Jan. Baxter Society meeting...to Vietnam and back...

We had a wonderful presentation this evening by David Wolfe of Wolfe Editions (a fine press shop here in Portland). David recently spent a month in Vietnam in part to visit, in part to teach and in part to learn of their printing techniques. He did an amazing presentation, richly illustrated with many, many photographs.

A particularly interesting tidbit, in a country that has had woodblock printing since...well...ever, there are only three etching presses. Three. In the entire country. There is not a single litho press. The result, says David, is that their etching press "style" is similar to 1950s/early 60s in this country...full of experimentation with the media, etc.

Of personal interest/amusement to me, David did his entire presentation using a video iPod directly into an LCD projector. Very slick and very funny. Here is a "bibliophilic" society, largely peopled by confirm paper lovers (that is, ambivalent at best toward technology). David brought his bleeding edge video iPod and its two cables (power and connector to the LCD) in an antique cigar box. Just this subtly bizarre blending of technology and old paper (and old culture). A great presentation on all levels.