Over the past ten years that I have been printing I have had the opportunity to collaborate with artists and screen print their artwork. It started working with Favianna Rodriguez, which I co-founded the Taller Tupac Amaru with, I’ve printed about 30 of her screen prints. These types of collaboration have been very enriching, i think every time I work with an artist I learn a little more about art making and get a glimpse of how an artist creates their art.

Top: Leslie Lopez, Emory Douglas, Favianna Rodriguez / Bottom: Ernesto Yerena, Enrique Chagoya, Barbara Carrasco 

Top: Tony Carranza, Favianna Rodriguez, Estria Miyashiro / Bottom: Tony Carranza, Favianna Rodriguez, Estria Miyashiro

I also worked with Tumis’ artists like Tony Carranza and Estria Miyashiro, printing the Tumis Holiday Portfolio, those portfolios have always been super fun to work on every year.

Top: Barbara Carrasco, Jesus Barraza & Favianna Rodriguez, / Bottom: Malaquias Montoya, Emory Douglas

In 2004 I was approached by the Center for the study of political to print a portfolio for their anniversary and I was able to work with Barbara Carrasco, Emory Douglas and Malaquias Montoya and Favianna Rodriguez who I designed a print with for the portfolio. That was a great opportunity to work with great artists and it was a lot of fun, after that I felt a lot more confident about working with artists.

Top: Leslie Lopez, Natalia Garcia P. & Leslie Lopez, Natalia Garcia P. / Bottom: Natalia Garcia P. & Leslie Lopez, Natalia Garcia P., Leslie Lopez

Earlier this year we collaborated with Xochitl Ceive to produce five screens with Natalia Garcia P and Leslie Lopez. I worked with them to design and create their separations and they came into the studio to print these pieces with me. Since copleting our first project, we have continued collaborating and mentoring Leslie and Natalia so they can continue creating screen prints.

Above: Ester Hernandez, Emmanuel Montoya, Emory Douglas

It has been great when an artist calls us and asks if we can help them print their piece, we have worked with several artists and it is great to see how they work and how they approach their art. A artist that contacted us and wanted to work with us this year was Ester Hernandez, she was inspired by all the organizing and art being produced around immigration issues and wanted to make a Wanted poster of the Virgen de Guadalupe. This was a fun project and we hope to continue working with Ester in the coming year to make some new stuff.

Top: Ana Teresa Fernandez, Enrique Chagoya / Bottom: Julio Cesar Morales, Rupert Garcia, Shizu Saldamando

The latest project was working with the Galeria de la Raza to print their 40th Anniversary portfolio and work with Enrique Chagoya, Ana Teresa Fernandez, Rupert Garcia, Julio Cesar Morales and Shizu Saldamando.

There are many other artist we have collaborated over the years and we hope to continue working with artists. I find it a really big honor to be able to collaborate and build working relationships with artists whose work we love and help them continue creating.

To see more prints click here

All Photos by Lincoln Cushing