Artist Biography
Laura Bentley is proprietor of Pinwheel Press in Seattle where she produces social stationery and limited-edition prints. She enjoys the focus on process and attention to detail that letterpress printing demands. Only partially joking, Laura feels like a childhood filled with drawing, Legos, and the Milton Bradley game Operation have prepared her well for the world of letterpress printing with handset type. Her current focus is using ornamental metal type to create pattern and illustrations.

Description of Process
Floral Fauxstage is entirely printed from handset metal type. Type originally designed in the early 20th century to print decorative borders is arranged to create playful mini-illustrations. Some compositions depict detailed patterns, while others illustrate tiny garden scenes. The delicate metal type was composed with tight registration, and layered in three passes on gummed paper using a Vandercook SP-15 proof press.
Created for Jessica Spring’s September 2022 “Printing, By Gum class” at Partners in Print, Floral Fauxstage pays whimsical homage to the tradition of postal stamps. Some of the floral-themed stamps show the faux price in “scents” and others are priced as “Forever” stamps.