New Composting Program in Cleveland

Greetings from a Compost Ambassador

Hi, All!

I have exciting news to share… I am officially the Compost Ambassador for the Ohio City neighborhood in Cleveland! What does that mean? My job is to teach folks in the neighborhood about composting and the services that are available.

The City of Cleveland recently received a USDA grant to expand and support compost services! I made a zine to explain the program and how I am involved, and I wanted to share it with you. So, I typed the entire zine for this email and added all the links and information for you 🙂 

Tiny zines for sharing information about the new composting program

Why Compost?

• Over 40% of the food in the U.S. is wasted

• Composting food scraps keeps them out of the landfill, where they release greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere

• Composting transforms food scraps into living soils that can be used to grow new food 

Collect your food scraps in buckets, and bring to a drop off site for Rust Belt Riders to compost

How can I get involved?

The main way to get involved in the new program is by signing up for the Compost Drop-Off Program. Collect your food scraps at home, and bring them to one of 18 sites in Cleveland. There are two types of memberships:

1. Snap-eligible: there are 250 FREE spots available for snap-eligible residents, and a waiting list if they run out. Please sign up! You'll receive a free bucket to collect your scraps and can drop off at any of the 18 locations in Cleveland. Note: you don’t need to show SNAP paperwork to show eligibility, you just need to be in the income range! You can sign up with this link.

2. Regular Membership: All other residents can sign up for $12/month. Seniors and students get a 10% discount! You'll be able to drop off food scraps at any of the 47 drop off locations in the region. You'll also receive 10% off Tilth Soil (soil made from Rust Belt Riders food scraps). You can sign up with this link.

An animation of a few of the pages of the zine

Once you join with either of the memberships...

• You'll receive a 4-digit lock code to the bins

• Collect food scraps at home

• Bring food scraps to the drop-off bins

• Rust Belt Riders will pick up the food scraps and transform them into compost!

The Ohio City location is at Phoenix Coffee at 3000 Bridge Ave.

The bins in Ohio City where folks can drop off their food scraps :)

Want to compost at home? Let me know! I can connect you with information and resources for a backyard bin and spots in your neighborhood.

Rust Belt Riders also provides a Home Pickup Service. They pick up your bucket of food scraps and leave a fresh bucket. It is labor intensive, so service starts at $45/month.

~Some may ask, why is Composting more expensive than the trash and recycling pickup I already get in Cleveland?! The answer: landfilling is heavily subsidized, and the real financial cost (and ecological cost) is hidden~

Please sign up if you are a farmer or run a community garden in Cleveland!

As part of the grant, Rust Belt Riders is providing FREE finished compost soil to food producers and community gardens in Cleveland. Soil will be delivered in loose 6-yard increments. You can sign up for free soil here :)

As your compost ambassador, I'm here to answer questions about compost and the new program in the city. Please contact me...

• If you want to drop off zines and flyers in mailboxes in Ohio City with me :)

• If you want flyers or zines to pass out

• If you want me to speak to your Block Club, an organization, or event

• If you want to sign up for the program

• Any comments or concerns

Thanks for reading! 🙂 Em

Mentor Monday on WKYC!

Hi, all! I’m excited to share that I was recently featured on WKYC Channel 3!

I am part of the College Now mentorship program, and was interviewed along with my mentee, Aspen Wood.

Our interview with WKYC Channel 3

The College Now: Greater Cleveland program provides resources for Say Yes Cleveland scholarship recipients. I was lucky to be paired with Aspen Wood, a freshman at the Cleveland Institute of Art. They are an inspiring and dedicated Animation major, already well on their way to success in college and beyond. You can view their work here :)

You can see our heartwarming feature here!

College Now is in need of mentors - especially people who majored in the arts! I know so many people in my community went to school for art and would be amazing mentors.

Being a mentor has big rewards with a low time commitment. I email Aspen twice a month to check in with them and answer any questions about their time in college. I also commit to meeting with my mentee three times a year. Aspen and I meet more often than this because we both live in the same city and we get along well. Some mentor/mentee pairs meet solely via phone and zoom!

