SpeakEasy Press

Letterpress printed on handmade cotton paper, handbound in a quarter-cloth binding evocative of an early nineteenth century publisher's binding. (2005)

Original peer-reviewed research describing the print shop of the early Cherokee Phoenix, 1828-1834 in New Echota, Georgia. Edition of 82, 102 pages, (Size: 6.5” x 4” x 0.5”) 

Letterpress printed on handmade cotton paper, handbound in a quarter-cloth binding evocative of an early nineteenth century publisher's binding. (2005)

Original peer-reviewed research describing the print shop of the early Cherokee Phoenix, 1828-1834 in New Echota, Georgia. Edition of 82, 102 pages, (Size: 6.5” x 4” x 0.5”) 

Letterpress printing on handmade cotton rag and retted flax paper. (2005) 

Chapbook of seven of David Kopaska-Merkel's science fiction poems; one original wood block illustration, in an edition of 55, (Size: 5.25” x 6”) 

Letterpress printed on handmade flax & cotton rag paper; hand bound in a limp paper case. Photopolymer illustrations by John Smith. Printed in collaboration with Narcissus Press. (2002)

Collection of poet Maurice Manning’s work in an edition of 100, 60 pages, (Size: 5.5” x 7”) 

Handmade cotton and flax paper, letterpress printing & photopolymer illustrations. (2008)

Collection of eight brief vignettes exploring the curious thoughts of a Scotch-Irishman. 16 pages in an edition of 90, Miniature (Size: 3” x 2.75” x 0.375”) 

Limited edition letterpress book, handmade cotton paper with quarter-cloth and paste paper covers. Deluxe edition bound with quarter-leather binding with handmade cotton paper. (2011)

Sample book showing 14 examples of the paste papers of artist Louise Lawrence Foster, with a historical introduction to paste papers by paper conservator Cathleen A. Baker. Edition of 86, (Size: 6” x 9.125” x 0.625”) 

Hand-beaten mulberry (kozo) and edgeworthia (mitsumata) bark papers with letterpress printing. (2008)

40 of these panels were part of an indoor gallery installation. Six literary excerpts were letterpress printed on each panel in an alternating position, each panel (Size: Total 11' x 7' x 4') 

Hand-beaten mulberry (kozo) and edgeworthia (mitsumata) bark papers with letterpress printing. (2008)

40 of these panels were part of an indoor gallery installation. Six literary excerpts were letterpress printed on each panel in an alternating position, each panel (Size: Total 11' x 7' x 4') 

Limited edition letterpress printing on handmade cotton rag paper; the binding is a green handmade paper of over-beaten cotton and abaca. (2015)

Excerpt of poem by Kentucky native Forrest Johnson. Working with the poet the sculptural form was developed, printed in an edition of 10 copies, five “pages” each, (Size: 12” x 12” x 8.5”) 

Letterpress printing on ExpandOS®, a mail package alternative to foam packing. (2010)

Each word of Dorothy Field's poem, regarding the last capital of the Cherokee in the eastern US, was printed on individual ExpandOS® with a Challenge 15 printing press. Edition of two, (Size: 11.75” x 3 feet x 2”) 

Letterpress printing on ExpandOS®, a mail package alternative to foam packing. (2010) 

Each word of Dorothy Field's poem, regarding the historical capital of the Cherokee in the eastern US, was printed on individual ExpandOS® with a Challenge 15 printing press. Edition of two, (Size: 11.75” x 3 feet x 2”)

Hand-beaten mulberry (kozo) and methyl cellulose sculpture. (2008)

Wet sheets of handmade mulberry were torn and blended over a removable armature with methyl cellulose as an adhesive; approximate weight eight pounds, (Size: 18” x 28” x 7 feet) 

Handmade paper edition of beaten mulberry bark and okra and banana stem. (2014) 

Working with modern dance choreographer Amy Dowling and costumer Susan Brown-Strauss, the handmade paper edition was used as costumes and installation elements for outdoor dance performance. Performed as a part of {Re}Happening, on the original site of Black Mountain College near Asheville, North Carolina.
 

