It all started when my dad (Stuart C. Dobson) discovered a small press and tray of type in his father-in-law's basement and asked if he could borrow it. Their first press name was The Cromar Press (that was my dad's middle name) but that quickly changed to The Artichoke Press. Here's a picture of me (age 5) distributing pie at the kitchen table:

 

I didn't do much printing till I we moved to Hastings, N.Y., where I printed some prop cards and established The Pirate Press. I have very fond memories of attending meetings of the Goudy Chappel and was always dissapointed when I didn't get to print a calendar page, even when the grown-ups where grumbling about how somebody would have to print more than one month that year.

 

While a teenager I heard that a local radio station was having an Elton John birthday card contest. The winner would get a complete set of all of his LPs. I wasn't a big fan but knew that I would win if I printed the card on the press. While setting the type I came across a cut of a pair of bare feet and noticed that I was barefoot and so that birthday card was the first thing printed by The Barefoot Press. I gave all of the records to a friend who liked Elton John. (I prefer Bach.)

 

Stationary for friends, christmas (and other occassions') cards, invitations, bookmarks, etc. are the sort of thing that I've done. I've printed and sewn a couple of small books and would like to do more of that sort of thing. Now that I'm a member of the Westchester Chappel I get to print a calendar page every year! I also have to print two more things for this year's APA bundles.

 

My wife's family was scandalized when she and I printed a 'happy new year' card after we had only been dating for a couple of months. I think it's funny that they were OK with (or in denial) the idea that we were sleeping together but we hadn't been dating long enough to put our names next to each others' in print.

 

Today we call the press the Higgeldy Piggeldy Press and we have a Pilot, an Improved Pearl, a bunch of cuts (I'll never forget the time that my dad and I went to a shop that was going out of business and spent all day picking out fonts and cuts), and about 150 fonts of type.

 

The best part is that my kids (Greta who just turned 4 and Conor who's about to turn 7) like to help me in the print shop. Greta especially enjoys putting the paper in and taking it out and Conor likes to help ink up the press. Kim, my beautiful wife, denies participation but is, in fact, a major contirbutor in terms of 'commisioning' and designing our best stuff.

 

I can't tell you how much this 'hobby' means to me and how glad I am that there are people like y'all that understand.

 

APA #765