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Perkolator Press is the imprint of Amy Pirkle, a book artist and letterpress printer born and raised in the deep South. Although Amy is a tried and true Georgia gal, Perkolator Press was established in Tuscaloosa, Alabama where she received her MFA in Book Arts degree in 2007. Amy currently prints in Gordo, Alabama, but still binds in her studio in Tuscaloosa. Relationships and memory are the primary inspirations for books printed at Perkolator Press, and particularly relationships and memories Amy shares with family members. Perkolator Press also prints texts by Southern writers whose work shares a similar theme. All books are designed, letterpress printed, and bound by hand in limited editions. |
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News:
Amy was the Master Printer in Residence for the Winter Residency in Letterpress at Penland School of Crafts, Asheville, NC for the months of January and February 2010. During that time, she worked closely with artists and writers on projects of their choosing, teaching fundamental letterpress skills, and facilitating the creations of edition work. She also printed two books during that time, which can be found on the newly updated Letterpress Books page.
Daily Bread and Byzantine Binding (Untitled) were selected to be included in 500 Handmade Books, Lark Books, a division of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., Asheville, NC. The book came out during 2008, and can be purchased via several online bookstores such as Barnes and Noble or Amazon.
Amy's work has been selected by juror Hedi Kyle for the 2010 exhibit Inventive Structures: Books Beyond the Codex. The exhibit will run from May 14-June 25 at Creative Arts Workshop in New Haven, Connecticut.
Amy had a solo exhibition in Thomson, Georgia from September-November 2009. The exhibit, titled Relativity: Artist’s Books by Amy Pirkle, was held at the McDuffie Museum, 121 Main Street, Thomson, GA 30824.
Amy's work is represented by Vamp and Tramp Booksellers, LLC, out of Birmingham, Alabama. Thanks to Bill and Vicky Stewart, her work has been purchased by numerous universities and libraries for their permanent collections. Click here for an updated collections list.
Book and Clamshell Box for First Lady Laura Bush:
Amy Pirkle and Steve Miller, the director of the MFA in the Book Arts at The University of Alabama, were commissioned to create a one-of-a-kind genealogy book and presentation box for First Lady Laura Bush in May 2007. Miller designed the text and printed the book, while Amy designed and constructed the binding and clamshell box. The First Lady was presented with two copies of the handbound book and clamshell box, one for her and one for her mother, at the First Lady's Luncheon in Washington, D.C.
(Above: a photo of Amy working on the First Lady's genealogy book.
Below: Laura Bush receives the book and clamshell boxes at the First Lady's Luncheon in May 2007)click here for older news and an exhibition list
site updated March 2010
