Val Lucas
BowerboxPress

Val Lucas became interested in letterpress printing and history after a semester class at the Maryland Institute College of Art. Shortly after graduating, she began finding presses, starting with a Colt's Armory. After spending several months fixing up the press and restoring it to working condition she began printing small woodcut cards and experimenting with a growing collection of metal type. In 2008 she started Bowerbox Press, and began selling greeting cards and prints at craft fairs, as well as doing custom letterpress printing and bookbinding.

Val enjoys fixing up old presses and saving equipment that might be overlooked by commercial printers, and continues to collect and restore presses. She also focuses on printing woodcuts, using birds, nature and patterns as inspiration for broadsides, cards and reduction prints.

The Raven, 15x21", woodcut and polymer plate, 2009.

Woodcut Cards, woodcut with hand-set type, 2008-2010
Portrait by Stuart Bradley.



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