* Beware of amateur use of the term "stan."
Several weeks ago while waiting in line to punch the clock and close out my graveyard shift at the train yard, I was gray-eyed-zombie-scrolling through tweets on my phone along with my fellow zombie-scrolling co-workers. Yeah, you don't have to tell me - it's a bit of a sad scene. But, the smiling face of Pat Randle rolled across my phone screen in the form of a tweet, and man, that cheered me up. It was so good to see that guy first thing in the morning, minutes before I was to conclude my work day.
I've been thinking of him a bunch recently. And thinking about reaching out to him, but for some reason, haven't managed to actually do it. So, look, I'll do it now. Perhaps before, or maybe after this screed posts.
Anyway, the tweet was posted by Angie Butler during the socially distanced 2020 Print and Book Festival hosted by Centre for Fine Print Research. Thanks Angie for putting the word out! Here's a link to it. You can see what Pat has been working on recently. He discusses the production of "2020 Vision." As always, it's beautiful stuff. Considering the variety of wood engravings included within those pages, I'm in awe of the production that went into this book - it certainly would require extensive and meticulous make-ready. Fantastic work, Nomad crew.
After viewing the short video from Angie's link, I went on a Pat Stan fest, or a Stan Pat fest(?). Here's his website so you can go down that path, too. You won't be disappointed. Check out Pat's Monotype Border series - the prints are an excellent example of how classic hot metal composition is continuously re-imagined to create current innovative designs.
Aside from the website prowling and zombie scrolling, once I arrived at home, Angie's tweet inspired me to pick up and re-read the real life and very much not in the zombie world Double Dagger number 3 of which Pat and Nick Loaring are editors, printers and designers. Again, it was an inspiration to hold those oversized pages created from hot metal and hand craft. Printed with love and sacrifice. Check Double Dagger here.
This all reminds me to report that way back in February 2019, Mr Randle made a trip up to Portland for a visit after attending the Codex book fair. This was shortly after I started the 3rd shift train yard job, and shortly after it was necessary to hastily downsize our commercial print operation and move much of the equipment into storage. I was a bit shell shocked by the time Pat arrived - but I imagine that my state of mind was a good match for Mr. Randle's likely jet-lag, though he seemed to be in good form. Regardless, we still managed to have some good times. We took a drive out to the Columbia Gorge, viewed some spectacular Pacific Northwest Scenery and talked to some locals who were very intrigued by Pat's accent and charm. We then meandered to a small-town brew pub located in the shadow of the Bridge of the Gods where we sampled some pacific northwest style IPAs. Then it was back to Portland to drop off the car, go for tacos, tequila, and embark on a proper bar crawl while discussing type, print, future projects. When it was all said and done, we both made it back to our places in one piece, so the day was a success. Later that weekend, Pat was the featured presenter at a C.C. Stern Type Foundry "Type Jam" where local type casters and printers were happy to share shop talk and print work with the exotic world traveler.
We very much appreciated his visit to our part of the world - it was a good follow up to our visit to his Gloucestershire stomping grounds back in 2015. We look forward to crossing paths again.
Signed, Brian Scott Bagdonas, member of the Pat Randle Stan Club. Can I just say "Fan Club?" I don't get it.....
