About the Printmaking Studio
Since 1976, Milestone Graphics has provided a center for artists of all levels to explore traditional print media. Located in New Haven, Milestone is the oldest professional print shop still operating in the state of Connecticut. Milestone Graphics offers artists an open atmosphere in which to develop their images through print. We specialize in a personalized collaborative printmaking experience & the production of limited, high quality editions through traditional print methods including lithography, intaglio and relief.
Milestone Graphics was originally established in 1976 in San Francisco, California by Master Printer and original founder James Reed with the goal of providing national and regional artists of all rank and experience access to the expertise of professional printers. Reed trained as a printer at Tamarind Institute and worked as a curator of prints with the Achenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts at the San Francisco Museum. Over a nearly fifty-year career, he printed at shops across the United States, Mexico, and France, and received both a Ford Fellowship and a Rockefeller Scholarship grant. He collaborated with more than two hundred artists at Milestone, working alongside them at the press to carry each idea through to a finished edition and though the physical location of the shop moved cross-country to Bridgeport, CT in 1980, the same collaborative approach followed.
Master Printer & Founder
James Reed
Collaborative Printer & Owner
Irene Michnicki
Photo credit: Robbie Maynard
After training at Tamarind Institute, Michnicki returned to Milestone to continue its legacy and in 2021 relocated the shop to New Haven. Though Milestone has seen many changes in its 50 years of operation, the philosophy and process has stayed the same.
Since 2020, the shop has been owned and operated by Irene Michnicki, who has been with Milestone since 2015. She began printing various projects, co-collaborating with artists and managing the shop with James as her mentor.
To learn more about Irene Michnicki, her practice as a collaborative printer and her background please click the button below.
Our Philosophy &
Process
As an artist working with Milestone Graphics, you can expect a highly personalized experience.
Collaboration is our focus.
Milestone’s philosophy is based on the traditional model of the atelier with a master printer working closely alongside the artist to achieve all desired aesthetic goals through fine print techniques.
The collaborative printmaking process allows the artist and the printer to work in tandem to produce original limited editions. In this way of working, it's important for both individuals to draw upon the unique skills and technical knowledge they have mastered. While the artist has a vision for the final print inspired by their own practice, the printer has the equipment and the problem solving toolkit to carry the process through to making the final print a reality.
Explore Our Artists & Projects
Since 1976, artists have worked on countless prints and projects at Milestone Graphics, each collaborative effort being unique in its scope and experience. Here is a small sampling of fine art prints produced at the studio and artists we have had the honor to work with throughout the years.
