Blackwing https://blog.blackwing602.com/ Pencils & Stories Fri, 26 Apr 2024 16:47:36 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.2 https://i0.wp.com/blog.blackwing602.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/cropped-Favicon.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 Blackwing https://blog.blackwing602.com/ 32 32 232034392 Blackwing x Independent Bookstore Day 2024 Retailer Locator https://blog.blackwing602.com/blackwing-x-independent-bookstore-day-2024-retailer-locator/ Thu, 18 Apr 2024 14:54:54 +0000 https://blog.blackwing602.com/?p=60234 Find an independent bookstore that carries the 2024 Blackwing Independent Bookstore Day pencils.

The post Blackwing x Independent Bookstore Day 2024 Retailer Locator appeared first on Blackwing.

]]>
Join us in supporting indie bookstores nationwide with the new 2024 Blackwing x Independent Bookstores pencils. These limited-edition pencils are exclusively available at participating independent bookstores starting Saturday, April 27. Please check the directory below and visit your local independent bookstore to purchase.

Alaska  

The Islander Bookshop

111 Rezanof Dr W, Kodiak, AK 99615

www.islanderbookshop.com

+1 907-942-7560

Arizona  

Bookmans Phoenix Entertainment Exchange

8034 N 19th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85021

www.bookmans.com

+1 602-433-0255

Bookish: An Indie Shop for Folks Who Read

63 S 6th St, Fort Smith, AR 72901

bookishfs.com

+1 479-434-8631

Bright Side Bookshop

18 N San Francisco St, Flagstaff, AZ 86001

brightsidebookshop.com

+1 928-440-5041

Bookmans Flagstaff Entertainment Exchange

1520 S Riordan Ranch St, Flagstaff, AZ 86001

bookmans.com

+1 928-774-0005

Arkansas  

WordsWorth Books

5920 R St, Little Rock, AR 72207

wordsworthbookstore.com

+1 501-663-9198

The Islander Bookshop

111 Rezanof Dr W, Kodiak, AK 99615

www.islanderbookshop.com

+1 907-942-7560

California  

Small World Books

1407 Ocean Front Walk, Venice, CA 90291

www.smallworldbooks.com

+1 310-399-2360

Arvida Book Co.

