The Red Awl is a collaborative side-project by Karen McClanahan and Steve Lauman. Our mission is to create, promote, and exhibit handcrafted, quirky, and often humorous artists’ books (bookworks), zines, and fine art multiples.

Launched in 2022, we are located in a private office building in the small town of Clarkdale, Arizona. Occasionally we open our 242 square foot lobby for pop-up shops, projects, and exhibitions.

We are advocates for an analog approach to drawing and writing: a drawing instrument in hand, on paper, is a direct connection to the brain which has the potential to unlock cognitive superpowers.

(Scroll down to view a selection of past events)

Slow Art Day 2024

Installation view of four tiny drawings by Karen McClanahan

The Red Awl was one of three venues in Arizona participating in Slow Art Day April 13, 2024, a worldwide event that promotes extended looking as a way to engage with art. We featured four tiny ink on paper drawings by Karen McClanahan, excerpts from a bookwork (four of thirteen distinct original “plates” intended for reproduction in a handmade publication). They are small – measuring in at 1 in. by 1-5/8 in. – slightly larger than a postage stamp. The size of the work offers a unique […] Read more

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