Moveable Type - Literally!

In this video Kyle (the blonde in the middle) is setting type in a chase to see if it will fit on the Platten press to my left. Eventually she had to move her project to the sign press on my right. This is a great view of her studio space including her furniture cabinet - which has a door! - her two presses and the number of people straining to catch a glimpse.

Last week I had the opportunity to meet the brave and beautiful Kyle Durrie of Power and Light Press at a Holland Reno event. If you've ever heard of Drive By Press, who came to Reno last year, this is a similar story of taking printing on the road.
When I first heard of someone taking an entire letterpress print shop on the road I was puzzled and impressed. Larger than people and weighing as much as a ton, letterpress machines are not what I would call portable. Transporting these ancient and heavy presses often costs thousands of dollars and Kyle had announced that she would be traveling all over the country! Needless to say, I was entranced.

The print I pulled with Kyle and her lovely business card

Moveable Type did not let me down. There was an epic amount of workshop space inside the linen truck Kyle had converted with custom cabinetry to hold not only some beautiful little presses, the likes of which I have never seen, but all her furniture, type, leading paper and even some plates. It was really a dream on wheels.
Though Power and Light Press is in Oregon, Kyle will be giving demonstrations at schools, museums, and workshop spaces all over the United States. Already she has been all over Washington, at the Hamilton Type Museum, and San Francisco. If you are close to one of her confirmed destinations (or en route to one!) there is a place on her website to request her visit! Yes, that's right - if it isn't too far out of the way you might be able to get Moveable Type in your own hometown! More information can be found here.