More Glorious Fun with Handmade Paper from Nepal!

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More Glorious Fun with Handmade Paper from Nepal!

Hello Friends, and a very Happy Independence Weekend to you all!

I'm having a ridiculously good time working with this luxurious handmade paper from Nepal, and wanted to share with you how it looks on the new line of journals just out this week:

You haven't even seen the front covers yet, and I know your eyes are already drinking in the gorgeous, saturated colors of this paper.

Made from the lokta plant (a kind of laurel, for you gardeners out there), this paper has been a vital sustainable industry for folks in the Himalayan region, particularly the Kathmandu Valley, since the 12th century. The artisans there have perfected the creation of this beautiful and strong paper, and we are honored to work with it here at the Press.

Introducing, the Kathmandu Journals:

The quick specs:

  • 7" tall by 5" wide, and a half-inch thick
  • 100 interior pages (bamboo)
  • hand-sewn with linen thread
  • $22 each
  • 10% of proceeds goes directly to earthquake relief in Nepal
  • purchase direct from us here

After selecting the large sheets of Nepalese paper, we cut them to size and then affix them to rugged Italian-made cover stock. The result is a cover that is not only beautiful, but durable. The warm-white interior pages, made of sustainably-sourced bamboo paper, are then hand-sewn with linen thread in a multi-section figure-8 binding style that is very strong and allows the book to open flat. 

In honor of the long-standing tradition of beautiful paper-making in Nepal, we are currently donating 10% of the proceeds from each of our journals featuring Nepalese paper to the relief effort in the wake of the recent earthquakes in that region. Each Kathmandu Journal you purchase helps us help the men and women of Nepal. For more information on the disaster and the relief work, click here.

May each of you enjoy a safe and celebratory holiday weekend!

With thanks and peace to all,

St Brigid Press


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News from St Brigid Press for June, 2015

Warm greetings, Friends, and Happy Summer Solstice!

The year is turning. The sun is high and hot, here in the northern hemisphere. The world spins with events large and small, tragic and joyous. A time for reflection, compassion, and nourishing new creativities.

Here at the Press, the season brings much refreshed energy for new work ~ from books of original poetry, to books filled with wide-open pages for your thoughts. This newsletter highlights the latest addition to the growing line of journals we are creating ~ handmade Guest Books!

A new line of Guest Books from the Press, featuring handmade Nepalese papers.

These Guest Books are a beautiful place to record special events ~ from weddings to anniversaries, retirements to graduations to celebrations of life.

We began by selecting gorgeous handmade papers from Nepal. Made from the lokta plant, they have been an important sustainable economic venture for folks in the Himalayan region since the 12th century. Cutting the large handmade sheets to size here in the Bindery was the next step, followed by affixing them to sturdy boards to create front and back covers. We then paired these color-saturated, decorative covers with 25 sheets (50 pages) of thick, smooth-white, recycled Bristol paper interiors ~ perfect for pen-and-ink. Finally each guest book was hand-sewn with strong Irish linen thread in an elegant side-bound pattern from 16th-century China. Finished size is 8" x 12."

"Kangxi," an elegant side-bound pattern from 16th century China.

In honor of the long-standing tradition of beautiful paper-making in Nepal, we are currently donating 10% of the proceeds from each of our Guest Books to the relief effort in the wake of the recent earthquakes in that region. For more information on the disaster and the relief work, click here. To see the many different Guest Book patterns available, please see our "Products" page.

All the best to each of you, dear Friends. May the turning season turn us all towards the light of compassion and peace, all the world over.

St Brigid Press

 

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News from St Brigid Press for May, 2015

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News from St Brigid Press for May, 2015

Mira, the Shop Dog, watching over her Princess-dom in the May evening light.

Warm greetings from the Press!

Forgive our "radio silence" for the past few months ~ we have been hard at work, finishing several commissions and, as you will see, completely revamping our website. We're just now coming up for some beautiful Spring air, and wanted to take a moment to let you know about some of the irons currently in the fire here.

