“Sally Kayser, right, Inge Nussbaum and Joyce May enjoy working with the new press at the South Whidbey Campus of Skagit Valley College.Jim Larsen, staff photoWhen adult printmaking students at the South Whidbey Campus of Skagit Valley College lost their press, they didn’t just sit around and complain. Instead, they went out and got their own — and this time, nobody can take it away.A new $3,000 press now proudly sits on a borrowed table in a room at the campus, located on the far side of Ken’s Korner Mall. Its existence is a credit to the students in Deon Matzen’s printmaking class, who needed their own press and did something about it.Matzen explained that last year, the South Whidbey class had a printmaking press that belonged to the college. Unfortunately, we had to share the press with the Oak Harbor campus, she said. Last December, the press was removed from South Whidbey and shipped to Oak Harbor.That was a great loss to students here, Matzen said. What could they do? There was no money in the budget for the press, and the prospect of raising $3,000 through car washes and bake sales was daunting.Jerry Mercer came up with the idea of seeking a grant, and he and his classmates wrote an application to a charitable organization called The Trust Company. Based in Seattle, the company prioritizes needs for charitable givers. It must have been an impressive letter.Two weeks later we had a check for the purchase of the press, Matzen said. A Chicago company built the press to order, and on Friday, August 11, it arrived — all 470 pounds of it, too big to fit through the door in its crate. It had to be uncrated outside and lifted with a forklift onto the table where it now resides.The following Monday, an all-day printmaking class was held with 14 students creating prints and hanging them on clotheslines all over the room. Many were a little exhausted after their efforts, but all were happy with the results and the wonderful printmaking press, Matzen said. The students have a press with which they can create block prints, dry point etchings, mono prints, cyano prints, solar prints, wood cuts, and traditional lithographs. Much of that work will be shown Sept. 22-Oct. 4 at the Bayview Art Studio.Best of all, they don’t have to worry that the Oak Harbor campus of SVC will try to share this press. The grant came with a condition, Matzen explained: The press has to remain permanently at the South Whidbey Campus.Bayview show displays printsStudents have already made a dozen books of prints thanks to their new press. Those books will be on view at the Bayview Art Studio during the Senior Art Classes Show opening Friday, Sept. 22 and continuing through Oct. 4. Viewing times are during open hours of the Bayview Art Store, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, or the Smilin’ Dog Coffee House, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays.A reception for the public will be held from 6-9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23, with appetizers and wine served. Art works by about 20 students will include watercolor, oil, acrylics, pastels, pencil and prints. Many of the pieces will be for sale.Prints in the books can be individually removed and framed. Some of the books will be sold, with the contributions going to support the art classes at the South Whidbey Center of Skagit Valley College. The books include dry point etchings, mono prints, cyano prints, solar prints, block printing, wood cuts and traditional lithographs. “