Marit Brandsnes

How long have you been printing?

2018

Describe your first encounter with letterpress

I had my own little rubber stamp print shop kit as a kid. Maybe that was the start of it? If not, it must have been the windmill exhibited in the foyer where I studied and great professors talking about the craft.

Where did you learn?

Mostly self-taught and by asking a lot of questions to older printers and typesetters. I have also been volunteering at The Norwegian Newspaper museum - Fjeld-Ljom. The older volunteers have been sharing their knowledge gladly. It's been so valuable to learn from those who really know their craft.

Do you prefer to work alone or with others?

I love to teach letterpress to others. The collaboration between the creativity of my students and their wishes for results always pushes my knowledge. I love that!

When do your best ideas occur to you?

Way too late at night...

If you could study with any printer throughout history, who would it be?

I think it must be Christian Holtermann Knudsen. A norwegian yypograph and printer who founded the norwegian labor party. He saved the typographic union, it is the oldest union to this day in Norway. He started his own newspaper and had his own printshop. And he did all the hard work himself with his wife.

If you have your own shop, what equipment do you own?

I have a small printshop in my back yard. It has a Golding pearl no 3 and a big a## showcard press (almost 50x70). But I also run "the Workshop". It has a great selection of presses and equipment. I can mention a Windmill, a Grafix GX0, 2 golding pearls, tabletop proofing presses, other different platen presses and cylinder presses. It has a variety of lead type and some wood type. Some finishing and bookbinding tools and a hot foil press.

If you could change one thing about your shop, what would it be?

The opportunity to be there even more!