115 W Main St, Tustin, CA 92780

arvidabookco.com

Alibi Bookshop

624 Marin St, Vallejo, CA 94590

alibibookshop.com

+1 707-563-5179

Leigh’s Favorite Books

121 S Murphy Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94086

www.leighsbooks.com

+1 408-736-2665

Readers’ Books

130 E Napa St, Sonoma, CA 95476

www.readersbooks.com

+1 707-939-1779

The Book Catapult

3010-b Juniper St, San Diego, CA 92104

thebookcatapult.com

+1 619-795-3780

Meet Cute Romance Bookshop

4048 30th St, San Diego, CA 92104

www.meetcutebookshop.com

+1 619-228-9548

Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore

3555 Rosecrans St Suite 107, San Diego, CA 92110

www.mystgalaxy.com

+1 619-539-7137

Book Passage

One Ferry Building 42, San Francisco, CA 94111

www.bookpassage.com

+1 415-835-1020

Green Apple Books

506 Clement St, San Francisco, CA 94118

www.greenapplebooks.com

+1 415-387-2272

Browser Books

2195 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA 94115

www.greenapplebooks.com

+1 415-567-8027

Hicklebee’s Childrens Books

1378 Lincoln Ave, San Jose, CA 95125

www.hicklebees.com

+1 408-292-8880

Chaucer’s Books

3321 State St, Santa Barbara, CA 93105

www.chaucersbooks.com

+1 805-682-6787

Two Birds Books

881 41st Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062

www.twobirdsbooks.com

+1 831-900-5588

Bookshop Santa Cruz

1520 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95060

www.bookshopsantacruz.com

+1 831-423-0900

Crawford’s Books

5301 Freeport Blvd #200, Sacramento, CA 95822

www.crawfordbooks.net

+1 916-731-8001

Red Rock Books

206 W Ridgecrest Blvd, Ridgecrest, CA 93555

www.redrockbooks.net

The Frugal Frigate

9 N 6th St, Redlands, CA 92373

frugalfrigate.com

+1 909-793-0740

Word Horde Emporium of the Weird & Fantastic

2200 Petaluma Blvd N #805, Petaluma, CA 94952

www.weirdandfantastic.com

+1 707-981-9110

Vroman’s Bookstore

695 E Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91101

www.vromansbookstore.com

+1 626-449-5320

The Gamble House

4 Westmoreland Pl, Pasadena, CA 91103

gamblehouse.org

+1 626-793-3334

Bart’s Books

302 W Matilija St, Ojai, CA 93023

www.bartsbooksojai.com

+1 805-646-3755

Lido Village Books

3424 Via Lido #103, Newport Beach, CA 92663

lidovillagebooks.com

+1 949-220-7632

Napa Bookmine

1625 2nd St, Napa, CA 94559

www.napabookmine.com

+1 707-733-3199

BookSmart

421 Vineyard Town Ctr, Morgan Hill, CA 95037

www.mybooksmart.com

+1 408-778-6467

Once Upon A Time Bookstore

2207 Honolulu Ave, Montrose, CA 91020

www.shoponceuponatime.com

+1 818-248-9668

Gallery Bookshop & Bookwinkles

319 Kasten St #270, Mendocino, CA 95460

www.gallerybookshop.com

+1 707-937-2665

Kepler’s Books

1010 El Camino Real #100, Menlo Park, CA 94025

www.keplers.com

+1 650-324-4321

Pages: a bookstore

904 Manhattan Ave, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

www.pagesabookstore.com

+1 310-318-0900

Bel Canto Books Retro Row

2106 E 4th St, Long Beach, CA 90814

belcantobooks.net

+1 562-294-3319

Linden Tree Children’s Books

265 State St, Los Altos, CA 94022

www.lindentreebooks.com

+1 650-949-3390

Skylight Books

1818 N Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027

www.skylightbooks.com

+1 323-660-1175

UC San Diego Bookstore

9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, CA 92093

ucsandiegobookstore.com

+1 858-534-7326

Ruby’s Books

724 Sutter St, Folsom, CA 95630

rubysfolsom.com

+1 916-790-8760

Chukaruka

11251 Sierra Ave. 2e 113, Fontana, CA 92337

Face In A Book

4359 Town Center Blvd, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762

www.getyourfaceinabook.com

+1 916-941-9401

A Seat at the Table Books

9257 Laguna Springs Dr #130, Elk Grove, CA 95758

www.aseatatthetablebooks.org

+1 916-538-3482

Bookshop Benicia

636 1st St, Benicia, CA 94510

bookshopbenicia.indielite.org

+1 707-747-5155

Pegasus Books

2349 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, CA 94704

www.pegasusbookstore.com

+1 510-649-1320

Mrs Dalloway’s

2904 College Ave, Berkeley, CA 94705

www.mrsdalloways.com

+1 510-704-8222

Peninsula Books

441 Westlake Center, Daly City, CA 94015

www.peninsulabooks.org

+1 650-232-7700

Rakestraw Books

3 Railroad Ave, Danville, CA 94526

www.rakestrawbooks.com

+1 925-837-7337

The Avid Reader Bookstore

617 2nd St, Davis, CA 95616

www.avidreaderbooks.com

+1 530-758-4040

Colorado  

Words of Windsor

631 Birch St Unit B, Windsor, CO 80550

wordsofwindsor.com

+1 970-658-2669

The Read Queen Bookstore

129 N Harrison Ave, Lafayette, CO 80026

thereadqueen.com

Out West Books

533 Main St, Grand Junction, CO 81501

www.outwestbooks.co

+1 970-986-8086

Old Firehouse Books

232 Walnut St, Fort Collins, CO 80524

www.oldfirehousebooks.com

+1 970-484-7898

Once Upon a Trapeze Bookstore

301 E Main St Suite 105, Buena Vista, CO 81211

www.onceuponatrapeze.com

+1 719-398-4044

The Shop at MATTER

2114 Market St, Denver, CO 80205

www.shopatmatter.com

+1 303-893-0330

Bookworm of Edwards

295 Main St, Edwards, CO 81632

www.bookwormofedwards.com

+1 970-926-7323

Connecticut  

The Curious Cat Bookshop

386 Main St, Winsted, CT 06098

curiouscatbookshop.com

+1 860-909-1014

River Bend Bookshop

161 Park Rd, West Hartford, CT 06119

riverbendbookshop.com

+1 860-232-4141

Hickory Stick Book Shop

2 Green Hill Rd, Washington Depot, CT 06794

www.hickorystickbookshop.com

+1 860-868-0525

Bank Square Books

53 W Main St, Mystic, CT 06355

www.banksquarebooks.com

+1 860-536-3795

RJ Julia Booksellers

768 Boston Post Rd, Madison, CT 06443

www.rjjulia.com

+1 203-245-3959

River Bend Bookshop

2400 Main St, Glastonbury, CT 06033

www.riverbendbookshop.com

+1 860-430-6608

Byrd’s Books

178 Greenwood Ave, Bethel, CT 06801

www.byrdsbooks.com

+1 203-730-2973

Delaware  

Delaware Art Museum

2301 Kentmere Pkwy, Wilmington, DE 19806

delart.org

+1 302-571-9590

Finist and The Owl

811 Brandywine Blvd, Wilmington, DE 19809

www.finistandtheowl.com

+1 786-228-6638

Browseabout Books

133 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971

www.browseaboutbooks.com

+1 302-226-2665

Florida  

Writer’s Block Bookstore

316 N Park Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789

writersblockbookstore.com

+1 407-335-4192

Tombolo Books

2153 1st Ave S, St. Petersburg, FL 33712

tombolobooks.com

+1 727-755-9456

Books & Books

11297 S Dixie Hwy, Pinecrest, FL 33156

www.booksandbooks.com

+1 786-552-3290

Bodacious Bookstore and Cafe

110 E Intendencia St, Pensacola, FL 32502

www.bodaciousbookstore.com

+1 850-446-6966

San Marco Bookstore

1971 San Marco Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32207

www.sanmarcobooksandmore.com

+1 904-396-7597

Portkey Books

404 Main St, Safety Harbor, FL 34695

www.portkeybooks.com

+1 727-248-0211

Books & Books

9700 Collins Ave, Bal Harbour, FL 33154

booksandbooks.com

+1 305-864-4241

Books & Books

3409 Main Hwy, Coconut Grove, FL 33133

booksandbooks.com

+1 305-477-0866

Books & Books

265 Aragon Ave, Coral Gables, FL 33134

www.booksandbooks.com

+1 305-442-4408

Georgia  

The Bookshelf

126 S Broad St, Thomasville, GA 31792

www.bookshelfthomasville.com

+1 229-228-7767

E Shaver Booksellers

326 Bull St, Savannah, GA 31401

www.eshaverbooks.com

+1 912-234-7257

Little Shop of Stories

133 E Court Square # A, Decatur, GA 30030

www.littleshopofstories.com

+1 404-373-6300

Book Bound Bookstore

32 Town Sq C, Blairsville, GA 30512

bookboundbooks.com

+1 706-897-4198

Avid Bookshop

1662 S Lumpkin St, Athens, GA 30606

avidbookshop.com

+1 706-850-2843

Tall Tales Book Shop Inc

2105 Lavista Rd, Atlanta, GA 30329

www.talltalesatlanta.com

+1 404-636-2498

The Book Tavern

978 Broad St, Augusta, GA 30901

www.booktavern.com

+1 706-826-1940 

Idaho  

Winnie & Mo’s Bookshop

343 A St, Idaho Falls, ID 83402

www.winnieandmos.com

+1 208-881-0326

Illinois  

The Book Stall

811 Elm St, Winnetka, IL 60093

www.thebookstall.com

+1 847-446-8880

Sly Fox Bookstore

123 N Springfield St, Virden, IL 62690

www.slyfoxbooks.com

+1 217-965-3641

Anderson’s Bookshop

123 W Jefferson Ave, Naperville, IL 60540

www.andersonsbookshop.com

+1 630-355-2665

Boxcar Books and Vinyl

201 E Main St, Hoopeston, IL 60942

shopboxcarbooks.com

+1 217-769-9310

The Bookstore of Glen Ellyn

475 N Main St, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137

www.bookstoreofge.com

+1 630-469-2891

Bookends & Beginnings

1620 Orrington Ave, Evanston, IL 60201

www.bookendsandbeginnings.com

+1 224-999-7722

Bobzbay Books

419 N Main St, Bloomington, IL 61701

+1 309-740-2012

Madison Street Books

1127 W Madison St, Chicago, IL 60607

madstreetbooks.com

+1 312-929-4140

City Lit Books

2523 N Kedzie Blvd, Chicago, IL 60647

citylitbooks.com

+1 773-235-2523

RoscoeBooks

2142 W Roscoe St, Chicago, IL 60618

www.roscoebooks.com

+1 773-857-2676

Women & Children First

5233 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640

www.womenandchildrenfirst.com

+1 773-769-9299

Volumes Bookcafe

1373 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60622

www.volumesbooks.com

+1 773-697-8066

Indiana  

Curious Squirrel Bookshop

120 S Main St, Zionsville, IN 46077

curioussquirrelbooks.com

+1 765-680-1051

Kids Ink Children’s Bookstores

5619 N Illinois St, Indianapolis, IN 46208

www.kidsinkbooks.com

+1 317-255-2598

Fables Books

215 S Main St, Goshen, IN 46526

www.fablesbooks.com

+1 574-534-1984

Morgenstern’s Bookstore & Café

849 S Auto Mall Rd, Bloomington, IN 47401

www.morgensternbooks.com

+1 812-676-7323

Viewpoint Books

548 Washington St, Columbus, IN 47201

www.viewpointbooks.com

+1 812-376-0778

Iowa  

Book Vault

105 S Market St, Oskaloosa, IA 52577

www.bookvault.org

+1 641-676-1777

River Lights Bookstore

1098 Main St, Dubuque, IA 52001

www.riverlights.com

+1 563-556-4391

Dungeon’s Gate

2525 N Ankeny Blvd Suite 101, Ankeny, IA 50023

www.dungeonsgate.com

+1 515635-5170

Kansas  

Watermark Books & Cafe

4701 E Douglas Ave, Wichita, KS 67218

www.watermarkbooks.com

+1 316-682-1181

Monarch Books & Gifts

7713 W 151st St, Overland Park, KS 66223

monarchbooksandgifts.com

+1 913-766-8646

The Raven Book Store

809 Massachusetts St, Lawrence, KS 66044

www.ravenbookstore.com

+1 785-749-3300

Kentucky  

Coffee Tree Books

159 E Main St, Morehead, KY 40351

www.coffeetreebooks.com

+1 606-784-8364

Carmichael’s Bookstore

1295 Bardstown Rd, Louisville, KY 40204

www.carmichaelsbookstore.com

+1 502-456-6950

Joseph-Beth Booksellers

161 Lexington Green Cir # B, Lexington, KY 40503

www.josephbeth.com

+1 859-273-2911

Louisiana  

Garden District Book Shop

2727 Prytania St UNIT 14, New Orleans, LA 70130

www.gardendistrictbookshop.com

+1 504-895-2266

Octavia Books

513 Octavia St, New Orleans, LA 70115

www.octaviabooks.com

+1 504-899-7323

Cavalier House Books

114 N Range Ave, Denham Springs, LA 70726

www.cavalierhousebooks.com

+1 225-664-2255

Maine

The Booktenders

463 US-1, York, ME 03909

thebooktenders.com

+1 207-361-4386

hello hello books

316 Main St, Rockland, ME 04841

www.hellohellobooks.com

+1 207-593-7780  

Print: A Bookstore

273 Congress St, Portland, ME 04101

www.printbookstore.com

+1 207-536-4778

The Briar Patch

27 Central St, Bangor, ME 04401

www.briarpatchbooks.com

+1 207-941-0255

Maryland  

Loyalty Bookstores

Inside Bump & Grind’s Analog Market, 923 Gist Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20910

