Is it possible for old world letterpress loyalists to fully embrace the new age enthusiasm for social media?
At least one prominent Bay Area artisan believes so.
Speaking at the Book Club of California last evening was Thea Sizemore, printer, artist, instructor and co-proprietor of Kavamore Press.
In her presentation, “We Are All in it Together: Power of the Press,” she described how her small Berkeley-based enterprise engaged the community in a series of social justice projects through protest poster production and distribution.
“The saying goes, ‘Freedom of the press is guaranteed only to those who own one,’” she declared, “But we wanted to use our resources for sharing the voices of those who care deeply about today’s biggest issues.”
Using traditional equipment from the 1900s, hand set type and ink on paper, Sizemore and her husband Patrick Kavanagh have created a version of “social media” that is tethered to the rich history of the printing press.
Cultural Currents readers may visit the BCC site soon to view a virtual recording to this compelling talk.