Alexander and The Poet/Printer Tradition
Alexander's ongoing work with Chax Press is informed by a tradition of poet/printers that includes William Blake, William Morris, and Robert Creeley. He learned many fine arts bookmaking techniques studying with Walter Hamady at the University of Wisconsin Department of Fine Arts in Madison, Wisconsin during the late seventies and early eighties, a time of particular ferment in the book arts, whose culminating moment was the presentation of Breaking the Bindings: American Book Art Now by the Elvehjem Museum in Madison. This was the first museum-scale book arts exhibition in the United States; Alexander was the lead writer on a team that wrote the introduction to the exhibition catalogue.
Read more about this topic: Charles Alexander (poet And Book Artist)
Famous quotes containing the words poet, printer and/or tradition:
“The poet is like the prince of the clouds
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Exiled on the ground in the midst of jeers,
His giant’s wings prevent him from walking.”
—Charles Baudelaire (1821–1867)
“Although then a printer by trade, he listed himself in this early directory as an antiquarian. When he was asked the reason for this he replied that he always thought every town should have at least one antiquarian, and since none appeared for the post, he volunteered.”
—For the State of Iowa, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)
“In former years it was said that at three o’clock in the afternoon all sober persons were rounded up and herded off the grounds, as undesirable. The tradition of insobriety is still carefully preserved.”
—For the State of Vermont, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)