The wild flurry that is DWP

16 Monday Jun 2014

Posted by Deep Wood Press in Fine Press Book Association, Letterpress, Literary Journal, Oak Knoll Fest, PR and Media releases, Printing, Trout

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A Craftsman's Legacy, Chad Pastotnik, Fine Press, flyfishing, Kerrytown Bookfest, Letterpress, Michael Delp, Trout

Ok, so I’m a bad blogger but I’ve been busy enough. I am currently wrapping up the new book The Mad Angler Poems by Michael Delp (details of which will appear in a blog post this coming week) having just finished the wood engraving press run last Friday. I’ve got company for the summer in the studio – my old apprentice, Erin Murray, is here to help before she heads off to graduate work at the University of the Arts London, Camberwell this fall. Erin is a big help in the studio, I trust her skills and judgement in the bindery and she is creating her own little wonders of paper and ink while she’s here as well. That is another future blog post – I will feature some of the apprentices I’ve had here at DWP from the last 15 years. I’ve lost touch with some of them but many are still kicking out some wonderful prints, bindings or books and are making their own way in the art world.

Probably the biggest news since New York is the PBS film crew that came to shoot a segment for a new national series that will premiere this fall – A Craftsman’s Legacy. No idea when it will air on television and a quick internet search doesn’t turn anything up yet either. I’ll be sure to let you know when I know. It was a long day of shooting, not sure what parts of the 11+ hours will make the show. Here’s a couple pics of the host, Eric Gorges, and some of the crew in action.

On another note, last fall I had a visit from James Spica who is the editor for Michigan’s Trout Unlimited magazine Michigan Trout. James was amused enough to write a story about the visit and I’m happy to say it will be appearing in The Flyfish Journal in this falls issue along with some artwork or studio pics that FFJ requested which will help cement some of the mythology surrounding DWP. James stopped in again a couple weeks ago when he was back from Philly, we got out on the water and were properly skunked. It’s been a slow start for trout here in the north this summer.

A Deep Wood Journal is also coming along nicely though there is still nothing to show for it that I can share at the moment. Let’s just say that the quality of writing and the writers themselves won’t disappoint you and I’m anxious to be able to disclose more information with you as soon as some more details are taken care of. Can I tempt you with a new translation by Daniel Mark Epstein?

This fall I have a couple events lined up. On September 7th I’ll be part of the 12th annual Kerrytown Bookfest again in Ann Arbor, MI and will be on a panel of Michigan based independent presses in addition to demonstrating intaglio printing throughout the day. In October I’ll be in Newcastle, Delaware for Oak Knoll Fest XVIII from the 3rd-5th. Oak Knoll Fest is another show sponsored by the Fine Press Book Association and, like our NY show, will draw fine printers from around the world to once again gather to sell our books and have a small symposium, a few drinks and a lovely time in this village that time forgot.

Once again, for those of you who aren’t smitten, sorry for all the trouty stuff that makes the recurring visit on these pages. Regular literature that everyone enjoys is coming soon. Ok, here’s one teaser prototype title page for the new book before it comes out this week:

Early spring update – off to NY

25 Tuesday Mar 2014

Posted by Deep Wood Press in Books, Fine Press Book Association, Letterpress, Manhattan Fine Press Book Fair, PR and Media releases

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Books, Broadside, Chad Pastotnik, Fine Press, Letterpress, travel

Well I’ll fully admit to being a slacker here. My thanks to those of you who have subscribed despite the lack of recent posts here on the blog. Aside from the inevitable ~~destruction~~ distraction of the holidays with young children it has been an interesting year so far which has kept me mostly off the computer and the whole social network thing. Family sicknesses, a fried motherboard on the studio computer, a failed septic system and an unrelenting winter here in Northern Michigan have kept me relatively unproductive here in the studio. It’s March 25th and we got another 4″ last night to add to the 3′ still on the ground – I love winter, and this has been the best XC skiing in a decade but….

So, unprepared as I am with new work, I’m off to Big Apple for the inaugural Manhattan Fine Press Book Fair coming up in less than two weeks. Some more information can be found here at the FPBA website.

This will be my first trip to New York actually and I have mixed feelings about that. It’s no secret that I like to cloister myself in my studio, not leaving for months and finding all the hidden night life on a trout stream still has a lot more interest for me than Broadway but this is business and one must make sacrifices I suppose.

I am looking forward to seeing my book friends though. These are people I only see at these sorts of events and gatherings – makers of fine books like myself, those who collect my work and others who work in this rather specialized trade. An extra treat will be to see good friend Graham Moss from UK’s Incline Press whom I stayed with on my lecture trip to England 4 years ago. I’m very fortunate that I have use of a friends penthouse in the East Village and will be in town for a few days after the fair to meet with some of my institutional collectors at the Met, MOMA and The NY Public Library.

This is very late notice for some of you but if you’re planning to be in NY for Book Week and the “Best Book Fair in the World” please consider a visit to the FPBA fair. Here’s a link for Rare Book Week which sums up all the major happenings going on in the city.

A little piece for Nikki Giovanni

28 Monday Oct 2013

Posted by Deep Wood Press in Broadsides, ephemera, Letterpress, Traverse City National Writers Series Authors

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Broadside, Fine Press, Letterpress, Nikki Giovanni, Traverse City National Writers Series Authors

I’ve started a little partnership with the Traverse City National Writers Series which was started by Doug Stanton (and a couple others) back in 2009. Since its inception nearly 70 writers of note from around the world have come to Northern Michigan to give readings in the Traverse City Opera House, meet the local book culture and perhaps ingest enough of our region to spark their imaginations in other creative ways.

This Wednesday on Devil’s Night Nikki will be giving a reading and then, of course, you can buy her books, chat a little and, if you’re lucky, get something signed. As a bonus for buying a book on this evening you will receive a copy of the little broadside I made for Nikki and the NWS.

An edition of 100 broadsheets in two colors, composed in 14pt Egmont and Americana titling and printed on light grey Whiting Brockway stock.