Whittington & Matrix in America

Illustrated Fine Printing: Whittington & Matrix in America explores the historical significance of the publication for artists working in the US. Organized and edited by Barbara Henry, this publication includes contributions from John Randle, Miriam Macgreggor, and Barbara Henry herself.

This exhibition catalog focuses on the Whittington Press and its influential annual, Matrix, which provides an important platform for typographical dialog on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. Ten American artists who have contributed articles and illustrations to Matrix will be featured, as well as English and European artists who have written and illustrated books for the Whittington Press.

Miriam Macgregor, Hellmuth Weissenborn, Howard Phipps, John Craig and Judith Verity have worked closely with the Press, producing wood engravings, pochoir, and linocut illustrations for finely printed editions. John Randle and his wife Rose, proprietors of The Whittington Press, have created an environment where author, artist and printer, punchcutter and typecaster can work separately and together to explore their skills, nurturing each other through the vehicle of Matrix’s varied pages.

American artists include Lowell Bodger, Carolee Campbell, Sandy Connors, Robin Heyeck, Jerry Kelly, Stan Nelson, Theo Rehak, Abigail Rorer and Gaylord Schanilec working in media that run the gamut of the book arts from calligraphy to creating type, from wood engraving to paper marbling and binding.