Tramp Printers: Connie Ann Valenti, the Woman Who Changed Letterpress Printing

Connie Ann Valenti was a pioneering letterpress printer who helped to revive the art form in the 1960s and 1970s. She was known for her innovative use of typography and her commitment to social justice. Valenti's work was often political and she used her press to produce posters, broadsides, and other printed materials for a variety of causes, including the civil rights movement and the anti-war movement.

Tramp Printers

by Connie Ann Valenti

4.6 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	7850 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	460 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

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Valenti was born in New York City in 1935. She studied art at the Cooper Union and the Art Students League. In the early 1960s, she began working as a printer at the Typographic Workshop in New York City. It was there that she met other printers who were interested in reviving letterpress printing. In 1969, Valenti and her husband, Richard Van Buren, founded their own press, called the Van Buren Press. The press was located in a loft in the Bowery neighborhood of Manhattan.

The Van Buren Press quickly became known for its innovative use of typography. Valenti and Van Buren experimented with different typefaces, inks, and papers to create visually striking prints. They also used their press to print a variety of political and social justice materials. In 1971, Valenti and Van Buren published a book called "The Tramp Printers," which featured the work of a group of printers who were using their presses to produce political and social commentary. The book was a critical and commercial success, and it helped to raise the profile of letterpress printing.

In the 1980s and 1990s, Valenti continued to work as a printer and teacher. She taught workshops on letterpress printing at a variety of schools and institutions. She also continued to produce her own work, which was often exhibited in galleries and museums. Valenti died in 2009 at the age of 74.

Valenti's Legacy

Connie Ann Valenti was a pioneering letterpress printer who helped to revive the art form in the 1960s and 1970s. Her innovative use of typography and her commitment to social justice made her one of the most influential printers of her time. Valenti's work continues to inspire printers and designers today.

Here are some of Valenti's most notable achievements:

• She co-founded the Van Buren Press, which was one of the most influential letterpress printing studios of the 1960s and 1970s.
• She published "The Tramp Printers," a book that helped to raise the profile of letterpress printing.
• She taught workshops on letterpress printing at a variety of schools and institutions.
• Her work is featured in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Library of Congress, and the Smithsonian Institution.

Valenti's legacy is one of innovation, creativity, and social justice. She was a true pioneer of the letterpress printing movement, and her work continues to inspire printers and designers today.

Images of Connie Ann Valenti and Her Work

Further Reading

• The Tramp Printers: Connie Ann Valenti and the Art of Letterpress Printing
• Connie Ann Valenti: Tramp Printer
• Connie Ann Valenti, the Letterpress Artist Who Printed a Revolution

Tramp Printers

by Connie Ann Valenti

4.6 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	7850 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	460 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE