Meet Ludwig MOHR: MASTER CRAFTSMAN

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ludwig MOHR and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ludwig, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
Skill, Printmaking on Copperplate – the Art is in the Wiping of the Plate, I can wipe a Plate in any 3 directions, make the Printed sheet smile, being happy or in a deep depression. Being able to look at a Copperplate and knowing how to wipe it can make or break you as a printer. I didn’t went to college or such for my Education as a Printmaker, I worked with Hartmut Frielingshaus in Hamburg / Germany for years printing for Horst Janssen. All which was required, carrying Packets with paper, run errands, clean Plates, Rollers, what ever it took. But it made me what I am. The BFA and MFA carrying People I see in my shop, paying huge sums of money to fancy colleges and talk a Big Game of Art, but can’t wipe a Plate, don’t know Tools, Technique or Materials to stand on.

What should our readers know about your business?
Started in a small commercial Lease. after a Motorist sideswiped me and gave me a massive injury on my skull, I was visiting here and because of the Injury can’t live in a changing environment (spring, summer, autumn, winter). Build up Clientele, did a Lot of Movie Props and worked for Private and creative Clients, moved 11 Times, as mostly due to pure Greed, a Landlord saw a Actor Leave, I did a small job for him, less than 3oo US and my Lease went up by 4 k as I work for famous People. I pulled 16 hrs days and just worked, established a world wide reputation and slowly aquired all the Tools and Machinery and finally moved into a Building I can call my Own. I print Limited Edition Books, printed letterpress and following the finest European Tradition. All the Tools and Techniques are present to Print an Etching, Print a Book , Print as large as 28×42 inches in Letterpress, cast Type, Run a Prepress Department with Optical scanning and Film output and Polymerplate up to 24 x 30 inches, Foil stampig up to 16×20 inches, I have a For Profit Business, but also run a Non Profit to teach who comes after me and to pay it forward.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Take him on a Hike early morning, you can see the Sun come up over the City, The markets for fresh incredients, I learned cooking on a professional Level and my Wife is from Shanghai and covers that region. I have Taken Friends to the Beaches, the Museums, of course the Touristy things like the Rodeo Drive, but the City has great small corners for great Jazz and eating Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
THE PEOPLE who weren’t afraid to help a young man along his way. I always wanted to create the complete Book, that means 3 Trades: Typesetting, Letterpress and Bookbinding, I got a German Master Degree in Hand bookbinding, a Swiss Master degree i Typesetting and Letterpress. And I had to take a Lot of Abuse, because established Masters in the Trades wouldn’t accept somebody like me. But Otto Rohse in Hamburg taught me engraving on Copperplate, Horst Pichl in Stuttgart intro in French fine Binding, Herman Zapf in Typedesign, as Jost Hochuli and Max Caflisch, Hauib van Krimpen. They saw a ability to create something with me to further the Trade.

Website: Krause Intaglio.com Bookinstitute.org

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ddr-ludwig-mohr-30527b73/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KrauseKupferdruck

Image Credits
JOHNATHAN KITZEN LUDWIG MOHR YILAN LUO