Platemark: prints and the printmaking ecosystem

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s3e110 engraving currency and stamps with Tom Hipschen

June 30, 2026

Ever wonder about the incredible artistry hiding in your wallet? In this episode, Ann sits down with Tom Hipschen, a former master engraver at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing who spent nearly four decades crafting the very banknotes and postage stamps we handle every day. Tom takes us behind the scenes of his extraordinary career—from his grueling decade-long apprenticeship and serving as the lead picture engraver for the $20 bill, to engraving over 130 US postage stamps. We delve into t...

s3e109 building a global print community with Reinaldo Gil Zambrano

June 16, 2026

In this episode, host Ann Shafer sits down with Venezuelan-born artist and educator Reinaldo Gil Zambrano. Based in Spokane, Washington, Reinaldo is a relief printmaking specialist whose work explores themes of home, heritage, and the universal human experience. As an Assistant Professor at Gonzaga University and co-founder of the Spokane Print and Publishing Center, Reinaldo discusses his commitment to "democratic" art-making and his role as a bilingual bridge-builder in the global print com...

s3e108 casting metal type with Val Lucas

June 02, 2026

In this episode, host Ann Shafer sits down with Val Lucas, the artist and master printer behind Bowerbox Press. From her early shift from painting to printmaking at MICA to her current work casting custom metal type and ornaments, Val shares her journey through the tactile, meticulous world of letterpress. We dive into the technical evolution of the craft—balancing traditional handset type with modern polymer plates—and discuss the vibrant, tight-knit community of women preserving this histor...