Block & Burin #40 (Summer 2008)

Nicholas J. Quirk and Nicholas Paul Quirk

The wood engraving on the title page Brotherhood of Engravers No 1. was designed by Nicholas J. Quirk and engraved by Charles M. Oleson BLOCK & BURIN FEATURES No. 40 Summer 2008 Block & Burin is the newsletter of the Wood Engravers’ Network (WEN).

This issue: Block & Burin # 40, Summer 2008. Notes from Jim by Jim Horton...... 5 Cover: Benjamin Love (See page 36 for details). Copy Editor: William Rueter What I Did This Summer by Carl Montford . . . . 8 For information on Block & Burin contact: Tony Drehfal, Editor, Old Wood Engravers by Judith Jaidinger...... 11 W221 East Wisconsin Ave., Nashotah, WI 53058 Phone: 262-367-5191 WEN Bundle # 40, Summer 2008 ...... 22 E-mail: [email protected] For information on WEN contact: James Horton, WEN Organizer 3999 Waters Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48103 Phone: 734-665-6044 E-mail: [email protected]

Services of WEN: DEPARTMENTS • Twice yearly mailing/print exchange (April & November) Treasurer's Notes by Kathee Kiesselbach...... 4 • Membership Guide • Resources and Materials Guide Call for Bundle #41, Winter 2009 ...... 4 • Lending Library • Workshops and Exhibitions Bundle Participation? ...... 30 • Website: www.woodengravers.net New Members ...... 31 Since 1994, WEN is an organization for the education and enjoyment of relief printmaking and in particular Changes & Updates ...... 31 engraving upon end-grain wood. Announcements & Notes ...... 32 Block & Burin uses the Stone Print typeface family. Sumner Stone graciously donated the fonts to WEN. Advertisements...... 37

The Editor reserves the right to edit copy to ﬁ t as necessary. Treasurer’s Notes Call for Bundle #41 by Kathee Kiesselbach Winter, 2009

Since my last report of April 1, we have received • Contributions are due by February 15, 2009. $122.50 from the Minnesota Center for Book Arts • Send bundle contributions to Sylvia Pixley, 601 for Here We Are, and a generous $200 donation from Borgess Ave., Monroe, MI 48162 The Porcupine’s Quill. Both members Fiorella Mori • Quantity: Minimum of 76 (one extra for the Ar- and Garth Hammond included gifts with their dues. chive). Our membership is at 180 at this writing Thank you both. should you wish to dis trib ute to all members. We have reimbursed Tony Drehfal for $51.23 • Size: Maximum 9" x 12" for postage, and paid out $854.57 to Leitzke Printing (We are mailing in a 10" x 13" envelope). for the printing of the Block & Burin for Bundle 39. • Anyone submitting prints is ensured of re ceiv ing Sylvia Pixley has been reimbursed for $4.80 for post- entire Bundles and moving to the front of the line age, and $361.02 for the mailing of Bundle 39. We for future Bundles. reimbursed Bill Myers for $257.36 for the packing • We recommend sending printing infor ma tion and shipping of Surroundings to the artists. with your contributions. This is just a suggestion; For the 2008 summer workshop, we paid not mandatory by any means. This information Abigail Rorer an honorarium of $1,000 for being accompanies your print which is stored in the our visiting artist. We reimbursed Jim Horton Princeton Univer si ty Graphic Arts Library. This $303.86 for workshop fees. We spent $14.80 on archive holds all WEN ma te ri al. bank checks. • We encourage members to sign-up for pro duc ing a We reimbursed new member Benjamin Love cover for Block & Burin. We will cov er expenses. $104.04 for his generous printing of the cover for • We welcome (and need) your submissions of the Block & Burin for bundle 40. arti cles, interviews, ads and announcements for We have a Paypal Account for overseas members publi ca tion in Block & Burin. Send articles, ads to easily pay their dues ([email protected]). to, Several members from overseas forgot to send their Tony Drehfal checks in US dollars, which cost us the exchange rate W221 East Wisconsin Ave. plus fees at the bank. With Paypal, they will have the Nashotah, WI 53058, USA easy option of paying in US dollars. As of October e-mail: [email protected] 15, 2008, 12 additional members have paid their 2008 dues ($35 for US, $40 for overseas, paid in US Please send written submissions as unformatted funds), bringing our total funds to $2,119.07. text ﬁ les via email, it makes the layout far more simple. Please make an effort to use Microsoft Word Respectfully submitted, for your written submissions. Images should be Kathee Kiesselbach mailed, or contact Tony for scanning speciﬁ cs.

4 Notes from Jim by Jim Horton

Frogman’s Wood Engraving, Letterpress & Artist Books Class Photo Greetings WEN Members. tables of printing wares for sale, and the buying and We are all witnessing so much bad news in the swapping was great fun. I sold presses, quoins and world. So many mean and negative things are said in the like. My truck had mechanical problems, which the political arena. It is hard to keep one’s balance. was not a bad thing; otherwise I might have hauled I fi nd that I have to be very mindful to just keep my twice as much stuff home. I also sold some of Tom own mind clean (though I often fi nd myself angry Veling’s end-grain blocks. One of my purchasers and sad). I have to come back to the reality that if was Sharen, and as our host-to-be, she mentioned our money all disappears, our cups will still “run- working on dates for the annual WEN Summer neth over.” We still have love, and part of that love Workshop. She has had lots of homework to do is the ability to create and explore the wondrous on this, but it looks like later July (though nothing cosmos. That we have eyes to see and touch it is such is set in stone yet). We will try to tell you more in a miracle. If you ever have doubts about a higher the “Dues Due” mailing coming before the fi rst of power, you just need to come back to that realiza- the year. tion. My favorite time of the day is in the wee hours The past summer’s activity was the Frogman’s of the morning, to huddle up with a cup of strong Print & Paper Workshop in Vermillion, South coffee and a blanket. I go to that center where I see Dakota. Deborah Mae Broad and I had some pure light. Later that light can be cast on the fi gure twenty-two students, mostly grad students and that I draw, or the block of wood that feels so deli- young instructors, adding wood engraving to their cious in the hand. I could be poor, and be the richer experiences. All seemed amazed by the fi neness for the poverty. Maybe we all will? of line and the beautiful clarity of the prints. We A few weeks ago, I saw Sharen Linder at the illustrated a book, and bound it there, and all went Great Northern Letterpress Sale and Flea Market, forth with something to treasure. Sarah Whorf was held in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. Thirty printers had in the class, though in reality, she could have taught

5 that was so wonderful in its intimacy, that she sets the bar for everyone else. She also keeps me laughing (or shocked) the whole way. She is so ornery and gutsy, that you can understand how she keeps her farm running. One of the things that just tickled me is her making students spit out their gum when they approached her for advice! I love it! If you haven’t ever guessed, I love her, and always will.

