Just in time for Halloween, The Raw Deal in Menomonie will be hosting a live woodblock printing of zombie wearable art in the hope of spreading the season’s spirit with the help of Drive by Press. The Drive by Press was created in 2005 by two gents, Gregory Nanney and Joseph Velasquez (now a UW-Stout professor). It all stated back in graduate school where they inspired one another through their passion for printmaking and attempted to share it with the nation. Although it took quite a bit of work, time, and money, Nanney and Velasquez took off on the road to travel and share their enthusiasm with audiences all over the country. The Raw Deal mentions that the pair have been “dubbed kings of DIY printmaking” and have now worked “over 500 events and traveled over 250,000 miles.” Woodblock printing has become a modernized and popular form of printmaking by utilizing hand-cut wooden stamps to transfer ink onto fabric (or any other surface, really). Therefore, it’s obvious that The Raw Deal, known for its quality organic food, would also be hosting a trending art event. Not only will the event offer a unique, live woodblock printing experience, but The Raw Deal will also have zombie food and drink specials. The festivity is free, but the experience is truly a valuable one because this is the only operation in the country using this specific printing method. And that’s not all: The Raw Deal promises that guests will “walk away with a unique collaboration and experience they will wear and share for years to come.”

Woodblock Printing Festivity • Oct. 12 • The Raw Deal, 603 S. Broadway Menomonie, WI • noon-6pm • FREE