Flying an Etching Press to Indianapolis part two

 Kris's new press is finished. A converted 1903 antique that will soon be crated up and sent to the airport..

Flying an Etching Press to Indianapolis part one..

 The press is almost finished and now there is paperwork for Customs clearance at Chicago Airport and the crate to be built and then off to the big bird at Auckland Airport and into Kris's studio in Indianapolis.
Sounds easy, kinda is but takes some time..

A New Press in the Making

This press is going to a print maker in Indianapolis. It is being made from scratch from an antique style that Kris chose. I have not converted one of this particular style before and it has it's own challenges which makes life interesting.. The casting of the frames is slightly curved at the back and I must fit frames to it without a curve; straight and parallel. The job is keeping me on my toes, best foot forward and all that - how one can be on one's toes and have the best foot forward at the same time is a puzzle I shall no doubt enjoy solving... Do stay tuned for the next installment of...

Flying an Antique Etching Press to Copenhagen part 2

Building a crate as light and as strong as possible around a heavy cast iron press was in itself a creative job

 Then driving it up to Auckland airport early on a Monday morning through Auckland traffic was a test of my patience. I'm afraid I got a low score, patience is not one of my gifts..
Three days later Mikala has it delivered to her studio on a barge in a Copenhagen Canal. Job done

 And here is Mister Press in place in Mikala's floating studio, assembled and ready to work.

Flying an Antique Etching Press to Copenhagen

 The free standing press above is sold to a Danish artist, Mikala Valeur and I have been busy crating it for the flight from Auckland to Copenhagen via Emirates Freight. Building the crate for it and having it protected from any possible shock or harm has been this week's creative journey.
 I like doing things I have never done before and this one was "How the hell am I going to get that as small as possible and as light as possible and protected to survive a fall from a forklift onto concrete as a worst case scenario" type of gig. Each night I have gone to bed with some unsolved problem in the next step of the crating and protection of the press and each morning as I lay in half sleep/half awake mode the perfect idea comes to me for that day's work. That experience, that unfolding, has been very interesting and I felt that I was being led or that I had managed to allow my subconscious to work properly instead of my (former) stress and worry routine.
I have had to use all of my brain and quite enjoyed the experience and I greatly admire Mikala's faith in me which is cool. Her art work is awesome also, check it out at 100percentvaleur, the name of her site

Table Top Etching Press For Sale enquiries, johnmulvay@gmail.com

 Another restored antique ..Press bed 465 x 800, complete with felts