Reservoir Press Participates in a letterpress print exchange: “The Moon”

“The Moon” is Reservoir Press’ contribution to a recent letterpress print exchange. In a print exchange each contributing printmaker submits an edition of prints equal in size to the number of participants. The collection would be collated, and then each participant would receive in exchange for their contribution a complete collection of prints from all the participants.

Since this print was to be shared with other letterpress printers, the challenge was to make a print that would be both beautiful and technically sophisticated. Printing large areas of deep black is not something that letterpress does particularly well, but with the moon print I really wanted to emulate the richness of blacks found in outer space. This seven color print was my attempt to solve this problem with careful layering of colors. The end result, I think, was a field of dark color around the moon that upon close examination was made up of both cool and warm hues.

But more than anything else, “The Moon” represents for me a departure from standard practice in letterpress. This is what I want out of my work as a printer. To be pushing boundaries; to be experimental; to beg the press to function beyond its design; to keep the work fresh and challenging. In the end, I hope that a letterpress printer can look at this print and say, “I can’t believe that was made with a letterpress.”

You can find some of the other prints in this exchange here.

A Charity Print to Benefit the True Colors Fund

Co-founded by Cyndi Lauper, the True Colors Fund is a charitable organization whose mission is to support GLBT civil rights causes. The team at Reservoir Press worked with New York-based artist Calder Zwicky to design a print that was bold (19" x 42"), beautiful, and would be versatile enough to be viewed in any orientation.

The team that worked on this print was proud to play a small role in support of one of the most critical issues of our time.

Death Collective: Commemorative Poster from a Queens Museum of Art Exhibit

Designed by the instillation artists, this black-on-black silkscreen poster functioned as a limited edition, take-away print that celebrated the opening of the Death Collective’s installation at the Queens Museum of Art. The prints were numbered and signed, but also made to be taken home by visitors of the show. If there was ever an argument for the beauty of the reproductive print, it would be in the opportunity that Reservoir Press had here to make museum goers feel like they could take a piece of the museum home with them. It celebrates both the value inherent in a work of art, and the culture of sharing that is permitted when you can make enough for people to share intimately in that experience. This print was about breaking down the authoritative “look, but don’t touch” atmosphere of the museum space. This print was about granting greater access to art. This print was about why I print.

Reservoir Press Prints for Artist Sean Scully

Reservoir Press recently had the opportunity to print a special holiday card for world-renown artist Sean Scully. The artist produced a drawing that the team at Reservoir Press translated into a printing plate. Each card was meticulously crafted by hand to preserve the quality of a fine art print. Reservoir Press is pleased to have provided letterpress services to Mr. Scully who has exhibited widely in Europe and the United States, and is represented in the permanent collections of a number of museums and public galleries, including the Museum of Modern Art and the Guggenheim Museum in New York, the National Gallery of Art and the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C., the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the National Gallery of Australia, the Tate Gallery in London, the Irish Museum of Modern Art in Dublin, and many other private and public collections worldwide. Some of his work was recently the subject of a show at the Metropolitan Museum in New York. You can view works from this exhibition by clicking here.

Reservoir Press is always ready to work with artists to help them produce functional or fine art letterpress. Artist designed cards are very hot now, and Reservoir Press prides itself on being on the cutting edge of letterpress production today.

Happy Holidays from Reservoir Press

The holidays were celebrated this year with a special card from Reservoir Press. Combining silkscreen and letterpress, Jason (the owner of Reservoir Press) and his wife Jessica wanted to send a little something beautiful to their friends.

Reservoir Press is always ready to make a unique print for any client who wants to let their friends, family, or clients feel like they have been treated to something truly special.