Postcard artist trusts the message will be delivered
Born in New Hampshire, Hope Amico took her letterpress skills to Louisiana State University for a degree in printmaking and started Gutwrench Press, an umbrella for her handmade books, as well as the Keep Writing Project, for which she sends out, every month, an interactive postcard to her mailing list:
“I’ve always had a lot of pen pals, and I was moving from New Orleans, where I’d been living for six years, to go to school in Baton Rouge, and I knew it was going to be harder to keep in touch with people,” she said by phone, so I started it then as a way to keep in touch with my friends.
When I was tabling, selling my handmade books and my prints, I started asking people if they would maybe be interested — I think I asked for a dollar for the first two months, or something — and a lot more people signed up than I thought would.
At the party on Thursday, which features new music by Crimewave, snacks and the new postcard, the public will be able to participate in the project whether or not they’re subscribed.
Quiet Lightning, guest-curated by Carolyn Cooke, presents readings by Randall Babtkis, Jason Magabo Perez, Brynn Saito, Ahmunet Jessica Jordon and Jay Santa Cruz — written responses to Modern Eden Gallery’s annual portrait show, “Superhero.”
An Evening of True Stories features Kasi Jammeh, Barbara Saunders, Michael Capozzola, Doug Cordell, Kelly Cash and a randomly drawn member of the audience (Thursday, 7 p.m., the Monkey House, 1638 University Ave., Berkeley, $10-20). www.facebook.com/events/1602654189991903.
Nomadic Press presents a reading by Peter Bullen and music by Ancient Baby (Friday, 7 p.m., Nomadic Press, 2926 Foothill Blvd. #1, Oakland, free). www.facebook.com/events/851491141571112.
Richard Loranger and Clive Matson host the 26th installment of Poetry Unbound, featuring Andy Clausen and Pamela Twining and BeachHead (Pagan Neil and Alan Shearer), as well as a brief open mike (Sunday, Art House Gallery & Cultural Center, 2905 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, $5-10). www.facebook.com/events/1584196308512904.
An Evening with Cornel West discussing faith and policy is part of the Way Church’s Perfect 10 Year Anniversary Celebration and the formal opening of the Center for Faith & Justice @ The Way (Tuesday, 7 p.m., St. Paul AME Church Auditorium, 2024 Ashby Ave., Berkeley, $10-20). www.brownpapertickets.com/event/1633569.