Best known for his color wood engravings, Gaylord Schanilec has set the standard for contemporary artist’s books over the last forty years. His widely collected and unique fine press books explore his interests and experiences as well as his hometown landscape and community. From farming culture and the waters of the Mississippi, to an exhaustive inventory of the twenty-four species of trees surrounding his Stockholm, Wisconsin home and studio, Schanilec’s wood engravings illustrate local landscapes, historical anecdotes and natural science investigations. Schanilec has also explored subjects far from home, including two books about New York City.
Schanilec established his own press, Midnight Paper Sales, in 1980. Since then he has published more than twenty-five books under his imprint, and accepted numerous commissions including works for The Greynog Press in Wales and the Grolier Club of New York. Schanilec has been the recipient of numerous awards including the Carl Hertzog Award for excellence in book design and the Greynog Prize. He is an Honorary Member of the Double Crown Club and an active member of the Typophiles, the Ampersand Club, and the Fine Press Book Association. His work is represented in most major book arts collections in the United States and in the United Kingdom, and the archive of his working materials is held at the University of Minnesota.
