strong. Once in a while he puts away an art piece until he finds the right part or found object to give the assemblage that edge and  an 'outside the box' feel. He also makes castings of old parts of statues and adds them into the cohesion. The ultimate goal is to have depth and flow, which he oftentimes does, in hitting the 'mark' . He and his wife, artist Susan Spencer, open up their studios on occasion, so when in Northern California ring them up.

DH: How did you come to be an artist? How did you come to work in assemblage, and where do you find your materials?

MW: Growing up in the 1960s I was influenced by my father's art and love of jazz. He was a well- known animator and artist, so I grew up in an environment that proved a lifelong influence. Another big influence was André Breton. I took art classes at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena and we got to display our work at the college art gallery. I was also in a graphic arts class and made my first billboard ‒ a double-sided sign reading ‘Ground Floor Gallery’‒ for a space I rented in Old Towne Pasadena, California. We sold few works, but soon found out we weren't salespeople. At that time, before gentrification, there were 400 artists living in a four-block area of Old Towne, in 1977.  

With my training and family background in art I was handed a baton to carry forward a never-ending art project that allowed creative ideas to flourish. Through my collecting junk and antiques I found it inspiring to give old objects a 'new life'. What may look like a series of broken pieces in front of you would ultimately grow to become an assemblage...More

Ubu on the rise