"Eastern Span," 36x36" mixed media by Vanderheiden

Who We Are

We are artists and poets who use letterpress printing in our own work. We collaborate with you, and bring our design and artistic skills and tools to your project.

Kim Vanderheiden is the designer. She is a mixed media artist who works in pencil, acrylic and oil paint, letterpress, monotype, solar etching, linoleum cut, enamel, and collage. She has been working in the letterpress medium for over ten years and is the founder and creative director of Painted Tongue Studios. She also manages apprentices, teaches workshops, and does a portion of the printing. A sample of Vanerheiden's work is shown to the left. A web site of her work can be found at www.kimvanderheiden.com.

Bill Denham is a poet, letterpress printer, and paper sculptor. He came to Painted Tongue Press in 2003 as a student, using the medium to publish broadsides of his work. Over time he expressed an interest in taking a larger role in the studio. He learned the Heidelberg Windmill and became Head of Production, performing most of the platemaking, printing, and trimming done for letterpress clients. His fabulous paper sculptures adorn the ceiling of our studio. An image of one is shown left, and his broadside work can be found on this site.

Bettina Pauly – Bettina is a book artist and printer who came to us in June of 2008 while  studying at the Academy of Art University. She quickly showed a good business head as well as a strong aptitude for working quickly and skillfully with the presses. She left a career in management in the hospitality industry to participate in the arts, and thus comes to us with excellent leadership and organizational skills. Bettina is now both a printer and a production coordinator, who helps keep the studio on task and guides apprentices through daily projects. 

What is a painted tongue? The painted tongue is a colorful Chilean flower of the nightshade family. This namesake reflects the marriage between image and written word that is characteristic of letterpress work. Vanderheiden chose this name to represent her letterpress and printmaking studio because her artwork reflects a devotion to rich, vivid color and early works were often inspired by travel or literature. Vanderheiden's illustration of a painted tongue flower can bee seen to the left.

Kim Vanderheiden

"Curved Beak" paper sculpture by Denham

Bill Denham

"I know you know how much I love you," cloth covered box and tunnel book
by Pauly

Bettina Pauly

Painted Tongue Flower