Celebrating the art of large-scale woodcut printing, 12 Chinese Canadian and First Nations artists are converging at Chinatown's Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Plaza this weekend for the Big Print Project, where they'll create new work in a performance-like atmosphere.

The artists have each carved a four-foot by eight-foot wooden panel, and will be creating prints using a steamroller as a press. Prints will be created in editions of four, with two to be printed on paper and two to be printed on cloth. Two of the 12 artists will be working as a team. 

A collaboration between the Society for Contemporary Works on Paper (SCWOP) and Creative Cultural Collaborations Society (C3), the project will see the artists working together in front of the public this afternoon (Friday) until 5 p.m., and again on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday (July 30 to August 1) between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Participating artists include Corey Bulpitt (Haida), Thomas Cannell (Musqueum), Haisla Collins (Tsimshian), Kee Toy Woo Joseph (Squamish), Jeanette Lee, Sharifah Marsden (Anishnabe), Susan Point (Musqueum), Connie Sabo, Jerry Whitehead (Cree)/Gerald Pedros, Sylvia Wong, and June Yun. A total of 11 different designs will be printed over the course of the weekend. 

A reception and auction for the resulting prints will take place on August 19 at the Chinese Cultural Centre Museum and Archives (50 E. Pender Street). An exhibition of the work will continue from August 20 to 21. 

We checked out the event earlier this afternoon and snapped a few photos of the artists at work. Be sure to make a trip to Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Plaza this weekend to see this exciting event for yourself.