Earlier this month, the College Book Art Association (CBAA) has awarded Aaron Cohick, master printer at The Press at Colorado College, the Emerging Educator award. Not only is he a beloved printer, but he also teaches courses and runs a business in Colorado Springs.
The CBAA gives the Emerging Educator Teaching Award to people who they feel are outstanding in the instruction and study of book art. To receive the award, an individual must be nominated by an outside party, and go through levels of evaluation by CBAA board members.
The CBAA states that contributions to the field of book art can include “lecturing, classroom instruction, high-quality student work (as evidence of superior teaching), conferences, and more.” The association reiterates what an honor it is to receive this award, considering how hard it is to get.
Cohick, who joined the Colorado College Faculty in 2010, has a BFA and MFA in painting and printmaking, respectively. He is the owner of The NewLights Press, an independent publisher of experimental writing.
His business focuses on edgy and unusual processes, using the traditional method of printmaking. While many may think that the method of using large presses is outdated, many businesses similar to Cohick’s still exist and thrive.
Many book art enthusiasts will describe the printing process as unique, and unlike anything else.
A certain important aspect is lost when technology takes over the world of book making. Cohick, and many others, sees the value in keeping older-seeming processes vitally functioning.
The NewLights Press recently started REAEDR Magazine, a publication of “one-word poetry, fiction, and non-fiction,” according to the publishing house’s blog. NewLights also fights to keep book art education programs alive at other colleges around the country (most recently, Mills College in San Francisco). Book art is a unique specialty, because it allows people to combine writing and visual art into one discipline.
Many of The NewLights Press’ books feature large, eye-catching graphics, using various colors and unique fonts. Often in the discipline of book arts, the graphic component of the book constitutes the book itself (rather than the graphics being a supplement to the words inside).
Cohick, while currently out of town and not available for an interview, has stated in various previous ones that he strongly encourages students to stop by and see the press as much as they wish.
Printmaking is complex and intricate process and generally takes more than a semester to master, especially with no prior experience.
Aaron’s classes are offered on a limited basis, but the college also provides various classes taught by different professors on both printmaking and book arts (generally with some overlap between the two).
All students, even those not intending to major or minor in art, are encouraged to try their hand at this interesting and classical form of art.