Handmade paper edition of beaten mulberry bark and okra and banana stem. (2014) 

Working with modern dance choreographer Amy Dowling and costumer Susan Brown-Strauss, the handmade paper edition was used as costumes and installation elements for outdoor dance performance. Performed as a part of {Re}Happening, on the original site of Black Mountain College near Asheville, North Carolina.

Edition for performance: letterpress printing on wax paper. Deluxe edition: letterpress printing on Legion Annigoni paper, with linoleum block prints; blocks carved by artist Suzanne Gray, (2015) 

Letterpress print project and performance at Desert Island Supply Company in Birmingham, Alabama. Concrete poem commemorating defunct Dino's Hot Dogs of Birmingham. Performance used wax paper edition prints to serve hot dogs, followed by poetry reading based on Birmingham food establishments, (Size: 14" x 14") 

Edition for performance: letterpress printing on wax paper. Deluxe edition: letterpress printing on Legion Annigoni paper, with linoleum block prints; blocks carved by artist Suzanne Gray, (2015) 

Letterpress print project and performance at Desert Island Supply Company in Birmingham, Alabama. Concrete poem commemorating defunct Dino's Hot Dogs of Birmingham. Performance used wax paper edition prints to serve hot dogs, followed by poetry reading based on Birmingham food establishments, (Size: 14" x 14") 

Letterpress printing on Curtis rag paper, with photopolymer illustrations, (2015)

11 ponderings on the Altamaha River of coastal, southern Georgia. 16 pages in an edition of 60. Text based on the history of the area; printed during a residency at Ashantilly Press in Darien, Georgia, in summer 2015. Miniature (Size: 3” x 4.5” x .25”) 

Letterpress printing with iron handpress (2013)

Jeff Marley's poem, translated by Tom Belt. Printed at New Echota Historic Site (GA) using newly-cast metal Cherokee type from Swamp Press. The nineteenth century bilingual newspaper, the Cherokee Phoenix, was printed at this site. In the reconstructed print shop, we letterpress printed in Cherokee at this location for the first time in over 170 years, (Size: 14"x12")

Community arts project using letterpress printing on Arches text wove paper, with photopolymer plates, edition of two, 68pp (2015)

This book was printed during a series of workshops, by members of the Cherokee and Anglo communities, in Swain and Jackson Counties in North Carolina. The workshops were held 2014-2015 in the towns of Dillsboro and Almond. Two original copies of the book were letterpress printed and hand bound, and additional copies were digitally reproduced. This project was supported by the N.C. Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural & Cultural Resources, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, Size (5.5"x7"x0.25" closed)

Letterpress printing on handmade okra stalk paper. (2014)  

“Edition” of 35 panels installed in western North Carolina forest. Outdoor installation remained for 108 days; remnants were then brought back indoors for integration into an artist book. Cherokee performance artist Jeff Marley responded to installations on two different occasions with painting and dance, (Size: 35, 14” x 6” panels installed over approximately 350 square feet)

Letterpress printing on handmade okra stalk paper. (2014)  

“Edition” of 35 panels installed in western North Carolina forest. Outdoor installation remained for 108 days; remnants were then brought back indoors for integration into an artist book. Cherokee performance artist Jeff Marley responded to installations on two different occasions with painting and dance, (Size: 35, 14” x 6” panels installed over approximately 350 square feet)

Web (Brannon): Letterpress printing on handmade mulberry bark paper. Spider (Marley): gourd, stock wood, mulberry bark (2017).

One-day outdoor installation at Oconaluftee Islands Park, Cherokee North Carolina, July 1, 2017. Collaboration with performance artist Jeff Marley. (Size: 4’ x 4’ x 8’).

Web (Brannon): Letterpress printing on handmade mulberry bark paper. Spider (Marley): gourd, stock wood, mulberry bark (2017).

Quotation from John Foster Wheeler, printer of the 1828-1834 newspaper, the Cherokee Phoenix. Quote notes Wheeler’s inability to easily obtain food while traveling from Chattanooga through the Cherokee Nation (now northern Georgia) for his new job.

One-day outdoor installation at Oconaluftee Islands Park, Cherokee North Carolina, July 1, 2017. Collaboration with performance artist Jeff Marley. (Size: 4’ x 4’ x 8’).