You can learn more on the College Now: Greater Cleveland website.

Aspen and I chatting at our go-to meeting place, Algebra Tea House :)

I highly recommend signing up to be a mentor - it’s been a very rewarding experience for me. Let me know if you have any questions!

Thanks for reading!

🙂 Em

Miniature Zine Workshop + Embodied Resistance Book

Miniature Zine Workshop at Oxbow Orchard

I’m teaching a Miniature Zine workshop at Oxbow Orchard on January 5!
If you haven’t already visited this amazing farm, this workshop would
be a great opportunity. They have lots of great outdoor workshops and events,
but don’t worry, this workshop will be indoors in their farm store.

Why make a miniature zine? They are very cute, they fit in your pocket,
and readers love to pick them up. Made from one sheet of computer paper,
miniature zines condense your ideas into one dynamic book.
Zines are inexpensive books that can be easily duplicated and shared.

Zines and templates that I’ll share during the workshop

In this class, we will make a 32-page miniature notebook (3" tall x 2" wide)
and a collaborative 8-page miniature zine. You'll also walk home with
three templates to continue making your own zines at home!
Zines from Em's personal zine library will also be available to peruse.

All tools and materials provided. However, please feel free to bring collage materials! Anyone under 14 must be accompanied by an adult.

This is a zine I made with my new 8-page zine template!

Miniature Zine Workshop

Jan 05, 2025, 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Oxbow Orchard, 6765 Canal Rd,
Valley View, OH 44125, USA

Register here

Genghis Con 2024

Thanks to all who visited at Genghis Con, it was so wonderful to see you!
Here are some photos that Avery Duff took of me and my offerings,
including my brand new book, “Buying Nothing for a Year”  :-)

2025 Moon Calendars are still available on my Etsy site -
they make a great holiday gift.

Embodied Resistance Book

Thanks to BHB Press (Allison Bogard Hall and Sam R. Butler)
for including my work in their book, Embodied Resistance!

You can view the book online (it looks best on a computer monitor).

https://simplebooklet.com/embodiedresistance_bhbpress#page=1

Upcoming Events from Em

Pittsburgh Zine Fair

I’m happy to announce that I will be exhibiting my books and zines at the Pittsburgh Zine Fair! If you’re in the area or looking for a day trip to a great city, I’d love to see you there.

Sunday, October 27, 2024
11am - 6pm

Kingsley Association
6435 Frankstown Ave
Pittsburgh PA 15206

Save the date: Genghis Con 2024

I’ll also be showing my work at Genghis Con, one of my very favorite events of the year. Stop by in December!

Sunday, December 1, 2024

11am-5pm

The Pivot Art Center
2937 W 25th St
Cleveland OH 44113

My table at Genghis Con 2023, photo by Kate Atherton

Cleveland, Ohio’s much loved Small Press and Independent Comic Convention returns to bring together so many prolific practitioners of independent print media! Cartoonists, zinesters, printmakers, authors, illustrators, small press publishers, educators and advocates converge to exhibit their work, converse about their processes and celebrate the independent print community thriving throughout the greater rust-belt region and beyond!

Recap: Poetry Reading at Oxbow Orchard

Photos by Avery Duff

Thanks to everyone who attended the wonderful poetry reading at Oxbow Orchard last Sunday!

I am currently booking shows for Autumn / Winter, please invite me to read at your show!

Haystack Heaven

Haystack Heaven

I was so grateful to return to Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in Deer Isle, Maine to be a Studio Technician for their Open Studio Residency this spring. I was in charge of the Graphics (printmaking) studio, helping residents get settled in and find the tools and materials to make their work. We had an amazing group of artists in the studio making a huge variety of work: screen prints, etchings, woodcuts, cyanotypes, paper sculpture, drawings, natural dyed paper, papermaking, and more!

Left: The Graphics Studio before the residents began work. Right: my studio setup early in the residency - making watercolor monotype plates, and gathering supplies to teach a Zine 101 workshop.

Haystack is a very special place to me - where I feel peaceful, inspired, productive, friendly, and connected. Having amazing studio facilities, wonderful people, nutritious food, and a beautiful location in one place was a rare opportunity - I truly soaked up every minute of every day.

I had the chance to work in every studio on campus - which was such a blessing. By the end of my two weeks, I was so used to being in "learning mode" that I could pick up new skills without as much effort. Thank you to everyone for helping me and sharing your skills. You inspire me!

• Annalise Rubida showed me how to make beautiful brooms/brushes out of cherry wood and tampico fiber

• Natalie Lowe created an incredible enamel pin workshop. I felt so supported and inspired!

Left: Maia and Annalise in the woodshop, making wooden brushes. Right: Enamel pin, in progress.

• Jocelyn Reid and the entire ceramics crew welcomed me into the studio and answered all my questions about salt/soda firings, glazes, wax resists, and getting 50 small bowls made on a short deadline

• Nate King arranged a wonderful silkscreen demo including illustrations from residents - some folks printed the design on their freshly dyed fabrics and shirts.

Left: My beautiful cabin, overlooking Jericho Bay. Right: Making brushes in the woodshop!

Maia Malakoff set up an incredible set of natural dyes and my yellow bandana was dyed in lac to create a soft orange. Maia also set me up on my very first loom on my last evening in the studio - thank you!

Left: Natural dying workshop led by Maia Malakoff in the incredible dye kitchen. 5+ different colors of dyes; residents must have dyed 75+ pieces of clothing and fabric. Right: Maia taught me how to weave on the loom!

But perhaps my favorite was being in the blacksmithing studio with Lisa Geertsen. I was very scared to cut metal with the bandsaw, use the forges to heat and shape the steel, and use the sanders that sent sparks flying. But, by the time I was a few minutes in, I started to really enjoy it and said, "I grew so much this afternoon!"

Left: Forging my first steel spoon (!) Please note the amazing Lisa Geertsen in the background, smiling. Right: My first experience loading and unloading a kiln. My work is the stacks of small bowls and spoons on the left.

Some of my favorite things at Haystack:

(list inspired by Alex Kalil!)

Nutritious food

Walking up and down hills

Fresh air

Access to tools and high quality materials

Being out in the sun

Rocks and moss

Seeing shooting stars, the milky way, and bioluminescent water

The library (open 24/7)

Meeting and working with staff members

Limited cell service/internet

Finding connections with people

Quiet sunset

Seeing people learn and grow in the studio

Being surrounded by artists

Eating breakfast outside

Ceramic studio night with Yasmeen, Maia, Lisa, and Natalie

Left: The dining hall at night, viewed from the Fibers deck. Right: A magnificent lunch.

Thank you to the entire staff + Tikva Lantigua for inviting me to Haystack last year.

Haystack Magic

Haystack Magic

There’s something really special about Haystack Mountain School of Crafts that I still haven’t been able to pin down. Maybe it’s the remoteness, the quiet, the ocean. I think a lot of it is the people, and the space to bring out the best in ourselves. Being at Haystack was like being on vacation, but one where I was inspired and craved making art and wanted to be in the studio, socializing, and being part of the world.

Haystack Mountain School is located right on the Atlantic Ocean. On the right, the deck between the Graphics and Fibers studios, where many students gathered to socialize and create art in the sun.

I love teaching and I love assisting teachers. When Tikva asked me to be her Technical Assistant for the Graphics class, I was honored and humbled that she asked me. Tikva and I met in graduate school at Cranbrook Academy of Art in 2014. We have kept in touch and collaborated over the years, and we got to have a grand reunion in Maine after not seeing one another for 6 years!

Left: a watercolor monotype fresh off the printing press. Right: adding water-soluble crayon to my monotype plates

Artwork ready for the Studio Walkthrough at the end of class. This is just a snippet of all the amazing art that the Graphics class made in their 2-week class.

