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After building a small shop along the Cedar River 16 years ago, Chad Pastotnik began Deep Wood Press, a letterpress and intaglio printing studio that has since designed, printed and bound 35 books. Wedding invitations, cards, journals, wood engravings and more are created inside this cabin in the woods, but books are the primary focus and the future may be epic.

In a project likely to make history, Pastotnik plans to print Homer's The Odyssey in Greek and English on facing pages within the next few years.

"The Odyssey hasn't received this kind of treatment since the fifteenth century," Pastotnik said. "The books will sell worldwide."

The weight of such an undertaking will not fall solely on Pastotnik's shoulders. A cohort on the east coast will make the financial investment, another will take care of marketing and a fellow artist in Cadillac will assist in design.

A rough timetable would be one year of design followed by two months of printing, according to Pastotnik, who is controlling his excitement for now as many things could halt the project.

The paper will be handmade especially for this book at a mill in the Czech Republic; all 1,300 sheets of cotton paper which he said must be ordered soon.

The historical significance of preserving these printing and book binding methods may be priceless to some, but The Odyssey will be sold for over $1,000 per copy, Pastotnik said.

In the midst of throwing around ideas for The Odyssey, Deep Wood Press is busy with an assortment of other projects.

Most recently completed by Pastotnik is "The Chesapeake Voyages of Captain John Smith," while Joseph Conrad's "The Heart of Darkness" is soon to follow. Pastotnik plans to publish 150 copies of Conrad's work on an all-cotton paper called HahnemŸhle Biblio.

"We bought up this continent's entire supply of that paper," he said. "And now we have to wait until May for the next boat to come in from Germany."

Combining such rare materials with an equally unique ability, Pastotnik said he is entering his prime. The journey began as he was finishing an undergraduate degree at Grand Valley State University in printmaking, focusing on engraving and intaglio print making. A professor introduced him to book binding and Pastotnik began combining his passion for intaglio with a growing interest in creating books.

"The Heart of Darkness" may push Deep Wood Press further into the spotlight, but another The Odyssey will place Pastotnik in the history books.

"There is always the temptation to go back to the simplicity of doodling," Pastotnik admitted. "It's a struggle for me but I do enjoy designing the books; the whole layout process, choosing materials, type, the way it's bound and illustrations."

This manual printing process is timely, done in a style descended from Gutenberg where little has changed. Each letter is set in place by hand, selected from large trays of type that Pastotnik has collected over the years.

"There's only one working foundry left in this country that makes it," he said.

From binding methods and materials to pictures and poetry, the end result after an average printing time of one month is a piece of art that is history on many levels.

Flipping through the pages of a recently completed book at his secluded studio, Pastotnik mentioned another publication due later this year.

"A previously unpublished Hemingway poem is due to come out in September. I'm working on that now," he said, paused and shook his head. "I can't show it to you."

Waiting for the estate to give the go ahead, he hopes to begin printing the poem in August.

Though he values the isolation of his home and studio, Pastotnik has been a familiar face in the art community of northern Michigan, hosting book-binding workshops through the Parkside Arts Council. The next workshop is scheduled to take place this summer. He also hosts the council's live model drawing on the third Thursday of every month. For more information on Pastotnik's work see www.deepwoodpress.com.

Chris Tredway can be reached at ctredway@michigannewspapers.com or by calling 231-533-8523.