Experimenting with Printing at PRESS

Inking the Vandercook Letterpress

There are a couple of different ways to experiment with printing at PRESS. These options include different types of relief printmaking, the raised areas of a plate or block is inked while the lower areas of the matrix remain ink free.  Some of the ways artists at PRESS are working with relief printmaking includes using wood/ lead movable type, polymer plates, linoleum/ wood cuts and pressure printing.

Type and linoleum/wood blocks are very hands on ways of printing at PRESS. The type is placed carefully and set snugly in the base of the press to create imaginative and new ways of displaying text. The reverse image of the wood/lead type is pressed into the paper right-reading.   Linoleum and wood blocks are carved away at to reveal the reverse of the image the artist wishes to become inked. The block that is printed starts blank and the areas the artists wants to remain white are removed.

Polymer plates give the artist an easy and detailed way to make designs into plates without the act of carving; this allows the artist to make plates with intense detail and small fonts. Essentially, anything you can create as an Illustrator or Photoshop file in your computer can then be made into a polymer plate. You just send your file to a polymer output service. Artist Ryder Cooley recently made a polymer plate of a passenger pigeon she designed and printed at PRESS.

The relatively new and surprising technique called pressure printing is an interesting way to create a relief print. In this process a template is made by layering paper in order to make the image. The areas with the highest relief will come out the boldest and the areas of lowest relief will come out white or of a lighter shade of the ink used. The low relief collage is then placed under a piece of paper, which is inked as it goes through the press. A halo effect is created around the different layers giving it an almost ghostly style. Pressure printing is definitely a process that takes experimentation since outcome is relatively unknown.

While relief printing is the main way to experiment with prints at PRESS the combination of techniques makes for endless possibilities!

City of North Adams 15th Annual Winterfest!

Come visit PRESS during the City of North Adams 15^th Annual Winterfest Celebration on February 25^th!

Take advantage of this surprisingly spring-like winter and take a walk downtown to experiment with letterpress by making your own type composition. Drop on in and choose from our large assortment of found wood type and bring your words to life! There is a suggested donation of $ 5 for printing, but we accept whatever you can contribute.

Warm beverages, baked goods and a creative atmosphere and staff await you.

Date: February 25^th

Time: 12-2

For more information about Winterfest activities here is the City of North Adams website.

http://www.northadams-ma.gov/index.php?nav_id=8&cal_id=3490

Welcome Adriana!

Hi my name is Adriana Alexatos and I am a senior Art major at MCLA and a new intern at the Press Gallery.   I was first introduced to PRESS during a 2011 summer course in which Melanie Mowinski was the teacher. During the class I had my first opportunity to work on the Vandercook letterpress located at the gallery and quickly realized I had a passion for printing. Since those first days of learning about the machine, my curiosity for printmaking and letterpress has only increased. Recently I have found inspiration and joy in relief printmaking, the act of drawing my image and then the hands on process of carving it out into linoleum or wood plate gives me great excitement and I can get caught up in carving frenzy! The final process of running it through the printer and seeing my final image is an intensely rewarding feeling knowing my hands were the creators.  My goal for this internship is to take great advantage of being able to work with letterpress and to get others from the college and the community to take interest in this truly original, traditional and hands on process of distributed word and art.

Thank You Northern Berkshire Cultural Council

PRESS is delighted to report that our local cultural council, the Northern Berkshire Cultural Council has awarded us a grant to help with our programing and staffing for 2012. We are incredibly grateful for this external support, and look forward to giving lots of shout-outs to the MCC.

Opening THURSDAY!

Be sure to come by PRESS this Thursday between 5-7 p.m. to see the latest exhibit PRINT MARATHON!

Here’s a preview of what to expect. 

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The PRINT Marathon

Wow!

What a fabulous weekend!

Eleven people, working 12-15 hours at PRESS two days in a row. Such incredible work was created, conversation shared, and experiments realized. It was an honor to work with such talented and wonderful artists.

Some of the highlights:

• Andy and Michael working on the Poco, christening this machine with their typographical puzzles and poems.
• Sandy wondering aloud if we could print pronto plates, paper lithography plates on a Vandercook. We tried it and we succeeded.
• Karen’s great experiments with the primary colors and painted papers.
• Derek’s use of his digital cutting machine to create an intricate and delicate pressure print of a satellite.
• Anne’s layered and collaged pressure prints.
• Claire’s tape drawings that print as lovely pressure prints.
• Laura’s experiments with type and linoleum.
• Valerie’s reductive print, and her determination to get everything perfectly aligned in spite of her torn edge papers.
• Pam’s ability to bring stamping into every design.
• Melanie’s endless energy and ability to squeeze every moment out of every moment.

So what did everyone make? Come to our opening on January 26th to find out. All prints will be for sale as a fundraising benefit event for PRESS. All proceeds from all sales from the marathon will go directly to programming and supply costs, so come and support PRESS.

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Reporting on the first day of the first ever PRINT MARATHON at PRESS

What a fun day! So many fantastic experiments, great conversation, lots of sharing of processes, tips and tricks and just plain good fun. Drop in to see what’s happening today for during our second day. Eleven bodies generate a great amount of heat in a small space, so we are a nice warm destination on this bitterly cold day!