Bookbinding:

One of our Spring projects has been to expand our selection of hand-bound blank books, as well as our repertoire of binding styles. For the past couple of weeks, Emily has had great fun learning a type of Asian side-bound (or stab-bound) book called "Kangxi." It hails originally from China, where it was developed to honor one of the first Qing Dynasty emperors:

Poetry Chapbook:

Forthcoming in the autumn of 2015 will be a new collection of poems by Emily Hancock. We are in the early stages of designing the book format, settling on a typeface, and making decisions about paper. Here's a sneak-peek at the beautiful "water drops" silk-screen printed mulberry paper from Thailand that will be the cover:

Etcetera, etcetera, and so forth!

In between and around the larger book projects, we're continually having fun creating coasters, journals, a new line of Blue Ridge notecards, calling cards, and the like. Let us know if you'd like us to handcraft something just for you, from personalized stationery to business cards!

Happy beautiful spring days to you all!

St Brigid Press

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A Garden in Winter...

Winter Garden in tree

"Always maintain a kind of Summer, even in the middle of Winter."

~ Henry David Thoreau

Poet, professor, and gardener Stan Galloway takes Thoreau's sentiments to heart in his beautiful poem, "Winter Garden," which is just out now as a limited edition letterpress broadside from St Brigid Press. Savor these selected lines:

clouds purple where dusk and storm meet                                       glazed December snow pellets

I take the box from under the stairs                                               partial packets of last year's seeds

without a shovel or a line of string                                           start to garden, finger each envelope...

Galloway goes on to describe different kinds of seeds in this poem-dream, which inspired the Press' Emily Hancock to conjure them from carved blocks, then illumine them by hand-watercoloring each one.

Hand carving the poem's seeds in a linoleum block.

Bringing the seeds to life with watercolors.

The result is a lovely collaboration of word and image. Hancock hand-set the poem, letter by letter, in the historic Koch-Antiqua typeface, then printed poem and carving in dark grey ink on fawn-colored Stonehenge paper.

Last weekend, we were thrilled to be a part of the Bridgewater International Poetry Festival. Galloway, the festival's organizer, debuted the poem and broadside to the gathered on the first evening.

Dr. Stan Galloway, reading "Winter Garden" at the Bridgewater International Poetry Festival (1/15/15).

Each print, one of a limited edition of 80, is hand-numbered, double-matted with archival mats, backed with archival board, and safely encased in a clear archival bag. To read the poem in its entirety, scroll to the bottom of this page. To order, visit our secure online Store.

Warm your winter days with a print of Galloway's poem; let it dream you toward the light, the rising life, of spring.

All best to all,

St Brigid Press

Hand-setting "Winter Garden," letter by letter and space by space.

The poem emerges from the hand-cranked printing press, one sheet at a time.

Just in time for the poem's debut, a little snow fell!

THE POEM:

The poem in its entirety.

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The Holiday Table

Japanese Maple Greetings, Friends,

We hope you all had a safe and peaceful Thanksgiving! Our table here was ringed with joyful spirits and filled with beautiful bounty.

'Tis the season for many things, especially Gratitude, and as we approach the two-year anniversary of St Brigid Press, we are aware of so many blessings: dear friends made, serendipitous connections with printers and bookmakers across the world, the joy of spending the days making things by hand, much learning about antique machinery and practices(!!!), and the amazing support of friends and family and the support of those who have taken a bit of what we've made home with them.

To all of you we say a deep-hearted THANK YOU. May your holy seasons be filled with peace and warmth, and may a centerpiece of every table be gratitude.

All our best,

St Brigid Press

Mira, the Shop Dog, says, "Keep warm and get plenty of rest this Season!"

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"Soundings" ~ a new book of haiku from St Brigid Press

Soundings with mountains We are pleased to announce the publication of Soundings, a new book of haiku by Emily Hancock. Inspired by the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains, where Hancock makes her home, this lovely book collects over 30 of her poems and 3 original linoleum block prints.

The title page of Soundings, on cream-colored Rives paper, with banana-leaf decorative paper facing.

One of 33 haiku by Emily Hancock, collected here for the first time.

One of 3 three illustrations printed from original linoleum block carvings by the author.

Designed, hand-set, letterpress printed, and hand-sewn here at the Press in a limited edition of 85 books. Pre-order a copy HERE; books will be shipped on November 10th.

