Printing the page
'Experimentation breeds expertise, and amateurism breeds passion.'
– Carolyn Fraser
About this video
Marian Crawford discusses the work of the Print Council of Australia (PCA) and the sociable and collaborative process of printing itself.
Carolyn Fraser talks about the golden age of amateur journalism in the USA that began in 1867 with the advent of small and inexpensive printing presses, and discusses the enduring influence of hobby journalists in our political and intellectual life.
Francesca Sasnaitis reads a poem after talking about her collaborations with visual artists and their exploration of themes including cultural erosion, grief and mourning.
Francesca and Marian take turns reading out poems written, hand-set and printed by participants in the all-day Printing the page workshop held at the Library in May 2016. The final moments of this video show hand-printed poems in the bound book created by workshop participants.
More to explore
- World of the book (formerly Mirror of the world) free exhibition
- The State Library's Des Cowley discusses artists' books
- Our Artists' books collection
- Our Private press collection
- 'Postcard from Printing the page,' in IMPRINT, PCA's online magazine
Speakers
Marian Crawford, Print Council of Australia (PCA)
Carolyn Fraser, State Library Victoria
Francesca Sasnaitis, poet