Some of my favorite things at Haystack:

(list inspired by Alex Kalil!)

Nutritious food
Walking up and down hills
Quiet cabins
Fresh air
Access to tools and high quality materials
Being out in the sun
Rocks and moss
The library (open 24/7)
Limited cell service/internet
Finding connections with people
Being surrounded by artists
Meeting and working with staff members
Chewy coconut cookies
Jumping in the ocean on the solstice

Left: Tikva and I collaborated on these miniature diploma prints (made with watercolor monotypes,
linocut, and hand-drawn type). Right: Tikva and I hosted a 10-minute graduation ceremony for
Graphics students; Tikva hands me my diploma!

Sun prints

Some of the watercolor monotype prints I made at Haystack are now available as digital downloads on my Etsy site! They are printable art that you can purchase, download, print, and fit into your own 8x10 frame.

www.etsy.com/shop/redlentilpress

Putting 2 and 2 together

Tikva recently made this incredible video that describes her artmaking practice and printmaking process. I am obsessed. If you’re curious about the work we were making at Haystack, this is an incredible overview.

2024 Moon Calendars Now Available

2024 Moon Calendars Now Available

This year, I am celebrating 7 years of creating moon calendars! It has been a true joy to make these though the years, share them with people, and hear how they have been helpful in their lives. Each year, I learn more and more about the design process and how to make these simple and effective calendars.

Start fresh in 2024 with a handmade notebook that features the entire year according to the lunar calendar. These 13-month journals begin with the new moon in January 2024, and end in December 2024.

These are blank journals, helpful for recording what happens in your life according to the lunar cycle. Track things such as: when projects begin and end, when you meet new people, gratitude lists, daily happenings, and birthdays. Each person brings their own information and style while filling out the calendar - adding color, notes, shapes.

Here is a sample of how I fill out my calendar:

Each book includes 16 pages; the book measures 11in x 17in when open, printed on thick card stock. Printed and hand-bound in Cleveland, Ohio.

www.etsy.com/shop/redlentilpress

Have a great day,
- Em

Organizing in Autumn

This year, I started working as a professional organizer! It is so much fun working with my clients, clearing out home and business spaces, and organizing the items they love and utilize. I’ve learned so much and appreciate everyone I have worked with this year :) My favorite things to organize so far have been books, clothes, sentimental items, and storage spaces.

Here are some before and after photos of a pre-school storage closet that I organized. We went individually through every item in the closet. We grouped items that belonged together, decluttered some items that were no longer needed. Then, I found the right size bin, basket, or box - and found the right spot for each category in the storage closet. The final touch - adding labels.

2023 Moon Calendars

2023 Moon Calendars Now Available

This year, I am celebrating 6 years of creating moon calendars! It has been a true joy to make these though the years, share them with people, and hear how they have been helpful in their lives. Each year, I learn more and more about the design process and how to make these simple and effective calendars.

Start fresh in 2023 with a handmade notebook that features the entire year according to the lunar calendar. These 13-month journals begin with the new moon in January 2023, and end in December 2023.

These are blank journals, helpful for recording what happens in your life according to the lunar cycle. Track things such as: when projects begin and end, when you meet new people, gratitude lists, daily happenings, and birthdays. Each person brings their own information and style while filling out the calendar - adding color, notes, shapes.

Here is a sample of how I fill out my calendar:

Each book includes 16 pages; the book measures 11in x 17in when open, printed on thick card stock. Printed and hand-bound in Cleveland, Ohio.

www.etsy.com/shop/redlentilpress

Organize Your Home with Emily

I am happy to announce that I am now offering a ~new service~ in addition to my art, design, and zero waste work. I am working as a Professional Home Organizer!

Of course, I had to make a mini zine to describe the type of work I am doing:

I’ve been working with clients this year, and it’s been an amazing experience. I’ve been learning so much by working directly with people and helping them to organize areas of their homes and lives. I’ve also spent lots of times reading countless books on the subject, and taking an online course on becoming a Professional Home Organizer. It’s been so enlightening and lovely to hear how organizing has helped my clients!

