The Short Story: Over the last 20 years, I have acquired three presses and have about four cabinets of type. Two cabinets contain wood letters and the other two contain lead type. I do not use computers to type-set my projects and then transpose the type onto plastic plates, like many printers do today, I used the original lead and wood letters. Thus, many of the letters are worn from use and the printing quality and crispness of the final product varies.

I use letterpress mostly for the creation of my own artwork. My primary intention was to create exhibitions by letterpressing directly on my photographs. In addition to the time and care required to print one photograph, I then needed to be very focused and meticulous to letterpress print- with one pass only and no corrections possible - directly onto the photograph. The images of letterpressed items here on my website are few compared to the many I have made. Though I have made wedding invitations and business cards for close friends, I prefer to use the press for small notes, invitations, messages and posters that accompany my artwork and exhibitions. When I created print materials for my friends, I used the name of "Another Big C Letterpressed Thing". Because of the advent of the term "Big C" meaning cancer (Big C was my nickname used by some at dc space, a club I booked from about 1986-1991) I have changed the name to "Another CC Letterpressed Thing."

Contrast of type elements is my favorite: using swirly cursive letters with bold condensed headlines. I love the fact that the letterpress does not require any electricity and I have claimed that after the Internet dies, and all else fails, I will be able to communicate through using my letterpress, although slowly.

Because I didn't have room for a paper cutter, I used paper that other printers gave me or that I would find at estate sales or at one of the letterpress club auctions. I now have room, but have never bothered getting the paper cutter, as I enjoy the challenge of using old envelopes and odd end cuts of paper to create my invitations and posters.

Many of the projects have screened photographs. I create these by laying out the photograph precisely at the right location on a board, and photocopying it. Then, I letterpress on the photocopy.

On this website, you will find other letterpressed items under INSTALLATIONS/PROJECTS: See All Fifteen at Once! (the Fan, Punch and Lunch invite and photographs themselves), Letters on Top of Buildings, Ice Worms and Plate Lunch, and under POSTCARDS: Postcard Grab Bag, and Deckle Edge postcards sets 1, 2, and 3.

All content is ©2022 by Cynthia Connolly