Full Sized Press

I got a full sized press!

I swear that I'm not keeping secrets. I am revealing all of the big news in the print studio almost as fast as it's happening. Today's news is HUGE, and happened very quickly. In a day or two I'll post some musings on the speed of my movement on this project and what it means.

When I was at SGCI, Heather from Whiteaker Printmakers told me that she knew someone who might be selling a 22" wide press. (This is twice as wide as my current "baby press".)

Well, it was true. Jenny Gray bought a Whelan Press years ago with the idea that she would fold it into her artistic endeavors. She has focused on painting for a number of years and found that the printmaking elements that she incorporates can be done by hand without a press.

Jenny's paintings are pretty incredible and can be seen on her website: http://jennygrayart.com.
To see some photos of her beautiful studio space and catch some glimpses of this press hiding in the background, look at her studio tour.

[Press is almost ready to move]

There are no action photos because Wonder and I were both busy moving the press. It's very, very heavy. So, poof! We got it removed from the table, loaded into the van, and strapped down. Notice the plywood and 2x4s? I wasn't sure that we could even lift it so I came prepared to build a ramp and use a dolly to wheel it in.

[Removed from the table and loaded in the van]

After it was loaded up, we knew that nothing else would be happening today so we opted for the slow and fun version of the drive home. First, we stopped to slay our hunger with a burger at an old-fashioned drive-in. It was exactly as greasy and delicious as we expected.

[Road trip "food"]

Then we stopped at the Winchester Dam. I've never been there before. It's cool! I forgot to take a picture from inside, but you can walk down below the water level and watch the fish climbing the ladder.

[Winchester Dam and Fish Ladder]

And then, just like that, we were home and the press was reassembled into my studio.

[New press in a new home]

This press is going to take some practice and some getting used to. It works a little differently from other etching presses but I'll have to write all about that in another post, after I work out how to use this press to best advantage.