ArtOrg‘s collaborative projects often center on printmaking, and this post shows a few equipment additions to the print shop. The new equipment includes a large contemporary printing press for lithography, graining sink, exposure unit, set of flat files, and three inking rollers. This set of equipment is large and is able to work with “full sheet” sized paper which measures about 30 inches x 44 inches. We are excited about this increase in capability and ramifications on future projects. A photoset of some of our equipment is here.
The lithography press was constructed to the specifications of Tamarind Institute alumna Judith Solodkin and includes a 1″ thick aluminum press bed in addition to the typical rock maple bed. It measures 46 inches wide and 96 inches long, and is motorized. Judith’s fine-art printmaking business called Solo Impression used this press wonderfully for projects including from the artist Louise Bourgeois. The press is painted in a custom color with black pin-striping, which ArtOrg will maintain. A photoset of our trip to New York City to pick up the press is here. Former Northfielder Tom Cox gave us a hand loading up the press in New York City.
Also, ArtOrg Director Dave Machacek has been accepted into the month-long Summer Workshop at the Tamarind Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The workshop is a boot camp for using aluminum plates for fine-art lithography printmaking. ArtOrg is excited about the potential impact of this learning on the use of the new equipment (especially the press which is very well suited to plate lithography).