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Events

Pinyon Jay Press sponsors presentations by book artists and letterpress specialists, hosts letterpress workshops for students and the general public, and prints broadsides in conjunction with faculty and guest authors.

Visiting Artist Emily Tipps - April 2023

Visiting Artisit Emily TippsVisiting Artist Emily Tipps-Workshop

Pinyon Jay Press Fall 2022 Open House

Fall 2022 open house

Letterpress Transformations Workshop with Caitlin Harris

Caitlin Harris

Visiting Printmaker Andrew Huot

Andrew Huot

The Pinyon Jay Press is pleased to announce a free lecture on the art of printmaking, delivered by visiting artist Andrew Huot from Atlanta, Georgia.  Mr. Huot will discuss his books and letterpress artwork from 4:00-5:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 12, in Room #401 of the Fine Arts Building. He will also present a two-day pressure printing workshop, making use of the equipment available in the Pinyon Jay Press VisComm Experimental Lab, on Friday, March 13, and Saturday, March 14. Seating is limited for the workshop; if interested, please contact Gretchen Jensen (jensgret@isu.edu; 208-282-2361) to reserve a spot and pay the $15 materials fee for this two-day tutorial.

The Pinyon Jay Press thanks the following sponsors for their generous support in funding this event:  ISU Credit Union, Presenting Sponsor; Idaho Commission on the Arts; ISU Cultural Events Committee; ISU Department of Art; ISU Department of Communication, Media and Persuasion; ISU Department of English and Philosophy; and ISU Libraries.

Typography demo Spring 2020

Typography demo Spring 2020

Letterpress Make and Take and Papermaking Open House

Idaho State University’s Pinyon Jay Press hosted two events in November 2017. The Pinyon Jay Press in Pocatello, Idaho, is a collaborative venture between the Department of Communication, Media, and Persuasion, the Department of English and Philosophy, and the Department of Art. Housed in the VisComm Experimental Lab in the Liberal Arts Building of Idaho State University, it provides faculty and students the opportunity to learn the art of fine letterpress printing and to explore various forms of expression that involve image, text, or a combination of the two.

--Saturday, 4 November, 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m., LA139:  Good Impressions Letterpress Make and Take Studio with Paula Jull.

--Tuesday, 7 November, 5:00-7:00p.m., FA407:  Papermaking Open House. Attendees were able to drop in and participate in making handmade paper with Naomi S. Velasquez.

All events were open to the public. The papermaking open house is free of charge; the Letterpress Make and Take Studio had limited space and a deposit/materials fee of $10 per participant.

These events were supported by the Idaho State University Department of Communication, Media, and Persuasion; the Department of Art; the Department of English and Philosophy; and Pinyon Jay Press. 

Jessica Spring visiting artist workshop

Idaho State University’s Pinyon Jay Press hosted visiting artist Jessica Spring on Thursday, September 29, 2016.

The Pinyon Jay Press in Pocatello, Idaho, is a collaborative venture between the James E. Rogers Department of Communication, Media, and Persuasion, the Department of English and Philosophy, and the Department of Art. Housed in the VisComm Experimental Lab in the Liberal Arts Building of Idaho State University, it provides faculty and students the opportunity to learn the art of fine letterpress printing.

Jessica Spring learned to set real metal type in 1989 and has been a letterpress printer ever since, most recently inventing Daredevil Furniture to help other printers set type in circles, curves and angles. Her work at Springtide Press—artist books, broadsides and ephemera—is included in collections around the country and abroad. She also collaborates on the Dead Feminists broadside series with illustrator Chandler O’Leary. Spring has an MFA from Columbia College and teaches letterpress printing and book arts.

Spring’s visit will include two events:  a letterpress workshop and a juror’s talk at the Type, Paper, Scissors: A Broadside Exhibit at the Transition Gallery.

--Thursday, Sept. 29, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.: Daredevil Letterpress Workshop, LA 139 Pinyon Jay Press

  6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Opening of “Type, Paper, Scissors” Broadside Exhibit with Juror’s remarks, Transition Gallery, Pond Student Union.    

All events were open to the public. The Daredevil Letterpress Workshop has limited space.

Spring’s visit was supported by a generous grant from the F.M. , Anne G., and Beverly B. Bistline Foundation Fund, the James E. Rogers Department of Communication, Media, and Persuasion, and the Department of Art and the Idaho State University Library.

Kerri Cushman visiting artist workshop

Idaho State University’s Pinyon Jay Press hosted visiting artist Kerri Cushman on March 2 and 3, 2016. Cushman is a sculptural book artist and avid papermaker with an affinity for letterpress, and a professor at Longwood  University in Virginia.

The Pinyon Jay Press is a collaborative venture between ISU’s Department of Communication, Media and Persuasion, the Department of English and Philosophy and the Department of Art. The press is housed in the VisComm Experimental Lab in the Liberal Arts Building. It provides faculty and students the opportunity to learn the art of fine letterpress printing and to explore various forms of expression that involve image, text or a combination of the two.

Cushman obtained an MFA in Interdisciplinary Book & Paper Arts from Columbia College in Chicago. As a professor, she teaches papermaking, bookbinding and letterpress printing. She is known for her exquisitely crafted work and her pieces have been exhibited internationally. Her work can be viewed at www.kerricushman.com.

Cushman’s visit included three events:  a papermaking open house, an artist’s talk, and a letterpress workshop.

--March 2, 1:00-3:30 p.m. in the Fine Arts Building room 407: Papermaking Open House. Attendees will be able to drop in and participate in demonstrations of embossed handmade paper.

--March 2, 4:30-5:30 p.m. in the Fine Art Building room 401: Cushman Artist’s Talk.

--March 3, 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. in Liberal Arts room 139:  Good Impressions Letterpress Workshop.

All events were open to the public. The papermaking open house and artist talk were free of charge. The Good Impressions Letterpress Workshop had limited space.

Cushman’s visit was supported by a generous grant from the Idaho State University Cultural Events Committee, the James E. Rogers Department of Communication, Media, and Persuasion, the Department of Art and Pinyon Jay Press.

Mary Laird: Letterpress Book in a Day

Mary Laird, master letterpress printer and acclaimed book artist, led two workshops at the Pinyon Jay Press in October of 2013. Ms. Laird, M.A. in Printmaking from the University of Wisconsin and proprietor of Quelquefois Press since 1969, teaches at and serves as board member for the San Francisco Center for the Book. In her workshop “Letterpress Book in a Day! An Edition of Thirty to Forty Chapbooks,” ISU students and community artists collaborated on a group theme and learned to set type, mix ink, read a pica ruler, and sew a pamphlet-stitch book. A follow-up master class instructed students in advanced typesetting, dry and damp paper preparation, ink mixing, multiple-color registration, and press mechanics.