The Bird Machine
@thebirdmachine.bsky.social
Small screenprint shop just outside Chicago, driven by Jay Ryan. Instagram @ thebirdmachine is more thorough, for now. Screenprints available at thebirdmachine dot com
Small print that I’m putting into outgoing orders this week.
The venue told me that the Groop had requested a poster from the guy who did the poster at that venue back in 1997, which was me. Submitted this design in for approval and decided to play nice with the 22 year old art director who had some notes for revisions to the art.
"Over the Prairies and the Deep Trees", from 2022. A bit of Mary Oliver for your autumnal Monday morning.
2022 poster for Shellac playing at DesertFest in London. The band had written a new song about a daughter who suggests to her father that he should quit his job and become a metal scrapper so that they could become pirates cruising Chicago's alleys.
2025 Poster based on Jason Isbell's "Foxes in the Snow" album cover. Drove to Rockford to hand these off in person and got a brief hang with my dude Will Johnson during load-in. One of only two posters I was able to squeak out while working on the "After the Age of Dinosaurs" exhibit last year.
"Monthly", which is the only calendar you really need. 2024.
Wilco and Yo La Tengo, 2026. Four screens, 18 by 24 inches.
The Next Few Days. 18 by 24 inches. Five screens. Signed and numbered edition of 225. 2026.
"October", 18 x 24", five screens. Chicago is trying to do Autumn right now, with mixed results.
"You Forgive Us and We'll Forgive You", a new screenprint for an art show celebrating the 80th birthday of the Mailman of Maywood, Mr John Prine. 18 x 24 inches, four screens. Signed and numbered edition of 100. Available at thebirdmachine dot com
Heading into two shows next week with our friends in SKWM. A nice article that’s mostly factually accurate.
‘We’ve come to understand how much we depend on our brothers to keep us moving forward’
Years after they both mourned a member’s death, Chicago bands Silkworm and Dianogah are back
substack.com
Backlit illustrator with the actual-size Titanoboa I worked on for about a week during the spring. Currently up at Chicago’s Field Museum.
Since mid-January, I’ve been working almost exclusively on the largest single project of my 30 year career. “After the Age of Dinosaurs” opens August 39 at Chicago’s Field Museum, and includes almost 70 illustrations (by me) of the rise of mammals, birds, and reptiles starting 65 million years ago.
New poster for Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit at the beautiful Coronado Theatre in Rockford, IL on July 12, 2025. Five screens, 18 by 24 inches. Available next week at thebirdmachine dot com.
In other news, this sort of stuff will be around on May 2. Details to follow.
I've been thinking about digging out the old Itunes hard drives and ditching streaming to going back to the "old days" of 2005, carrying around a separate Ipod with my music collection on it. With Spotify down today, my hand has been forced, and I'm currently re-importing "Drums and Guns" by Low.
"Toshiro Action" was released early in 2024, based on our new kitten, who often comes to work with me (like today). Three screens, 18 by 24 inches. Signed and numbered edition of 200.
"Out at Dawn" was made in October 2024 to raise money for the Penland Post Office building in Penland, NC. The charismatic old structure narrowly avoided being carried off my Hurricane Helene's floodwaters. Six screens, 18 by 24 inches. Signed and numbered. thebirdmachine dot com.
"Wide Awake" from 2023. Six screens, 18 by 24 inches. Signed and numbered edition of 250. "He just needs some space and a lot of trees / A place to sleep / A place to breathe"
“Monthly”, 2024. Four screens. 18 by 24 inches. Signed and numbered edition of 200.
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit in Duluth MN (2024). Screenprint. 18 by 24 inches. Signed and numbered edition of 225. thebirdmachine dot com.
First post to Flashes. Hello! “Plans”, 2025. Five screens, 18 by 24 inches. Signed and numbered edition of 240. Available at thebirdmachine dot com.
This is the new set of fourteen 4 by 6 inch screenprints available at thebirdmachine.com. I’ll post some cat photos later.
One of the fourteen different small screenprints included in the new sets which will be available at noon Chicago time on Friday Feb 14 at thebirdmachine.com .
