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Manzanita People’s Print Shop visits KALA 2nd Sat Astoria ArtWalk

People's Print ShopSARAH ARCHER, Director of the Manzanita People’s Print Shop, will grace gallery space at KALA for the ASTORIA 2ND SATURDAY ART WALK, displaying books and art/posters produced on a Chandler and Price 8×12 Old Style Platen press and a Vandercook No. 2. If you have an interest in these letterpress dinosaurs, Archer will be present to talk about them and what goes on at this People’s Print Shop.

People’s Print is located at the Hoffman Center in Manzanita. In spring of 2007 Archer purchased the Chandler and Price and center agreed to house it. Trained in Letterpress printing while studying book arts at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA and later assistant who taught letterpress to undergrads at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago while earning a Master of Fine Arts in Writing – an obvious passion for an old craft has resulted in Archer developing the shop and turning people on to it.

It wasn’t long after the acquisition that the antique press was put to use. The first thing Archer printed was posters for the 2007 Trash Bash at Cartm Recycling. News spread of Archer’s press, and she was approached by Travis Champ (The Cedar Shakes), of whom was ready to publish his first book of poetry (Old Nehalem Road) and did so after learning from Archer, printing and binding a 300 first edition print run on the 100-year-old press.

Champ then made an investment in the press, helping Archer finish the payments on it, and now is a c0-owner. In addition to Liz Beckman, another printer with passion, the three maintain the shop and run monthly meetings.

People's PrintNext the Vandercook No. 2 came into the picture – a press that is easier to operate and has a larger printing area, and is used for beginning workshops. Archer just taught Letterpress Fundamentals and that includes typesetting, hand inking technique, shop procedure, plus a little typography & color theory. It’s a one-day workshop for about $60, which then qualifies you to use the proof press – perfect for printing linoleum and wood image blocks as well as type. The print shop keeps weekly hours for printers’ use.

“The world of letterpress is rhizomatic,” says Archer. “A lot depends on proximity, and humidity. It falls in line with values central to the Nehalem Valley of autonomy and sustainability as – assuming you have natural light – it takes zero electricity to set type and run the press.”

MEET SARAH Archer and come talk printing on Saturday, November 12, during the Art Walk. At 8pm she also joins the stage with spoken word, opening for The Cedar Shakes. You can also contact the print shop through accidentallibrary.com/peoplesprint.