THE AARDVARK INTERNATIONAL PRINT TOUR

Beginning in 2024, Enzo and his cousin Jonathan von Dehl set out on a world tour to discover and explore the global community of letterpress printers and artists who love the world of printing as much as they do. For each trip, they create a custom print to deliver to all the printers they visit along the way.

TRIP 1: UK TRAVELROUND
NOVEMBER 9-26, 2024

Enzo and Jon embarked on the inaugural Aardvark International Print Tour to the UK where they visited shops in London, Bristol, and Cardiff.

LONDON

The trip began in London. Jon’s first international flight went smoothly, and soon they were on the Tube heading to their stay in Kentish Town. It always takes time to adjust to the drivers being on the other side of the road, but they quickly got a feel for the neighborhood and set out to explore. Over the first couple of days, they visited  many of the city’s best-known sites, including the Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and Trafalgar Square. They were nervous but excited for the first shop visit. 

The first shop visit of the tour was to Hand & Eye Letterpress in Whitechapel. Hand & Eye specializes in printing beautiful hardcover editions of classic novels and recreations of rare album cover sleeves for vinyl records. They met with owner Phil Abel and his associate Robert Hetherington, who showed them the shop and shared their experiences with printing in London. To celebrate their successful first visit, Enzo and Jon enjoyed a few pints and bags of Taytos—naturally.

Clockwise: Outside Hand & Eye Letterpress in Whitechapel; Jon, Phil Abel & Robert Hetherington of Hand & Eye; Phil Abel xxxx

The next day they met Graham Bignell, who runs New North Press and Graham Bignell Studio, where he conserves and stores works of art. They weren’t able to meet with partner and graphic designer Richard Ardagh, but Jon fawned over the incredible zines on display. One of the main things that drew them to New North Press was their 3-D printed font, A23D. Seeing old technology blended with the new was fascinating, and they admired how New North Press continues to push the boundaries of letterpress in the 21st century.

New North Press’s 3D printed font, A23D

Clockwise from top left: Graham Bignell of New North Press with Jon & Enzo; printing press; laser cut type; prints

Next they stopped by Nice & Graphic in Peckham, where owner Michelle Dwyer (a fellow American!) inspired them with her work in teaching the community about letterpress. Her optimism shines through in the bold colors and striking gradients that define her work.

The next morning, they headed to the London Centre for Book Arts, “an artist-run, open-access studio offering education programmes for the community and affordable access to resources for artists and designers” (LCBA website). 

Jon had to head back home to Phoenix on November 16. But before he left, they made sure to visit the Tate Modern, where a massive exhibit of Mike Kelley was on view. Kelley is one of Jon’s biggest artist influences, and being able to see so much of his work together was super inspiring. 

Clockwise: Michelle Dwyer of Nice & Graphic in her studio; swapping business cards with Aardvark; hanging prints at Nice & Graphic

After Jon’s departure, Enzo continued on to Bristol for a short but unforgettable visit. As soon as he arrived, Enzo walked around the city in search of a Steak and Ale Pie. After procuring one, he searched for a good local pub and found the Bag of Nails, a cozy spot full of cats, interesting beers, and a funny Australian bartender.

The next morning, Enzo met Theo Wang, owner of Print & Ephemera. Theo, with his deep, warm voice, greeted him with hot coffee to stop him from shivering (he was painfully underdressed—this repeats later; see Ditchling). Theo is active in the Bristol print scene and designs his own prints with social justice themes, especially after the anti-immigration protests that rocked the UK in 2024.

A follow-up trip to Bristol is definitely in order, as Theo is a part of the Bristol Print Collective, which puts on workshops, print fairs, and events.

BRISTOL

Clockwise from top left: Bristol cityscape; Enzo with Theo from Print & Ephemera; posters & printed items at Print & Ephemera

LONDON PART 2

Enzo took the train from Bristol Temple Meads back to London Paddington Station (The Paddington film series is one of Enzo’s favourites) to connect with more printers and artists. He reached back out to Michelle of Nice & Graphic to meet renowned typographic artist and printmaker Alan Kitching, who Michelle frequently works with and assists. Alan has done more than we can write about here, but in short, he is incredibly accomplished as an artist, lecturer, and founder of the Typography Workshop in Clerkenwell. Alan even let Enzo peek into the basement to see part of his vast collection of wood type. Meeting such an iconic figure was big for Enzo as he is just starting his journey as a letterpress printer.

Right after his visit with Michelle and Alan, Enzo met with Theo Hersey, a letterpress artist and graphic designer only a couple years older than he. Theo took over the Typography Workshop from Alan a few years back and offers courses. When Enzo visited, Theo had just worked on the album cover for British pop band Bastille’s fifth studio album, “&” (Ampersand): “Custom drawn ampersand, which was then cut into wood and printed letterpress at The Typography Workshop, in various variations and colours to create a suite of designs used across the album marketing campaign.” (via Theo's website).

