Virtual Salon
June 9, 2020

Join author, illustrator, and designer Ross MacDonald as we tour his Brightwork Press studio and letterpress shop in Connecticut. On view will be Ross’ extensive collection of wood type, dating back to the some of the earliest cut by hand, as well as examples of period props that he has made, printed, and designed for over 90 movies and television series.

For many years, Ross MacDonald has been a contributor to periodicals like ‘Vanity Fair,‘ ‘The New York Times,‘ ‘The New Yorker,‘ ‘Newsweek,‘ ‘Time,‘ and ‘Rolling Stone,‘ creating illustrations and writing humor pieces.

Yet all the while he has led a secret double life designing and fabricating props for over 90 movies and television series. He has made everything from the book Bradley Cooper’s character throws out the window in ‘Silver Linings Playbook,‘ to the titular Book of Secrets for the second ‘National Treasure‘ movie; Jennifer Lawrence’s mop patents for Joy; baby’s favorite book in ‘Baby’s Day Out;’ Nucky Thompson’s passport and Arnold Rothstein’s calling card for ‘Boardwalk Empire;’ the morgue toe-tags in ’The Knick;’ the Pawnee town charter for ‘Parks and Recreation;’ the Red Apple Tobacco tin in Tarantino’s ‘Hateful Eight;’ Versace’s book in the second season of ‘American Crime Story,’ period newspapers and Hitler stamps for ‘The Plot Against America,’ and thousands of other props.

Ross MacDonald has authored and illustrated four children’s books, as well as the adult humor books In and Out with Dick and Jane, (with co-author James Victore) and What Would Jesus Craft?

Born and raised in the backwoods of Canada, he lived for many years in New York City before finally washing up on the bucolic shores of Connecticut.

See photos of his 2018 exhibition at Type Directors Club here.