APE MADE (Art and Apparel by April Bleakney)

06/18/2026

Happy 5 years, ! 🎉

I’m down here in Columbus with them celebrating. I brought along all of my book ban response posters (a portion of which goes to them 🫶). I was so happy to find them and learn about the work they are doing to combat this nonsense right here in Ohio.

Thank you to Tiarra for the invite and for the wonderful connection. 🙏

06/09/2026

Speaking of Pride, here’s one more from the Mantra Series that I never shared:
LOUD & PROUD!!

These prints feature screen printed artwork created from vintage 1800s engravings of a lion / anatomical eye + heart. Text reads “Loud & Proud!!” and was created with letterpressed wood type on a Vandercook No. 4T, made last October while I was on residency at . Each measures 12.5x19. You can see them all on my “Mantra Series” page.

06/08/2026

Thank you, Pride In The CLE! 🫶

We had SUCH a blast with yall this weekend. The energy was LOVE LOVE LOVE. It was so wonderful to be a part of the festival this year, I loved chatting with everyone allllllll dayyyyy. Cleveland’s people are the best. Absolutely fabulous. Special shoutout to for running the booth with me (alllllll dayyyyyy) - you the best, too, boo. 💙

My heart is full. Thank you. 🙏

06/02/2026

THIS WEEK, CLEVELAND! ✨
Find APE MADE out in the wild.

Friday, June 5th (5:00-8:00): popping up for Walk All Over Waterloo at Pop Life, 15619 Waterloo Road. 💥 Lots of great openings happening in the neighborhood this night. AND Candice will be joining me representing Artists For Palestine.

Saturday, June 6th (11:00-6:00): vending downtown at Pride in the CLE! 🌈 I’ll be set up in Mall C, at the verrrrrry end of Artisan Alley (don’t stop walking, I’m the very last spot - Booth 914, to the right of the Main Stage, and around the corner from the bathrooms).

Hope to see some of your faces IRL. 😘 I’ve got LOOOADS of new fun prints I’ll be bringing.

05/29/2026

Happy Friday. ✨
One more I never fully shared: GET FREE

These prints feature screen printed artwork created from vintage 1800s engravings of birds + cage / poppies / moths + butterflies. Text reads “Get Free” and was created with letterpressed wood type on a Vandercook No. 4T, made last October while I was on residency at . Each measures 12.5x19. You can see them all on the “Mantra Series” page.

05/20/2026

Special for this rainy Cleveland night.

This one is: Let the rain kiss you.

Words from our very own Langston Hughes. Background photo of a moody atmospheric Cleveland Lake Erie, shot in 2017.

Made this series at last October! You can see all nine phrases in my “We Are Nature Series” pages. 15% from all of these goes to . 11’’ x 17’’ each. Words + original photography, risograph printed in 1-color and 2-color variations using sunflower and hunter green riso inks.

05/18/2026

I finally got these babies up! 🌈
(Link in comments)

I had some leftover bight and poppy risograph backgrounds from Liberation Lab so I made these new 11’’x17’’ screen prints with them. The bright and poppy risograph backgrounds are all plant-based / abstracted from photos I shot at Minneapolis-St. Paul’s Como Conservatory while visiting family there a few years ago. The text itself was recreated here for screen printing from real life wood type letterpress printed blocks (printed last year at ).

I’ll be popping up at Pride this year (save the date, 6/6/26) and will def be bringing them to the event. Half from these will go to .

05/16/2026

One more I never shared from New Hampshire:
WASTE NOT WANT NOT.

An old timey classic phrasing that throws me back to my grandparent’s generation. And which feels really good to live in.

These prints feature screen printed artwork, created from vintage 1800s engravings of food crops / gems / mushrooms. Text reads “Waste Not Want Not” and was created with letterpressed wood type on a Vandercook No. 4T, made last October while I was on residency at . Each measures 12.5x19. You can see them all on the “Mantra Series” page.

25% from this one will go to Food Not Bombs Cleveland.

05/11/2026

⚠️ Transparency Post ⚠️

A very belated Q1 2026 run down on giving from my “prints that give back”. Thanks to all who’ve supported and continue to support, making this possible. 🖤 These were all made last month (those under $25 will roll to Q2).

https://www.apebleakney.com/art-fundraisers (link in bio)

Q1 2026 Donations:
- Cleveland Heights For Immigrant Rights $100.09
- Conservancy for CVNP $45.05
- Food Strong $26.24
- Honesty for Ohio Education $85.86
- IRTF Cleveland $108.09
- Palestine Children’s Relief Fund $98.67
- Preterm Cleveland $38.47

05/09/2026

Ends today! 15th anniversary online deals: https://apemade.etsy.com

THIS WEEKEND! I can hardly believe it.

My baby APE MADE is turning 15. 🙏
So wild. Who would’ve thunk it?

Having some last minute milestone celebrations:

OPEN STUDIO HANGS! ✨
Saturday, May 2nd from 3:00-9:00
*message me for address*

ALSO LIL ONLINE LOVE! 👩🏻‍💻
For those who can’t make it in-person.