Printing and Poetry

When Gutenberg invented the moveable type printing press around 1440, he set the stage for Vandercooked Poetry Nights. Thank you, Johannes. He said the idea came to him “like a ray of light.” Gutenberg’s moment of brilliance illuminates our Poetry Nights. Come see the pragmatic magic of letterpress printing. Come print a broadside yourself on a Vandercook press and hear the featured poem read by the evening’s poet.

At Vandercooked Poetry Nights, everyone is invited to print a broadside on the Vandercook printing press. This open edition broadside is designed and handset in metal type in advance. So when you arrive, your broadside will be waiting for you. Just turn the crank!

Vandercook Press

More than 30,000 Vandercook presses were manufactured in Chicago between 1909 and 1976. Today fewer than 2,000 remaining Vandercooks have been identified in a worldwide census. Easy to operate, Vandercook presses have been adopted by artists and writers to control their own publications and to produce handmade objects.

Broadsides

The Vandercooked broadside is available for the nominal price of $5 that evening and $20 after that evening + $5 shipping.

Readings

The Vandercooked Poetry Nights reading series is organized and hosted by Laurie Corral, founder and owner of Asheville BookWorks, and poet Landon Godfrey. The reading is free to the public.

Vandercooked Broadside Portfolio

Frequent visitors to Vandercooked Poetry Nights will accumulate a complete portfolio of letterpress-printed broadsides.

Previous Vandercooked Poetry Nights

• Vandercooked Poetry Grand Finale Asheville BookWorks Announces FINAL Vandercooked Poetry Nights Reading and Printing Event Asheville, NC (September 7, 2018) – Asheville BookWorks, a community resource for print and book arts, will be hosting its final evening of the Vandercooked Poetry Nights reading series on Saturday, October 13, 2018. The last series event will feature 3 poets and 3 artists: ...
• Vandercooked Poetry Night with Jericho Brown Date: October 14, 2016, Printing: 7:00 p.m. Reading: 7:30 p.m. Poet Jericho Brown Asheville BookWorks, a community resource for print and book arts, continues Vandercooked Poetry Nights, its reading series that offers the public the opportunity to print a letterpress broadside at the series events. The upcoming Vandercooked Poetry Nights reading features award-winning poet Jericho Brown ...
• Vandercooked Poetry Night with Jessica Jacobs Date: October 1, 2016, Printing: 7:00 p.m. Reading: 7:30 p.m. Poet Jessica Jacobs Asheville BookWorks continues Vandercooked Poetry Nights reading series that offers the public the opportunity to print letterpress broadsides at the series events. The broadside printed at each event displays a poem written by the evening’s spotlighted poet. Hosted by BookWorks founder and director ...
• Vandercooked Poetry Night with Sebastian Matthews Date: December 12, 2015 ***NEW DATE – changed due to weather Printing: 7:00 p.m. Reading: 7:30 p.m. Poet: Sebastian Matthews Asheville BookWorks continues Vandercooked Poetry Nights reading series that offers the public the opportunity to print letterpress broadsides at the series events. The broadside printed at each event displays a poem written by the evening’s spotlighted poet. Hosted by BookWorks founder and ...
• Vandercooked Poetry Night with Matthew Olzmann Date: April 25, 2015 Printing: 7:00 p.m. Reading: 7:30 p.m. Poet: Matthew Olzmann Asheville BookWorks continues Vandercooked Poetry Nights reading series that offers the public the opportunity to print letterpress broadsides at the series events. The broadside printed at each event displays a poem written by the evening’s spotlighted poet. Hosted by BookWorks founder and director Laurie Corral, and poet Landon ...
• Vandercooked Poetry Night with Gabrielle Calvocoressi Date: February 7, 2015 Printing: 7:00 p.m. Reading: 7:30 p.m. Poet: Gabrielle Calvocoressi Asheville BookWorks continues Vandercooked Poetry Nights reading series that offers the public the opportunity to print letterpress broadsides at the series events. The broadside printed at each event displays a poem written by the evening’s spotlighted poet. Hosted by BookWorks founder and director Laurie Corral, and poet Landon ...
• Vandercooked Poetry Night with Tony Hoagland Date: October 29, 2014 Printing: 7:00 p.m. Reading: 7:30 p.m. Poet: Tony Hoagland At Vandercooked Poetry Nights, everyone is invited to print a broadside on the Vandercook printing press. This open edition broadside is designed and handset in metal type in advance. So when you arrive, your broadside will be waiting for you. Just turn the crank! The print is ...
• Vandercooked Poetry Night with Gary Hawkins Date: October 4, 2014 Printing: 7:00 p.m. Reading: 7:30 p.m. Poet: Gary Hawkins At Vandercooked Poetry Nights, everyone is invited to print a broadside on the Vandercook printing press. This open edition broadside is designed and handset in metal type in advance. So when you arrive, your broadside will be waiting for you. Just turn the crank! The print is available ...
• Vandercooked Poetry Night with Joseph Bathanti Date: May 1, 2014 Printing: 7:00 p.m. Reading: 7:30 p.m. Poet: Joseph Bathanti At Vandercooked Poetry Nights, everyone is invited to print a broadside on the Vandercook printing press. This open edition broadside is designed and handset in metal type in advance. So when you arrive, your broadside will be waiting for you. Just turn the crank! The print is ...
• Vandercooked Poetry Night with Vievee Francis Date: February 1, 2014 Printing: 7:00 p.m. Reading: 7:30 p.m. Poet: Vievee Francis At Vandercooked Poetry Nights, everyone is invited to print a broadside on the Vandercook printing press. This open edition broadside is designed and handset in metal type in advance. So when you arrive, your broadside will be waiting for you. Just turn the crank! The print is ...
• Vandercooked Poetry Night with Holly Inglesias Date: November 2, 2013 Printing: 7:00 p.m. Reading: 7:30 p.m. Poet: Holly Iglesias At Vandercooked Poetry Nights, everyone is invited to print a broadside on the Vandercook printing press. This open edition broadside is designed and handset in metal type in advance. So when you arrive, your broadside will be waiting for you. Just turn the crank! The print is ...
• Vandercooked Poetry Night with John Hoppenthaler Date: June 1, 2013 Printing: 7:00 p.m. Reading: 7:30 p.m. Poet: John Hoppenthaler At Vandercooked Poetry Nights, everyone is invited to print a broadside on the Vandercook printing press. This open edition broadside is designed and handset in metal type in advance. So when you arrive, your broadside will be waiting for you. Just turn the crank! The print is available ...