...well...as a curator I'm probably not allowed to have favourites but shoot, I have to say that the books designed and printed by Brendan O'Brien at his Fernbank Studio in Wellington stand out as one of the highlights in the exhibition. Brendan began letterpress printing in 1996 and the name Fernbank Studio comes from Rita Angus's cottage in Thorndon, Wellington where he spent several months printing in 2000.

Over the past 16 years Brendan has produced some of the most original and beautifully crafted hand-printed books in New Zealand including collaborations with poets and artists such as Bill Manhire, Joanna Margaret Paul, Ralph Hotere, Pip Culbert, Jenny Bornholdt and Gregory O'Brien as well as several titles written and illustrated by himself. A small selection of Fernbank Studio books will be included in the exhibition which will open at the Peterborough Street Library on the 30th August to coincide with the Christchurch Writers Festival.