Artcrank Artist Profile: JD Deardourff

Artcrank artist JD Deardourff works out of Open Studio off Okie St. in the Trinidad neighborhood. JD says he enjoys riding because it's often the most practical way to get around the city. "[I use my bike for]  errands, getting from point a to point b, going to work, going to Nats games."

Screenprinting is a passion of JD, he's currently exhibiting a solo show at the McLean Project for the Arts, featuring some of his recent screenprinted work. 

"I first became interested in screen printing because it allowed me to imitate the way comic books used to be printed, and then I just sort of became addicted to it. It's a good way to explore color relationships, opacity and transparency, and I like having a matrix that you can either make multiples or variables from. I like it because it's a technical and visceral process. "

Inspired by the classic BMX film, Rad, JD chose to embrace bright 80's style colors for his prints. 

When asked how this city influences his work, JD answered: "I don't know if there's a direct influence on my work, maybe something subconscious, but I do take pride in being a DC artist and growing up here, and I think there's a rich tradition and a good, underrated, growing local scene."

The BMX racer was inspired by an old cartoon-style Mongoose ad. Throw in some intergalactic mountain ranges and you get one very rad print. 

Join us at Artcrank from 4-10pm on Saturday November 8th, to see work from JD and many other talented local artists. 

Connect with JD: deardourff.com @jddeardourff 

Screenprinting classes via: openstudiodc.com 

See JD's solo show at the McLean Project for the Arts now through December 20th 

And join him for his opening on December 11th from 6-8 NoMa lobby project, at 1200 First Street NE

Artcrank Artist Profile: Travis Poffenberger

Artcrank artist Travis Poffenberger lives and works at his home garden studio in Alexandria, VA .Travis believes in reusing whenever possible, both his work and his garden are often composed of found objects. A old swing set lives on as trellis and planters include a kitchen sink. 

"Lately my garden has taken over my work. I made very little art work until the plants were established, the garden was set up, and food was no longer a priority. I started making pieces from dried bits of plants I had grown or collected, it felt natural."

Travis creates stamps and test prints in his lush garden studio. Travis credits his resourcefulness and waste-nothing values to his Grandparents, originally German immigrants, who "learned to make do with what they had around them." 

Travis carves a stamp from foamboard that was originally used to package a live Betta Fish that was shipped to him years ago.

"I learned how to make stamps for the Artcrank piece. I wanted to learn something new, and explore the medium, as one does when you first learn to ride a bike. There’s nothing like that feeling when the training wheels first come off; it's amazing. Although I feel the sense of freedom gained through learning to ride is more profound than learning a new art production method, the core is the same. I've been making stamps like crazy for the past few months, like just learning to ride a 2 wheeler, it's all I want to do."

Travis and his trusty hardtail. "I primarily use my bike for leisurely transportation or short errands, more as a tool for mental clarity than utility."

Connect with Travis:

poffen.be/rger

intaes.info

hipster.im

peopleholdingturtles.com

jodihighroller.com

Artcrank Artist Profile: Workhorse

Abe Garcia and TJ Cichecki run Workhorse, a design studio based in Capitol Hill. After moving from Illinois to DC in 2012 TJ quickly ditched his single-speed set-up for some gears to make the climb up to his home in Columbia Heights. 

TJ prepares a screen for printing. Abe credits their studio as a source of inspiration, "it’s great to share space with other artists and craftspeople and see the cool things other people are creating." 

Sketches for TJ's "Political Machine," a print inspired by Rube Goldberg style illustrations. 

While TJ and Abe predominately work designing websites and apps, they welcome projects like Artcrank as an opportunity to try new things and produce physical work.  

The screen printing table was built with the help of another studio-mate. They table allows them to experiment with personal projects and make prints for themselves and friends. 

Connect with TJ and Abe: wrkhrs.co  and @wrkhrsco on social everywhere

Handsome Origins

Come join Handsome Cycles co-founder Jesse Erickson at the shop, Thursday November 5th to have a drink and check out the latest from one of our favorite bike makers.

