HAMILTON WOOD TYPE AND PRINTING MUSEUM 1ST ANNUAL WAYZGOOSE

Originally posted by Colin Frazer on 12/10/2009.

A couple of weekends ago I had the privilege of attending Hamilton's 1st annual wayzgoose in lovely Two Rivers Wisconsin. There were about 70 of us in attendance and the place was bright, friendly and cheerful in a way I haven't found it on previous visits. Suffice to say that it was a total type dork-fest of the best kind. Talks included type designers Richard Kegler of P22, Mathew Carter, and Juliet Shen.

Great presentations - Richard Zauft proofing Matthew Carter's new only-in-wood "Van Lanan" type, Jim Moran, the Director of the Museum on Poster Woodblocks in the Museum's collection, Paul Brown on treasures from the museum and history of decorated type, and Norb Brylski, a long time employee of Hamilton, on cutting wood type.


Richard Zauft pulls the first proof of Van Lanen (nee Carter Latin) wood type.

Jim Moran shows off a freaky clown woodblock.

Norb Brylski expertly operates the Pantograph router.

There were plenty of other things going on including a screening of the documentary about the Museum called Typeface. And some nerdery with Chris Fritton about modern methods of making woodtype. Chris is using the "Holly-Wood" approach that might prove to be ultimately more cost effective and reproducable than my own approach of cutting end grain hardwood. Plenty more to come on that subject.

Matthew Carter took home a quilt square of his printed type that Chris and I made for him.

It was such a pleasure to meet fellow enthusiasts, in particular those that are making wood type their lives. Bill Moran, Artistic Director of the museum, Nick Sherman, a graduate of MassArt and wood type blogger, David Shields, professor of Design at Austin where the Rob Roy Kelley American Wood Type Collection is housed, and Paul Brown, Professor of design at Indiana University who gave me some great leads in my continuing research on Wm. H Page. It was also great to get to see my friend Greg Corrigan, former director of the museum.

Amish Pecan Pie.

The weather was gorgeous in Wisconsin for the weekend, I even went for a swim in lake Michigan, bought an amazing pecan pie from some nice Amish folks at the farmers market, and explored a bit of the countryside before heading back to catch a plane in Milwaukee. Looking forward to next year, and to the continued growth of and enthusiasm for the Hamilton Wood Type and Printing Museum.

Auxillary Bathroom parting shot.