About Indulgence Press

The mission of Indulgence Press is to integrate form and content through the production of high quality work while exploring and expanding on the history of the book as an art form.

Indulgence Press is Wilber “Chip” Schilling’s letterpress studio, specializing in the design and production of limited edition books and prints since 1992.

Schilling uses a hand-fed Vandercook SP20 cylinder press for letterpress printing. He uses other printing methods as needed to produce the aesthetic quality necessary for his work. See Prints/Photo Work to view Schilling’s exquisite gum bichromate print series, Decayed Volumes.

Schilling acts as artist, designer, author, printer, illustrator, bookbinder and publisher. He also collaborates with other artists and writers on his editions. Schilling began his career as a commercial photographer. Photography is still a passion and photographic illustration plays a key role in his books.

Portrait by Marc Norberg

Schilling earned a BA in history and photography from Clark Universtiy (Worchester, MA) and earned an MFA in printmaking and book arts from the University of the Arts (Philadelphia, PA). He has taught letterpress printing, bookbinding and photography throughout the United States. His work has been exhibited internationally and can be found in over 100 collections including the New York Public Library, the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the Walker Art Center, the Getty Center, the British Library, and the Whitney Museum of American Art Library. Schilling has received multiple awards and grants. Most recently, he was a finalist for the 2008 Minnesota Book Artist award.

Why the name Indulgence Press?

While studying at the Library Company of Philadelphia, Schilling was inspired by the work of Johann Guttenburg who was the first to print from moveable type. The first printed works of Guttenberg were papal indulgences—flyers that, when purchased, absolved the purchaser of a sin and prevented an eternity in hell.

“Indulgence” also provides the perfect contemporary definition of the fine press or artist book. In this digital age, a beautifully handmade, inspiring and tactile book can be considered an indulgence. Some consider it a necessary indulgence. For example, Melville’s Bartleby the Scrivener, is easily found in pulp-paperback but reading the Indulgence Press edition—letterpress printed with typography and illustration bringing the story to life and a binding that texturally represents an integral part of the story—is an experience.

The word ‘Indulgence' is packed with meaning, both conceptual and historical, exactly what Schillng strives for with his Indulgence Press editions.