"Ride like you're from Minneapolis" is more than a t-shirt, it's a frame of mind. Jesse was born into bikes: he grew up in his father's Minneapolis based bike shop. He and his co-founder Ben Morrison were inspired by classic steel bikes like the legendary Bridgestone XO-1. One of our favorite things about bikes like the Handsome Devil, pictured above, is that you get a versatile bike in clean package. Set it up as a commuter, a light tourer, single speed, 1x8, internal nexus, cyclocross bike... you name it, a Handsome can do it all with style. It's a well thought out bike designed by bike shop veterans, with everything you need and nothing you don't. 

Best of all, now through the end of the year, every purchase of a Handsome bike gets you a cool $100 towards any accessories in the shop. Heck, if you get one while Jesse is here, he'll buy you a beer, you handsome devil.

Photos by Francis Tatem

Words by Kevin Sundeen

Artcrank Artist Profile: Annie Riker

Artcrank comes to DC this Saturday. Today we meet local artist Annie Riker. 

"I've considered myself an artist ever since I was old enough to hold a paintbrush. I went to an art college (Ringling College of Art and Design), and chose Graphic Design as a major. I decided design would let me incorporate all of my artistic interests (illustration, photography, painting...), and allow me to regularly use the "problem solving" side of my brain. It has worked out well!" 

"I'm brand new to screen printing. I had been wanting to try it for awhile, so the ARTCRANK project gave me the nudge to take a lesson and print my posters myself. I have an even greater appreciation for screen printers now—it's quite a bit of work to get everything set up!"

"I like to be outside, so it's nice to start the day on my bike. I get a bit of a zen feeling from it. I even like to ride in the rain and cold weather (I'll draw the line at slushy snow, though...). 

[The City] offers a great balance for me—good energy, diversity in activities and people, with plenty of parks and green space for me to reflect. Plus, I work for an organization with a mission I care deeply about, and it's inspiring to be surrounded by my passionate coworkers with similar values. "

Connect with Annie:

http://annieriker.com  twitter - @AnnieRiker  instagram - TeaTimePhoto

Artcrank Artist Profile: Dana Maier

ARTCRANK, the poster party for bike people comes to DC November 8th. Leading up to the show we chat with local artists about their work and riding in D.C. 

Meet Dana Maier a Columbia Heights based artist. 

"I use Bikeshare to ride to the Metro, the gym, run errands, meet friends...it's rare that I don't use it at least once a day. Biking in DC is one of my favorite things to do, particularly in the autumn. " 

Dana has been working in D.C. for six years. "My drawings tend to start observationally, so I'm always incorporating the stuff I see in the city into my work. Also, I am more of a classic DC Type A personality than I feel comfortable admitting."

Dana's preferred medium is pen and ink. She sketches her piece titled "The Bikerack," which will be screenprinted as a poster for next weeks show. "I learned (or relearned, rather) that it's always best to draw from what's right in front of you, rather than try to draw from something you see in a book or on a screen. " 

Connect with Dana via danajerimaier.com and @danajerimaier on twitter and instagram. 

Brianna Lane Live at BicycleSPACE

Live at BicycleSPACE, Minneapolis singer-songwriter Brianna Lane headlines cycling bag-maker Banjo Brothers Tiny Bikeshop Concert. Inspired by All Songs Considered Tiny Desk Concerts, the Tiny Bikeshop concert series brings intimate concerts to local bike shops around the country. We chat with Brianna about life as a musician and a cyclist.

All-City Demo Tour: Crossmania DC

When we started planning for All-City's demo day in DC, there was some debate over where we would have the demo, since within the District it's pretty tough to find interesting rideable off road trails that you can make into a loop. My favorite spot, Ft. Totten, has been my go-to place to practice for cross season, but to be honest, I like keeping the little trails there a secret, and I was afraid of blowing up the spot.

But to care is to share, so it really wasn't much a debate. Ft. Totten has grassy fields with trees you can wind around, a short gravel road, and even some singletrack trails through the forest: all conditions you would find in a typical cyclocross course. And upon further reflection, its hidden-gem nature is part of what All-City is about, so Ft. Totten ended up as the perfect staging ground to test the latest dirt-friendly steeds from All-City.

