Visiting Denis has become a sort of pilgrimage over time. To do so, you have to take Highway 35 to D’Iberville (Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu), ring the doorbell of his bungalow, and go down the stairs leading to the basement. As soon as your foot touches the vinyl floor, the magic begins and time suddenly stops (somewhere in the 1970s). In this basement, the sound of the machines runs incessantly, from morning until night. Hidden behind one of them is Denis, welcoming us with his twinkling eyes and Santa Claus-like appearance.
Denis is what is commonly called a “skilled tradesman.” Denis has been working as a printer for nearly 50 years. He completed his studies in 1977, long before the digital age, laptops, and 3D printers. At that time, the trade was learned using offset presses, typewriters, die-cutting, and typography. Needless to say, the trade has changed considerably since then… After working for Journal du Canada français and the Marist Brothers, Denis has now been running his business, Katrimages, for 26 years.
Curious and meticulous, Denis has continually updated his knowledge, techniques, and technologies over the years to stay current. He knows how to make judicious and balanced use of his nearly century-old platen press, his offset presses, and his digital printers. Stepping into Denis’s basement is a bit like stepping into a museum. You want to spend hours there, and you leave admiring all the work of this behind-the-scenes artisan.
Thank you for your patience, your guidance, and your good humor.
Before we knew you, sending something to be printed was a chore for us. Now, we look forward to the next phone call—but especially to the next pilgrimage to your basement.
To work with Denis, contact him