www.loyaltybookstores.com

Backwater Books

8156 Main St, Ellicott City, MD 21043

backwaterbooks.com

+1 410-696-2482

Atomic Books

3620 Falls Rd, Baltimore, MD 21211

atomicbooks.com

+1 410-662-4444

Baltimore Read Aloud

919 W 34th St, Baltimore, MD 21211

Busboys and Poets – Columbia

6251 Mango Tree Rd, Columbia, MD 21044

www.busboysandpoets.com

+1 410-734-2445

Massachusetts

Odyssey Bookshop

9 College St, South Hadley, MA 01075

www.odysseybks.com

+1 413-534-7307

Whitelam Books

610 Main St, Reading, MA 01867

www.whitelambooks.com

+1 781-779-1833 

Book Love

7 Village Green S, Plymouth, MA 02360

www.book-love.com

+1 774-426-4123 

Sea Howl Bookshop

46 Main St, Orleans, MA 02653

www.seahowlbookshop.com

+1 508-255-3343

Newtonville Books

10 Langley Rd, Newton, MA 02459

www.newtonvillebooks.com

+1 617-244-6619

Nantucket Bookworks

25 Broad St, Nantucket, MA 02554

www.nantucketbookworks.com

+1 508-228-4000

Mitchell’s Book Corner

54 Main St, Nantucket, MA 02554

www.mitchellsbookcorner.com

+1 508-228-1080

The Bookloft

63 State Rd, Great Barrington, MA 01230

www.thebookloft.com

+1 413-645-3256

Eight Cousins Books

189 Main St, Falmouth, MA 02540

www.eightcousins.com

+1 508-548-5548

Titcomb’s Bookshop

432 MA-6A, East Sandwich, MA 02537

www.titcombsbookshop.com

+1 508-888-2331

Book Moon

86 Cottage St, Easthampton, MA 01027

www.bookmoonbooks.com

+1 413-203-1717

East End Books Boston Seaport

300 Pier 4 Blvd., Boston, MA 02210

+1 508-413-3225

Papercuts Bookshop

60 South St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

papercutsbookshop.com

+1 617-522-3404

Copper Dog Books

272 Cabot St, Beverly, MA 01915

www.copperdogbooks.com

+1 978-969-3460

Book Shop of Beverly Farms

40 West St, Beverly, MA 01915

realbookshop.com

+1 978-927-2122

Brookline Booksmith

279 Harvard St, Brookline, MA 02446

www.brooklinebooksmith.com

+1 617-566-6660

Harvard Book Store

1256 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138

harvard.com

+1 617-661-1515

Michigan  

Brilliant Books

118 E Front St, Traverse City, MI 49684

www.brilliant-books.net

+1 231-946-2665

Fine Print Bookshop

109 E Michigan Ave, Saline, MI 48176

www.fineprintbooksh

Sidetrack Bookshop

325 S Washington Ave, Royal Oak, MI 48067

www.sidetrackbooks.com

+1 248-341-0777

epilogue books

10 E Bridge St NE, Rockford, MI 49341

www.facebook.com

+1 616-884-0933

Snowbound Books

118 N 3rd St, Marquette, MI 49855

www.snowboundbooks.com

+1 906-228-4448

Bookbug

3019 Oakland Dr, Kalamazoo, MI 49008

www.bookbugkalamazoo.com

+1 269-385-2847

The Bluestocking Bookshop

501 Butternut Dr Suite 3, Holland, MI 49424

www.bluestockingbookshop.com

+1 616-419-9918

The Bookman

715 Washington Ave, Grand Haven, MI 49417

bookmanbookstore.indielite.org

+1 616-846-3520

Source Booksellers

4240 Cass Ave UNIT 105, Detroit, MI 48201

www.sourcebooksellers.com

+1 313-832-1155

Booksweet

1729 Plymouth Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48105

shopbooksweet.com

+1 734-929-4112

Minnesota  

The Thinking Spot

3311 County Rd 101 #4, Wayzata, MN 55391

www.thethinkingspot.us

+1 952-217-5682

Babycake’s Book Stack

291 7th St W #1502, St Paul, MN 55102

Next Chapter Booksellers

38 Snelling Ave S, St Paul, MN 55105

www.nextchapterbooksellers.com

+1 651-225-8989

Red Balloon Bookshop

891 Grand Ave, St Paul, MN 55105

www.redballoonbookshop.com

+1 651-224-8320

Content Bookstore

314 Division St S, Northfield, MN 55057

www.contentbookstore.com

+1 507-222-9238

Lykke Communities LLC

616 S State St, New Ulm, MN 56073

Wild Rumpus Books for Young Readers

2720 W 43rd St, Minneapolis, MN 55410

www.wildrumpusbooks.com

+1 612-920-5005

Magers & Quinn Booksellers

3038 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55408

www.magersandquinn.com

+1 612-822-4611

Moon Palace Books

3032 Minnehaha Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55406

www.moonpalacebooks.com

+1 612-454-0455

Strive Bookstore

901 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55402

www.strivepubandco.com

+1 763-270-5738

Paperback Exchange

2227 W 50th St, Minneapolis, MN 55419

paperbackexchange.com

+1 612-929-8801

Zenith Bookstore

318 N Central Ave, Duluth, MN 55807

www.zenithbookstore.com

+1 218-606-1777

Haven Books & Gifts

100 Jefferson Blvd, Big Lake, MN 55309

havenbooksgifts.com

+1 651-955-5578

Buffalo Books & Coffee

6 Division St E, Buffalo, MN 55313

www.buffalo-books.com

+1 763-682-3147

Where the Sidewalk Ends Bookstore

432 Main St, Chatham, MA 02633

www.booksonthecape.com

+1 508-945-0499 

Missouri  

The Novel Neighbor

7905 Big Bend Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63119

thenovelneighbor.com

+1 314-738-9384

Left Bank Books

399 N Euclid Ave, St. Louis, MO 63108

www.left-bank.com

+1 314-367-6731

The Story Collective

114 S 7th St, St Joseph, MO 64501

www.stjoestoryco.com

+1 816-319-0870

The Book House

7352 Manchester Rd, Maplewood, MO 63143

bookhousestl.com

+1 314-968-4491

KD’s Books

241 SE Main St, Lee’s Summit, MO 64063

www.kdsbooksls.com

+1 816-525-1366

Skylark Bookshop

22 S 9th St, Columbia, MO 65201

www.skylarkbookshop.com

+1 573-777-6990

Montana  

Montana Book Company

331 N Last Chance Gulch, Helena, MT 59601

www.mtbookco.com

+1 406-443-0260

Bookstore

26 N Idaho St, Dillon, MT 59725

www.dillonbookstore.com

+1 406-683-6807

Country Bookshelf

28 W Main St, Bozeman, MT 59715

www.countrybookshelf.com

+1 406-587-0166

Nebraska  

The Bookworm

2501 S 90th St #111, Omaha, NE 68124

www.bookwormomaha.com

+1 402-392-2877

Bryant Books & Music

625 W 2nd St, Hastings, NE 68901

bryantbooksandmusic.com

+1 402-303-8554

Nevada  

Sundance Bookstore

121 California Ave, Reno, NV 89509

www.sundancebookstore.com

+1 775-786-1188

New Hampshire  

Still North Books & Bar

3 Allen St, Hanover, NH 03755

www.stillnorthbooks.com

+1 603-676-7846

Water Street Bookstore

125 Water St, Exeter, NH 03833

www.waterstreetbooks.com

+1 603-778-9731

Gibson’s Bookstore

45 S Main St, Concord, NH 03301

www.gibsonsbookstore.com

+1 603-224-0562

New Jersey  

Words Matter Bookstore

52 S Broadway, Pitman, NJ 08071

www.wordsmatterbookstore.com

+1 856-218-5995

Watchung Booksellers

54 Fairfield St, Montclair, NJ 07042

www.watchungbooksellers.com

+1 973-744-7177

Inkwood Books

106 Kings Hwy E, Haddonfield, NJ 08033

www.inkwoodnj.com

+1 856-429-1298

New York  

The Golden Notebook

29 Tinker St, Woodstock, NY 12498

+1 845-679-8000

The Unreliable Narrator

302 N Goodman St # E101, Rochester, NY 14607

www.instagram.com

Oblong Books [Rhinebeck]

6422 Montgomery St Suite 6, Rhinebeck, NY 12572

www.oblongbooks.com

+1 845-876-0500

River’s End Bookstore

19 W Bridge St, Oswego, NY 13126

www.riversendbookstore.com

+1 315-342-0077

Book Club

197 E 3rd St, New York, NY 10009

www.bookclubbar.com

+1 646-678-4160

Oblong Books [Millerton]

26 Main St, Millerton, NY 12546

www.oblongbooks.com

+1 518-789-3797

The Bookstore Plus

2491 Main St, Lake Placid, NY 12946

www.thebookstoreplus.com

+1 518-523-2950

Good Neighbor Bookstore

124 Chautauqua Ave, Lakewood, NY 14750

goodneighborbooks.com

+1 716-720-4917

Kew & Willow Books

81-63 Lefferts Blvd, Queens, NY 11415

www.kewandwillow.com

+1 718-441-0009

Buffalo Street Books

215 N Cayuga St, Ithaca, NY 14850

www.buffalostreetbooks.com

+1 607-273-8246

Greenlight Bookstore (Fulton Street)

686 Fulton St, Brooklyn, NY 11217

greenlightbookstore.com

+1 718-246-0200

Alice, Ever After Books

295 Parkside Ave, Buffalo, NY 14214

www.aliceeverafterbooks.com

+1 716-551-6943

Talking Leaves…Books

951 Elmwood Ave, Buffalo, NY 14222

www.tleavesbooks.com

+1 716-884-9524

Battenkill Books LLC

15 E Main St, Cambridge, NY 12816

www.battenkillbooks.com

+1 518-677-2515

North Carolina  

Pomegranate Books

4418 Park Ave, Wilmington, NC 28403

www.pombooksonline.com

+1 910-452-1107

Sassafras on Main

196 N Main St, Waynesville, NC 28786

sassafrasonmain.com

+1 828-246-6222

Quail Ridge Books

4209-100 Lassiter Mill Rd, Raleigh, NC 27609

www.quailridgebooks.com

+1 919-828-1588

McIntyre’s Books

220 Market St, Pittsboro, NC 27312

www.fearrington.com

+1 919-542-3030

Storyteller Book Co.

