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semplepress.bsky.social
Semple Press
@semplepress.bsky.social
160 followers 210 following 54 posts
Rachel Marsh: letterpress printer, writer, and designer, artists books, archive dweller, lichen enthusiast, PhD candidate at UWE and Bucks Mills (never bored)
https://linktr.ee/semplepress
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semplepress.bsky.social
This is the information I’ve been looking for!
October 4, 2025 at 10:51 AM
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ellipticalnight.bsky.social
on the drying grass in the park under falling leaves with Pattern-book by @eireannmor.bsky.social
SONNET FOR THE SECOND- LANGUAGE SPEAKER What is a word? — Depends on who you ask. For instance, in the rigid Flemish taal, so many things that feel like words don't pass, and my sprung language doesn't work at all. My sentences are yet another place where stringent rule-embracers don't agree: to me, an error shows the second face of grammar. The mistakes are what I mean. The thing I value most in any line— drawn, made, wrote, thought, in fantasy or fact— is flexibility: that, like a spine, the art supports the mind by which it's maked. What use is language flattened, dried in books? Our language lives most when it is mistook.
October 3, 2025 at 7:30 PM
semplepress.bsky.social
Acrobat: ✨ This appears to be a long document. Save time by reading a summary
Me: No thanks — I’ll find connections that you, ai assistant, will not

Relieved to say that after closing the oh-so-helpful banner in acrobat waaaaay too many times, I finally found a way to switch off ai in preferences
October 1, 2025 at 11:18 AM
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sarahbodman.bsky.social
The new call for entries for the Herzog August Bibliothek Artist’s Book Prize 2026 is now open. Create a new work in response to the collection. Prize: €6,000 plus a four-week residency at HAB in Wolfenbüttel, Germany. Application deadline: 31st December 2025. Info at:
www.hab.de/en/artists-b...
Image: Acheiropoieta by Clifton Meador (2020). A picture of a woman from photographs in the collection, reworked in colour.
September 29, 2025 at 10:38 AM
semplepress.bsky.social
New blogpost alert: Mary Stella Edwards and “The Immortal Hour”… or my theory on how the Celtic revival gave (imaginative) people in the last century the imagery to rethink their connections to the natural world

acklandandedwardstrust.co.uk/mary-stella-...
Mary Stella Edwards and “The Immortal Hour” - Ackland And Edwards Trust
The importance of The Immortal Hour on Mary Stella Edwards poetry and connection to the natural world – and its relation to the faery realm
acklandandedwardstrust.co.uk
September 24, 2025 at 12:05 PM
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johndilnot.bsky.social
Small Publishers Fair
October 2022

The fair is coming up again soon 24-25 Oct 2025
Conway Hall, Red Lion Square London WC1R 4AL