Client Testimonial:

With Emily’s guidance, I became clear about the objects that really served me and reflected my intention. Not only has my decluttered wardrobe brought peace to my morning routine, but as I consider bringing new garments into my space I am able to employ the clarity and insight gleaned from my session with Emily.

Learn more on my website

Recycling Returns to Cleveland!

I’m happy to announce that recycling will be returning to Cleveland on June 13, 2022.

The Cleveland recycling program was put on pause in April 2020. If you’re curious about why it was put on pause, you can read more about it in the article I published in the Cleveland Catholic Worker newspaper in summer 2020.

In the meantime, Cleveland was doing an extensive recycling audit, finding a new company to work with, and recently signed a contract with Rumpke - who will now pick up recycling (and actually recycle it!) from Cleveland residents who opt-in to the program.

Your address must be enrolled in the City of Cleveland's recycling program to participate. You will receive a list of recyclable items, stickers to put on your blue bins, and educational information in the mail after enrollment.

Click here to opt-in to recycling in Cleveland

Patches from my 2016 show, “Trash Love”

Between April 2020 and June 2022, if you lived in Cleveland and were putting recycling into the blue containers, it was getting picked up and sent to the landfill.
But, if you opt-in (and put the new stickers from the welcome packet on your blue bin) your recyclables will now get picked up by recycling trucks and get recycled.

Starting the program fresh, in my opinion, was the best way to restart and properly educate residents on what can be recycled - starting small and building as they go.

Recycling infographic I made in 2019. This will be updated in the future to reflect the new recycling changes.

Recycling is not a perfect system. Metal, paper, and cardboard are valuable, sought-after materials and have the best chance of being recycled into new products. Glass is less valuable, and plastic even more so (only about 9% of plastic gets recycled, and it is always downcycled). There are alternatives for reducing consumption and waste, so that we are less dependent on recycling (that’s why I’m so into zero waste!).

Zero Waste Zines

In 2018, I completed the Cuyahoga County Master Recycler program.
During the course, I learned all about what can and cannot be recycled,
information on the recycling industry, and what resources are available
in the Cleveland area.

Additional Links

Here is information on the program from Sustainable Cleveland

Cleveland names Rumpke as recycling processor -
Press release from the City of Cleveland

Frequently Asked Questions from the City of Cleveland

The Dirt on the City’s New Opt-In Recycling Program from The Land

Imprint Zine Fair POSTPONED until May 21

The Imprint Zine Fair will now take place on Saturday, May 21, 2022
because of the rain anticipated this Saturday.

Vendors will be showing their art, books, and zines
from 1-5pm at Visible Voice Books in the Tremont neighborhood,
2258 Professor Ave, Cleveland OH 44113.

I’m teaching a Zine 101 Workshop
during the fair from 1-2pm!

This is a simple workshop on how to make a book with one
sheet of paper, one staple, scissors, and drawing utensils.
We will discuss what to make zines about,
why we make zines, and how we share zines.

My books and zines will be on sale,
including the first batch of 2023 Moon Calendars.

Imprint Art & Zine Fair

I’m happy to announce that I will be showing my books and zines at the Imprint Arts & Zine Fair on Saturday, May 14, 2022. My books and zines will be on sale, including the first batch of 2023 Moon Calendars. Hardbound notebooks, zero waste zines, and composting zines will also be available. You can take a look at some of my books on my Etsy site.

Come see all the awesome zine makers at the event! Come say hi to me at my table!

Learn more about the Imprint Arts Collective here. Located at Visible Voice Books in the Tremont neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio. 2258 Professor Ave, Cleveland OH 44113.

The rain date for the event is Saturday May 21, 2022.

Zine Workshop at Imprint

I’m teaching a Zine 101 workshop at Imprint from 1-2pm. This is a simple workshop on how to make a book with one sheet of paper, one staple, scissors, and drawing utensils. We will discuss what to make zines about, why we make zines, and how we share zines. Hope to see you there :)