110 N Main St, Mt Gilead, NC 27306

Downtown Books

103 Sir Walter Raleigh St, Manteo, NC 27954

www.duckscottage.com

+1 252-473-1056

Malaprop’s Bookstore

55 Haywood St, Asheville, NC 28801

www.malaprops.com

+1 828-254-6734

Flyleaf Books

752 M.L.K. Jr Blvd, Chapel Hill, NC 27514

www.flyleafbooks.com

+1 919-942-7373

The Little Book Store Clayton Store

413 Riverside Dr, Clayton, NY 13624

littlebookstoreclayton.com

+1 315-777-7417

Main Street Books

126 S Main St, Davidson, NC 28036

www.mainstreetbooksdavidson.com

+1 704-892-6841

Ohio  

Loganberry Books

13015 Larchmere Blvd, Cleveland, OH 44120

www.loganberrybooks.com

+1 216-795-9800

Gathering Volumes

196 E South Boundary St, Perrysburg, OH 43551

www.gatheringvolumes.com

+1 567-336-6188

Little Sparrow Bookshop

1200 N Main St, North Canton, OH 44720

littlesparrowbooks.com

+1 330-967-2142

Learned Owl Book Shop

204 N Main St, Hudson, OH 44236

learnedowl.com

+1 330-653-2252

New & Olde Pages Book Shoppe

856 Union Blvd, Englewood, OH 45322

m.facebook.com

+1 937-832-3022

Fireside Book Shop Inc

29 N Franklin St, Chagrin Falls, OH 44022

www.firesidebookshop.com

+1 440-247-4050

Joseph-Beth Booksellers

2692 Madison Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45208

www.josephbeth.com

+1 513-396-8960

Oklahoma  

Magic City Books

221 E Archer St, Tulsa, OK 74103

www.magiccitybooks.com

+1 918-602-4452

Green Feather Book Company

300 W Gray St Suite 108, Norman, OK 73069

www.greenfeatherbooks.com

+1 405-857-7427

Best of Books

1313 E Danforth Rd, Edmond, OK 73034

www.bestofbooksok.com

+1 405-340-9202

Rivendell Books and Baubles

2034 W Houston St, Broken Arrow, OK 74012

www.rivendellbandb.com

+1 918-994-7584

Oregon  

Whitty Books

2306 E Admiral Blvd, Tulsa, OK 74110

www.whittybooks.com

+1 918-921-4030

Beach Books

616 Broadway St, Seaside, OR 97138

beachbooks37.com

+1 503-738-3500

Two Rivers Bookstore

8836 N Lombard St, Portland, OR 97203

www.tworiversbooks.com

+1 971-865-5941

Broadway Books

1714 NE Broadway, Portland, OR 97232

www.broadwaybooks.net

+1 503-284-1726

Powell’s Books Warehouse

2720 NW 29th Ave, Portland, OR 97210

www.powells.com

+1 503-228-4651

Spoke & Word Books

10863 SE Main St, Milwaukie, OR 97222

spokeandwordbooks.com

+1 503-303-4680

Roundabout Books

900 Northwest Mount Washington Drive #110, Bend, OR 97703

www.roundaboutbookshop.com

+1 541-306-6564

The Book Nook

200 NW 1st Ave, Canby, OR 97013

www.booknookcanby.com

+1 503-266-2665

The Corvallis Book Bin

215 SW 4th St, Corvallis, OR 97333

www.bookbin.com

+1 541-752-0040

Pennsylvania  

Commonplace Reader

49 S Main St, Yardley, PA 19067

commonplace-reader.com

+1 215-420-2620

Main Point Books

116 N Wayne Ave, Wayne, PA 19087

www.mainpointbooks.com

+1 484-580-6978

The Squirrel & Acorn Bookshop

103 S Allen St, State College, PA 16801

www.thesquirrelandacornbookshop.com

+1 814-699-9018

Penguin Bookshop

417 Beaver St, Sewickley, PA 15143

www.penguinbookshop.com

+1 412-741-3838

City of Asylum

40 W North Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15212

cityofasylum.org

+1 412-435-1110

Riverstone Books

8850 Covenant Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15237

riverstonebookstore.com

+1 412-366-1001

Reads & Company

234 Bridge St, Phoenixville, PA 19460

www.readsandcompany.com

+1 484-920-3695

Completely Booked

201 Blue Spruce Way, Murrysville, PA 15668

completelybookedstore.com

+1 724-575-7520

The Lahaska Bookshop

Peddler’s Village Store, 162 Carousel Ln & Rte 263 A, Lahaska, PA 18931

facebook.com

+1 267-544-5131

Firefly Bookstore

271 W Main St, Kutztown, PA 19530

www.fireflybookstore.com

+1 484-648-2712

Cupboard Maker Books

157 N Enola Rd, Enola, PA 17025

www.cupboardmaker.com

+1 717-732-7288

Doylestown Bookshop

16 S Main St, Doylestown, PA 18901

www.doylestownbookshop.com

+1 215-230-7610

Let’s Play Books Bookstore

244 Main St, Emmaus, PA 18049

www.letsplaybooks.com

+1 610-928-8600

Rhode Island

Curiosity Store

14 Narragansett Ave, Jamestown, RI 02835

Barrington Books

184 County Rd, Barrington, RI 02806

www.barringtonbooks.com

+1 401-245-7925

South Carolina  

Hub City Bookshop & Press

Masonic Temple, 186 W Main St, Spartanburg, SC 29306

www.hubcity.org

+1 864-577-9349

Itinerant Literate Bookstop

4824 Chateau Ave, North Charleston, SC 29405

itinerantliteratebooks.com

+1 843-225-6569

Poor Richards’ Booksellers

107 W Main St, Easley, SC 29640

+1 864-859-0687

South Dakota  

Outside of a Dog Books & Games

5 Court St, Vermillion, SD 57069

outsideofadogsd.com

+1 605-638-4668

Tennessee  

Ghostlight Books

5323 Main St, Spring Hill, TN 37174

ghostlightbooks.org

Parnassus Books

3900 Hillsboro Pike #14, Nashville, TN 37215

www.parnassusbooks.net

+1 615-953-2243

The Bookshop

1043 W Eastland Ave, Nashville, TN 37206

thebookshopnashville.com

+1 615-485-5420

novel.

