A Cultural Immersion English Language Holiday

This week our language school visited The Quarto Press in the gorgeous small town of Coupar Angus, Perthshire. This language school excursion was part of the Perthshire Open Doors festival.

I have an absolute passion for old-fashioned printing presses. Not only do I adore their non-perfect print quality, in the age of smartphones, I think it does everyone good to be reminded of this stage of the dissemination of the written word.

The evolution of the printing press is, after all, the story of our culture.

Read our blog to discover just some of the sights to see and information to be learned at the amazing Quarto Press.

 

“A printing press took the thoughts from someone’s mind and inked them on to a piece of paper anyone might read. It was a kind of magic. A magic to alter the world.”

Gita Trelease, Enchantée

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Perthshire Open Doors Weekend | Perthshire Artists

This weekend, John B. Easson made us welcome in his private print shop, The Quarto Press (Coupar Angus).

Mr Easson has
a studio/workshop brimming with antique marvels, which he kindly put  on show for the weekend as part of both the Perthshire Open Doors Weekend and Perthshire Open Studios.
Comrie Apple Festival Perthshire Food and Drink

A Printing Press | The Quarto Press | Printing Press Workshop | Coupar Angus

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Perthshire crafts The Quarto Press printmaking demo and workshop

Perthshire Crafts | The Quarto Press | Mr Easson uses old wooden printing blocks in his contemporary prints

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Cast Lead Typeset

While we were there, Mr Easson demonstrated casting lead typeset, the resulting letter blocks were then used to demonstrate letterpress printing in the adjoining print shop.
 
Comrie Apple Festival Perthshire Food and Drink
Perthshire crafts The Quarto Press printmaking demo and workshop printemakers desk
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“Printing… is the preservative of all arts.”

 

Isaiah Thomas

Quatro Press | An Absolute Must for Things to do in Perthshire

There are curiosities all over the shop (literally): carved wooden blocks, printed poetry, newspaper headlines, old photos and contemporary prints made with old technology…

It was a privilege getting inside and not just looking but exploring, touching and using such wonders.


A visit to Quatro Press is a fantastic language immersion activity.

It’s interesting, tactile and from another time! 

One of 1000 micro-moments of being you, in English, here in Scotland. 

 
Once again, we are left feeling our region Perthshire is just packed full of gems to discover and explore.
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Perthshire Crafts | The Quarto Press | Printing Demo and Workshop | Perthshire Open Doors

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Crieffs Cowches Artist Katy Galbraith
Crieffs Cowches Artist Katy Galbraith
Crieffs Cowches Artist Katy Galbraith

Mr Easson has a collection of beautiful old wooden printing blocks from all over the world. 

How to Visit Quarto Press in Coupar Angus 

Quarto Press is open by appointment to individuals and groups (weblink below).
 
A visit to The Quarto Press is part of our Menu of Activities and workshops for immersion English speakers.
Join us for an English immersion holiday and see beautiful Perthshire.
We’ll introduce you to a variety of people on our Meet the Makers Tours.
Designed to get you talking! 
 
Crieffs Cowches Artist Katy Galbraith

There are example prints all around the Quatro Press Print Workshop.

About our English Language School

Our courses are designed to be richly touristic, fun and interesting (let’s have a good time while you are learning) – but above all designed to develop your professional English skills through a wide variety of culture-filled learning contexts and challenges.
 
 
Crieffs Cowches Artist Katy Galbraith
Crieffs Cowches Artist Katy Galbraith

Print Examples | Quatro Press | Perthshire Crafts

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An Amazing Excursion to Discover Perthshire Crafts

A huge thank you to Mr Easson for his time and willingness to show us and the public his collection and printing press techniques.

Moreover, thank you very much for being a printing press entusiast and preserving this fantastic collection and knowledge for new generations.

Yours is truly remarkable work!

 

 

If you have enjoyed visiting The Quatro Press and Perthshire Open Doors festival with us – and getting introduced to some Perthshire crafts, you might also like to read about our visit to a spectacular little church, which was alos open during Perthshire Open Doors:

English for Art and Design | Outlander Fans Aid Tibbermore Church