Philothea Letterpress Begins

Although I've been a printer for years I find myself interested in work that falls outside the sphere of Lettre Sauvage and embarking on new educational projects. The press has always welcomed students, but they have been adult artists. I've been waiting till our daughter, Yma, was old enough to be a teaching assistant to invite other home schoolers. I've also been patiently waiting to see how my path as a printer unfolds and circumstances have happily lead to this moment when Philothea Letterpress is ready to take shape.

Saint Francis deSales, in his great work, Introduction to the Devout Life, addresses spiritual advice to Philothea. The name means lover or friend of God and his use of it is a blessing to every reader of his book- his hope that we might grow in love for God through the meditations and prayers he prescribes. When I wanted to have a special imprint for my personal projects and teaching, this name instantly came to mind. There is a Philothea Press in operation but I don't intend to compete in the trade publishing market. For me the name represents an attitude toward books, recognizing their power to elevate the individual to concern for all and toward knowledge which leads to truth.

The mission is to publish books, prints and stationery and offer training in the craft of letterpress. When I was a child I wanted to make books. I used crayons and glue and staples and then moved up to copy machines and I always wondered if I could find a place to learn to make real, beautiful books. The first time I stepped into the Scripps College Press I knew that I had found my trade. Now I have a studio at my home and I want to make sure that young people in this area who love books have the opportunity to explore the craft with the vintage equipment I've collected. Workshops will be offered to teach the historical importance of books, the work involved in making a book from movable type, the formal qualities of a book and the pursuit of harmony between form and content. These topics can be addressed meaningfully at all skill and academic levels. The 2011 plans include St. Valentine's Day cards, origami books, linoleum block printing and hand-setting beloved prayers.

We will work together to make books and other printed matter that express love of God in their content and form. Practicing these lost arts of letterpress and book making naturally leads to a heightened experience of words and paper and the significance of books. Just as cooks experience a different enjoyment of foods with the knowledge of their composition and having labored through the transformation, texts laid out letter by letter and fitted to a page are internalized by the compositor. It is good for a student to focus on prayers and great works, adding their own thoughtful words to a well-conceptualized project.