Johntimothy Pizzuto, Sarah Whorf, and Cynthia Alderete the class. She kept us all laughing and she printed many small little gems outside of the box. Any little scrap of wood instantly became a little print. It might be a ﬁ shing lure, or a fanciful gadget, but it was an inspiration to see such productivity, and the prints are little gems. It points out to me that I probably think too much. One can just grab the block and go, and that is just as viable as the planned and researched approach. Deborah Mae is perhaps the most unusual Deborah Mae Broad character I have ever met. She also draws seemingly One of the great joys of these workshops is see- effortlessly, but when you hear her talk of the steps ing the way this younger generation draws. Maybe it she goes through to make a wood engraving, your leans too heavily on the grotesque and the world of jaw drops, and she lost me about ten steps back. The shocking fantasy, but you can’t argue that they have way she prepares the block, the way she approaches imagination and skill. So for all our world of digital the printing is so meticulous and experimental, quick ﬁ xes, the world of drawing is alive and well. that you can then understand why her prints are This was also in evidence at the Augusta Heritage so amazing. She layers in screen-printing under Center Workshop. her wood engravings for tone and color. Of all the Abigail Rorer was our guest artist. Abby (to hundreds of printmakers at this workshop, I think her friends) is just this rooted, genuine “New her huge wood engravings stand apart. She has England Yankee.” Her drawings are stunning in crossed the line from the small to the monumental. their expertise, and just sheer beauty. I always say She can equally do a small illustration for our book that she is to America, what Hilary Paynter is to

6 Eric May and Anders Sandstrom, both of whom are awesome artists. The updated WEN traveling exhibition was on display at the Randolph County Arts Center gallery. It was well attended, and much good feedback was relayed to us. Thank you all for the contributions, and thank you again Joel Moline for the wonderful matting and preparation. So, in thinking of Chicago next summer, know that it will probably have something to do with Co- Back Row: Cliff Harvey, Anders Sandstrom, Eric May, lombia College, the Newberry Library, a guest artist Maggie Rhudy, Rosa McElheny, Sheri Gessert Middle Row: Carol Pelletier, Abigail Rorer, Molly Branton, from England, the Museum of Art, and of course, Charlie Waters Chicago is one of the true showcases of American Front Row: R.P. Hale, Jim Horton culture. I will also be teaching at John Campbell Folk England, that is, a national treasure, and so amaz- School and Hollander’s School of Book and Paper ing that her work stands head and shoulders above Arts. One can ﬁ nd info on all these on-line. the pack. Like most wood engravers, though, she is So WEN is casting its fortieth mailing into the as real a person without pretension as you can get. larger world. Tony Drehfal has such expertise and When she talks of her working in a studio heated care with his designing and editing Block & Burin with wood in the winter, huddled with a blanket (assisted by Will Rueter). To have Judith Jaidinger over her feet, you can sense where her heart is. She to write this long anticipated article is amazing also is an adventurous spirit, seen contra dancing in and something I always wanted to see. Kathee the wee hours. She spearheaded buying at auction Kiesselbach is a force! She has her hands in so many a Mexican dinner hand-prepared by R.P. Hale. You directions that she wrote the book on multi-tasking. have heard me mention R.P. many times. He is the Sylvia Pixley, we all know and love from day one. most fascinating character, with one of his many So WEN is no longer on a tight, rigid schedule. skills, drawing and wood engraving. He claims that More and more, you will see our deadlines being he is the seventh generation in his family to have en- nebulous. We are aging, and busier than ever. But graved on wood. He marbled the paper that we did we hope to keep getting this mailing to you. Our for the Augusta book. Professor Cliff Harvey came goal is something worthwhile, gives you pause for down from Morgantown and took over the binding beauty, and perhaps, inspires you in your own work. for us. Again, we all walked away in marvel of his If we haven’t, and you can draw, we would love to creativity. Other WEN members in attendance were meet you someday.

7 What I Did This Summer by Carl Montford

It has been quite a while since we had to write an woodcuts, wood and metal type, and prints them essay on “What I did this summer”, but I mentioned on their large Vandercook proof presses. Their col- to Jim Horton what happened this summer and he lection of woodcuts, wood type etc. is amazing. I asked me to relate it to all of you. talked to one of the artists there, and of course the conversation lapsed into “how do you do it?” talk. He explained some of the larger work is actually cut directly into MDF manufactured wood. I saw some, both the cuts and the prints, absolutely amazing, think I’ll try that soon.

Yee Haw Industries From a 6,500 mile road trip to steam roller printing, it truly was a summer to remember. Our road trip was originally motivated by my wife’s high school reunion, but of course frequent stops to see relatives and friends along the way lengthened the duration of the trip considerably. After reaching our easternmost point we turned the car around Hatch Show Print and headed back west to Seattle, at that point some The next stop I had planned all along, it of 3,500 miles away. I had been given a tip to stop in course was the famous “Hatch” in Nashville. Being Knoxville to visit Yee Haw Industries, which is a serious about spending some time there, we rented wonderful place that produces broadsides from a hotel for the night, and I spent the following

