Per Englund Hansen

Born in Copenhagen in 1959

After finishing school, I started work as a boy at “Norup & Bramsted” a printing house.

Having completed four educating years it became clear that I wanted to train as a lithographical printer. Serving my apprenticeship at the same printing house, I qualified in Copenhagen in 1982 with “Norup & Bramsted” where I continued working as a qualified printer. They also boasted an old lithographical stone press, which awakened my curiosity. I spent as much of my spare time as possible lending a helping hand and learning the old techniques described elsewhere on the homepage.

Simultaneously, a completely new world transpired; the world of the arts. I was fascinated by the way, in which the artists deployed themselves and I was drawn in by all their different modes of expression, which I encountered in the printing house. This was a complete contrast to the normal part of the printing house. I started attending art exhibitions and took an interest in the life of the artists. I worked 20 years in total at “Norup & Bramsted” where I, as a sideline to my daily work cultivated “the arts”, which prevailed more and more in my life.

Changing to a different printing house in 1996 was therefore a natural development. I was employed as the only printer in the Litho Art in Vence/France. I moved to the town where there is a large base of artists and I worked closely with both Danish and international artists. In the process, I managed to create a better connection between my professional work and my private interests. It was not only the actual printing, which has been essential, but also the interaction with the artist that has helped to create the processes, having an advantageous influences on the results.

By mere chance, I came across a very old planographic stone press in the summer of 2003. It originated in Marseille in 1890. It was in use there for printing posters and art books until approximately 1999.

My lithographical work has developed over the years and for a long time I have harboured the desire to try out the old techniques. Therefore, I began restoring the press and at the same time, I moved to Bargemon where I found some suitable premises for an actual workshop.

October 1st, 2004 I officially opened Blue Dog Litho.