Ladies of Letterpress is an international trade organization for letterpress printers and print enthusiasts. Its mission is to promote the art and craft of letterpress printing and to encourage the voice and vision of women printers. The organization strive to maintain the cultural legacy of fine press printing while advancing it as a living, contemporary art form as well as a viable commercial printing method. Membership is open to both men and women.
Objectives:
- to promote the art and craft of letterpress printing through public outreach, participation in trade fairs, conferences, exhibitions, print exchanges
- to support the members by offering an encouraging, non-competitive community
- to maintain the cultural legacy of fine press printing through exposure and education
- to advance letterpress printing as a viable commercial printing method by emphasizing best practices both in technique and business
- to help the members become self-sustaining through working together to achieve goals that they might not be able to achieve singly
The founders of LoLP are Jessica C. White and Kseniya Thomas. Jessica is the owner of Heroes & Criminals Press in Asheville, NC, where she also teaches printing and binding workshops and is adjunct professor of book arts at Warren Wilson College. Kseniya is the owner of Thomas-Printers, a commercial letterpress and design shop in Carlisle, PA.
Ladies of Letterpress was founded in late 2007 and the site was opened to the public in January of 2009.