And All-City did not disappoint with their new cyclocross and dirt options:

The Space Horse, our favorite all-rounder bike, got a new color: British Racing Green, which is simply goregous in the sunlight. The venerable Natureboy single speed cyclocross bike got a disc update for this season, for better stopping power and modulation. The very limited (only 150 made), and very fun JYD is new territory for All-City. It's not quite a mountain bike, not quite a street bike, but somewhere in between, and a whole lot of fun.

Of special note is the Macho King, Limited Edition. Our shop is one of the lucky vendors to recieve one of the fifty Macho Kings LTD in the world, and boy are we lucky. If you've never ridden ultra-high quality steel with a nice carbon fork, you are missing out. This is one smooth ride. And that paint job? Don't even get me started.

Wilson and myself, both All-City devotees, got all excited and All-City'ed out and rode our Space Horse and Nature Boy to the demo course. 

The BicycleSPACE macho man himself, Phil, took to a Macho Man Disc to charge through the woods. Those logs didn't stand a chance.  

We made some PVC barrier to further simulate a 'cross course setup. Jake, a competitive 'cross racer himself, showed us how it was done, dismounting his bike and running over the barriers without losing any momentum. Wilson won the award for most jaunty hop over the barriers, as seen above. 

Lots of orange blurs through the park. The Macho Man Disc and its various iterations, The Macho King, and Macho King LTD, were the crowd favorites. 

For most of our demo riders this was their first taste of cross, and at the end of each lap they were breathing hard and smiling harder. Nothing but good times in the woods.

One thing I really love about the All-City bikes is that they have internally-routed cabling for the rear brake. Not only is it an aesthetically nice touch that gives the bike a cleaner look and distinguishes it from similar bikes, but it makes shouldering the bike a little more pleasant. In cyclocross, you end up shouldering your bike quite a bit, so for 'cross a clean top tube makes a big difference. 

Who says steel bikes can't be snappy and responsive? Not Grace: Grace was so stoked by the nimbleness of the Macho King she couldn't stop talking about it all night. If someone wants to make her year, they'd get her a 46 Macho King. Just sayin'.

Another nice touch that sets All-City apart: signature singlespeed track dropouts featuring the iconic Hennepin Bridge of Minneapolis. 

Thanks to Adam from All-City for bringing the demo fleet to DC; we had a blast getting all aboard the 'cross train!

We're thinking about making cyclocross rides at Ft. Totten a more regular thing. Interested in doing some weekly cross rides? Let us know in the comments. 

Nicole's Raleigh Superbe

Nicole picks up her freshly restored 1962 Raleigh Superbe. Jerry has a passion for this style and it's always a labor of love breathing new life into these old bikes. See what goes into a vintage bike overhaul and watch the master at work. 

Nicole had been riding a Marin mountain bike on her daily commute from Alexandria into the city. The bike was treating her well, but in her heart she wanted something with a little more style and panache. She was particularly attracted to vintage English bikes, such as mid-century Raleighs. When she found this used bike she brought it in to see if was worth fixing up. Jerry knew right away that beneath the decades of surface rust and neglect that she had real gem. 

These bikes are built to last. All the original parts were still intact and will work great after a thorough overhaul. First step is to completely disassemble the bike. 

Nicole's bike was missing the classic chrome fender tip. Jerry had a hunch one could be found at Velocity, a bike co-op in Alexandria, VA. Sure enough in there pile of donations bikes was a bent fender with a well preserved tip.

All the parts are disassembled and the frame is inspected for serviceability. According to Jerry, Sturmey Archer cones never seem to go bad. He's able to reuse all the old parts to get these hubs working like new. Everything is unpacked, degreased, cleaned and reassembled with fresh grease. 

Polished with ultra fine steel wool and batch of Jerry's secret sauce, this bike is looking as fresh as it was back in the sixties. 

Another mechanic of ours, Dave, lent a hand to get the electrical working. Even the head lamp was disassembled to be cleaned and polished, with special care not to scratch the lens. The signature Raleigh Crane shines proudly in the chainring. 

