As I walked down Main Street, I experienced a range of emotions: happiness, nervousness, and anxiety. I had no idea what to expect when I walked into the doors of PRESS. Luckily, I had Pam, the associate gallery manager, there to greet me. The minute I arrived, the first thing that caught my eyes was the floor. Surely a place with such an amazing floor had to be equally as awesome!

The floor at PRESS (along with my new shoes!)

I had to take a few minutes to walk around and familiarize myself with the space. Coming from a background of painting and performing arts, the world of letterpress was new to me. PRESS, however, did not disappoint. To see what possibilities could come from printing on a letterpress was amazing. The works displayed on the walls were all unique in their own way and required different processes to lead to the final result. As I continued my exploration, I took a peek into the cabinets and drawers strategically placed throughout the gallery. There were tons of letters, stamps, lead, and many other things that I was unfamiliar with, but that didn’t stop my wheels from turning! I began to imagine what I could do with all of these different fonts and pictures. Honestly, the possibilities are indeed endless!

Shortly after, I sat down with Pam and she filled me in on any and everything I wanted to know about PRESS. I found it refreshing to know that I was working with people who not only viewed what they did at PRESS as a “job,” but they also had a genuine love for the space itself. Prior to my arrival I had heard nothing but positive feedback about PRESS and those that managed it, but you really get a true sense of the positive energy in the space once you’re in it yourself.

Needless to say, I’m very excited about what the summer has in store. Between the awesome line-up of exhibitions, and the classes that will be starting soon, it will be a busy but fun two months. I hope to meet all of your smiling faces at one point or another, and hope that you tell a friend about all of the happenings at PRESS!