Eric Von Haynes is an artist, designer, and curator whose work synthesizes old and new printing methods and aesthetics. While design and printmaking are his passions, he is energized by collaborations and the ideas and challenges that come from working with a community. In 2007 he founded Flatlands in Pilsen, a true labor of love. Flatlands has created art objects and printed ephemera for artists worldwide. For the last five years, he has co-published Raw Fury, a local scene zine with professional editorial standards that focuses on contemporary urban art from or connected to Chicago and Denver. In June 2017 he curated All of the Above, an exhibition at the Elephant Room Gallery, which represented several years of collaborative work and ideas. Flatlands currently offers a space for community-minded artists to create, share, and inspire ideas. Future plans for Flatlands include creating community outreach and youth mentoring programs, as well as other artist books and periodicals.
Eric is the current President of the Chicago Printers Guild, an Artist in Residence at the Chicago Art Department, and a core organizer with the Love Fridge Network, a mutual aid group grounded in food sovereignty and community care.