The first day of the Masters Workshop began with Louise Fili’s Tipografica Italiana. From there the class made a bee-line to Gianni Basso’s letterpress print shop on Calle Fumo. Basso (the Venetian Gutenberg) does not own a computer and all his type is metal. He showed the students the business cards and ex libris he’s made for the likes of Paul Rand, Scott Turow, and Danielle Steele. We calculate the participants took over 250 photographs of everything from his presses to his beautifully lettered correspondence.

This was followed by a discussion of possible projects by participants (over gelato) with ideas galore bubbling to the surface. With their missions decided, the group fanned throughout Venice to find their source material. More tomorrow.