8 morning in and amongst their gigantic collection of printing. We and several other design organizations broadside prints, presses, woodcuts and type, about here in Seattle were given the assignment to design the same as Yee Haw, but much larger. Having met and cut a lino cut block, 3 ft x 4 ft! That in itself was the owner and operator in Seattle, he greeted me as quite a task given this old wood engraver usually a long lost friend, which of course impressed this works in blocks no bigger than 3 x 4 inches. Many writer. His name is Jim Sheradon and he is a very hours were spent cutting these blocks, but the day talented and gracious gentleman. He invited me arrived and the excitement grew, partly because so to inspect all of the cuts, type, presses and all the many of the artists had not done this before, and equipment. Of course, being housed in a lovely very partly because of the effort to organize this event old brick business building in the old part of down- was hoped to be successful. We rented a Steam town Nashville added to its appeal. They have been Roller (actually an industrial asphalt roller). Tables in business since the latter part of the 19th century were set up for inking the lino cuts, then laid down printing broadsides for the “Grand Ole Opry”, and face up on a bed of 3/4 inch plywood, paper on top, are afﬁ liated with them to this day. Jim said they pad next and another piece of 3/8 inch plywood. own the building they are in now as opposed to leasing, so are about as permanent as can be. The accompanying pictures show just a smattering of broadsides they have printed over the years and were still designing and printing as I watched. For all you wood engravers and woodcutters, a visit to the Hatch would, in my opinion, be very stimulating to your artistic sense. Arriving back in Seattle after ﬁ ve weeks of driv- ing and visiting, I went right to work on the next big event of the summer, Steam Roller Printing, at the school where I teach in downtown Seattle. The Steam Roller Printing at SVC school is SVC (School of Visual Concepts) and has This sandwich was then laid down on the parking added letterpress classes to their curriculum some lot surface for printing. I built a small ramp to bet- seven years ago. Each year we have a traditional ter let the roller ride up on the “sandwich” without Wayzgoose, swapping letterpress supplies and skidding. The Steam Roller was then cranked up equipment, selling our wares, and enjoying a few cu- and ran over the block once forward and then linary delights, along with some spirits of one kind backed down off the block. The pictures I hope you or the other. But this year, we added Steam Roller can see show peeling off the print from the block,

9 event, I was called upon to print a keepsake on the Reliance iron handpress that I and another gentleman restored a summer ago, so I was not able to spend much time Steam Rollering! much to the delight of the crowd surrounding the event – of course with toes back at a safe distance. At the end of the day many prints of each of the blocks were hung from the balconies of the school building: quite an impressive sight. This was all mostly the brainchild of our letterpress department founder, Jenny Wilkson, but of course with the help of many, many students and technical assistants. The owners have been extremely supportive in all of these yearly events. I was involved in another Steam Roller escapade in Tacoma, Washington, on March 1st of this year. Along with many other small press proprietors. I cut my block for that event in

All in all, it was a great summer. Much ahead to keep me busy: the Seattle Antiquarian Book Fair, the next SVC class starting in September which is “Type Design and Printing on the Iron Handpress”, I’ll be team teaching with Juliet Shen, who has her own graphic studio and teaches Typography at SVC also. Other private classes in my own studio are also SVC Keepsake in the coming fall and winter. 3/4 inch Birchwood plywood along with the help I’m looking forward to the coming year in WEN of several of my group, the Rain City Engravers (see happenings, but no more 6,500 mile road trips for Announcements & Notes, page 34). But for the SVC this guy.

10 Old Wood Engravers by Judith Jaidinger

My introduction to wood engraving came about by glass. Engraving that surface was demanding and I chance when I was an eighteen year old student at found the challenge of trying to control the results the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1959- exciting and very satisfying. 60. I had to choose between etching, lithography I studied wood engraving at the School of and wood engraving for a required printmaking the Art Institute for three years. The three years course. I don’t recall my reason, if any, for select- consisted of practicing the process and techniques ing wood engraving. I hadn’t the least idea what a we learned in the fi rst weeks. We were taught wood wood engraving was and had never seen a wood engraving of the “purist” school and never used a engraving print. print press or any other paper other than Japanese Adrian Troy was our instructor. In class we were tissue. each given a block of pear wood and told to do a series of lines over the entire block using a No.3 tint tool. In keeping with the purist philosophy of Mr. Troy, we were never shown a fi nished block or print. After covering the pear wood with a number of thin, scratchy lines, we were sent to the school store to buy a small piece of boxwood. We were to draw a design on paper and then transfer it on to the block. My fi rst block was a fl at pattern design with three fi gures. I engraved straight parallel lines into areas of the design. We then rolled out ink on a sheet of glass with gelatin brayers and inked up our Judith working a Zacher Studio blocks. My fi rst print was done on Japanese tissue The Sander Wood Engraving Company was burnished with a teaspoon. located a short distance from the school at that time. The results of my fi rst printmaking effort were (542 South Dearborn Street, in the block known as very disappointing. The image was backwards, and “Printers Row”.) We were told that we could go there that had been a shock. The print was dark and the to purchase wood and tools but were cautioned paper limp, hardly what I expected after the effort against looking at any of the work being done there I had put into the block. My disappointment only for fear that we would be infl uenced by commercial lasted a short time. Although I was not satisfi ed engraving and therefore corrupted. Needless to with the print, I had fallen in love with the process say, my fi rst trip to the den of corruption was an of engraving the wood. I had never before seen or exhilarating revelation. I was able to peek over the felt a piece of wood that was as hard and smooth as shoulders of engravers bent over their desks and

11 Zacher Engraving Company in its heyday view work that was fascinating, intricate and beau- to go to Sander for some materials for the Art Insti- tifully cut. I still remember being astonished at the tute. While he was there he had a conversation with variety of tones that these commercial engravers Joseph Sander and he mentioned my taking wood could achieve with their line work. I also learned engraving at the Art Institute. Joe said he would offer that a wood block could be put on a printing press me an apprenticeship. Although I needed a job, I was and printed on solid high-contrast paper. hesitant about taking it because of being warned by In the fall of 1965, my husband at the time had Mr. Troy about having my ﬁ ne art sensibilities being

12 tainted by commercial engraving. Never the less, I needed a job and curiosity won out. I didn’t realize it at the time but I was entering a traditional man’s trade. The only suggestion that this wasn’t entirely true was that I was shown to a desk painted in a pastel shade of pink. It seems that there had been a girl before me but she left to get married. This is the only time I had ever heard of a girl being in the trade. At the time that I started everyone in the place was a man except for the re- ceptionist in the offi ce. All the engravers there were seasoned veterans and kidded me but who were also polite. At the same time I was sure they weren’t going to take me seriously. Joe never assigned me to a journeyman so I just nosed around and practiced on scraps wood with wonderful old tools and started to imitate what I saw around me. The engravers I worked with were all master engravers. Paul N. Quirk (1898-1983) was the senior and most respected engraver. I will talk about him later, because it was only after I left Sander that we Routed & Trimmed Block struck up a relationship where I learned all about graphic negatives onto the blocks. Alfred the printer him and his family. The other engravers were Glen pulled the fi nal proofs and maintained the presses. Jesky, Ray Goltz, and George Wons. All of them It was also his job to route off the dead wood on possessed techniques and styles that were uniquely the fi nished blocks and he maintained the tools by their own. They did not engrave in the style of en- shortening, grinding and sharpening. Alfred is the gravers from the turn of the century. Their approach one who taught me how to shorten a tool by holding was the same as modern illustrators who breathed it in a vise, knocking the end off with a hammer, life into the old craft. and then grinding it on wheels with different grit Along with the engravers there was the pho- making sure not to lose the temper of the steel by tographer Willie Brown, who took pictures of the getting it too hot. He also showed me how to use a merchandise, prepared the photosensitive emulsion router, taking off the excess wood, but cautioning on the wood blocks and then burned the photo- not to slip into the engraving of a fi nished block.