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The Poco arrives!

About two years ago, maybe even three, I bought a Poco #2 press. It has been in my barn since then. I nervously watched Doug and three college athletes muscle it up the fairly rickety stairs to the studio. This time, I got the help of men who know their way around tools and machines. In less than an hour, they took apart the machine, loaded it up into a jeep, delivered it to PRESS and put it back together. Here are the pics to prove it! This will open up some options for us during this weekend’s print marathon!

BIG, HUGE thanks to Tom Merrill, Andy Davis and Derek Parker.

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Coming Soon! The Print Marathon at PRESS

Announcing a Marathon Printmaking Weekend for the benefit of PRESS

THE DEAL: Be part of a focused, intense weekend-long workshop involving printmaking and letterpress. Artists new to printmaking are invited along with experienced printmakers.

WHEN: Friday, January 13, 6-9 p.m. Opening gathering and initial set-up.

Saturday and Sunday, January 14 and 15, from 10 AM to 10 PM.

(Artists will sign up for times on the presses but we hope for some great collaborating,between artists and matrixes too!)

WHERE: At PRESS Gallery, 105 Main Street, North Adams, MA 01247.

With overflow space at Grass Gallery, 107 Main Street.

HOW: On a mechanical letterpress and a hand-operated etching press (both presses are also suitable for linoleum and woodblock plates).

MATERIALS: Ink and some papers will be provided. Lead and wood type provided. Artists must provide their own linoleum and/or wood blocks, polymer plates and papers.

TECHNIQUES POSSIBLE: 

• Linoleum and wood block prints, monotypes, wood and lead type.
• Polymer Plates. Anything you can draw/create in your computer can be made into a plate. If you are interested in this option, please contact Melanie before the end of 2011 to make plans for ordering a plate prior to the weekend.
• Pressure Prints, a magical process made by creating low-relief collage, and very similar to collagraph printing. This “plate” gets run through the press UNDER the paper. Great as a base layer.

PRE-MARATHON MEETING OR JUST NOT SURE AND WANT MORE INFO: (Optional, but beneficial!) Wednesday, January 4, 5-6 p.m.

Types of papers, techniques and other pre-planning options will be presented.

THE RESULT: A portfolio of prints, one by every participating artist. Theme: THE WEATHER. Sheet size 11 x 14 inches. Each artist receives a complete portfolio. The prints will form an exhibition that will open Thursday, January 26. 10-15 portfolios will be retained and sold, complete or by individual print, as a benefit for PRESS Gallery to continue its programming. (Additional prints can be made for individual artists for their own portfolios)

WHY: Because you’re an artist who is interested in printmaking. Because you work well with others. Because letterpress facilities aren’t something you stumble across every day. Because you need to know more about what PRESS offers to artists in the region. Because it will be fun!

TO APPLY: Send three images, artist resume and 250 word statement discussing why you want to participate to Melanie Mowinski moji29[at]gmail[dot]com. Please submit by Friday, January 6, 2012. Space is limited to 15 participants and we are close to that number!

CONTACT: Andrew Davis  andrew[at]davisartservices[dot]com or Melanie Mowinski moji29[at]gmail[dot]com with questions!

What a way to end the year!

Wow! 2011 sparkled with so much energy and creativity! PRESS operates because of the many people who have contributed time, money, hours and psychic energy. We would like to thank our biggest contributors as we end 2011 and look forward to 2012.

Our Primary Sponsors

• MCLA
• Scarfoni Realty
• Downstreet Art
• College Book Art Association

Founding Subscribers

• Douglas Molin
• Missy and Steve Del Rosso
• Ted and Kathleen Mowinski – In loving Memory of Andrew “Andy” Thomas and Ginny Armington
• Elsie and Joe Sedlock
• Henry Gates
• Herb Molin

Friends

• Theresa Zigmond
• Jonathan Secor and Anna Marie Harkins
• Robin and Steve Williams

The ELEVEN Level

• Purchit Lacuesta Corry

While these financial contributors are essential, the human power of MCLA student interns and other volunteers has been crucial.

A big huge thanks goes out to Jason Peabody, Pam Buchanan, Carrie Converse, Emily Breunig, Emily Cohane-Mann, and Marli LaGrone.

PRESS is always looking for more student interns! Contact us at letterspress105[at}gmail[dot]come for more info.

And here is how Jason thanked me, for all my hardwork:

 I have been wanting an old style oil can for months. I stop at antique shops, Sanford and Kid, Hudson’s, etc. etc. But no luck. Apparently Jason has been doing the same thing, and he came across this little gem at Hudson’s. And now it is mine! One of the greatest things about this sort of a gift, is that it allows me to remember Jason, and all of the young people who have helped me get PRESS to where it is today. Who knows what will happen in 2012. We look forward to a very successful fundraising campaign, great exhibits and fun collaborations. Check out our Upcoming Events  for what’s happening next!

I also need to put out a second big thank you to Douglas Molin, your humor, your light, your smile, your willingness to wake me up in the morning and feed me coffee, and all of you, thank you.