In Classes

LETTERPRESS BASICS & BEYOND

An in-depth, hands-on class exploring letterpress typesetting & printing fundamentals and innovations at the MANCOS COMMON PRESS in Mancos, Colorado. 

Taught by Jamie Karolich & Rosie Carter 

No experience necessary – open to ages 16 and up

Letterpress Basics & Beyond will explore the history,
versatility and techniques of letterpress typesetting
and printing, training students for doing their own
future work and/or teaching letterpress classes
themselves, expanding the pool of knowledgeable
teachers and artists working out of the Mancos
Common Press.

DATES: July 30th – August 8th 

  • IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION will be held over two weekends for a total of 36 hours: July 30-Aug. 1 and Aug. 6-8 10am-5pm each day with a 1-hour lunch break. Both weekends are required. 
  • OPEN STUDIO hours for one-on-one assistance and independent work will be available to students Aug. 2-5 

TUITION: $600/student includes: 

  • 36 hours of class instruction 
  • 32 hours of Open Studio access and one-on-one assistance
  • A binder of class instructional materials Mancos Common Press facilities
  • Open House to share student work with the public 
  • An evening slideshow featuring innovative letterpress work from around the country 

CLASS SIZE: limited to 6 students

Students will provide their own transportation, lodging and food for the duration of the class

Rosie Carter and Jamie Karolich standing inside the Mancos Common Press
Instructors Rosie Carter and Jamie Karolich
Examples of letterpress prints created at the Press
Examples of letterpress prints created at the Press

TOPICS COVERED – will be demonstrated and put into practice through small collaborative projects. Students will leave with a small portfolio of printed works. 

  • Press cleaning and maintenance – basics for everyday use on both presses 
  • Paper Cutter Maintenance and cleaning – basic use 
  • Typesetting basics – possibly moving into more advanced techniques as the week 

progresses 

  • Ink mixing 
  • Adjusting Roller Height on both presses Adjusting Packing on both presses 
  • Registration for multi-color prints – type and relief – on both presses 
  • Makeready for both presses 
  • Die cutting demo
  • Experimental Techniques if time allows

To Enroll In The Class

Please contact Rosie to reserve a spot in the class.

[email protected]

970-739-8997 

Tuition must be paid in full to hold a spot – checks made out and mailed to

Mancos Common Press 

PO Box 223 

Mancos, CO 81328 

The Instructors

Jamie Karolich works within questions, musing on line, repetition, relationships and layered histories, exploring chance and control to create delicate, graphic compositions. Through her work, she creates spaces and moments of pause for the viewer to rest, reflect and engage. Jamie’s studio practice stems from observing and documenting patterns and forms in the built and natural worlds and takes shape through drawing, painting, and printmaking. 

After earning a BFA in printmaking from Eastern Kentucky University, Jamie spent two years at Penland School of Craft as a Core Fellow with a focus in print, books, and papermaking. Jamie has spent the past 5 years as the Print Production Manager at Power and Light Press in Silver City, NM. Jamie has participated in residency programs at Penland School of Craft, Arrowmont School of Craft, Wells College, Kinston smART, and Western New Mexico University. Jamie enjoys engaging the public through interactive print projects. 

Rosie Carter works in a variety of media, all with a focus on exploring the history and environment of the Colorado Plateau where she lives. She utilizes salvaged wire and found metal scraps to create sculptural pieces; charcoal, pen & ink, and paint to create abstract works on paper in an ongoing investigation of rocks; and screen printing and letterpress to create functional art and prints. Rosie also writes and shares essays, connecting to community and exploring ideas on how humans relate to the natural world. 

Primarily a self-taught artist, Rosie grew up in a family of artists and entrepreneurs who placed a high value on innovation and imagination. Her father, Thayer Carter (printmaker and painter) has been her primary teacher since she was young. Rosie has lived in southwest Colorado since 1994

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