13 Here are some examples from a Sander Engraving Company Catalog. “Take particular note of the graceful manner in which these rings were illustrated, it is the result of many years of specializing in illustrating jewelry.” The slightest bump could ruin an engraving that said he would show me how to print it after work- had hours of work into it. Alfred was the fi rst person ing hours. So on Thursday night we set it up and to show me how a proof press worked so that I was printed the two colors and then the fi nal black to fi nally able to proof one of my own blocks on high fi nish it off. Because it was getting late, Alfred had to contrast paper. What a revelation. I never used a leave and Willie, who had been working in the dark spoon again. room, came to help me fi nish the last of the proofs. A typical day started with everyone quiet. On We had them piled all over the workroom to dry. Wednesday afternoons the radio was on with a Right in the middle of things, Willie started mak- re-broadcast of the “Midnight Special” on WFMT. ing advances and I panicked. Shaken and scared, I It was hours of recorded folk songs, satire and ran out the offi ce door leaving everything behind in comedy routines. If Joe Sander was in, everything complete disarray. Outside the offi ce I decided to use was normal. If Joe went out on a sales call around the stairway down the four fl oors instead of waiting 11:00 in the morning, the engravers stopped work for the wire cage elevator. I took the elevated train and went into the conference room for a game of home and all the way on the journey I was thinking cards. Sometimes a bottle was brought out. Ray that I probably had lost my job. The most diffi cult would go out to see his bookie on another fl oor. It thing was going to work the next morning, wonder- was defi nitely a man’s world. ing if my prints were still all over the place. Willie Alfred also proofed color registered blocks. had collected all the prints and discreetly put them This is what inspired me to try color. I had just fi n- on my desk. It seemed that Willie didn’t want to ished a large block with a fi gure with a mask. I made lose his job either. I don’t know if any of the other the smaller blocks of blue and yellow and Alfred engravers found out about the incident, but if they

14 did they never let on. Willie and I never spoke of source of knowledge that had no restrictions. it again, but our relationship changed from good A lot of the work for the engravers was doing natured to cautious. illustration for ads. Sander had the account for I remember the layout of Sander’s workroom Owens Corning Glass Co. They did the illustrations being huge. All the engravers desks were at large for their scientifi c catalogs of test tubes, beakers and windows facing east. There was a room for the large thermometers, etc. The objects were engraved on automatic Vandercook proof press and a separate wood with white lines and then proofed on white room for grinding. Willie had his own space for chrome coat paper that had a high contrast shiny preparing blocks and a dark room. There was a surface but with a clay undercoating. We retouched small press that the engravers used for doing sample them for accuracy, by scratching the black fl aws off proofs of their blocks. the clay surface, and then they were sent out to be The place also had a large room which had a made into electrotypes. When they came back the long conference table and shelving all around. There white lines became the black lines for printing. We were books and catalogs from every era including trimmed off the burrs to make sure that they would the most modern. On one wall were shelves that print without any fl aws. These were then sent to contained original Bewick blocks that looked to the printer. me like little lumps of coal. Some of the engravers Joseph and David Sander owned the business. played around trying to print their uneven surface Joseph was in sales and traveled. I only met David but were never very successful at it. There were fi le twice: once when he brought some people in for a cabinets that contained original proofs of Sander tour of the place and the other when I was working engravings from the past to the present. These at Zacher and he interviewed me about working on a shelves held wood engraving treasures. Old man series of Leonard Baskin blocks. Ethically I couldn’t Quirk had many scrap books, containing other agree to the deal and never found out whether or engravers’ work, certainly ones he admired very not the project came to pass. much. All of this material was available for anyone I never found out the details but a rumor had to study and appreciate. For me it was a priceless gone around the company that there was a major

15 doing wood engraving. They gave me the address, 1019 West Jackson Boulevard, and I went and ap- plied as an apprentice and got the job. This was the beginning of my second stint as a commercial wood engraver. So, I was hired at Zacher, and met their one full-time engraver, Trimble Schroeder, known as “Shake”. It was awkward at fi rst because he had never trained a “girl” before. I was about 26 or 27 then and was a divorced single mother with a daughter to support. Shake had started as an apprentice at Zacher when he was 15 years old and had been there for 40 years. He is the one who truly started me as an apprentice in commercial blocks. Ordinarily an apprenticeship was fi ve to seven years, but that was in the old days. Because I was familiar with the wood and already engraving he started me out immediately. I did small simple pieces such as jewelry, car accessories, textures for things like fabric, wood grain, hairy seat covers, etc. These were all for catalog pages. Evolution of a Woodcut Sometimes, if we had a lot of work backed up, “The accompanying illustrations, presented through the Shake would call in two other engravers in their late courtesy of N.J. Quirk, Chicago’s wood-engraver, include 70s to help out. My job was to fi nish off the tone a 133-line half-tone made from a portrait of “Pershing the Peacemaker” painted in France, a fi rst fl at proof of wood- or line work and trim the edges of the engraving, cut, a second fl at of the same block, and a fi nal proof of the once I had routed off the dead wood. Then I would woodcut. Mr. Quirk has been very successful in preserving ink up the old litho stone and pull a proof on the the original likeness.” Washington press. It was the only press at Zacher. crisis in the Joseph Sander family and this is when Shake taught me how to use a ruling machine and David announced that he was moving the company how to set it up to match the multiple line gravers. to Indiana. I suddenly found myself unemployed. The apprentices at Zacher had to keep scrap books It was Glen Jesky and Ray Goltz that suggested I try of all their practice blocks. I got to see Shake’s book to get a job at Zacher Studio, because they were still but never saw another.