#smallpublishers #artistsbooks #handprinted #smallpublishersfair2025 #screenprinting
September 18, 2025 at 12:32 PM
semplepress.bsky.social
I’ve been learning how to make #letterpress ink from #earthpigments and laked botanicals. It’s taken some time! Now working on a concertina artist book with #woodtype and #metaltype. The earth pigments come from my garden and local beaches, & (so far) #lakepigments from onion skins and blackberries
Detail of a Letterpress print made with woodtype and metal type. Print favours shapes of letters and type overlaps over readability
September 14, 2025 at 2:02 PM
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sarahbodman.bsky.social
Our World Book Night 2025 Talk to the Trees | Listen to the Trees artworks have been packed, addressed and stamped for 200+ recipients. Two boxes of post are leaving tomorrow. Next year will be mountains, details of the call will be in the September-October Book Arts Newsletter. Will you join us?
The back of a beautiful keepsake produced by Rachel Marsh of Semple Press. Rachel’s special edition for participants - Mycelial Whispers, is letterpress printed in PaperWise (made from agricultural crop waste) dyed with oak gall modified with iron and soda ash. A table full of envelopes and postage stamps being assembled. A table full of postage stamps and envelopes being assembled. The front of a beautiful keepsake produced by Rachel Marsh of Semple Press. Rachel’s special edition for participants - Mycelial Whispers, is letterpress printed in PaperWise (made from agricultural crop waste) dyed with oak gall modified with iron and soda ash.
August 8, 2025 at 5:08 PM
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sarahbodman.bsky.social
Artist commission opp UK: exploring artists’ books held at @britishlibrary.bsky.social alongside works in @leedsmuseums.bsky.social sculpture collection that employ the medium of the book as a sculptural object. Info on link, deadline to apply 29 Aug:
museumsandgalleries.leeds.gov.uk/collections-...
Collections in Dialogue: An Artist Co-Commission Call Out
The British Library and Leeds Art Gallery seek to commission an artist or artist collective based in the Yorkshire and Humber area. This commission will culminate in the creation of new work by the ar...
museumsandgalleries.leeds.gov.uk
August 5, 2025 at 10:37 AM
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aswirl.bsky.social
The submission window for the autumn issue closes on Friday! Last chance to send in your short, minimal & concrete poems for publication in aswirl 🌀🍂
July 28, 2025 at 7:07 AM
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stwsociety.bsky.social
Announcing a conference in London in May 2026, to mark the centenary of Lolly Willowes, Sylvia's first and best-known novel.
townsendwarner.com/lolly-willow...
Detail of the 2016 Siruela (Spanish) edition of Lolly Willowes, showing a cat with the title written on its white chest.
July 20, 2025 at 10:40 PM
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brihughespoet.bsky.social
INCREDIBLY excited to share the line up for the Hydropoetry in Practice conference! Join us at Royal Holloway or online on 30th July 🌊🌊🌊 www.eventbrite.com/e/hydropoetr...
Poster text reads: HYDROPOETRY IN PRACTICE 30TH JULY 2025 HYBRID / ROYAL HOLLOWAY KEYNOTE PERFORMERS: ROYAL HOLLOWAY UNIVERSITY OF LONDON UNIVERSITY of York Poetics Research Centre Royal Holloway HUMANITIES & ARTS RESEARCH — NSTITUTE / MARAMA SALSANO: 'KO WAI AU? WHOSE WATERS DO I DESCEND FROM?' / KATIE HART POTAPOFF: 'A RETURN TO THE CROOK IN MY ELBOW' / KARAN CHAMBERS: 'WHAT THE WATER GAVE US: FEMINIST HYDROPOETICS AND THE REIMAGINING OF FOLKLORE' / CONEFFLUENTS: 'LEAKY INSTRUMENTS: HOSTING, TOOLS, AND POROSITY AT CHANNELSEA RIVER' / AYESHA HAMEED & DESIRE MULLA: 'A GLOSSARY OF AFTERLIVES OF TRANS-ATLANTIC SLAVERY' / ANITA SLATER: 'A POETICS OF GUIDANCE: THINKING THROUGH WATER AND GUIDEBOOKS' / JENNIFER HOWITT: 'ENTER FEN' / SUPRIYA KAUR DHALIWAL: 'AGAINST LISTENING: AN ANTI-RIVER MANIFESTO' / RACHEL MARSH: LETTING THE COLLOIDAL SUSPENSION SETTLE' / KATIE MCGETTIGAN: 'WATER/PAPER/WATER' / MONTENEGRO FISHER: 'FLUID GEOMETRIES' / HELENA HUNTER: 'ALGAE POETICS: PRACTICE RESEARCH WITH POETRY AND MARINE SCIENCE' / TUSSHARA NALAHUMAR SRILATHA: 'WAYS TO SUMMON WATER' / LIZ KENDALL: 'THE BRIDGE OF POETRY: MEMORY AS MOTIVATION FOR CLIMATE ACTION' / CHARLIE MILLS: 'UNDERFLOWAN' / IRIZAIDA NAVAR: 'RITUAL PARA QUE LLUEVA' / BECCA DRAKE & GAIA BLANDINA: 'RESURFACING THE KING'S POOL, A COLLABORATIVE SOUND PERFORMANCE' / TAMSYN CHALLENGER: 'WATER WORKS' / VERITY ROWSELL: 'OCEANIC BODIES' / 9.30AM - 6.00PM: CHESTNUTS LECTURE THEATRE ROVAL HOLLOWAY ECHAM CAMPUS Register via Eventbrite / Contact briony.hughes@rhul.ac.uk with any questions
July 3, 2025 at 5:53 PM
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sarahbodman.bsky.social
Art Crossing Borders with Artists' Books: Bristol Welcoming Brazil. An exhibition of works by São Paulo-based study group “Artists' books, book-objects: among traces and effacement.”. Curated and produced by Fabíola Notari. Bower Ashton Library, for info visit:
www.bookarts.uwe.ac.uk/livrosdearti...
Poster for an exhibition of artists books from Brazil at Bower Ashton Library in Bristol, UK.
July 3, 2025 at 10:04 AM
Reposted by Semple Press
heyastranaut.bsky.social
Would any of you be interested in a bi-annual visual poetry newspaper? 🤔
June 17, 2025 at 9:40 AM
Reposted by Semple Press
resurgencetrust.bsky.social
Hartland Book Festival

Saturday 14 June • 10am-3pm • Hartland Parish Hall, EX39 6BL

Join us for a fabulous fun-filled day at #Hartland #Book #Festival — a #FREE community event celebrating local authors and the joy of #reading.

