Today we’d like to introduce you to Casey McGarr.
Casey has been published in numerous books highlighting letterpress printers/designers and most recently, Print Regional Design Annual 2016, Expression Tipogràfica-Spain. The published works include Ladies of Letterpress, Adventures in Letterpress, Letterpress now: A DYI Guide to New & Old Printing Methods, Vandercook 100, Celebrating 100 Artisans and 100 Years of Letterpress Printing on a Vandercook, Logo Lounge Volume 7, Big Book of Packaging, Uppercase Magazine, Little Book of Letterpress, and 1000 More Greetings.
Casey has worked as a professional designer for over 25 years acting as creative director, art director, and owner. He owns and operates a letterpress design and print shop “inky lips letterpress,” producing custom invitations and poster work for a variety of local, national and international clients, as well as, teaching educational workshops. His work has been recognized in national and international publications and gallery exhibitions.
His passion for typography led him to letterpress printing where he operates Inky Lips Letterpress. Inky Lips Letterpress prints the old fashion way with metal type, wood type, linoleum, and photopolymer. Casey designs and prints on two Vander cook proof presses. The shop has hundreds of metal fonts and 50 wood fonts that reside in ten type cabinets. He continues to hold workshops for local and regional attendees. Casey has also began making letterpress wood fonts with a CNC router which elevates the letterpress craft on a national venue.
Casey is an Associate Professor at Texas A&M University-Commerce, teaching in the Visual Communication Program at the Universities Center at Dallas campus. He teaches undergraduate Typography, Design 1, and Letterpress printing.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I’ve been a designer/ letterpress printer since 2001 producing posters, wedding invitation, business cards, and various other printed items. The studio has hundreds of metal and wood type to choose from. Posters are designed and printed using wood type or carved linoleum. Images and type are carved backwards so when printed it becomes right reading. I’ll print wedding invitations using photopolymer which brings new possibilities since photopolymer is produced by using a digital file and I can get creative with typography and image creation.
In 2012 I purchased a CNC Router and learned auto cad to produce wood type. There are only a handful of people in the United States producing wood type and I’m lucky to have learned those skills. The wood type is based on the same type specimens produced in the middle to late 1800’s. I’ve made a total of 28 typefaces and have sold to individuals across the country.
When I was a creative director at Fossil in the 1990’s we produced watch tins at Hatch Show Print and that’s where I got inspired. Pushing myself away from the computer and producing by hand with two vintage Vander cook printing press is very exhilarating.
I’ve also given workshop to individuals and small groups where they produce multiple posters and card using handset wood or metal type. The workshops allow freedom to create using type or vintage cuts in my type cabinets. Mixing ink, hand cranking the press that reveals a one of a kind print that puts a smile on everyone.
Artists face many challenges, but what do you feel is the most pressing among them?
I think all artists have their own creative process but for me it’s finding the time to brainstorm, conceptualize and produce.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
Anyone can go to www.inkylipspress.com to see a variety of poster work. There are a few books, the little Book of Letterpress, the ladies of letterpress, Vander cook 100, Letterpress Now, and The Adventures of Letterpress.
Contact Info:
- Address: 2708 Aspen Drive, McKinney, Texas 75070
- Website: inkylipspress.com
- Phone: 14692154091
- Email: casey@inkylipspress.com
- Instagram: inkylipspress
- Facebook: Inky Lips Letterpress
Image Credit:
Casey McGarr
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