Each book is hand-sewn with linen thread.

Live text block fore edges.

 

If you are in the area, please join us for the official Book Launch Reception and Signing ~ this Friday, November 7th, at 5:30pm at Stone Soup Books (908 W. Main St., Waynesboro, Virginia).

With thanks, and all best!

St Brigid Press

The Challenge 15MP hand-cranked printing press that printed the haiku and linocuts.

Close-up of one of Hancock's haiku, set by hand with metal type, ready to be printed.

One of 3 illustrations printed from original linoleum block carvings by the author.

Hand-mixing the oil-based ink to get just the right shade of blue.

The Golding Pearl foot-treadled printing press, made in Massachusetts in 1909, and used to print the cover title of Soundings.

The colophon of Soundings, detailing the type and papers used in the production of the book.

Mira, the Shop Dog, says, "Printing a book is exhausting."

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New Book Forthcoming from St Brigid Press

The season is bearing fruit here in the Blue Ridge mountains... Autumn Greetings, Friends!

We are pleased to announce a new book forthcoming from St Brigid Press in November:  Soundings, a collection of haiku by Emily Hancock, illustrated with three prints by the author.

Hancock has been published in various literary journals, including the Appalachian Journal and the Greensboro Review. This limited edition book will collect over thirty of her haiku, each a small meditation on being in nature and the nature of being, as well as three prints from her original block carvings.

Setting the poems by hand.

Carving images into linoleum blocks, which will then be printed.

All of the type is set by hand (in the historic Koch-Antiqua typeface), letterpress printed on beautiful Rives mould-made paper, and sewn with linen thread.

Beautiful Rives paper, mould-made in France.

SAVE THE DATE!!! The official Book Launch for Soundings will take place on Friday, November 7th, at 5:30pm at Stone Soup Books and Cafe (Waynesboro, Virginia). Hancock will give a short reading and sign copies of the book, which may be purchased at that time from Stone Soup. Light refreshments will be provided, with dinner available from the cafe. Hope to see you there!

If you are out-of-the-area, you can pre-order the book now ~ click HERE (direct link to our secure online store). Books will be mailed out on November 10th.

With thanks, and all best,

St Brigid Press

First proofs of the poems, hot off the press.

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October News from the Press

Greetings, All, and Happy Autumn :-) We are honored and excited to let you know about this event St Brigid Press is participating in at The Barn Swallow Artisan Gallery, taking place this coming Sunday, October 5th! Full details below, courtesy of Barn Swallow artists/owners Janice Arone and Mary Ann Burk.

Save the date, and we'll see you there!

All best,

St Brigid Press

Photos courtesy of The Barn Swallow.

Celebrate fall with a new art exhibit at the Barn Swallow!

Fledging, Flourishing, and Falling Prints, Books, and Words influenced by nature

Works by Lotta Helleberg, Emily Hancock, and Lana Lambert

October 2 – October 31, 2014, The Barn Swallow Opening reception and artist demonstrations October 5, 2014, 1 – 3 pm

Three printmakers showcase their nature-influenced work at the Barn Swallow this upcoming month. Lotta Helleberg will display naturally dyed and eco-printed textiles, artist books, and journals. Emily Hancock will bring hand-typeset and letterpress printed poems and other texts, as well as hand-bound journals. Lana Lambert will exhibit intricate Japanese woodblock prints.

Please join us for an opening reception on Sunday, October 5, 2014, from 1 – 3 pm. The artists will offer demonstrations of traditional typesetting, Moku Hanga block printing, and simple book binding techniques.

We are also happy to announce that starting on October 14, we will extend our opening hours to Tuesday – Saturday, 10 am – 5 pm, and Sunday 12 – 5 pm.

Hope to see you at the Barn! Janice Arone and Mary Ann Burk

THE BARN SWALLOW, Artisan Gallery 796 Gillums Ridge Road, Charlottesville, Virginia 22903 Hours: Thursday – Saturday, 10 am – 5 pm, Sunday 12 – 5 pm 434-979-4884, barnswallow@comcast.net www.thebarnswallow.com Copyright © 2014 The Barn Swallow. All rights reserved.

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