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Canadian Fine Press Exhibit

Posted on January 28, 2019 by Devil's Artisan

Don McLeod was back to his old tricks snapping photos at the Canadian Fine Press Exhibit on January 23. The event was held at the John M. Kelly Library, part of the University of Toronto’s University of St. Michael’s College. Scroll on to see what went down.

George A. Walker, Rod McDonald, Robert MacDonald

Wood engraver George A. Walker and type designer Rod McDonald with the keynote speaker for the evening, designer Robert MacDonald.

Stan Bevington and Rick/Simon

Stan Bevington and Rick/Simon of Coach House Press.

Chester Gryski, George A. Walker, Deborah Barnett, Rod McDonald, Robert MacDonald

Chester Gryski, George A. Walker, Deborah Barnett (college printer at St. Michael’s College), Rod McDonald and Robert MacDonald. Deborah and Robert were co-founders of Dreadnaught Press in Toronto in the 1970s.

Rod McDonald and Robert MacDonald

Rod McDonald and Robert MacDonald—not to be confused!

 

portraitHope you enjoyed a peek at this bookish event. Thanks again to Don McLeod for the pictures!

Cheers,sig


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2018 BOUND Book Arts Fair

Posted on December 17, 2018 by Devil's Artisan

The beautiful great hall of the Arts and Letters Club in Toronto was once again the scene of a delightful bookish event for those with a keen appreciation of printmaking and the book arts. The second annual BOUND Book Arts Fair was held on December 9th featuring a wide variety of books, prints, broadsides, cards and more. DA Editor Don McLeod captured the magic with his trusty camera.

Elke Inkster holds down the fort at the PQL/DA table.

Elke Inkster holds down the fort at the PQL/DA table.

Warren Clements

Warren Clements demonstrates some of his wares from Nestlings Press.

Don Black

Bookbinder Don Taylor exhibited some of his handsome work at the fair.

eXavier Peterson

A genial smile from eXavier Peterson of eX Press.

Michelle Walker and Mark Huebner

Event organizer (and Quill friend!) Michelle Walker, with Mark Huebner.

Will Rueter

Will Rueter of the Aliquando Press showcases the beautifully designed (and well-named) Pressing Matters.

 

portraitWe’re so pleased that many of you were able to attend the BOUND Book Arts fair, and find time to come by and say hello. We hope you found lots of literary treasures!

Until next time,sig


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2018 Alcuin Awards Evening in Toronto

Posted on October 29, 2018 by Devil's Artisan

On Monday, October 22, the Arts and Letters Club was the site of much excitement as the Alcuin Society celebrated their annual Alcuin Society Awards for Excellence in Book Design in recognition of their 2017 award winners. The evening also featured a talk by Denise Lapointe and David Carruthers of La Papeterie Saint-Armand. DA Editor Don McLeod took it all in, and preserved the occasion for posterity in photographs!

A selection of award-winning designs published in 2017 and honoured by the Alcuin Society. Photo by Don McLeod.

A selection of award-winning designs published in 2017 and honoured by the Alcuin Society. Photo by Don McLeod.

Master of Ceremonies Chester Gryski and Coach House Books founder Stan Bevington examine the goods.

Master of Ceremonies Chester Gryski and Coach House Books founder Stan Bevington examine the goods. Photo by Don McLeod.

Grant Hurley of the Alcuin Society chats with engraver Wesley Bates.

Grant Hurley of the Alcuin Society chats with engraver Wesley Bates. Photo by Don McLeod.

The head table, with David Carruthers (left), David Phillips (president of the Arts and Letters Club), Grant Hurley in the background and Denise Lapointe, right. Photo by Don McLeod.

The head table, with David Carruthers (left), David Phillips (president of the Arts and Letters Club), Grant Hurley in the background and Denise Lapointe, right. Photo by Don McLeod.

David Carruthers and Denise Lapointe of the Papeterie Saint-Armand, Montreal. The Alcuin Society awarded them the 2017 Robert R. Reid Award and Medal for lifetime achievement or extraordinary contributions to the book arts in Canada.

David Carruthers and Denise Lapointe of the Papeterie Saint-Armand, Montreal. The Alcuin Society awarded them the 2017 Robert R. Reid Award and Medal for lifetime achievement or extraordinary contributions to the book arts in Canada. Photo by Don McLeod.

 

portraitThanks for tuning in to this peek at the Alcuin Society’s exciting awards ceremony. We hope you enjoyed seeing what went down!

Cheers,sig


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Devil’s Day Out: Coach House Wayzgoose 2018

Posted on September 4, 2018 by Devil's Artisan

Every year the fine folks at Coach House Books throw a party. Of course, the party has a funny-sounding name, but it is a name steeped in the rich tradition of literary publishing.

Typically, a wayzgoose is a party held by a printing house for its employees at the end of the summer season. No one seems to know precisely why or how the wayzgoose got its name, but suffice it to say it has the weight of history behind it!

The Coach House wayzgoose tends to be more of an informal gathering of those generally interested in bookish culture, whether they be printers, publishers, librarians, authors or book fans in general. It’s always a good opportunity for literary folks to mingle, and to have a little bit of fun before the craziness of the fall season descends.

DA Editor Don McLeod was at the 2018 Coach House Wayzgoose on August 30, and he took a few great snaps of the annual event.

 

Stan Bevington and Michael McClelland, ERA Architects

Stan Bevington and Michael McClelland, ERA Architects

Librarians from the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library, University of Toronto: Alex Carter, Liz Ridolfo, Natalya Rattan, David Fernandez

Librarians from the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library, University of Toronto: Alex Carter, Liz Ridolfo, Natalya Rattan, David Fernandez

Jack Illingworth and Allix Thompson of the Ontario Arts Council

Jack Illingworth and Allix Thompson of the Ontario Arts Council

Author and illustrator Evan Munday works the grill

Author and illustrator Evan Munday works the grill

Jay MillAr of Book*hug, with poet Paul Dutton

Jay MillAr of Book*hug, with poet Paul Dutton

Patrick Griffin of Canada Type, with lawyer Chester Gryski

Patrick Griffin of Canada Type, with lawyer Chester Gryski

Janis Ford of Ryerson University Library in the Magical Sleeper Chair

Janis Ford of Ryerson University Library in the Magical Sleeper Chair

 

portraitHope you enjoyed this peek at the festivities! It certainly looks like a great party to add to your must-attend list next summer. Many thanks as always to Don for his photographic excellence.

Cheers,sig


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The Devil's Artisan is remarkable in Canadian publishing in that most of the physical production of our journal is completed in-house at the shop on the Main Street of Erin Village. We print on a twenty-five inch Heidelberg KORD, typically onto acid-free Zephyr Antique laid. The sheets are then folded, and sewn into signatures on a 1907 model Smyth National Book Sewing machine.

To take a virtual tour of the pressroom, visit us at YouTube for a discussion of offset printing in general, and the operation of a Heidelberg KORD in particular. Other videos include Four Colour Printing, Smyth Sewing and Wood Engraving. Photographs of production machinery used on these pages were taken by Sandra Traversy on site at the printing office of the Porcupine's Quill, December 2008.

The Devil's Artisan would like to acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Magazine Fund (CMF) through the Support for Arts and Literary Magazines (SALM) component toward our editorial and production costs. Thanks, as well, for the generosity of the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, and the Sleeman Brewing Company.