387 Perkins Extd, Memphis, TN 38117

www.novelmemphis.com

+1 901-922-5526

Union Ave Books

517 Union Ave, Knoxville, TN 37902

www.unionavebooks.com

+1 865-951-2180

Reading Rock Books

122 N Main St, Dickson, TN 37055

readingrockbookstn.com

+1 615-326-0401

PLENTY Downtown Bookshop

48 W Broad St, Cookeville, TN 38501

www.plentybookshop.com

+1 931-349-2119

Texas  

The Twig Book Shop

306 Pearl Pkwy #106, San Antonio, TX 78215

www.thetwig.com

+1 210-826-6411

Nowhere Bookshop

5154 Broadway, San Antonio, TX 78209

www.nowherebookshop.com

+1 210-640-7260

Murder By The Book

2342 Bissonnet St, Houston, TX 77005

www.murderbooks.com

+1 713-524-8597

Blue Willow Bookshop

14532 Memorial Dr, Houston, TX 77079

www.bluewillowbookshop.com

+1 281-497-8675

Talking Animals Books

103 W Worth St, Grapevine, TX 76051

talkinganimalsbooks.com

+1 682-223-1311

Monkey and Dog Books

3608 W 7th St, Fort Worth, TX 76107

www.monkeyanddogbooks.com

+1 817-489-5747

Intermission Bookshop

203 Center Ave, Brownwood, TX 76801

www.intermissionbookshop.com

+1 325-203-5239

BookPeople

603 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78703

www.bookpeople.com

+1 512-472-5050

Seven and One Books

1138 N 2nd St, Abilene, TX 79601

www.sevenandonebooks.com

+1 325-261-1148

Interabang Books

5600 W Lovers Ln #142, Dallas, TX 75209

interabangbooks.com

+1 214-484-4289

Patchouli Joe’s Books & Indulgences

221 W Hickory St, Denton, TX 76201

patchoulijoesbooks.com

+1 940-331-4155

Utah 

The Book Bungalow

94 W Tabernacle St, St. George, UT 84770

www.thebookbungalow.com

+1 435-619-8200

The Book Garden

2 N Main St, Bountiful, UT 84010

bookgarden2.com

+1 801-292-2818

Vermont  

Yankee Bookshop

12 Central St, Woodstock, VT 05091

yankeebookshop.com

+1 802-457-2411

Phoenix Books Essex

2 Carmichael St Suite 2, Essex Junction, VT 05452

phoenixbooks.biz

+1 802-872-7111

Phoenix Books Burlington

191 Bank St, Burlington, VT 05401

phoenixbooks.biz

+1 802-448-3350

The Bookstore

8 Conant Square, Brandon, VT 05733

www.thebookstorevt.com

+1 802-465-8009

Virginia 

The Book Dragon Shop

102 W Beverley St, Staunton, VA 24401

www.thebookdragonshop.com

+1 540-712-7941

Fountain Bookstore Inc

1312 E Cary St, Richmond, VA 23219

www.fountainbookstore.com

+1 804-788-1594

Scrawl Books

11911 Freedom Dr, Reston, VA 20190

www.scrawlbooks.com

+1 703-966-2111

Book Bin

Four Corner Plaza, 25304 Charles M Lankford Jr Memorial Hwy, Onley, VA 23418

+1 757-787-7866

Fonts Books & Gifts

6262 Old Dominion Dr, McLean, VA 22101

fontsbooks.com

+1 571-327-3667

McKay Used Books

8345 Sudley Rd, Manassas, VA 20109

www.mckayusedbooks.com

Washington  

White Oak Books

1700 Main St Ste D, Vancouver, WA 98660

whiteoakbooks.net

+1 360-949-6928

Hi-Voltage Records

2714 6th Ave, Tacoma, WA 98406

hivoltagerecords.com

+1 253-627-4278

Secret Garden Bookshop

2214 NW Market St, Seattle, WA 98107

www.secretgardenbooks.com

+1 206-789-5006

Phinney Books

7405 Greenwood Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103

www.phinneybooks.com

+1 206-297-2665

Nook & Cranny Books

324 15th Ave E #101, Seattle, WA 98112

nookandcrannybooks.com

+1 425-780-6027

Elliott Bay Book Company

1521 10th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122

www.elliottbaybook.com

+1 206-624-6600

Paper Boat Booksellers

6040 California Ave SW Ste A, Seattle, WA 98136

www.paperboatbooksellers.com

+1 206-743-8283

Third Place Books Ravenna

6504 20th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98115

www.thirdplacebooks.com

+1 206-525-2347

Brick & Mortar Books

7430 164th Ave NE suite B105, Redmond, WA 98052

www.brickandmortarbooks.com

+1 425-869-0606

Odyssey Bookshop

114 W Front St, Port Angeles, WA 98362

www.odysseybooksgifts.com

+1 360-457-1045

Browsers Bookshop

107 Capitol Way N, Olympia, WA 98501

browsersolympia.com

+1 360-357-7462

Third Place Books

17171 Bothell Way NE #A101, Lake Forest Park, WA 98155

www.thirdplacebooks.com

+1 206-366-3333

Saltwater Bookshop

10978 NE State Hwy 104 #109, Kingston, WA 98346

www.saltwaterbookshop.com

+1 360-638-6136

Books Around the Corner

120 Bogachiel Way, Forks, WA 98331

Edmonds Bookshop

111 5th Ave S, Edmonds, WA 98020

www.edmondsbookshop.com

+1 425-775-2789

Ballast Book Company

409 Pacific Ave UNIT 202, Bremerton, WA 98337

www.ballastbookco.com

+1 360-626-3430

Village Books and Paper Dreams

1200 11th St, Bellingham, WA 98225

www.villagebooks.com

+1 360-671-2626

Three Trees Books

827 SW 152nd St, Burien, WA 98166

www.threetreesbooks.com

+1 206-427-1745

Kingfisher Bookstore

16 Front St NW, Coupeville, WA 98239

www.kingfisherbookstore.com

+1 360-678-8463

Washington D.C.

Busboys and Poets

2021 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20009

www.busboysandpoets.com

+1 202-387-7638

East City Bookshop

645 Pennsylvania Ave. SE #100, Washington, DC 20003

www.eastcitybookshop.com

+1 202-290-1636

Politics and Prose Bookstore

5015 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008

www.politics-prose.com

+1 202-364-1919

Loyalty Bookstore

843 Upshur St NW, Washington, DC 20011

www.loyaltybookstores.com

West Virginia  

Four Seasons Books

114 W German St, Shepherdstown, WV 25443

www.fourseasonsbooks.com

+1 304-876-3486

Booktenders

621 Central Ave, Barboursville, WV 25504

booktenderswv.com

+1 304-691-0317

Wisconsin  

Bound to Happen Books

1008 Main St, Stevens Point, WI 54481

boundtohappenbooks.com

+1 715-997-9094

Books & Company

1039 Summit Ave, Oconomowoc, WI 53066

www.booksco.com

+1 262-567-0106

Boswell Book Company

2559 N Downer Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53211

www.boswellbooks.com

+1 414-332-1181

A Room of One’s Own

2717 Atwood Ave, Madison, WI 53704

www.roomofonesown.com

+1 608-257-7888

Blue House Books

5915 6th Ave A, Kenosha, WI 53140

www.blue-house-books.com

+1 262-612-5525

Dotters Books

307 S Barstow St, Eau Claire, WI 54701

dottersbooks.com

+1 715-514-2305

The post Blackwing x Independent Bookstore Day 2024 Retailer Locator appeared first on Blackwing.

]]>
60234
A Conversation with Alembic, Legendary Custom Guitar Shop https://blog.blackwing602.com/a-conversation-with-alembic-legendary-custom-guitar-shop/ Mon, 15 Apr 2024 15:29:47 +0000 https://blog.blackwing602.com/?p=60178 Alembic has been handcrafting high-end basses and guitars in the California Bay Area for over […]

The post A Conversation with Alembic, Legendary Custom Guitar Shop appeared first on Blackwing.

]]>
Alembic has been handcrafting high-end basses and guitars in the California Bay Area for over fifty years. As part of our recent Blackwing 710 campaign, we sat down with Mica Wickersham Thomas, General Manager, to learn about the company’s fascinating history and connections to Jerry Garcia.

Listen to the whole conversation

Alembic started in 1969 when Ron and Susan Wickersham met at Pacific Recording Studio in San Mateo, California, where Ron was creating the first multi-track mixing console and Susan had been hired to paint a lighting controller At the time, Ron’s main job was design engineering at Ampex, with audio recording being a side interest. He eventually left to fully dedicate his efforts to the emerging field of multi-track recording.

Together, Ron and Susan formed Alembic and started working with the Grateful Dead, a band known for their interest in enhancing the quality of their sound. Alembic then relocated to Novato, where they shared office and rehearsal space with the Dead.

Ron Wickersham at his workbench with one of Phil Lesh’s basses–“Big Brown”– which Wickersham began modifying in 1969.

During this time, Alembic helped the Dead keep their gear in shape for both road and studio performances, specializing in electronics. Ron Wickersham even invented the now widely used active guitar electronics and installed them in Phil Lesh’s EB bass. Mica explained:

He thought he was just solving a problem for one person, but he ended up making active electronics a thing. So, if you ever need to put a battery in a guitar, you can thank my dad. He did it first.

Additionally, Alembic began to work on live recording, believing it to be the best way to capture the true essence and electricity of the music. Notable live recordings include the Grateful Dead’s Live/Dead and Europe 72 albums. Alembic was also hired to provide the sound system and record the soundtrack for the infamous 1969 Altamont concert, which was filmed by the Maysles Brothers and featured artists like The Rolling Stones, the Grateful Dead, and The Jefferson Airplane.

Alembic moved to San Francisco in 1970, continuing to focus on customizing guitars and refining their electronics package. Additionally, the company’s live recording and PA work became a significant part of their business during this period. Ron Wickersham also served as chief engineer for the Grateful Dead’s legendary Wall of Sound sound-system.

We asked Mica to explain how a guitar gets designed and built at Alembic:

Everything starts with a pencil here. And not just because I’m talking to Blackwing—it’s how we’ve always done it. When we design a custom shape, we’re gonna put pencil to paper. If we’re doing custom inlays, my mom and I always start with pencil on paper. Even when my mom is selecting where we actually place the templates for where we’re gonna cut out the top wood, she’s gonna mark that with a pencil.

We use machine tools and hand tools. We have band saws for cutting the wood out. We do all of our clamping by hand. We had a CNC [Computer Numerical Control] machine before any of the large guitar companies did. And it wasn’t to make a lot of guitars, but to make them more precisely.

We use it to make the slots on the fingerboard for where the frets go, especially for making custom scale lengths. That machine, her name is Nancy. Everything is custom to her, she doesn’t know the difference between a standard and a custom fingerboard. But, each one is slotted precisely. So if somebody needs a 33-inch scale, we can make that and we don’t even charge extra for it because we set up our whole shop to believe that ‘custom is normal.’

By 1971, Alembic had a state-of-the-art 16-track recording studio in San Francisco, a customizing business for guitars and PA equipment, and a small music store. The studio saw many famous artists such as Stephen Stills, Jerry Garcia, Santana, Gordon Lightfoot, Hot Tuna and even the San Francisco Symphony.

Throughout the 70s, Alembic continued to innovate and expand. In 1973, they began manufacturing a standard high-end instrument, marking the advent of an entirely new genre in instrument building. In 1974, they left San Francisco for Sonoma County. By 1976 electronics engineering and instrument production were consolidated in one facility in Cotati, CA. In 1976 they began producing the first graphite-neck basses and guitars, first played by John McVie, John Entwistle, and Stanley Clarke, who acquired his first Alembic bass in 1973.

As a custom shop, Alembic has always been attentive to the specific needs of its customers. The business has adapted over the years, but remains true to its original purpose:

Our purpose is to make finely-crafted tools for people who need them. As long as there are musicians who need to express their ideas, we’ll be building them guitars.

Learn more at the Alembic website.

The post A Conversation with Alembic, Legendary Custom Guitar Shop appeared first on Blackwing.

]]>
60178
Like a Note in the Air: The Visual Art of Jerry Garcia https://blog.blackwing602.com/the-visual-art-of-jerry-garcia/ Wed, 27 Mar 2024 15:35:35 +0000 https://blog.blackwing602.com/?p=60035 The name Jerry Garcia is synonymous with the Grateful Dead, legendary American rock band known […]

The post Like a Note in the Air: The Visual Art of Jerry Garcia appeared first on Blackwing.

]]>
The name Jerry Garcia is synonymous with the Grateful Dead, legendary American rock band known for their lengthy instrumental jams and loyal fan base. But Garcia’s artistic talents extended far beyond his virtuosic guitar playing and distinctive vocals. An accomplished visual artist, Garcia also possessed an innate ability to translate his improvisational musicianship onto canvas, creating a body of work as vibrant and eclectic as the music he produced.

Garcia’s journey into visual arts began at a young age and was nurtured at the San Francisco Art Institute, but his focus shifted to music after a life-changing car accident in 1961. Despite this shift, Garcia never abandoned his passion for visual art. Much like his approach to music, Garcia’s art was characterized by spontaneity, playfulness, and a spirit of exploration. His preferred mediums were watercolors and ink, both of which allowed him to express his creativity freely and directly.

In his watercolors, Garcia’s use of vibrant shapes and saturated colors created pieces that radiated warmth and vitality. His landscapes, often representing sky, earth, and water, conveyed a rich and generous spirit. Garcia also favored the immediacy of ink, a medium that leaves no room for corrections. His ink works, characterized by brief, lively strokes, demonstrated his talent for creating powerful art with minimal elements.