16 One of the stories that Shake would tell was that young apprentices, who had made mistakes on their blocks, would go into the washroom, open the window and toss them out into the river below. That was in the old days when Zacher was in a different location. During the Depression many of the engravers were forced to leave and fi nd other work because of the shortage of money. The owner of Zacher, Charlie Swan, would hold up a job and the engravers were forced to bid against each other in order to get the work. It resulted in bitter resent- ment that was still felt when I got there. The old guys would talk about it all the time. When the owner died they had carved a little coffi n that Shake would drag out and some very irreverent comments were made, then everyone laughed. So many widows would come by hoping to sell their deceased husband’s tools, not realizing that the craft was on the way out and the tools were no longer needed. It made a sad and lasting impression on me. During the war years Shake worked as a fi re- man, Joe Cierny got a job at the First National Bank, etc. Shake was the one that came back to Zacher and stayed with them until the end. Zacher went out of Nick Quirk, Jr., Apprentice Wood-Engraver, at work in his home workshop. (Photo taken on April 8, 1916) business in the late 1970s. As a young man, Paul had a small carbide cannon and one Joe was a wonderful engraver and worked with 4th of July fi red it off and took off most of his right forefi nger. a very delicate touch. Shake’s work was stronger The surgeon sewed his fi nger to his stomach area. Weeks later with a lot of contrast. Shake had never gone to high the fl esh formed a pad on the fi nger and made it possible for school and never had art lessons. Most of the young Paul to continue engraving. apprentices never did. I had to admire what these When I worked at Sander, Nicholas Paul Quirk guys were able to do. Shake always encouraged my was the oldest and most respected engraver around, art work and many times I was able to work on my but it wasn’t until years later that I had a close friend- blocks on company time. ship with him and his wife. Evidently, David Sander

17 had put a woman in touch with Paul about wood lunch and we had many chats about Paul’s father, engraving instructions. In turn, Paul wrote to me Nicholas J. Quirk, who was a wood engraver and asking if I could write to her about her questions was a member of the greats, including Timothy and help her with the project she had started and Cole and John Evans. I replied that I would. It turned out that she was a When Paul’s health had a setback, they decided cloistered nun in New Jersey and she was engraving to move and asked if I wanted to purchase his proof pistol handles. To make a long story short I still press, router and ruling machine. Naturally, I said write Sister Mary Ellen Timothy. At that time my yes and I use them today in my basement shop. I relationship with Paul began. have his tools as well. In fact, I inherited many other engravers’ tools as they died off. I also have about four of the tool chests that each engraver built for their personal use. The Quirks told me about black boxes in their garage that had been there since the 1930s. Would I care to go through them and see if I wanted anything? The garage turned out to be a treasure trove. There were boxes stacked to the ceiling. One of their grandsons and I took an entire day and went through everything. There were letters from other engravers, (Timothy Cole, etc) original signed proofs, newspaper and Inland Printer articles, signed photographs (Charles Lindbergh, Woodrow Wilson, etc.) and countless artwork by illustrators Example of Paul Quirk’s Engraving that worked on the Chicago Tribune. It turned out His basement was his workshop where he did that old man Nicholas (Nick) also did paintings for free lance work. Paul was gracious enough to open the Chicago Tribune, where they always had an illus- his home and let me use his Vandercook proof tration on their daily front page. He was especially press because I had none. He listened to opera and interested in military and nautical themes, mostly engraved while I pulled editions of my blocks. I ships. They told me that he was a very patriotic watched him engrave and he showed me countless man and was involved in writing to national politi- little tricks of the trade, such as how to bring up cians, among them Presidents and other Heads wood that had bear downs, how to plug a block, of Washington, asking them for autographs on etc. At lunch time Claire, his wife, would make photographs. He, along with Paul, engraved their

18 I believe originals are in the museum in St. Louis. I have proofs of them, plus the original photos with the signatures. To me, the most interesting thing is something I found a couple of years ago. Sorry to say, I never asked any of the old engravers how an apprentice was taught to engrave tone. It was taught strictly as a trade. I know that an apprentice started out very young and an art background / education was not

portraits along with their signatures. He then sent the engravings to each individual, receiving thank you letters, and kept the letters to be used for refer- ences and promotional venues. The Quirks told me how the old man went to a downtown hotel to see Charles Lindbergh. He wanted to get some photographs signed but the crowd was so huge he couldn’t get near him. So, he started to cry, literally. Everyone around him was so startled by the commotion that it got Lindbergh’s attention and he came over to him. Old Nick got the signatures on the photographs as planned. Two separate engravings were made and

19 necessary. Paul Quirk had lessons at the Art Institute is a place where the collection will be conserved of Chicago, but my old boss Shake, who started at and protected, and available for people doing the age of 15, had no art training whatever. But then research. I discovered these old prints from the late 1800s and fi nally fi gured out what they were about. There is a notation on top of a print reproduction of an old painting that reads, “Whyinell don’t you fi nish your practice block?” Then I found the same print with background engraving on it. Then I found another print with the same practice tones. I put two and two together and realized that this was the way an apprentice was taught to make those wonderful soft tones. Were these actual blocks with the photos on them or did they work directly on the paper? I don’t know whether or not they would waste a good block on apprentice work. Maybe they practiced on paper fi rst?

Practice Block Detail When Zacher closed, I inherited all the remain- ing wood, tools and tool chests. When Shake died I paid his widow for his tools and chest, just as I did Paul Quirk’s tools. The connection I have when I handle these tools is comforting. There are tools from Germany, France, England and America. They are of every size imaginable with countless initials carved on their handles. It is wonderful to know that I have had the privilege of working side by side with some of the best engravers in the commercial end The Smithsonian Museum of American His- of things. I have tools that have been handed down tory contacted me, and I donated most of these literally from generation to generation. Using these things to them in 1996. As I am getting older, I real- tools, I have been able to carry on, through my work, ized that this stuff needed a home. The Smithsonian a wonderful legacy of the old wood engravers.

