Exhibitions

Printing today is easy: a click of the mouse. But where does that click fit in the longer timeline of history?

Book artists today are still setting type by hand, and still printing by hand, using technology not so different from that developed by Johannes Gutenberg in the mid 1400s. Explore this fascinating craft at "Letterpress 101: Elemental Printing," the new summer exhibit at the Wimberly Library's Jaffe Atrium Book Arts Gallery. You'll get a few lessons in printing history, an overview of the tools and techniques that make for good printing, and an introduction to the work of some of today's best letterpress printers in limited edition books and broadsides from the Jaffe Collection.

The exhibit runs through August 28 at the Jaffe Atrium Book Arts Gallery, third floor east of the Wimberly Library. The Gallery is open to the public during regular library hours.

Our gallery space is divided into two separate areas which include two cases in front of the Library Adminstrative Offices on the second floor, and three cases and two display windows outside The Jaffe Collection. Since the exhibit is intended to be educational we have created four categories as a way to explain and explore the art and craft of letterpress printing. Please click on a category below to browse the exhibit further.

Cutting Edge Letterpress

Printing History

Letterpress Technique

Letterpress 101 Examples

Click to download a copy of our Letterpress 101 exhibit book list