Garcia’s visual art was influenced by Picasso, Ernst, Klee, Van Gogh, and the Expressionists, yet his work was undoubtedly his own. He filled sketchbooks with notes and drawings, creating pieces that were light-hearted and uninhibited. “A line on paper is like a note in the air,” he once said. Once it’s out there, there’s no taking it back. Garcia’s secret, apparently, was to just keep creating.

“A line on paper is like a note in the air.” —Jerry Garcia

Despite his modesty about his visual art—Garcia once quipped, “I hope no one takes them too seriously”—his work began to gain recognition in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Today, Garcia’s visual art is part of several major public and private collections, testament to his enduring artistic legacy.

Blackwing Volume 710 is our tribute to Jerry Garcia and his fusion of visual and musical expression. A slice of his painting “Curves & Lines” is printed on each pencil, which features our soft graphite that is ideal for both drawing and songwriting.


Learn more about the Blackwing Vol. 710 Collection

The post Like a Note in the Air: The Visual Art of Jerry Garcia appeared first on Blackwing.

]]>
60035
Beyond the Dead: Jerry Garcia’s Musical Legacy https://blog.blackwing602.com/beyond-the-dead-jerry-garcias-musical-legacy/ Wed, 27 Mar 2024 15:35:20 +0000 https://blog.blackwing602.com/?p=60037 Jerry Garcia’s name is etched in the annals of rock & roll history, primarily for […]

The post Beyond the Dead: Jerry Garcia’s Musical Legacy appeared first on Blackwing.

]]>
Jerry Garcia’s name is etched in the annals of rock & roll history, primarily for his role as the lead guitarist and vocalist of the Grateful Dead. His musical journey was as vibrant as his visual art, characterized by a unique improvisational style, distinctive guitar sound, and smooth vocal performances.

Garcia was one of the founding members of the Grateful Dead, a band known for their blend of rock, folk, country, and jazz, and their improvised live performances. Garcia’s contribution to the band was immense, not just as a guitarist and vocalist, but also as a songwriter. His partnership with lyricist Robert Hunter resulted in some of the Dead’s most enduring songs, such as “Truckin’,” “Casey Jones,” and “Ripple.”

Garcia has long been known for his distinctive guitar style. He preferred to play by ear rather than stick strictly to scales, resulting in riffs and solos that were spontaneous and expressive, like melodic narratives that mirrored the storytelling of the band’s lyrics. His technique was also unique, often employing a “sliding” style that lent a fluid, almost voice-like quality to his guitar playing.

Jerry playing "Wolf" at the Hart Civic Center, New Haven, CT, May 10, 1980.
Jerry playing “Wolf” at the Hart Civic Center, New Haven, CT, May 10, 1980.

Garcia played numerous custom-made guitars during his career, most notably the “Wolf,” “Tiger,” and “Rosebud” built by luthier Doug Irwin. These instruments were special not just in their appearance, but also in their onboard effects and customized electronics, which allowed Garcia to shape his sound extensively. He liked to play with an Adamas 2mm graphite guitar pick and employed a technique called “scalpel picking” to achieve his distinctive tone. In a 1978 interview with Guitar Player Magazine, Jerry said: “The way I hold the pick is a bit strange, I guess. I don’t hold it in the standard way, but more like you hold a pencil.” Strange, perhaps, but wildly effective.

“I don’t hold it in the standard way, but more like you hold a pencil.”

Unique to Garcia’s musical journey was his continuous exploration and experimentation with sound. This was reflected not only in the Grateful Dead’s music but also in his side projects. Garcia was involved in various other bands, including the Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band, Old & in the Way, and the bluegrass supergroup, Old & in the Gray. These avenues allowed him to explore genres outside of the Dead’s repertoire, further demonstrating his musical versatility.

Jerry Garcia’s impact on music extends far beyond his work with the Grateful Dead. His innovative guitar style, distinctive sound, and relentless pursuit of musical exploration have left an indelible mark on the world of music.

Blackwing Volume 710 is our tribute to Jerry Garcia and his fusion of visual and musical expression. A slice of his painting “Curves & Lines” is printed on each pencil, which features our soft graphite that is ideal for both drawing and songwriting.


Learn more about the Blackwing Vol. 710 Collection

The post Beyond the Dead: Jerry Garcia’s Musical Legacy appeared first on Blackwing.

]]>
60037
Jerry Garcia’s California Roots https://blog.blackwing602.com/jerry-garcias-california-roots/ Wed, 27 Mar 2024 15:34:23 +0000 https://blog.blackwing602.com/?p=60039 Born and raised in San Francisco, Jerry Garcia was as much a product of California […]

The post Jerry Garcia’s California Roots appeared first on Blackwing.

]]>
Born and raised in San Francisco, Jerry Garcia was as much a product of California as any artist ever was. His relationship with the Golden State was deeply entwined with his life and career, shaping his artistic sensibilities in both music and visual mediums.

Growing up amidst the vibrant arts scene of San Francisco, Garcia was exposed to a wide array of music, from the soulful rhythm of blues to the experimental melodies of West Coast jazz and early psychedelic rock. This eclectic mix of influences seeped into his own imagination, helping to shape the distinctive sound of the Grateful Dead—a sound that would come to define an entire era of American music.

Garcia’s house at 710 Ashbury Street marked the heart of the enlightenment and expression that pulsed through the city. It also fueled Jerry’s profound exploration into painting and visual arts, marked by the same spirit of experimentation that characterized California’s counterculture movement of the day.

The front porch of 710 Ashbury Street, San Francisco, California.
710 Ashbury Street – The Grateful Dead House

Throughout his career, Garcia and the Grateful Dead played countless gigs across California. They were a quintessential part of the San Francisco sound, a psychedelic movement that emerged in the mid-1960s. The band frequently performed at iconic venues such as the Fillmore West and the Avalon Ballroom, venues that were the beating heart of San Francisco’s thriving music scene. Their legendary “Farewell Concert” held at Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco in 1974 is still remembered as one of the defining moments of their career.

Garcia also played at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967, a landmark event in California that is often considered the beginning of the so-called “Summer of Love.” This social phenomenon converged at San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury neighborhood—Garcia’s stomping ground—and spread a culture of hippie music, hallucinogenic drugs, and anti-war sentiment along California’s west coast and beyond. Above all, the Summer of Love was about “exploration,” said Bob Weir, fellow guitarist for the Grateful Dead, about “finding new ways of expression, being aware of one’s existence.”

Jerry Garcia performing with the Grateful Dead at Red Rocks Amphitheater, 1987.
Jerry performing with the Grateful Dead at Red Rocks Amphitheater, 1987.

Garcia’s impact on the California music scene is hard to overstate, even as he became a global star. Along with the other members of the Grateful Dead, he played a pivotal role in defining the sound and ethos of the countercultural movement. Garcia’s innovative blend of rock, folk, bluegrass, and experimental music, coupled with his commitment to communal values and artistic freedom, left an indelible mark on the California music scene and beyond.

Blackwing Volume 710 is our tribute to Jerry Garcia and his fusion of visual and musical expression. A slice of his painting “Curves & Lines” is printed on each pencil, which features our soft graphite that is ideal for both drawing and songwriting.


Learn more about the Blackwing Vol. 710 Collection

The post Jerry Garcia’s California Roots appeared first on Blackwing.

]]>
60039
Introducing Blackwing 710 – The Jerry Garcia Pencil https://blog.blackwing602.com/introducing-blackwing-710-the-jerry-garcia-pencil/ Tue, 26 Mar 2024 19:00:25 +0000 https://blog.blackwing602.com/?p=60030 Though he is best known as the lead guitarist and vocalist for the Grateful Dead, Jerry Garcia was much more than a musician. His house at 710 Ashbury Street marked the heart of the enlightenment and expression that pulsed through San Francisco in the 1960s. It also fueled Jerry’s profound exploration into painting and visual arts.

The post Introducing Blackwing 710 – The Jerry Garcia Pencil appeared first on Blackwing.

]]>
.avia-section.av-dlsbutk-b3b77691f5f5b892b91bde444838c425{ background-repeat:no-repeat; background-image:url(https://i0.wp.com/blog.blackwing602.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/vol57-banner-1x4.jpg?fit=7360%2C1840&ssl=1); background-position:50% 50%; background-attachment:scroll; } .avia-section.av-dlsbutk-b3b77691f5f5b892b91bde444838c425 .av-section-color-overlay{ opacity:0.5; background-color:#222222; }

March 2024

VOLUME 710

The Jerry Garcia Pencil

    • Artworks © Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Licensed by Artestar, New York

The Blackwing 710 is our tribute to Jerry Garcia and his fusion of visual and musical expression.


Though he is best known as the lead guitarist and vocalist for the Grateful Dead, Jerry Garcia was much more than a musician. His house at 710 Ashbury Street marked the heart of the enlightenment and expression that pulsed through San Francisco in the 1960s. It also fueled Jerry’s profound exploration into painting and visual arts.

Like his guitar playing, Jerry’s sketches and paintings seem to meander on the canvas, taking unexpected turns before changing shape entirely. They show us that improvisation isn’t just reserved for the stage and that our ideas shouldn’t be bound by what’s expected of us.