20 Most of the images that appear in this feature were reproduced from photocopies that Judith Jaidinger mailed the editor of Block & Burin. Many of the originals are now part of the Quirk Collection at The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History (NMAH), located in Washington, D.C. “The Quirk Collection represents a significant body of work by N.J. Quirk (1863-1940) and his son Nicholas Paul Quirk (1898-1983), together with nu- merous business cards and specimen sheets from their fellow wood engravers and printing concerns, mostly in the midwestern United States, but also from Canada and Japan. Engraved wood blocks, electrotype plates, photographs, original artwork, proofs, prints, brochures, catalogs and other examples of commercial illustration and wood engraving, plus associated reference material, are included. Subjects represented include portraits Bookplate for the Timothy Cole Collection at Vassar (including six Presidents, Joseph Conrad, and Charles College Lindbergh), machinery, jewelry, maritime and military This letter was published in The Inland Printer in 1916. work, holiday offerings …” My Dear Nick Quirk: I hasten to acknowledge your nice letter Judith Jaidinger donated the Quirk Collection to and the proof. These long days fi nd me with very little time for the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American A.M. anything but work. I am up at 4:30 , and after various History in 1996. necessary chores I manage to get to my block at 6, and with half an hour for dinner I continue, with intermissions for Gratitude and many thanks to Helena E. Wright, gentle exercises of arms, legs and other such like squirmings, Curator of Graphic Arts, NMAH, Smithsonian Insti- till about 7:30 P.M., then supper and a good long walk before tute, and her marvelous staff of dedicated workers, for bedtime. Do you get to work at 6 A.M.? You need a lot more provided some digital fi les, including the wood engraving practice in cutting tints and to get the mastery of your line; on the title page. at present the line masters you. You must draw a lot. How old are you now? I fancy you must be about twenty. Do not be fl attered by what those idiotic editors may say, but study serious drawing, and read good books. Avoid by all means all strong drink, with smoking or overeating. Excuse my haste. Sincerely yours, Timothy Cole

21 Bundle No. 40 Summer 2008

The prints contained in this issue of Block & Burin been reduced in size, and color prints have been have been scanned from WEN Bundle No. 40. This reproduced in shades of gray. In some instances section does not intend to substitute the value of a print represented in the bundle may have been viewing the original prints as printed by the artist excluded in this section as requested by the artist. on ﬁ ne paper with quality inks, but is meant to pro- All original prints from the bundles are archived at vide a facsimile for WEN members not receiving the Princeton University Graphic Arts Library, bundles. Because of space and reproduc- Princeton, New Jersey, with Agnes tion limitations, some images have Sherman serving as curator.

The Philosopher d.o.p. David Moyer (actual size)

The Philosopher d.o.p. was engraved on lemonwood and printed on Domtar Solutions 80#, ivory acid-free text paper, using black ink. The d.o.p. in the title is an abbreviation of “The disconsolation of philosophy” as part of a larger series of engravings. This is an edition of 200.

22 Design in Nature Earl Nitschke (actual size) Untitled Benjamin Love (actual size)

Design in Nature was printed at the Enigma Press in Benjamin’s edition of 135 for WEN was printed on a an edition of 100 for WEN. “Sigwalt 6x9 press with a lot of make ready”. The image was engraved on end-grain maple and printed on Rives BFK heavy paper using Daniel Smith traditional relief ink. The edition was printed at the Red Circle Press (Boise State University).

23 Upstate New York Farm Anna Hogan (actual size)

Anna engraved Upstate New York Farm “many years ago”. This edition of 77 was printed by Ed Rayher, at Swamp Press, located in Northﬁ eld, Massachusetts.

24 AIDS Service 2007 John Benson (55%) WEN Buzzard John Benson (90%)

John’s linocut was printed using Braden Sulphin ink The WEN Buzzard was printed in an edition of 125 & the brayer-baren hand printing method. This is an with 10 artist proofs. The print is a linocut printed edition of 600. “This is the 20th cover I have produced using Van Son ink on Rives lightweight paper, for the annual service. The image is of a monogram, using the brayer-baren hand printing technique. of God being the center, with bands of the Grace of The image relates to a multi-bird lithograph and God radiating outward, at one point protecting a soul a multi-bird linocut that were printed in the past (the recipient of the cover), with the 4 angels who 2 years. protect the world and 2 bands of angels who are only eyes who watch over the world protectively.”

25 The Axmen Richard Woodman (65%)

The Axmen is printed on Classic Crest smooth text paper with Akua water based intaglio inks blended to a sepia hue. This image was engraved on Resingrave™ using burins and rotary burs. The Axeman is “A kind of take on ‘The Three Musketeers’ depicting a group of northwest loggers, circa 1900.” This is an edition of 90 printed for WEN.

26 Chafﬁ nch Sylvia Portillo (70%) Dingbats… Elke Inkster (50%)

Chaffinch is printed on Arches velim paper, using Dingbats Ornaments & fanciful initials is a bookmark, Van Son CML #22011 Black oil base ink (VS795). printed on tan paper with black and red ink by Elke This is an edition of 100 with 76 prints for the WEN Inkster at the printing ofﬁ ce of The Porcupine’s bundle. Sylvia reworked her book illustration to fit a Quill, located in the Village of Erin, Ontario. 4” x 6” Resingrave™ block. The edition was printed on a Showcard press. A Pigma Micron 02 pen was used to replace the bird’s toe nail, which was accidentally removed while cleaning up high spots on the block after running the first proof.

27 Untitled Scott Baldwin (actual size) Dragon Eye William R. Stolpin (45%)

This colonial playing a ﬁ fe is one of a series of heads Dragon Eye was printed on a Line-O-Scribe press with Scott is working on to improve his technique. some older sheets of Hosho-Echizen paper, trimmed to size, using black Handschy litho ink. This is an edition of 100 with 98 prints for the WEN bundle. “The mounted linoleum block was cut as a demonstration to the students in the Relief Printmaking class I teach at the Flint Institute of Arts, in Flint, Michigan. The prints are chopped with the mark of my studio “DAS” and my personal printers mark (ie: my logo).”

28 Spirit Bird John McWilliams (65%) Poppy #1 Sylvia Pixley (65%)

John printed Spirit Bird on Rives paper, in an edition Poppy #1 is printed on cream colored Mohawk Su- of 78, for this bundle. perfine cover, using Braden Sulphin PDI Dense Black ink. Sylvia “will print enough for everyone plus 20 for myself.” “This is a 2”by 2” Corian sample block – one of 5 in an on going series of ﬂ owers.”

