Our Story
We began in the summer of 2009 with an idea and an ad on Craigslist. Founder, James Tootle, wanted to find other artists who wanted to join together to buy screen printing equipment and rent a small studio space. Two people answered James’ post so they met for lunch and sketched out in general what a collaborative would look like.
After much sweat, work, and ink, ASPCO was born in July 2010! ASPCO quickly became a go-to resource for DIY screen printers in Austin. We were fortunate to have a wide cross section of members, from beginning screen printers with whom we could share our passion, to more experienced printers who could help mentor the beginners in order to expand their printing skills and knowledge.
By 2012, we knew we had something incredibly special. Our membership continued to grow, and we began to iron out the kinks that are natural to a blossoming venture. ASPCO got serious in 2013. After a few short years, we realized it was time for a serious upgrade in space, equipment, and goals. While we appreciated our humble studio space, our board began planning our current studio. Our board met, discussed, planned, strategized, sighed, laughed and came together to make our dream studio happen. After a move to our current studio and building everything from the ground up, ASPCO is now 10 years strong!
We could not do it with out our amazing board members, co-op members, and everyone who comes out to support our events. We look forward to many more years as Austin community members.