A half century ago, Vandercook
proofing presses were
commonplace in any commercial
printshop. Now they are much
sought by artists and
printmakers, because they allow
flexibility in the process.
There's phenomenal control
in terms of image positioning
and color registration. Add to
that the forgiving nature of a
flatbed, cylinder press that
often invites experimentation.
Maybe even flair.
The North Press
is the letterpress studio of Ellie
Mathews and Carl Youngmann.
The press pictured above holds down
a corner of a small outbuilding surrounded
by towering evergreens at the end
of a gravel lane in Port Townsend,
Washington. That half-ton of
hardware was previously owned by
Rusty North, a woman of
expansive heart and affection.
Hence the name.
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