I used to pine over images of self-promotional pieces in design annuals, wondering how one gets one of those. As of this week, I now possess a fantastic one by one of my favorite contemporary designers, Martin Venezky — my first letterpress print that calls out Facebook.

He’s designed two books recently that are of great interest. One is Mission Muralismo, a celebration of San Francisco murals. There’s a reception around this book Friday November 6 at 6:00 at the deYoung (with many of the artists in attendance.) The other is Finding Frida Kahlo, Barbara Levine’s book of newly unearthed Kahlo work which as it turns out might be forgeries.

I am totally excited about both books; I know neither is particularly typographic but, Venezky can work the hell out of a two-page spread.

I first became aware of Venezky’s work from his masterful art direction of the ahead-of-its time Speak Magazine, (which I eulogized when Speak Up closed down) and later took a class on experimental letterpress from him at the San Francisco Center for the Book. Appetite Engineers moved from San Francisco to New York a few years back, and now they’ve moved back. I can’t wait to see his incredible (and still fresh) type collages on MUNI bus shelters again: welcome back Appetite Engineers!

Here’s his previous promotion, which I only wish I had (click for gigantic).

And here is some more of Appetite Engineer’s fabulous work: