First ‘zine’ workshop a hit
Plumas Action Network started the new year with a creative focus in following their motto to make “local livable” with a zine-making workshop.
What’s a zine? It’s a self-expression, self-publishing venture of small, pamphlet-sized handmade books. Zines originally were made popular in the 1980s punk scene largely in California, Oregon and New York where fans of punk rock bands and other independent artists and politically minded young people would write, draw and collage images and words together in photocopied and hand stapled works.
Around the country today there are zine festivals, called “Zine Fests” which bring together zine makers from all around the country. The next big one is in Los Angeles at the end of May.
The term “zine” comes from the shortened slang for magazine and many early ones were what is known as fan zines — a zine about one topic or one person. Like their predecessors in the 1980s, the contemporary zine is about free speech and political action as much as it is about art.
Plumas Action Network held its first zine workshop at the library conference room Jan. 6 with two guest hosts — Quincy local Caroline Walters, who now resides in Oakland, and Clarissa Johnson of Oakland. The women shared the history of zines, encouraged participants to share stories they might consider making a zine of, and provided advice on how to make them.
Each participant made their own zine about a variety of topics including recipes, new year’s plans, and personal stories. Then they shared and swapped the zines.
Plumas Action Network reported that it was a great experience and that they hoped to host such a workshop again in better weather. Members of Plumas Action Network work to educate the public about issues that affect communities within Plumas County.
