Sunday, March 15, 2015

The Praga

For several years I have been on the hunt for an etching press. It's a critical piece of equipment to works like these:




















Finally I found a beauty - just the size and brand I was looking for! A Praga - 24" x 42".





















It now sits in the dining room, waiting for space in the studio to be prepared, and for felts to be ordered. The press bed is not yet installed, but it did get a thorough and loving cleaning.

On a miserable winter day we drove out near Peterborough to the studio of Michael and Melanie Robinson. With the help of some very strong neighbors, it was loaded in pieces into the back of our van.


It was far too snowy and miserable to be able to trek up to the studio - a distance from the house, but I hope to take a trip back there and visit. I'm thrilled to have a press with a history. Michael Robinson was a well-known artist - writer and printmaker. You can view his  work here. We had a most lovely and gracious visit with Melanie, and enjoyed tea and stories. 

This will change the work I do. I have been marking time for a few years, enjoying exploring other media, but this is the one I connect with. I should be set up and printing in a few weeks!

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