[Written: April 2006]
How I Got Involved in Letterpress Printing: I saw a
display case of letterpress work in the hall of the Art Building at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, when I was a graduate student
in printmaking, and knew that I wanted to "learn to do that." I feel extremely fortunate to have learned letterpress printing and
hand papermaking from Walter Hatoum Hamady. Two of my fellow grad students and I bought a press, type cabinet, and type. They lost
interest in letterpress, and I bought them out.
Presses & Equipment: Vandercook #3 Proof Press, cast iron standing book
press, two standard Hamilton type cabinets with an assortment of lead type, and one large cabinet of wood type which I was told used
to belong to the State Printing Office in Helena, MT. At Montana State University, Asbern Proof Press, donated by Artcraft Printers,
and a Chandler and Price clamshell press.
Work History:
Graphic designer and illustrator for Forest Products Laboratory, part
of the US Forest Service, in Madison, WI, for 5 years. I can draw wood grain like nobody's business.
Professor of Art teaching all
levels of graphic design and illustration at Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, since 1985. Revived the dormant and semi-comatose
letterpress equipment and have taught letterpress as a class, as part of other design classes, or as independent study (mostly the
latter, since it doesn't fit into the now computer oriented standard curriculum.) At least 6 of my letterpress students have gone
on to buy their own presses. It gets in your blood.
Education:
B.S. in liberal arts from the University of Virginia, 1976
MFA
in Graphics, UWisconsin-Madison, 1982
Other Interests/Hobbies: single parent by adoption of an amazing daughter born in Calcutta,
voracious reader, relatively new knitter and gardener, (I couldn't stand watering the lawn while Montana was in flames, which it is
most summers. I removed the sod from about 1/3 of my backyard and replaced it with drought and cold tolerant perennials. Over time
I'm continuing to remove sod and add flowers, having learned that flowers require 1/4th the water that grass needs. Besides, they
are generally more interesting to view. Planting lawns in arid and semi arid regions is nuts.) dog and cat owner, camper, hiker, home
improver (tiling, painting, etc.), occasional gourmet cook and hostess.
Group Memberships, if any:
Website: pending
Birth
Date or Birth Year: 3/10/1954
