printmaking – T E Shepherd

The future is in print

Thomas — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 22:52:00 +0000

Whilst I was busy having the mad day that was yesterday, Emma kindly went back over to the antique and junk shop in Waddesdon to buy the Adana presses that we saw on Tuesday. For a nice round tenner, I now have two Adana Eight-Fives and an Adana No.2 HS and a box of frames and runners for compositing. I wanted them to play with a view to using them do wood/lino cuts but after researching them a bit on t’internet I’m now getting seduced by the oodles of letterpress sets you can get for them off of ebay.

My future as a Web Designer

Thomas — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 22:05:00 +0000

Today has been quite a day; a really good day. Shortly after 9 o’clock I got a call on my mobile – private number. This is it, I thought. And it was; one of my interviewers from yesterday. I was sure that they were going to tell me the usual story; that I was very good, had some brilliant skills but that someone else had been offered an accepted. No. This time, that person was me. I’m still not entirely sure if I really believe it, even now. I have a permenant job, 2½ years later. It’s brilliant. As Emma has said tonight, ‘I’ve got a husband with a permanent job!’

Tongiht we went out to celebrate with a meal. We decided to try out the new restaurant in Bicester in the converted chapel. Trintity, Bicester is a really nice place. Excellent food and friendly service. A great night out…

Printing’r’Us

Thomas — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 17:44:00 +0000

Have just seen in a little antique shop some of these Adana printing machines. Apparently there’s a ‘box of stuff’ that goes with them, and the whole lot could be mine for a tenner. I’m seriously considering it – although (does he still frequent these pages?) might be able to help me out with some advice along the do’s and the don’t’s line of things. I’m not sure what state they are in but they do look in largely working order, and I’m particularly attracted by the sprung lever type of mechanism its got. Could be a nice way of getting those wood/lino cuts done that I’ve been meaning to try my hand at.

The Agony of the Waiting

Thomas — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 10:24:00 +0000

I’ve cancelled my printing press order. I was sick in the stomach and full of butterflies last night. It’s an expensive purchase, no more expensive than I had expected, and budgeted for out of Grandpa’s inheritance, so I had no worries there. The worries are that it would clean me out of my savings at a time when my current contract comes up for renewal at the end of the month and I haven’t yet had it confirmed if it’s being renewed or not.

Whilst I don’t want to spend this money on living (it would barely cover one month of missing salary), I can’t leave myself completely out of a safety net. Last night I talked to Em about it and she reassured me that whatever happens I will get my printing press whatever happens, even if we both have to save up for it to replenish any used funds.

I will have my lasting memory to Grannie and Grandpa.

The Twelfth day of Christmas (The Print Room cometh)

Thomas — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 11:54:00 +0000

After a slightly more expensive (but no less worth it) kitchen than hoped for there is sadly not much left from Grandpa’s small legacy, however I have just ordered the main ‘legacy gift’ to myself â a intaglio etching press to go in the (rapidly taking shape) Print Room. It will take 4-6 weeks for delivery but after then, I’ll be back in business, 15 years after finishing at University, etching my way through life.

(I’ll need to get a small brass plaque I think, to affix to the press, in memory of my Grannie and Grandpa Shepherd…)

In memory of Grandpa

Thomas — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:14:00 +0000

Oh. My. God. I wasnât expecting that. Iâve just got home and opened my post, and from a plain white envelope out drops a cheque – for Â£14,283! The letter is from my uncle. He has finished finalising my Grandpaâs estate and this is my share of whatâs left. Iâm stunned, and shocked and taken aback. I knew that it was coming, but even so, not this much.

Iâm also not entirely sure how to feel about this. Itâs a very welcome sum of money, but I canât help thinking that it comes at the cost of Grandpaâs life. I will probably be sensible and use some of the money to pay for a new kitchen for our new house but I am also determined to have something for me that is a permanent reminder of Grandpa. Therefore the garage of our new house will hence-forth be known as The Print Room, and I shall buy myself an etching press like this one:

Grandpa was always a very practical kind of person, liking his photography and his woodwork, so I figure that something like this that is proper engineering and not the latest tech-gadget will be a proper lasting memory. I think I might even get a small brass plate engraved for it.

Grandpa, I will remember you forever.