Make an edition of three chapbooks with master printer Mary Risala Laird in this beginning-level daylong letterpress workshop.

During the Letterpress Book in a Day class, students will gain an overview of how to set type, mix ink, prepare makeready, deal with kiss-off, determine paper grain, read a pica ruler, cut and wax thread, and sew a pamphlet-stitch book, all while collaborating on ideas! Laird will also go over pulling proofs, making corrections, printing, and distributing type and spacing.

There will be a working lunch, during which students will vote on a theme for the class book, and, afterwards, students will work in teams on the book cover, colophon, text, title page, and half title page.

Every student will get to print each page of the book and will go home with three copies of the edition.

Materials to Bring: Writing utensil and paper for note taking, if desired. Handouts with most information will be supplied by the instructor.

Workshop + Materials Fee: $175.00

Date & Time: Friday, July 29, 2016 :: 9:30am-5:30pm

Location: 375 Rhode Island St, San Francisco, CA 94103

Note: Please read over the SFCB Registration Policies before signing up for a class

REGISTRATION WILL CLOSE 3 DAYS PRIOR TO THE START DATE OF THIS WORKSHOP.

About the Instructor | Mary Laird

Mary Risala Laird, MFA printmaking, University of Wisconsin, Madison, has been doing letterpress books since 1969 as Quelquefois Press. She partnered in Perishable Press Limited editions from 1969-84. Ms. Laird has taught letterpress at San Francisco State University, Kala Institute in Berkeley, Naropa University, and at the San Francisco Center for the Book as well as workshops in Utah, Idaho, Colorado and Washington state. For fifteen years she worked with the entire 7th grade class as a guest artist, making handmade journals. Her focus in printing is poetry. She binds the editions she prints.  Her work is in many collections across the country, including Stanford, UC Berkeley, Library of Congress, UW Madison, the British Library, Yale, University of Washington, and UC Santa Cruz. She has three grown children, lives in Berkeley with her husband John Malork, and is a member of the Sufi community. Currently she serves as a board member at the San Francisco Center for the Book.

Past Student Reviews:

"I really loved the class and look forward to doing more letterpress!"

"Mary is Wonderful! Very knowledgeable and patient with those of us with limited experience."

"I learned so much and so quickly. I love Mary's dedication to the art of letterpress, her skill, her knowledge, and her contagious enthusiasm."