Quartermaster Press 1993
QMP, Quartermaster Press, was founded in 1993 when artist Valerie Willson moved to Vashon Island, Washington with a very large etching bed press. The press was new. Valerie had commissioned Ray Trayle to build it two years before when her second story studio in the Pearl District of Portland, Oregon could easily accommodate it and two other presses. Valerie's new, smaller, Vashon Island studio could not accommodate the press and so she and a handful of Vashon Island artists came together to form Quartermaster Press. The new cooperative shared a press, studio, ideas and friendship. Twenty five years later those foundational ideals are still common denominators of Quartermaster Press. Below is a 1995 publicity photo of QMP artists Jill Stenn, Valerie Willson, Sue Grant, Bonnie Wilkins and Ilse Reimnitz. Valerie Willson has been the constant in this artistic equation. Thank you Valerie for your dedication and contributions to the exploration of print process. You are one