If you’ve been following this account, chances are it’s because you love Pittsburgh’s city steps. 🙂
And now is the time to get yourself the latest and FINAL issue of Mis.Steps: Our Missed Connections with Pittsburgh’s City Steps! In case you haven’t yet purchased one of these zines, each copy is unique and includes ten randomly selected risograph printed “trading cards” from public stairways #661 – #739. If you visit the Mis.Steps online store you can see all available cards and issues and place an order. Over the years, folks have often complimented the printing and design, and for that, I have to offer a big thank you to various collaborators. Charlie Succop of the City of Pittsburgh Archives shared the gorgeous architectural drawings for Issue 3 and Issue 4, Charlie Barber contributed the illustration for Issue 5, and Leslie Clague’s drawings and photographs grace Issue 7 and Issue 8. These talented individuals brought so much passion and enthusiasm to the project, and it was a joy to work with them!
And that leads me to offer the biggest round of applause to the mastermind printer of Mis.Steps, Jimmy Riordan. When this project began in 2017, Jimmy lived in Pittsburgh, and the first few issues were printed at his studio in Braddock, PA. Then, in 2019, he returned to his hometown of Anchorage, AK, and his substantial collection of early-model risographs followed. While there’s no shortage of modern machines and qualified printers, finding a collaborator who is a friend AND who holds a similar fascination with old technologies is a rarity. Hence, printing the twice-yearly zines continued despite four time zones and 4,000+ miles. It wasn’t always easy, but it worked reasonably well.
With COVID-19 waning, I decided to travel to Alaska and finish printing the project as it began: In-person with paper covering every available surface, music playing, beverages and snacks littering the floor, and fluctuating levels of chaos and conversation. It was so worth it.
This final issue of Mis.Steps was printed at Seed Lab in Anchorage between April 28 and May 4, 2022, on a 1994 Risograph GR1700 printer. Photo of Laura and Jimmy by Lindsay Clark.
