[Written: March 2006]
How I Got Involved in Letterpress Printing: I
grew up in a hippie commune here in Detroit in the 1970's and my folks were involved with a radical print co-op. So I had the good
fortune to be surrounded by books, type, well read radical college students and lots of love during my formative years. I have always
collected books and various types of artwork and antiques. Whenever I would go and search the local junk shops I would adopt any stray
type that came my way to use in my artwork. I also used rubber stamping and collage techniques but was still dissatisfied with the
results. So I began stopping at every print shop as well as calling every printer in the metro area. To my luck and surprise I found
a wonderful shop where the owner still had his Dad's old california type cabinet with type... WOW... I didnt have much money but promised
to come back every 2 weeks on payday and he would let me take home shoeboxes full of type. After exhausting his supply I started to
search for more type. At the same time I was printing on my own home made printing press(actually just a homemade chase with a hand
brayer). I kept hoping that I might find someone with a small tabletop press for little or no money. And then came my Printing Angel!
I was driving on a side street in my area and saw a small sign on what looked like an abandoned print shop it said "Letterpress
and Offset". I was certain that the shop was closed but hoped that perhaps the family of the owner would have some old items
to sell. I called the phone number on the sign and to my surprise the owner was still in business but now only brokers and doesn't
print anymore. After telling him of my love of type, I was welcomed into the inner sanctum of his shop... OH MY GOD... it was Mecca..
too many type cabinets to count, machines that I couldn't even describe. He had already gotten rid of all his type but told me to
look through the cabinets and see if there was anything that I could use. I pulled open the 1st drawer and found my destiny. There
inside the cabinets was 100 years of printers cuts/ornaments/wing dings..whatever you want to call them I was almost in tears. So
many beautiful pieces! How could I choose? I told him that I had $50 to spend that day and he brought me over a large paper box. And
told me to fill it up. I filled it up and he kept bringing more and more and more boxes. I protested and told him that there was no
way I could afford it all. and then this amazing man just smiled and told me it was all mine for the $50.. I made 6 trips in my car
over the next week. Each time filling my rear seats and front passenger seat with boxes. He asked what type of press I was running
and I brought in my little home made press and demonstrated the process of setting type and using popsicle sticks as leads,etc. He
laughed and said "come over here and check this out,maybe you could use it" and there in the dark recesses of the shop was a perfect
Vandercook#1 proof press(c.a.1920) with original stand and accessories,even the sales manual. Needless to say I convinced my Pop to
come over with the truck and by 9pm I was in business,cleaning away years of dust and grime. He ended up over the course of 2 months
sending me home with the vandercook, 24 huge boxes of ornaments, leads, furniture, quions, 2 massive 100 tray galley cabinets, 50
lbs of good ink in all different colors. So he is an Angel and I am blessed to be able to bring new life to these wonderful items
which would have been lost to the scrap yard. And now there is just the small matter of getting the C&P home.
Presses
& Equipment: Vandercook #1 proof press, Chandler & Price Old Style
Work History: Tattoo Artist, Telephone Operator
for Law Enforcement, Multi-Media and Found Object Artist
Education: Too many books, the school of hand knocks, and enough college
to be dangerous
Other Interests/Hobbies:Tattoo, Quilting, Art, My Cool Daughter Reading, Critters(the uglier and more poorly
adjusted the better)
Group Memberships, if any:
Website:
Birth
Date or Birth Year: 1969