Thanks Nichole for coming to us with this project. It was great watching it all come together. Enjoy your stunning new (old) bike.

Story and Photos by Francis Tatem, Marketing Manager 

Our Ever Growing School Garden Tour

Our annual fall School Garden Tour takes a look at the ever-expanding network of school gardens in the District. Each school offers a proposal for a new project and the tour concludes with a vote to decide who receives the crowdfunded donations. Our first stop was Cleveland ES in Shaw. 

Sarah and Jasmine help manage the garden as well as a variety of related programs. At Cleveland ES 99% of the student body is eligible for free or reduced lunch and for most students this is one of the few places to access green open space. Every Wednesday is a Garden Market, where students run stands to learn business skills. 

We sampled some cream cheese made with chive, garlic, and radish from the garden. There is an emphasis on family and community involvement. Students can learn recipes to take home and share. They've hosted a pop-up restaurant with some of the garden edibles. Jasmine hopes to use donations for more signage incorporating art in the garden, as well as signs to display information in Spanish and English.  

We depart to our next stop, Tubman ES in Columbia Heights. 

Tubman ES's garden is 6 years old and all 500 students are involved. Together they have 12 raised beds, mostly of edibles. 

Garden Coordinator Rebecca plans to use funds to remove rodents and pests from the north side of the garden and install a pumpkin patch. 

We helped install signs painted by students and volunteers. The beds are class or grade assigned, which give students ownership over projects. 

Fresh tomatoes from the garden. Tubman ES has a number of garden-focused after school programs, such as their Cooking Club and Junior Gardeners for pre-k. 

Tubman ES has been compositing since the garden first began. Rebecca describes the steps taken on the newly designed bins to keep pests away. 

Ward 3 Council-member, Mary Cheh, has been a longtime proponent of programs like school gardens. In 2010 she helped author and introduce the Healthy Schools Act, a transformative piece of legislation that is influencing the way both Public and Charter Schools in District deal with issues such as "growing poverty, poor nutrition and environmental degradation." There is a strong emphasis on increasing access to nutritious locally sourced food. 

We head west to Adams Morgan, happy to have some neighborhood kids cheer us up the hill. 

Marie Reed ES on 18th Street was visited by Michelle Obama and other lawmaker's spouses as part of a focus on healthy schools. The garden has undergone some rebuilding recently. 

The team at Marie Reed ES: Amelia, with Food Corps. Carolyn, School Health Coordinator. Principal Katie Lundgren. Community member and volunteer Jeff. Lundgren, who's in her first year as Principal at Marie Reed, is proud to be part of the Monarch Sister School program. The program gives instruction on building butterfly-friendly gardens and allows them to Skype with a partner school in Mexico, the winter home of Monarch butterflies. Marie Reed donations would be used to construct a compost system.

Our ride leader, OSSE School Garden Specialist, Sam Ullery and his daugther Ophelia. Ullery oversees all 108 school gardens in the District, and Ophelia hands out snacks to ride participants at the stops. Garden programs grow every year. When we began these rides two years ago there were around 80. 

Our group heads back towards downtown for our final stop.

Aptly named, The Farm at Walk Jones Education Campus, a DC Public School pre-k to 8th grade, at 1125 New Jersey Ave NW, is one of the largest gardens in the district. 

The Farm is managed by Sarah, far left, and her team of volunteers at DC Greens. DC Greens is a teaching and training program focused on “connecting communities to healthy food.”  They offer monthly professional development workshops for school garden coordinators across the city. 

It once sat vacant for 10 years, but now The Farm can produce 3000 pounds of produce. Sarah's goal is to make the space as much about the community as the school by recruiting local volunteers and opening up the space for various markets and classes. 

The Farm is bustling with activity in the fall. Lots of community members drop by to volunteer. 

After dining in the outdoor classroom, our group voted for a project to fund. Marie Reed ES in Adams Morgan will receive all of our participants' donations to help create a compost system.

Thanks to Sam for his work managing the program, and to all the School Garden Coordinators in DC: enjoy the harvest!

Thanks to Whole Foods Market P Street and Chipotle for supporting this event.