ABOUT

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Santo Press was founded in May of 2009 by artist and Master Printer Brent Bond, and made possible by the acquisition of a press and his strong desire to speak through the visual language of relief printmaking. With a focus on small scale, high quality, limited edition relief prints, monoprints and monotypes we publish original works by regionally and nationally recognized artists. Our goal is the creation of works of art in the print medium by artists from all disciplines. We aspire to open new arenas of visual dialogue previously unavailable to the artist without the collaborative printmaking environment. To date we have released 318 limited editions and dozens of monoprints by 54 artists.  

As of August 2022, Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum at Mesa Arts Center is the repository of our Archival Impressions, housing in their public collection one signed print from every Santo Press published edition.

The studio revolves around a fully restored 1961 Vandercook Universal I printing press. Affectionately named Victoria, she was acquired on trade from the artist James Turrell, where he had stored her in a barn for 10 years. For the full story and video of the restoration see "The Press" section below. Rounding out the studio and used primarily for monoprinting and occasional intaglio work is a Laguna etching press with full sheet capacity. We also maintain a darkroom for alternative photo processes and a small exhibition space, la pequeña galería, for showcasing new editions. 

All prints are hand pulled and printed with archival inks on acid free papers. Our relief prints are generally produced in editions of forty with four Artist Proofs, four Printers Proofs, one Archival Impression, and one BAT. All works are hand signed, numbered or initialed, and titled by the artist in pencil and embossed with our studio chop. Our prices are extremely competitive and we gladly accept payment via Venmo, Zelle, PayPal, cash or check.  

We publish by invitation but do accept email submissions from new artists. We offer contract-printing services for letterpress, relief, and intaglio printing.  We also offer digital design/layout services for artist's books and exhibition catalogs.  _____________________________________________________________________________

BRENT BOND

2017 - present          Adjunct Faculty, Mesa Community College 

2015 - 2021               Printmaking Instructor, Mesa Arts Center 

2009 - present         Proprietor / Studio Manager / Master Printer, Santo Press 

2004 - 2013              Studio Manager / Master Printer, Segura Publishing Co. 

2003 - 2010              Master Printer, Tiny Satellite Press

1999 - 2004              Faculty Associate, Arizona State University

1997                              MFA Arizona State University 

1994                              BFA Cal State University - Long Beach  

With a history of 14 solo exhibitions and over 220 group, invitational, juried, and traveling shows his art can be found in private and public collections in the US and Mexico. In addition to photo and print based works, installation, and mixed media panel pieces he has completed several public art commissions in Arizona. 

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THE PRESS

With a pedigree provenance and a chrome plated handle, Victoria is truly one of a kind. I acquired her on trade for some presswork that ranged from the mundane relocation and reassembly of litho, intaglio, and type presses to the sublime opportunity to restore a vintage intaglio press once owned and used by Max Ernst. Victoria's previous owner was none other than the world famous artist and collector of all things, luckily presses included, James Turrell. He had stored her for about a decade in an old wooden barn in Flagstaff, AZ.

While she reminisced about her active years cradling rows of lead type to be transformed into poetry by Black Sparrow Press in California she became one with nature. Translation - when I got her she had mice living in the carriage, cabinets, and motor box. On the day I drove up from the Phoenix valley to the mountains of Flagstaff, drop deck trailer in tow, it began to snow further adding to the legendary status of the odyssey.

For the next two years and four months my one car garage became shop and spray booth. Throwing about 5 -10 hours per week at it with plenty of dry spells along the way the press was disassembled, each part cleaned, repainted, and finally reassembled. Fully assembled she weighs in at around 1,300 pounds, at one point I had removed so many parts I was able to lift one end off the ground by myself. No corners were cut as all attention was to detail, from the custom two-tone paint job with added accent color to the chrome plated handle.

Her last move was to a designated operating spot in my studio (ironically in a renovated barn) in Scottsdale, Arizona on the campus of the historic Cattle Track Arts Compound.

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