"I really believe in the functionality of the letterpress, that you can still use an old mechanical tool," said Wofford, who steers Horse & Buggy Press. "I'm not trying to be the old-timer or a fine artist, but do functional design work that has a great range in style or genre."

His body of work over the past decade of operating the business shows that Wofford, 35, is succeeding.

Whether he is hand printing the pages and stitching up the covers of a specialty book, designing commissioned billboards and programs, or making photo albums, journals and greeting cards, Wofford creates unique printed pieces that tell their own stories in paper, font and design.

Making an impression: Letterpress printing is a form of relief printing, which means the type or image being printed actually makes an impression into the fibers of the paper, Wofford writes in his press catalog. The result, he said, is an intimate artifact, creating an impression "that can be both seen and felt."

Designing a life: Wofford's interest in design started at N.C. State University, where he went in the early 1990s. "Initially I thought I wanted to be an architect, but I wasn't entirely sure," he said.

Wofford spent more than a year at Penland School of Crafts in the North Carolina mountains, studying letterpress, bookbinding and papermaking. It was there that he decided he liked letterpress printing much better than traditional graphic design work.

"I like working on projects from beginning to end," he said. "A lot of my inspiration came from potters and metalworkers at Penland. I also wanted to put my hands and body into my work."

Getting down to business: Wofford moved from Raleigh to Durham in 2003 and lives with his fiancee, Annie Kao. He recently moved Horse & Buggy to the up-and-coming Central Park neighborhood. Wofford and studio mate Kenny Dalsheimer, a documentarian, formed the Bull City Arts Collaborative as a way to share space and collaborate with other creative types in the area. They are setting up a gallery on site and rent space to other artists.

Books are boss: Whether he is working on business cards or a catalog, "the problem-solving is what brings meaning to the projects," said Wofford, who strives to produce feeling, function and form. Whatever projects he is working on, he likes to always have one or two book design and printing projects going as well.

"I like books that the reader is going to view several times because they go through different layers of viewing it," he said.

Housing "Birdhouses": One current project is a limited-edition (135 copies) photo and essay book called "Birdhouses" by Virginia photographer Rob McDonald. "I'm excited about this book," Wofford said. "It combines digital images and letterpress printing."

The catalog description reads like a fine dining menu for printers: "The images will be Indigo printed and all text will be letterpress printed by hand on sumptuous 100-lb. Mohawk Superfine eggshell finish archival text paper."

Wofford is hand-binding the book, which comes with a frameable darkroom print. (The book will sell for $125, with 25 deluxe boxed editions at $295. Prices are reduced before March 15.)

Catalogs as art: Although most of Wofford's customers are within driving distance, Idaho timber frame builder Collin Beggs hired Wofford to create his catalog, letterhead and business card. Wofford's rustic, earthy design proves that even marketing products can be beautiful.

"I tried to reflect the aesthetic of his timber framing by using strong type, open and airy. Collin is very interested in using wood harvested ecologically, so it made sense for me to use hemp and post-consumer recycled paper."

Write your own story: Wofford hand-binds artful journals and photograph albums. He often creates custom books for people, including those for weddings and family portraits, and designs and prints wedding announcements.

Or, if you have only a few words to say, Wofford has a greeting card for you, including one that shows an old woodcut of a rooster with the word "Hey" printed in large type.

"I call it the all-purpose Southern greeting card," he said.

Slowing down: One thing all his work has in common, Wofford said, is that it encourages people to savor the experience of reading.

"Letterpress leaves an impression that is more tactile," he said. "It makes sense for the reader to slow down and enjoy it."

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