Lucille Clifton, writ large

From time to time, we highlight the work of Kingston, Washington, based Expedition Press, which creates beautiful letterpress renditions of poetry. While most of Myrna Keliher’s work is on the scale of cards, books, and broadsides, she sometimes ventures into larger prints.

In fact, Publishers Weekly last week featured some of Expedition’s really-big work in “Expedition Press Delivers Poetry on a Grand Scale.” Expedition’s 40-foot-long plywood mural shares Lucille Clifton’s words, “i continue to continue.”

The huge piece was exhibited at the American Booksellers Association Winter Institute in February and will be on display this week at the AWP Conference. Attendees can also find Expedition Press at booth 1341 at the AWP Bookfair.

Tuesday lunch with Expedition Press

Expedition Press, in Kingston, Washington, creates gorgeous letterpress prints of poetry. On Tuesdays at 12:30pm, Myrna Keliher, the owner, artist, and pressperson at Expedition, offers a reading of a favorite poem along with some personal musings. Think of it as an amuse-bouche for your lunch hour. It’s free and live on Instagram or visit the Expedition Press website. The Poetry Lunch series continues every Tuesday through December 13, 2022.

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photo: Expedition Press 3x3ft linocut inspired by “The Crossing” by Jericho Brown and printed with a steamroller at Wayzgoose Kitsap

Make Awake

“MAKE AWAKE” was created as part of Myrna Keliher’s debut interdisciplinary art show, “Awake,” at Core Gallery, Seattle in June 2017. The limited-edition linocut, along with scores of other Cascadia-author broadsides and books, was printed by Expedition Press in Kingston, Washington.

The words seem an apt salute to the New Year. All best from The Poetry Department for a richly poetic 2019.