29 Bundle Participation? Show your stuff!

A Note to All WEN Members on Bundle Participation: more so than ever. and in particular, those new members that might still We are always happy to hear of sales and be confused as to what and how the print exchange contacts that re sult from people seeing someone’s works. work in the Bundles, howev er, that is not the prime reason we exist. We know that giving away work is A Bundle is a name we dubbed the mailings that not exactly going to put food on the table (and cer- take place twice yearly (March and September). A tain ly artists have to do so). WEN is just one place Bundle is a pack et of prints, or a “non-dig i tal” show where, if you have something extra to give, with the that comes to your door. They are not intend ed for spirit of “What goes around, comes around,” you sale or spec u la tion. They are meant for people to donate. We are an appre cia tive audience. When share the joy of print mak ing with others who know you do contrib ute to a Bundle, unless you indi cate and appreciate what went into their pro duction. that it not be used for exhibition, you are giving We have many levels of expertise repre sent ed. people the right to show it to others in educational There are es tab lished pro fes sion als along with displays. If it were to be repro duced for commer cial begin ners. There are a few who appre ci ate prints, use, per mis sions must be sought. but don't practice printmak ing themselves. We Bundle participation is not man da to ry for hope the Bundles are a means of ed u ca tion. We being a member of WEN. If you paid your dues, do not pub lic ly judge or crit i cize the work that is you will receive a jour nal, all an nounce ments, a con trib ut ed, though we are al ways open to com- welcome to come to any of our activities (such as ments, and certain ly, indi vid u al contacts can be summer workshops), exhibit in any WEN connected made to these artists with your more person al com- ex hi bi tions and receive some prints that have been ments and ideas. We avoid politics ... just the love donated by members. You might not receive all the of seeing ink on paper that came from an artist's prints (as members only have to submit a total of 76, hand. Sometimes we are awed by the quality of not enough to go around to all). Why that number? the work. Sometimes we learn from the rawness Some of these artists print by hand, slowly, and of a “Begin ner's Mind” as the Zen masters call it, to even give away 76 of such work, is asking a lot, that hasn’t been inﬂ uenced by standard practic es though some do contrib ute the maxi mum. How do and shows the excit ing marks of exper i men ta tion. you get the full array of prints? You do so by con- “A print is the halfway point between a thing and a tributing at least 76 prints to a Bundle. If you do so, thought,” as Fritz Eichenberg once said. To hold it you are put at the head of the list when the stacks close to the eye, and see the artists in ti mate jour ney of prints are sorted into en ve lopes for mailing. If of cre ation is no small thing. In these days of digital you never contribute (which there is no pressure to im ag ing, it is a rare and val ued thing ... perhaps do so), you will get whatever is left over. That list is

30 sorted by the seniority of when you joined. If you Eric John Hoffman are a newcomer, obviously, you are going to be at the 630 Oaklawn Ave. end of the line. But con trib ute, and you are at the #138 Cranston, Rhode Island, 02920. front of the line. This keeps a healthy array of new Phone: 401-742-5700 artists coming in. If contrib ut ing every few years, E-mail: [email protected] you are still get ting just about every thing. www.hoffmanprints.bloodspot.com We do ask that the work going into a bundle Eric learned to engrave from Stephan Fisher and is by your hand. You may contribute brochures, Barry Moser in the past two years. He has a degree in advertisements or a prospectus. All mate ri als are printmaking from Rhode Island College. Eric sent me a welcome as long as you feel it would be of interest delightful print from nature, of which he is most inclined and benefi t to the group. We have received intaglio, to do, saying he loves the patterns of nature. lino and plank-grain woodcuts, which are welcome. Any questions, do con tact us. Benjamin Love 1011 Lemp St. Boise, Idaho 83702-2724 Benjamin is an undergrad student at Boise State Uni- versity, studying sculpture and printmaking. New Members Changes & Updates Paul S. Gentry 589 S. 4th St. Change of address: Independence, OR 97351-1913 Kevin Kiwak Phone: 503-838-4396 PO Box 125 E-mail: [email protected] Sandisfi eld, MA 01255. www.gentryfi neartengraving.com More to come as we await his questionnaire. Change of E-mail: Richard Woodman: [email protected] John Ross 6282 Howey Dr. Holladay, Utah 84121 Phone: 801-277- 2815 E-mail: [email protected] More to come as we await his questionnaire.

31 Announcements & Notes

A Wood Engraver’s Alphabet of the complexities of nature’s creations and the Gerald Brender à Brandis patron of the intricate art of wood engraving. The Published by the Porcupine’s Quill images are presented in the form of an alphabet

Morning Glory (Ipomoea ‘Heavenly Blue’) book but the simple, and sometimes elementary, appreciation of the alphabet format will not suf- ﬁ ce here. The abundance of the botanical world, Snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus) and the multitude of choice available to represent “Wood engraver Gerald Brender à Brandis has long each letter, allows the mind of the artist and reader been an avid gardener and botanist; his excyclo- alike to roam free. A short introduction by the artist paedic knowledge of the plant world animates the illuminates the choices he has made and includes exquisite microcosm of A Wood Engraver’s Alphabet. historical tidbits abut the lexicon of ﬂ owers.” This collection is intended both for the student This description, from the back cover of A

