The creation process of paper making and letterpress printing is truly an alchemical and magical process as our associate gallery manager Jason Peabody has learned this summer. Learning the craft of printmaking through working on the Vandercook Universal III Jason has begun his involvement in a new form of creating. PRESS & Co., consisting of student of MCLA and volunteer Carrie Converse, student of MCLA Pam Buchanan, graduate of Tufts University Emily Cohane, and Jason too, have been hard at work in the space at PRESS all summer creating, experimenting, and learning from each other everyday about the many ways of how to make a print and then where that knowledge can be taken.

Jason had this to say about his experiences in learning new crafts, “This summer has been nothing short of a dream, without a doubt. From starting off with just watching Melanie working on the press and taking note of every little step in the process to having her train me on how to run the press, re-ink the rollers, clean the rollers, adjusting the bed height which then modify what pressure the press prints at I have learned that letter pressing is a truly magical process. And paper making is no different, that process too is this completely alchemical seeming process. And between all of DownStreet Art Associate Gallery Managers we have taken what we learned this summer and created a venue for all the wild paper we have been producing. It seems that we have gotten to this point, with paper making, that we want to now share what we have learned with others. So we created FishBone Alchemy Paper. A grass roots paper producing organization that simply wants to share what we have found with others.”

But Jason has not been the only one of PRESS & Co. that has an experience this summer. Emily Cohane, who graduated from Tufts University with degrees in both Philosophy and the Studio Arts, has been working on these two astonishing wood cuts that will be printed into full size 22×18 inch posters which comment on economic injustice and highlight the beautiful scenery of North Adams Massachusetts. Pam Buchanan has been working on a multitude of things touching on the subject matter of spirituality, serenity, and happiness. Carrie Converse has been working some very intricate explorations in low relief pressure printing based around two of her favorite themes to explore; window panes and four leafed clovers.

Be sure to come and check out all of their work along side Melanie Mowinski’s summer-long printing experiments at PRESS when their third exhibit “This One Goes To Eleven” holds it opening reception on August 25th from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m.!