The pollen record of Dartmoor is captured in three distinct formats in our new collection, On the record. I've had my head in scientific papers for several months researching this work. The project started with a mild feeling of uneasiness reading a popular book about land use and forests in the UK. The book suggested that Dartmoor had always been forested, which didn't match my understanding.
A little scratching, a little sniffing (and a lot of support from friendly scientists) and I found nearly a dozen research papers on the pollen record of Dartmoor that had been conveniently ignored. Our latest collection, On the record, draws on these scientific reports to recount the untidy (and perhaps inconvenient) pollen record of Dartmoor. Those reading between the lines (and from 10,000ft up) may also see glimpses of themes I've been grappling with during this project. Namely, what is the role of art in activism, curiosity, and convenient truth.
The collection is presented three formats: broadsheet, fine art, and chapbook. Details on each follow.
Broadsheet
A broadsheet is an olde-time-y print format. Usually "oversized", and nearly always single-sided. They are a technical feat to accomplish on our 1910 treadle press.
This is our third A4 broadsheet, and our fussiest to print to date. As soon as they're dry and numbered, I'll pop them up on the website.
Fine Art
Traditional "art on wall". The colour work is the chemical play of ink made from oak galls foraged on Dartmoor, as well as their modifiers. Their working titles are listed below the images.
Three of these works will be in the highly regarded Delamore Art show. This month-long juried exhibition is held in May at the Delamore Estate in Cornwood, just outside Ivybridge. We are delighted to have been accepted for this event. Some of our smaller works will also be available in their café gift shop...but only for the month of May!
Chapbooks
Finally, I've started the process of hand setting my longest piece to date. It's a little over 2000 words. (It was meant to be 1000...and then I got carried away.) This essay will be released as a chapbook -- a short book of 24 pages. Letterpress printed throughout, and limited to 100 copies, it will be absolutely sublime. The cover will be hand-dyed russet using windfall willow branches we've collected in Princetown. Preorders are now open, if you'd like to secure your copy now for £35. Anticipated shipping date is late April 2026.
Next week, more on the chapbook book layout and some of the books we used as inspiration.