by Alyssa Polinsky

Even a cold, snowy November evening couldn’t dampen the warm and festive spirit of the crowd gathered for the annual Yosef Wosk-Friends of SFU Library Special Collections-Alcuin Society Lecture. Almost 200 people braved the first storm of the season to celebrate the life and work of typographer, illustrator, designer, printer, publisher, and mentor Jim Rimmer.

Polyglot Press – Arthur Graham, Lexington, KY

They called the evening Rimmerfest. It was organized by special collections librarian Eric Swanick. It kicked off with tributes by Robert Bringhurst, author of Elements of Typographic Style; Dick Kouwenhoven, president and CEO of Hemlock Printers; Charles van Sandwyk, illustrator; and Denise Carson Wilde, artist, designer, and co-owner of Paper-Ya on Granville Island.

It concluded with Crispin Elsted of Barbarian Press presenting Jim with a collection of commemorative broadsides (pieces of paper printed on one side) that printers, artists, and designers created in his honour. The 19 broadsides, which came from as far away as California and England, are exquisite examples of the beauty of typography and the craftsmanship of letterpress printing.

is the gift of himself, which he gives to all of us who are in the trades and all of us who enjoy his books and who love type and printing. It’s impossible, really, to recompense such generosity,” said Elsted. “The only currency, apart from friendship, which we can really offer is some sample of what we do, our own craft, some printing, a piece of typography, some design that we’ve done either directly or partly because of Jim’s influence.”

Other speakers described Jim as a highly esteemed figure in the typography and letterpress communities. “Fine art is not above him; commercial art is not beneath him,” said Charles van Sandwyk. “Everything he touches is infused with his delightful and self-deprecating humour.”

A common thread that emerged from the speakers’ remarks and the stories told during the open mic portion of the evening was Jim’s willingness to mentor aspiring typographers and printers and to help fellow printers. One after another, people stepped up to the microphone and described Jim as a man who is immensely skilled, selfless, hard working, and completely immersed in the world of type.

Denise Carson Wilde talked about how Jim encouraged her to start her own press by giving her a corner in his studio and showing her how to operate the machinery.

“He made you feel like you were fortunate to have found letterpress,” she said.

Milo Hicks, an instructor in the IDEA program at Capilano College, shared some of his students’ impressions from a field trip they went on to Rimmer’s studio in New Westminster. “Your work, your machines may be of another time and world, but that morning we spent with you started something in me that was nothing short of a revolution,” wrote one student.

Ryan Mah, co-founder of Unison Press in Vancouver, contributed one of the broadsides. “Jim has been a tremendous help in teaching me how to restore my letterpress machines, print with them, and help me fuel my passion for wanting to learn more about the craft,” said Mah. “I felt it was only appropriate that I carve and print a graphic of him next to his machine.”

The broadsides, as well as Jim Rimmer’s papers and his Pie Tree Press collection, reside in SFU Library’s Special Collections on the seventh floor of Bennett Library. Digitized versions of the broadsides will be posted online at <www.lib.sfu.ca/specialcollections>.

Rimmer’s work can also be seen in the custom lettering of the new SFU logo. He designed a typeface that blends sans serif and serif styles designed to represent SFU’s history of academic excellence and its progressive outlook.

In an act that one guest described as “pure Rimmer,” each attendee took home a printed piece with types designed and cut by Jim himself. The broadside was nestled in a booklet with these words from Jim: “My fated collision with printing has been quite plainly one of the greatest blessings in a charmed life.” Charmed and charming; thanks for everything, Jim. aq

	A Mano Press – Allen Stump, Hayward, CA
	Aliquando press – Will Rueter, Dundas, ON
Lance Kagey – Tacoma, WA	Now It’s Up To You – Tom Parson/Paul Hunter, Denver, CO
Les Editions Lucie Lambert – Lucie Lambert, Vancouver, BC	(m)Other Tøñgué Press – Mona Fertig/Peter Haase, Salt Spring Island, BC
Robert R. Reid, Vancouver, BC	Heavenly Monkey – Rollin Milroy, Vancouver, BC
Denise Carson Wilde, Langley, BC	Gaspereau Press – Andrew Steeves/ Gary Dunfield, Kentville, NS
Ted Staunton, Surrey, BC	P22 – Buffalo, NY
Incline Press – Kathy Whalen/ Graham Moss, Oldham, England	Charles van Sandwyk, North Vancouver, BC
Rod McDonald, Lake Echo, NS	Barbarian Press – Jan & Crispin Elsted, Mission, BC

Scott Polzen/ Ryan Mah, Vancouver, BC

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