Find out more & book workshops > resurgenceevents.org/hartlandbook...
Hartland Book Festival - #FREE ENTRY Saturday 14 June 2025 10am — 3pm Hartland Parish Hall, EX39 6BL & Resurgence Centre, EX39 6BS HARTLAND BOOK FESTIVAL PROGRAMME: SATURDAY 14 JUNE Cartoon & Illustration Workshop with Joseph Witchall 10.30am - 12.30pm at Hartland Parish Hall A playful drawing session for ages 5+, including live demos from the creator of the Verdy picture books. Tickets: £5 Earth Book Workshop 10.30am - 12.30pm at St Johns Chapel in the Square Make books, paint and/or write a message to the natural world using inks made from earth pigments and botanicals. Tickets £5 Guided Nature Walk: Xenia — Meeting Our New Floral Neighbours with Pete Yeo 10am -12pm Meet at the book festival, Hartland Parish Hall. Discover the cultural and ecological stories of plants that have made Hartland their home_ Tickets: £8 Creative Writing Workshop with Cheryl Silvawood 10am - 11.30am at The Resurgence Centre Using nature-inspired observation and live music, this workshop helps you unlock your inner writer. Tickets: £15 / £10 concessions Sounding Lounge with Evolving Events 12 - 1.30pm at The Resurgence Centre A creative space where you can share your love for literature. Bring a poem, an excerpt from a short story or a verse you've written. FREE, suggested donation. Poetry Performance by Charlotte Faulconbridge 'Mad to be Normal' 2 - 2.30pm at The Parish Hall Charlotte Faulconbridge is an autistic and chronically ill prize-winning poet, #1 Amazon bestselling author, musician and TEDx speaker. FREE, suggested donation. To book workshops and events visit: resurgenceevents.org/hartlandbookfest2025
June 13, 2025 at 12:54 PM
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literaturegeek.bsky.social
I used actual 15th-century dog names from Scott-McNab’s edition of “Names of All Manners of Hounds” for this print using some of the dog letterpress blocks I’ve collected. “Beste-of-all” uses the tol Maple (my “good freend”) I lasercut, of course. + #DHmakes
Photo of a letterpress print using Old English and Centaur fonts, and various metal and wood dog illustration blocks, inked in black on olive-green paper. The text reads in somewhat inaccurate mock late Middle English: "Dogges Names of Olde" followed by names over each of 6 dog illustrations (Rudynowgh, Gourmande, Merymowthe, Pretyman, Havegooday, Beste-of-all) and captions under each: "This dogge may have a litel of youre mele, a treat." "This hound hath lengere legges; his feete goon til to the erthe. A good freend." "This hound stiketh out his tunge as him pleaseth." “This hound is yclept a jape for its swete maner.” “Ye mowe be assured she be verie gode.” “This dogge is slyk & faste. He ‘zoometh’.” At the bottom is an illustration of a bounding hound and the text "I Want A Dog". At the bottom is a bordered section that says “Actual 15th-century dog anmes from ‘Names of All Manners of Hounds’ via Scott-McNab’s edition.” To the side of this, smaller text in italics says “This saieth, ‘I wol a dog.’” Underneath is a bounding dog illustration, and the text “I Want A Dog”, as well as a timeline running from 15th-c. to 21st-c. Photo of a half-done version of my letterpress print, next to a metal galley tray containing various letteroress spacing, magnets, and blocks. The print used Old English and Centaur fonts, and various metal and wood dog illustration blocks, inked in black. The text reads in somewhat inaccurate mock late Middle English: "Dogges Names of Olde" followed by names over each of 6 spaces for eventual dog illustrations (Rudynowgh, Gourmande, Merymowthe, Pretyman, Havegooday, Beste-of-all) and captions under each: "This dogge may have a litel of youre mele, a treat." "This hound hath lengere legges; his feete goon til to the erthe. A good freend." "This hound stiketh out his tunge as him pleaseth." “This hound is yclept a jape for its swete maner.” “Ye mowe be assured she be verie gode.” “This dogge is slyk & faste. He ‘zoometh’.” At the bottom is a bordered section that says “Actual 15th-century dog anmes from ‘Names of All Manners of Hounds’ via Scott-McNab’s edition.” To the side of this, smaller text in italics says “This saieth, ‘I wol a dog.’” Photo of a letterpress print using Old English and Centaur fonts, and various metal and wood dog illustration blocks, inked in black on speckled cream paper. The text reads in somewhat inaccurate mock late Middle English: "Dogges Names of Olde" followed by names over each of 6 dog illustrations (Rudynowgh, Gourmande, Merymowthe, Pretyman, Havegooday, Beste-of-all) and captions under each: "This dogge may have a litel of youre mele, a treat." "This hound hath lengere legges; his feete goon til to the erthe. A good freend." "This hound stiketh out his tunge as him pleaseth." “This hound is yclept a jape for its swete maner.” “Ye mowe be assured she be verie gode.” “This dogge is slyk & faste. He ‘zoometh’.” At the bottom is an illustration of a bounding hound and the text "I Want A Dog". At the bottom is a bordered section that says “Actual 15th-century dog anmes from ‘Names of All Manners of Hounds’ via Scott-McNab’s edition.” To the side of this, smaller text in italics says “This saieth, ‘I wol a dog.’” Underneath is a bounding dog illustration, and the text “I Want A Dog”, as well as a timeline running from 15th-c. to 21st-c.
June 12, 2025 at 11:14 AM
semplepress.bsky.social
I’m printing lines 4 and 5 today and tomorrow…. Getting there!
sarahbodman.bsky.social Sarah Bodman @sarahbodman.bsky.social · Jun 2
A preview of the World Book Night 2025 keepsake being produced by @semplepress.bsky.social. Rachel has been experimenting with letterpress printing tree communications onto post-consumer waste using natural pigments. We're looking forward to the big reveal in August!
www.bookarts.uwe.ac.uk/wbn2025/
Rachel Marsh has been experimenting with letterpress printing tree communications onto paper made from post-consumer waste (i.e. not trees) using natural pigments. It involves papers being pre-dyed, dipped, dried, printed and then cut into small prints later on. Rachel Marsh has been experimenting with letterpress printing tree communications onto paper made from post-consumer waste (i.e. not trees) using natural pigments. It involves papers being pre-dyed, dipped, dried, printed and then cut into small prints later on. Rachel Marsh has been experimenting with letterpress printing tree communications onto paper made from post-consumer waste (i.e. not trees) using natural pigments. It involves papers being pre-dyed, dipped, dried, printed and then cut into small prints later on. Rachel Marsh has been experimenting with letterpress printing tree communications onto paper made from post-consumer waste (i.e. not trees) using natural pigments. It involves papers being pre-dyed, dipped, dried, printed and then cut into small prints later on.
June 8, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Reposted by Semple Press
met4cast.net
This is phenomenal.