The Blackwing 710 is our tribute to Jerry Garcia and his fusion of visual and musical expression. A slice of his painting “Curves & Lines” is printed on each pencil, which features our soft graphite that is ideal for both drawing and songwriting.


    • Artworks © Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Licensed by Artestar, New York


    • Artworks © Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Licensed by Artestar, New York


SUBSCRIBE TO VOLUMES
BUY VOL. 710

Every Blackwing purchase benefits music and arts education at the K-12 level.

The post Introducing Blackwing 710 – The Jerry Garcia Pencil appeared first on Blackwing.

]]> 60030 Makers Series – Marbled Paper Studio https://blog.blackwing602.com/makers-series-marbled-paper-studio/ Thu, 21 Mar 2024 04:09:01 +0000 https://blog.blackwing602.com/?p=60043 We had the pleasure of chatting with Vanessa Reynoso of Marbled Paper Studio. She shares about the intricate craft of paper marbling, its history dating back to the 12th century, her unique bespoke tools and much more.

The post Makers Series – Marbled Paper Studio appeared first on Blackwing.

]]>

VANESSA REYNOSO

Name: Vanessa Reynoso

Brand: Marbled Paper Studio

Craft: Paper Marbling

Location: California

@mabledpaperstudio

marbledpaperstudio.com

“You have to surrender yourself to the elements and embrace the unpredictability because it is all part of the process.”

THE PROCESS

We had the pleasure of chatting with Vanessa Reynoso of Marbled Paper Studio. She shares about the intricate craft of paper marbling, its history dating back to the 12th century & much more.

What is paper marbling?

I get this question a lot! It is a form of decorative paper design. The process is a delicate balance of floating paint on thickened water. Paint is built up in layers and can be manipulated into intricate and precise patterns with various tools. Once a pattern is created you carefully lay down a piece of paper on the surface of the water to capture the image. The result is a one-of-a-kind work of art. If you need multiple sheets of one design, you can create designs that are consistent in terms of color and pattern but they will never be identical.

What inspired you to pursue marbling?

My husband and I love to travel and I was captivated by the marbled patterns we saw in museums and paper shops throughout our trips to Italy. I am a traditionalist at heart and have an affinity for beautiful stationery products. I began to experiment with the process enabling me to recreate marbled patterns on my own in more contemporary color palettes.

Can you tell us a little about the history of paper marbling?

Marbling has a very rich history. The earliest form of marbling was seen in Japan during the 12th century in a style known as “Suminagashi”, which translates to “floating ink”. These patterns are generally characterized by a series of concentric rings. They often served as an ornamental background for poems and other calligraphic arts for nobility. In the 15th century, we began to see Turkish and Persian forms of marbling known as “Ebru”, which means “cloud painting”. This highly decorative form of marbling typically incorporated illustrative patterns such as flowers. In the 16th century, we began to see paper marbling make its way into Europe through the import trade. This beautiful marbled paper eventually caught the eye of bookbinders who used marbled designs to create highly decorative books. Then, in the 17th century, marbling arrived in the United States when European settlers brought the technique with them.




Examples of Vanessa’s marbled paper creations



What is marbled paper used for?

Most people are familiar with marbled paper through its use in the book arts, where marbled designs have graced book covers and end pages for centuries. However, marbled paper is ideal for various paper goods such as gift wrap, gift tags, greeting cards, bookmarks, and place cards. It is also well suited for home decor projects such as lining drawers, shelves, or the backs of bookcases. Marbled paper looks great as a mat to frame artwork or as standalone wall art, allowing the colors and patterns to be put on display.

What is the Suminagashi technique?

Suminagashi is the simplest form of marbling. Unlike traditional forms of marbling, Suminagashi uses ink instead of paint, and plain water as opposed to thickened water. Designs are typically characterized by a series of organic concentric rings, similar to the growth rings found on trees.

Suminagashi is a journey of creativity and mindfulness. My approach to Suminagashi is very much a meditative practice with a real connection with the surrounding environment. Earth, air, fire, and water are considered building blocks of our universe and I love combining these elements into my Suminagashi practice to create a real sensory experience. I will often place a lit candle into the water to represent fire and clippings from the garden to represent earth. I have not seen anyone else incorporate earth and fire into their practice so it is quite unique to my studio. I also love introducing gusts of air to the surface of the water and when the weather is nice, which is quite often in California, I’ll often create outdoors.  With Suminagashi, you have very little artistic control on the final pattern and even the most subtle shifts in water will influence the design. I like to think of it as “nature’s fingerprint”. You have to surrender yourself to the elements and embrace the unpredictability because it is all part of the process.

Can you talk about some of the tools you use?

A few of the basic marbling tools in my studio include marbling trays in various sizes and a wide assortment of simple combs, rakes, and other “tools” to create various patterns. Marbling is such a niche art form that there aren’t any modern-day manufacturers producing tools at a large scale for the professional marbler. Many of the tools used by marblers today, including myself, are handmade while other items are repurposed. For example, it is not uncommon for me to use skewers, knitting needles, bundled broom-straw, or even toothbrushes to create various effects. Most of my rakes and combs are made from wood with either nails or pins secured in place to create specific designs. Although marbling has been around for centuries, I feel like some of my tools are just as primitive as those used by my marbling predecessors.

Key to the marbling process is a thickened water that fills the marbling tray. The water is thickened with carrageenan, a powder derived from seaweed. This provides a stable surface for paints to float and be manipulated into various patterns. I use acrylic and gouache paints although I would love to start making my own paint in the future.




Vanessa’s various paper marbling tools



What advice would you give to someone interested in the craft?

Marbling is a magical art form, but most people don’t realize that the preparation is time-consuming and the process can be quite finicky. For someone wanting to learn the art of marbling, my advice would be to embrace the unpredictable and learn to love the process just as much as the end result. Be patient. Recognize that you will not always be in control of the process and sometimes you have to be willing to adapt your water, paints, and your environment to make things work. At times you may even need to step away from the marbling tray for a bit. As long as you recognize and accept this, your experience will be much more enjoyable and rewarding.

Can you tell us about any of your upcoming projects?

I’m excited to be working on a collection of printed papers taken from my original hand-marbled designs. My printed papers will offer a great alternative for those wanting the beauty of marbling in a more accessible format since papers will be ready for immediate shipping. This is particularly convenient for someone who needs multiple sheets of the same design quickly or has a project that doesn’t necessarily require an original design.

I’m also developing a collection of marbled ribbon. I love a beautifully wrapped gift and cherish the fond memories of wrapping gifts with my mother during Christmas time. We would pick a day to tackle wrapping all of the gifts in one sitting. It was wonderful! The new ribbon collection is a direct result of my love for the art of gift wrapping and a nod to the wonderful memories I shared with my mother. I really enjoy presenting gifts in a thoughtful way and the new ribbon collection provides a wonderful embellishment for those wanting to create their own beautifully wrapped gifts or use in other creative ways.

SHOW US YOUR WORK

The post Makers Series – Marbled Paper Studio appeared first on Blackwing.

]]> 60043 Slowing Down Together: 10 Creative Ways to Reconnect This Valentine’s Day https://blog.blackwing602.com/10-creative-ways-to-reconnect-this-valentines-day/ Wed, 31 Jan 2024 19:26:00 +0000 https://blog.blackwing602.com/?p=60007 Roses and chocolate are great, but there are many more ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day […]

The post Slowing Down Together: 10 Creative Ways to Reconnect This Valentine’s Day appeared first on Blackwing.

]]>
Roses and chocolate are great, but there are many more ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year. At Blackwing, we believe taking the time to be mindful is always worthwhile. Here are ten ways to slow down and reconnect with yourself and others on the day of love.

1. Prepare a New Recipe

Open a random page of a cookbook and prepare that recipe. Cooking is a fun way to slow down, reflect, or bond with others—plus, you get to enjoy a new dish.

2. Host a Listening Party

Purchase a new album and listen to it the entire way through. Or, invite friends to bring their favorite records and take turns playing them from beginning to end.

3. Write a Love Song

Do you play an instrument? Spend part of the day writing a love song for a real or imaginary lover. Bonus points for crafting your lyrics using a Blackwing pencil.

4. Dine Out (Without Your Phones)

If you don’t feel like cooking this year, grab a table at your favorite restaurant and leave your phones at home. Enjoy your food, enjoy the conversation, and don’t worry about your notifications. If you drove, leaving phones in the car works too.

5. Do Arts and Crafts

You could paint, draw, or make Valentine’s Day cards over a bottle of wine. Hang your creations on the refrigerator for the rest of February (or until spring).

6. Go Outside

Weather permitting, get some fresh air. A hike, a jog, or a walk in the park are great ways to slow down while moving your body. Consider striking up a conversation about the nature of love along the way.

7. Stargaze

When was the last time you spent an evening looking at the stars? It’s a beautiful and romantic way to appreciate our universe. Of course, February can be chilly in some parts, so bundle up and bring hot chocolate for added warmth.

8. Read a Book… Out Loud

Take turns reading a story or a collection of poems out loud with your partner or friend group. This is a relaxing way to stimulate the imagination—and perhaps more enjoyable around a fire. Flying solo? Reading aloud can still be an effective way to slow your mind and body. Savor every word.

