Words of Courage

Since 2011, I have been privileged to be a part of this collaboration between WITS (Writers in the Schools), Children's Hospital Pediatric Patients, and Letterpress Artists.
The young patients write the poems and the letterpress artists select one and design and print a broadside.

2021 Words of Courage

Pediatric patients from Children's Hospital write heartfelt or just plain fun poems and they are illustrated by a group of letterpress printers. I am honored to be a part of this project each year.

2020 Words of Courage

In 2020, I illustrated and printed "The Rat" by Lucy Watters, Age 7. I think the poem is so fun and found out after I designed the artwork that it was a family story that was told often in their household. Lusy, like me, loves animals and has written other poems featuring a variety of species. I wanted this broadside to be something that the family would want to hang on a wall, so the rat became part of the rose bush rather than a grotesque figure. This year was special to me because I set up my own printing shop in January and this was my first big letterpress project in my own space, using my own machines and newly acquired type. Then Covid hit and put things on hold for so many printers. I felt lucky. I could do the entire project except for cutting the paper. And then, serendipitously, in mid-May a beautiful old paper cutter showed up for sale in Aurora, Oregon. Road trip! A couple of days after that, I was able to complete "The Rat" and send early copies requested by poet Sierra Nelson, to Lucy and her family. Lucy passed away a few weeks later. She was in my thoughts the entire time I worked on this piece. I hope that she felt that her poem came to life.