Sea surface temperatures are >5C above average to the west of the UK and around Iceland. It's the strongest area of anomalous warmth on the planet at the moment.

It's the warmest in recorded history for northwest Europe.
May 25, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Reposted by Semple Press
kitdewaal.com
Brilliant job here for poet in residence over the summer.

Details in link.

Please share :)
Poetry Cares care home residency - Literature Works
Literature Works are seeking a poet-in-residence to deliver six weekly sessions at a care home near Barnstaple as part of the Poetry Cares programme in February and March 2024.
literatureworks.org.uk
May 15, 2025 at 7:47 AM
semplepress.bsky.social
Best analysis I’ve seen so far on Labour’s latest turn to the right…
robertsaunders.bsky.social Robert Saunders @robertsaunders.bsky.social · May 14
Starmer's language was deplorable.

It was grotesquely offensive, accusing people who have brought their gifts to this country of doing "incalculable" "damage"; & politically foolish, in endorsing Farage's claims of an establishment conspiracy.

But bad analogies with Powell miss the key problem. 🧵
Image from the Financial Times, placing Keir Starmer next to Enoch Powell.
May 15, 2025 at 10:31 AM
semplepress.bsky.social
A great account from the Cautionary Tales podcast of the beauty and ugliness of The Doves Press: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/c...
"Dangerously Near to Absolute …–Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford – Apple Podcasts
Podcast Episode · Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford · 02/05/2025 · 39m
podcasts.apple.com
May 2, 2025 at 7:26 AM
Reposted by Semple Press
iandunt.bsky.social
Everything you need to know about the trans Supreme Court case: What it said, what it didn't, and what happens next iandunt.substack.com/p/everything...
Everything you need to know about the trans Supreme Court case
What it said, what it didn't, and what happens next.
iandunt.substack.com
May 1, 2025 at 7:37 AM
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sarahbodman.bsky.social
✂️ Saturday 10th May 2025 will be World Collage Day! ✂️ Roelof Bakker and I invite you to join us online for an informal talk about our recent collage | mail art project. 10/05/25 from 12.30 – 1.30 BST on Zoom, email me for the link to join - contact info at: www.bookarts.uwe.ac.uk/news/#WCD25
A series of collaged postcards with questions to respond to by Roelof Bakker and Sarah Bodman. Detail of a collage by Sarah Bodman, of arms supporting each other.
April 25, 2025 at 1:49 PM
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colorless.green
so they're mycoblogging
Headline that says mushrooms may talk to one another with up to 50 words
April 21, 2025 at 12:15 AM