32 Wood Engraver’s Alphabet, a new book published by The Porcupine’s Quill, introduces a marvelous new collection of wood engravings created by the Cana- dian artist Gerald Brender à Brandis. This book is a ﬂ oral treasure of wood engraving, a garden of visual delights. Gerald’s alphabet starts with the Adder’s Tongue, Bird of Paradise, Chrysanthemum, Day Lily and English Bluebells, and ends with the Winter- green, Foxglove, Yellow Fumitory and Zinnia. Each print is alive with movement, arcing white engraved lines interplay with the bold blackness of the inked block, forming illuminated leaves, stems, petals and earth. The Toronto Star aptly described Gerald as a wood engraver “whose densely tex- tured intricacy vibrate across your vision, drawing you into a microscopically magic world.” A Wood Engraver’s Alphabet by Gerald Brender à Brandis is “I am looking for a ‘home’ for it in the sense highly recommended. that I would like it to be permanently housed some- For more information about G. Brender where for posterity. When my Dad died in 1982 à Brandis’ A Wood Engraver’s Alphabet, visit the my mother was quite devastated. She decided, in Porcupine’s Quill on-line at: http://www.sentex. her grief, to pack up the whole of Leo’s studio and net/~pql dispatch it to Castle Matrix in Eire where they had friends who had renovated an ancient castle which Wyatt Pantograph they were hoping to set up as an Arts Centre. The idea was that one of the rooms there would be the New WEN member, Claire Wyatt, is looking for a reconstituted Leo Wyatt Studio, in the form of a permanent home for a vintage pantograph, once museum. I am only grateful that my mother never used by her late father Leo Wyatt, famed designer, found out what really happened to all Leo’s things. engraver and calligrapher. He used the pantograph They were never even unpacked but the crates were in the designing of bank notes in the 1950s, while dumped in derelict outbuildings, pilfered by roving living and working in Cape Town, South Africa. The children and loony ‘lodgers’, ﬂ ooded, desecrated by tale of the Wyatt pantograph was shared by Claire moth, rats, mould and mites and dispersed, over 20 in a recent e-mail. years, all over these cob-webbed sodden buildings

33 guarded by a pack of huge dogs. It is like a court- remains as to what to do with the pantograph. I yard in which the dogs were corralled and where could just bring it here (my home) but where would the nettles grow head high. I don’t really blame I put it? Hence my wish for assistance to fi nd the any one of the O’Driscolls, who were beleaguered pantograph a home, as Betty wanted. I have con- by horrible illnesses and death, and then Liz was tacted all kinds of people but it seems singularly left on her own with a small pension. The castle undesirable in current times, sadly. So, dear Sir, downstairs where she lives is quite derelict. The that’s the very Irish story.” upstairs is fi ne, quite dry and intact. She is a bit of If you are interested in helping Claire fi nd a a Miss Haversham. home for the Wyatt pantograph, you can contact her I took it upon myself to track her down (no easy at this e-mail address: [email protected] task, in the end I just went and winkled her out) and we searched all the outbuildings with a torch and Rain City Engravers a large anti-cobweb Chinese sword (Sean collected military memorabilia), fi nding nothing until the On the second Saturday of each month, the mem- last room, and then in bits and pieces. I spotted on bers of Rain City Engravers meet in a West Seattle the fl oor some of Leo’s lettering and a little dish I studio to share their engraving and printing adven- remember always being on his desk from the time tures along with a few treats. This studio belongs to we were children. That was so exciting, as you can Carl Montford, RCE founder and a long-time mem- imagine. Many of the things Betty had mentioned ber of WEN. Filled with antique presses and type it in her itinerary we never found and there was one cellar room we couldn’t access as Liz couldn’t fi nd the key. I’ve been back twice. It is a most unsettling experience / environment, not made less so by the fact that Liz believes there to be spirits living there of the malevolent kind! We found the pantograph in that last cellar room the second time round but it was too large to put in the car we had. I have brought everything salvageable back, but it’s all in a dire state, and much has had to be disposed of. His tools and a few other things we are offers the perfect environment for RCE meetings. cleaning up and hope to display somewhere. What Before RCE there was no Northwest organiza- more can we do faced with the reality? I’m only glad tion for those interested in wood engraving and to have removed it from that dark place. So now it printing, nor was there a group whose interests

34 include promoting the appreciation and the Shipped media mail unless an upgrade is requested advancement of wood engraving and printing – price upon request. skills. Carl’s idea to fi ll this need for his students Contact: has fl ourished. On June 10, 2007, RCE celebrated Abigail Rorer its fi rst anniversary. Happy anniversary Rain City 16 Oliver Street Engravers! Some RCE members have also become Petersham, MA 01366 members of WEN. (978) 724-6672 [email protected] Sylvia Portillo or Molly Branton 127 E. Lynnwood Avenue

RCE and WEN member

Available mid-October: New copies of An Engraver’s Globe by Simon Brett, published by Primrose Hill “Copy” Block and Tools of the Wood Engraver Press. $75 each plus $8 shipping & handling. This image was published in The Inland Printer in 1903

35 Award Winner taken priority over our lives. I have learned to relax, and live with these de- Majesty, Order and Beauty, The Aliquando Press`s lays and when asked, “When will the next issue be edition of the journals of T.J. Cobden-Sanderson, ready?” will respond, “It’s ready when it’s printed.” I has won two of six awards at the opening of The am fortunate to have a very forgiving audience who Art of the Book `08 exhibition, sponsored by the wait patiently for their Block & Burin and Bundle Canadian Bookbinders and Book Artists Guild, mailing to arrive, and who write me wonderful which will tour Canada during the next two years. notes in response to this publication’s contents. I am Will Rueter’s private press also celebrates 45 years grateful for everything my WEN friends contribute and 100 books with The Aliquando Century, a small to what is truly “our” publication. traveling exhibition of Aliquando Press work. A catalogue is available from Will Rueter: Cover Printing Notes: I used five Daniel Smith [email protected]. inks: Venetian Red, Traditional Relief Black, Silver, Phthalo Yellow (couldn’t read the can – assump- Editor’s Notes tion on my part!), and Mediterranean Blue. Three presses were used; a Conrad etching press printed It has become a trend that you are receiving your the blue, yellow and silver; a Rembrandt proofi ng copy of Block & Burin a season (or two) later than press was used for the bell; and a Chicago letterpress the issue’s title indicates. This summer edition has was used for the Block & Burin 40. The covers were fi nally made it to you sometime between fall and printed on #80 Cougar Cover Opaque White. winter. It has been suggested, more than once, that the edition’s seasonal names be changed to fall and spring, but I hesitate to change the tradition estab- lished by the fi rst editor of Block & Burin. The work done for the Wood Engravers’ Net- work is through volunteer effort. Sylvia, Kathee, Will, Jim & I, along with all the contributors who provide content for Block & Burin, all have our own calendar of activities, of family and career, that keep us busy. At many times during the production phase of the creation of Block & Burin there are delays. There are times when our work for WEN has to wait because something more important or urgent has Engraving for the Hawtin Company, Chicago

36 Advertisements Service for WEN Members

37 38 WOOD ENGRAVED ILLUSTRATED BOOKS

Geraldine Waddington Books &Prints

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