9. Visit a Museum or Art Gallery

Take a trip to a local museum or art gallery and immerse yourselves in culture and history. Since it’s Valentine’s Day, keep an eye out for works that appear to explore the theme of love. Then, grab desserts afterward and discuss your favorite pieces.

10. Try Out the New Blackwing Essentials Gift Sets

Finally, purchase one of our new gift sets for someone special in your life—or for you! Featuring several of our most popular products, they’re an elegant way to experience of Blackwing.

The post Slowing Down Together: 10 Creative Ways to Reconnect This Valentine’s Day appeared first on Blackwing.

]]>
60007
Blackwing’s Predictions for 2024 https://blog.blackwing602.com/blackwings-predictions-for-2024/ Thu, 04 Jan 2024 18:08:51 +0000 https://blog.blackwing602.com/?p=59996 Here’s to 2024! In celebration, we wanted to share a few fun predictions for lifestyle […]

The post Blackwing’s Predictions for 2024 appeared first on Blackwing.

]]>
Here’s to 2024! In celebration, we wanted to share a few fun predictions for lifestyle trends, popular activities, and cultural shifts that will be on an upward trajectory this year. In response to our rapidly changing digital landscapes, we believe that intentionality will be a key theme for society as a whole.

1. ANALOG OVER AUTOMATION

It feels like every single hour there’s a new “lifehack” or AI that promises to make our routines more efficient. Sometimes, trying to simplify ends up making things even more complicated. This year is about enjoying the process.

2. PHYSICAL MEDIA

Nothing can replace lending a book or passing down a record collection to a loved one. We’re making sure that these works of music, art, and literature don’t just fall into the digital abyss. Films, records, books, and magazines are physical time capsules that not only give us entertainment but preserve a particular time and place.

3. CURSIVE MAKES A COMEBACK

Cursive is back in the California school curriculum, reviving the handwritten script! Not only is it elegant and beautiful; every stroke is intentional and helps us really focus on what we’re putting on the page.

4. FUNCTIONALITY OVER FUNCTIONS

We’re bringing back things that do their core function really well and ditching things that do a thousand tasks really poorly. No more “smart” fridges that can read your text messages or microwaves that can start the car. It’s all about well-built devices and products that do that one thing reliably every time.

5. DINNER PARTIES

Themed dinners, potlucks, or pizza nights — it’s about spending quality time with friends and family through the vessel of a shared meal. Stories, laughs, and food around a table, that’s peak living.

6. AWAY FROM ALGORITHMS

Take back control of our taste and personality profiles. We’re leaning into the things that we want, need, and enjoy, not letting the algorithm determine that for us.

7. EMBRACING MISTAKES

Mistakes are just as important as the final product or goal. There’s something to be learned in every step of the journey. Mistakes don’t define us, but they’re all a crucial part of the stories we tell.

8. REUSING, UPCYCLING & VINTAGE

Thrifting and garage sales are a great way to find hidden treasures and also connect with the community around us. You’ll never know what you’ll find and that’s the beauty of it. Instead of opting for convenience or that brand-new thing, think about how we can repurpose what we already have.

9. CELEBRATE EVERYTHING

Trying is winning, there’s no such thing as failure. Every small step or accomplishment should be celebrated, we’re all on the same path to better ourselves and that deserves to be recognized.

10. STICKY NOTES > NOTES APP

Bust out the Post-Its! Let’s resist the inclination to immediately pick up our phones to jot something down. Science proves that we retain and remember more when we put it down on paper. Leave yourself daily reminders for tasks, things that inspire us, and words of encouragement the old-school way.

The post Blackwing’s Predictions for 2024 appeared first on Blackwing.

]]>
59996
Artist Series Interview – Leslie Hung (Comic Artist & Illustrator) https://blog.blackwing602.com/artist-series-leslie-hung/ Tue, 17 Oct 2023 23:06:19 +0000 https://blog.blackwing602.com/?p=59981 We partnered with comic book artist and illustrator Leslie Hung for our Artist Series Notebooks featuring her incredible original artwork. Leslie is the co-creator of Image Comic's Snotgirl.

The post Artist Series Interview – Leslie Hung (Comic Artist & Illustrator) appeared first on Blackwing.

]]>

LINDSAY GARDNER

Name: Lindsay Gardner

Pencil hand: Right

Craft: Illustrator/Author

Location: Michigan

@lindsaygardnerart

whywecookbook.com

“Something I do pretty much every time, no matter what project I’m working on, is slow down and try to notice the minute details of everyday life that are so often overlooked.”

THE PROCESS

We had the opportunity to sit down with author and illustrator Lindsay Gardner to talk about art, her sources of inspiration, and her new book, Why We Cook: Women on Food, Identity, and Connection.” Lindsay sketched every original illustration in her book using Blackwing pencils.

How did your art journey begin and what led you to pursue it as a profession?

It’s only been recently that I’ve been able to look back at the last 20 years of my life and be able to put the pieces together. My undergrad experience studying Literature and Studio Art was formative in developing my interest in storytelling. After undergrad, I moved to San Francisco and began working for arts education non-profits. Eventually, I went to graduate school and received my MFA in Painting. When I look back at my time in grad school, I don’t regret it, but it definitely burned me out. I enjoyed what I learned about critical theory and big picture art-making, but in some ways, I feel like it drained my intuition.

After all, was said and done, I felt like I had very little energy left to give to painting in a pure way. I ended up teaching elementary school and had put off painting for nearly two and a half years. During that time, I gave birth to my first daughter and spent a whole year at home with her which helped motivate me to draw and paint again. I remember having a conversation during grad school with an artist that I admired named Rex Ray and he told me, “You go to grad school and you spend all this time studying, and then you spend another 10 years trying to forget everything you learned.” I feel like the more time that passed, I was able to return to art in a compelling and exciting way that felt unburdened which eventually opened the door to me starting my business.

Can you tell us about your current project and what motivated you to take it on?

My latest project is a book that I wrote and illustrated called “Why We Cook: Women on Food, Identity, and Connection.” It is a collection of over a hundred essays, interviews, and recipes from women who are changing the world of food.

Cooking has always been important to me, but as I became a parent and started to adjust to life as a family, my relationship with cooking shifted with it. I began to examine what cooking meant to me, why it’s so important, and how it’s wrapped up in this bigger sense of female identity. I started to see how cooking was an interconnected part of my creative process and it began showing up in a lot of my work. I began having conversations with friends about this topic and it just seemed like so many people in my life had a mutual interest in discussing it. As my interest grew, I searched for a book related to this specific subject and was not able to find any, leading to me ask myself if this was something I could possibly take on. So, I just began to open up the conversation to larger circles — talking to professional chefs and other women in the industry, and things just began to merge. I had always loved doing research so that along with having a concrete reason to reach out to people and interview them helped bring everything together for what is now Why We Cook.




Original sketch made using Blackwing pencils paired with the final book illustration.



What do you draw on for inspiration?

Something I do pretty much every time, no matter what project I’m working on, is slow down and try to notice the minute details of everyday life that are so often overlooked. That was especially true for this book, as cooking is one of those everyday things. It’s sometimes a ritual that can take on meaning, other times it can feel like a burden. I like dissecting how these snapshots of everyday life are multi-faceted and can take on a deeper meaning.

With the intersection of women, cooking, and art, what do you hope readers take away from reading your book?

I think in a big picture way, I hope it prompts people to ask more questions in their own lives. I think there are just so many things that we can all learn from listening to peoples’ stories and I believe that cooking is an easy avenue for people to connect. Whether at the personal or professional level, women’s stories in food have not been told in the same depth or even at all. I believe that there is a lot of empowerment in just listening to women tell their stories.

Is there a specific story in your book that just completely blew you away?

In talking with all of these women, I was able to find connecting threads in disparate stories. One of the things that particularly blew me away, especially because it is different having it be so different from my own personal experience, is that so many of these stories about food from inspiring voices in the book have to do with migration or immigration, and explore the powerful relationship between geographic movement, food, and memory.




Original sketch made using Blackwing pencils paired with the final book illustration.



How did you discover Blackwing and how do you use them?

I found out about Blackwing through one of my favorite artists, Carson Ellis. I saw that she was using them and thought to myself, if she uses them, I have to try them. I love the way they feel when they hit the paper, it’s a different texture compared to other pencils — the smoothness and the gradation from light to dark.

Is there a quote or a piece of work that inspires your creative process?

There’s a Joan Didion quote that goes, “We tell ourselves stories in order to live…” For me, it underscores this feeling that there’s an innate human instinct to write down or portray our stories in art. I think it perfectly conveys humanity’s impulse for creativity.

Another quote that inspires me is one by Georgia O’Keefe, “Nobody sees a flower – really – it is so small – we haven’t time – and to see takes time like to have a friend takes time.” This quote resonates with me because I feel like I can often be impatient

with myself and my creative process. Those words bring me comfort reminding me that I am just one person in a gigantic universe. Sometimes I just need to slow down and realize that my work is never really ever done.




Original sketch made using Blackwing pencils paired with the final book illustration.

Portrait photography by Smeeta Mahanti

Illustrations by Lindsay Gardner

SHOW US YOUR WORK

The post Artist Series Interview – Leslie Hung (Comic Artist & Illustrator) appeared first on Blackwing.

]]> 59981