One of those days – loads of admin and computer and filing and then off to the opening of a friend’s exhibition so I only had SECONDS to do any drawing. But I set myself the task of drawing every day so draw I did. I was doing some voluntary work at Swansea Print Workshop today and managed to grab a few moments to sketch the top of the vintage Columbian printing press, the bald eagle, using graphite into my A5 Tate Gallery sketchbook.
Husb and I were in Malta last month and visited the fantastic National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta which is hosting an exhibition of artefacts from 7000 years of Malta’s history, ” Malta – the Great Story of a Small Island-Nation through 100 Objects”. And there was this lovely Columbian press!
Made in London, it was imported after freedom of the Maltese press was won in 1839 and many newspapers were launched within just a few years. One of the main characteristics of the Columbian is that it was designed to allow a whole newspaper page to be pressed in one pull. And it’s considered important enough to be one of the 100 artefacts to be included in this historic exhibition. And we have one just like it in Swansea!
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A lovely free drawing of our star press! It’s amazing how many of them are actually around, I saw one a few weeks ago in Edinburgh too! We too are going to Malta in a few months so I shall make sure I have a look in that museum!..if I ever do get there of course..I don’t have a very good track record, as you know of actually being able to leave the country! But I booked the flight yesterday so surly that is a step in the right direction, haha.
hahaha it’s Europe so you don’t neeed a visa. Just make sure to pack your passport 😀 Where are you staying in Malta?
St Julian’s bay I think is where we are staying, to be honest I havn’t had time to really look into it all properly yet, I shall have to buy a guide book or something! It should be good though..I’ll need to actually go holiday shopping and everything! We are going for a Forbes family wedding and it’s his birthday too while we are out there so I think there shall be a few parties that week!
That’s a very lively place and not far from Valetta. You can get anywhere by bus, it’s only €1.50 for an all day ticket.
That’s cheaper than a swansea day ticket! Typical!
The Maltese press is quite wonderful. Thanks for posting.
You’re welcome. It’s a magnificent beast.