"Girl Printers: Talented Women Strut Their Stuff!"
An Invitational Show Featuring Printing, Books and Ephemera
Made by Hand/ Made by Machine/ Made with Humor and Passion/
Showcasing 37 Girl Printers!
Buy the Catalogue

Union College, Schenectady, New York
August 28 through December 7, 2003

Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts
January 14 through March 28, 2004

Curated by Carol J. Blinn, Proprietor of Warwick Press
Assisted by Meg Sanders

[All of the women printers in the show at Union College were represented at
Smith College, with the addition of Barbara Blumenthal/Catawba Press. Due to
space restrictions, only 93 of the original pieces displayed at Union were
at Smith but the overall scope and wonderful varieties of work were
retained.]

"Girl Printers" showcases professional work done by thirty-seven women printers. The aim of the show is to introduce college students and the visiting public to a wide variety of ephemeral and substantive printing and book arts work done by a sampling of women from across the United States. With tongue-in-cheek, the title of the show reflects that we are strong, we are talented and we are part of a great tradition of women printers, going back to the beginning of the development of movable type.
As curator of the show, Carol J. Blinn is in a perfect position to gather together such special talents. She has been designing with type, illustrating, letterpress printing, binding by hand, publishing books and doing commercial printing work for thirty years. Many of the women in the show she counts as friends and some have been highly recommended by others in the book arts field. All are professionals, some at the beginnings of their careers and some far along the printing path. All have stories to tell.
Part of the show revolves around their answers to a long list of questions sent by Carol to each participant. Every printer has a love of a different tool; each one approaches the joys of making art with various methods; every printer tells of mentors or childhood-learned skills that helped her along the way; each printer addresses typefaces used; several printers wrote about their personal triumphs in running shop equipment; many of the printers have an opinion on being treated differently just because they are women; and every one of the printers explains her life's work as work she could not live without.
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As each questionnaire arrives I am struck by how varied but connected our stories are. The gathering of this information has helped me feel less alone, less odd and more energized at doing my life's work. I am touched beyond measure by the honesty, professionalism, determination and humor of all the printers involved. Putting this show together has been my rare pleasure and privilege. I urge those reading this to come to Union College and see how talented these printers are and to read their extraordinary words.

Carol J. Blinn, Curator and proprietor of Warwick Press
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List of Women participating:
Edith McKeon Abbott, Lynne Avadenka, Roberta L. Bannister, Carol J. Blinn, Mare Blocker, Inge Bruggeman, Jean Beuscher, Kathryn Clark, Maralyn Crosetto, Marie Dern, Elsi Vassdal Ellis, Leslie Evans, Jules Remedios Faye, Julia Ferrari, Madelyn Garrett,, Sally Green, Robin Heyeck, Kate Hitt, Jeannie M. Hunt, Susan E. King, Karen Kunc, Emily Martin, Ruth McGurk, Bonnie Pratt O'Connell, Sara Parkel, Marian Parry, Robin Price, Karen Pava Randall, Coriander Reisbord, Felicia Rice, Sarah Roberts, Katherine McCanless Ruffin, Jenny Sapora, Carol Schwartzott, Sandra Tilcock, Claire Van Vliet, and Kathy Walkup.