From there, he went to the Science Museum, where he admired early steam engines, the first nonstop transatlantic flight plane (Vickers Vimy IV), and Alan Turing’s Pilot ACE Computer. 

Clockwise from top left: Aardvark outside the London embassies; Enzo with printmaker Alan Kitching; cosmonaut poster at the Science Museum; Enzo with letterpress artist Theo Hersey

DITCHLING

From London, Enzo took the train a couple hours south to the Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft in Ditchling. As soon as he got off the train, he realized it was freezing cold, and he was, once again, painfully underdressed. 

He walked a mile up the road to a charity shop, found a wool coat for only £3.50, and the cashier assured him it made him look very “smart.” Naturally, as soon as he stepped outside, it began to snow. Perfect timing!

The museum had a small letterpress exhibit, but the main draw was an exhibit on artist Raymond Briggs, whose work Enzo came in knowing nothing about and left loving, particularly the illustrations of his parents.

Clockwise from top left: cold grey day in Ditchling; Aardvark in Ditchling; Enzo in his smart coat

CARDIFF

The final stop was Cardiff, Wales. From the start, Enzo fell in love with Wales. The host with whom he was staying was very cool, and he befriended the others staying in the house, Antonia and Rafa. They even took him to his first-ever rugby match (Wales 12 – South Africa 45), an experience that was absolutely electric.

The last shop visit of the trip was one of the most impactful. Enzo met Nigel Draper, founder of the Amplifier Press and his son, Jody. Nigel’s passion and energy were matched by his genuine excitement to welcome Enzo—a truly heartwarming moment. As a young man, Nigel printed politically charged material with colleagues, but spent most of his career in economic development in former Soviet states. Upon retirement, he rediscovered printing and started Amplifier Press in 2017. The Amplifier Press is truly powered by dissent: aside from commissions and workshops, Nigel focuses heavily on his own projects, using printing as a way to express dissatisfaction with the status quo.

As a parting gift, Nigel gave Enzo beautiful little metal and wood Welsh plates. Jody introduced Enzo to Welsh Cakes, one of the most delicious desserts he has ever had; he even learned to cook them himself!

On November 26, just in time for Thanksgiving with his family, Enzo returned home to Los Angeles—his first trip abroad for the Print Tour officially in the books. Aardvark Letterpress is grateful to all the folks who welcomed Enzo and Jon and taught them so much about the history and culture of printing in the United Kingdom. 

With many niche analog crafts, the expectation is typically that those still practicing are older folks and oftentimes men. But Enzo and Jon got to meet many people from all over the spectrum of the print world and gain all their different perspectives. On the one hand there are Alan and Nigel, who have been embedded in the world of letterpress for decades. On the other hand, there are Theo and Michelle who are younger with fewer years under their belts but no less talented. And it is beautiful to see how the multiple generations of printers interact and help each other grow. Because at the end of the day, letterpress is art; and there is always room for innovation and experimentation in art. For Enzo, who is poised to be the next generation to take over Aardvark, it serves as a reminder that there is a deep love for this craft from people of all ages and backgrounds - and the more connected and cooperative we are, everyone in the world of letterpress can flourish.

Clockwise from top left: case of type at Amplifier Press; Jody & Nigel of Amplifier Press; Welsh cake; gift from Amplifier Press; Aardvark at Cardiff Castle; Welsh plates

And is our tradition for all our print tours, we created this special UK TOUR print to share at every shop along the tour.

WHAT ELSE IS ON … IN AND AROUND LA

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    On view through October 4, 2025

    Presented by Bermudez Projects
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    Featuring the works of over 15 artists the exhibition investigates the myriad ways in which artists utilize the images of birds as principle vehicles in their storytelling. Whether employed to communicate subtly, directly, or metaphorically, these majestically plumed avians share a common through-line as apt messengers of fate. 

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  • INTERNATIONAL PRINTING MUSEUM FAIR

    October 10-11, 2025
    INTERNATIONAL PRINTING MUSEUM
    315 West Torrance Boulevard,
    Carson, CA, 90745

    We’ll be showing off some of our latest and greatest letterpress creations, as well holding our First Annual Printing Nerd Workshop with Master Printer Bill Berkuta. Last year, the Museum had over 40,000 visitors - their largest crowd ever - and they’re expected to surpass that this year.

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  • THE DRUM BARRACKS 1860 TECHNOLOGY FAIR

    Saturday June 28, 2025
    11 AM-3 PM
    1052 N Banning Blvd.
    Los Angeles, CA.

    We'll be hauling our 100-year old table top press to Wilmington for their annual Civil War-era technology fair. Enzo will be decked out in Civil War attire and sporting mutton chops. Word on the street is that the place is haunted!

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