Move to Iowa
In October 2007 Esslemont moved to an old farm a few miles from Decorah in rural north east Iowa. In January 2008 work began on Keats' poem, To Autumn.

Move to America
After a residency in England Esslemont moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota in search of the American dream. In 2006 he printed and began binding a major commission: All in Good Time, the autobiography of distinguished handmade watchmaker George Daniels, for Vitek Tracz and Peoples Archive. In the Spring he printed The Prelude for the Wordsworth Trust.

The Wordsworth Trust
Esslemont was invited in January 2005, by the late Robert Woof, inspirational Director of the Wordsworth Trust, to be an Artist in Residence with the Trust in Grasmere in the English Lake District. This provided a unique opportunity to pursue watercolour painting and work on illustrations for a projected new edition of Wordsworth's poem, The Prelude.

Minneapolis
In Minneapolis during the summer of 2004 Esslemont printed The Folly and Wickedness of War at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts where he enjoyed the privilege of being an artist in residence.

New House
In April 2001 Esslemont moved to a new house in Wales. This provided an opportunity to build a new workshop, and in 2002 print The Key Keeper for Jim McCue's Foundling Press, then write, print and publish Inside the Book with a new imprint, Solmentes Press. This was followed in 2003 by Ink on the Elbow a collaboration with Gaylord Schanilec.

Floods
The workshop at Severn Villa was renovated during the summer of 1999 and the floor raised by two feet. This was celebrated by the publication of The Printer's Flowers. An ancient Wharfedale printing press was installed in November and the first book printed the new press was The Fall of Xenophon followed by the very successful Wood Engravings of David Gentleman. 

Goodbye Gregynog
In September 1997 Esslemont returned to working on a freelance basis from his home in rural mid Wales. Living in a Victorian farmhouse on the banks of the river Severn with an old coach house and stable converted to workshops provided ample space for various activities.

Fine printing in Wales
From 1985 to 1997 Esslemont was Director of the Gregynog Press in Wales. At Gregynog he designed and printed several prize-winning books including Giraldus Cambrensis for which he won the first Felice Feliciano Award for Book Design in 1991. He commissioned artists to illustrate the books and many, such as Wrenching Times, with colour wood engravings by Gaylord Schanilec have become highly sought-after collector's items.

Establishes Press
In 1978 while working as an artist and printmaker (linoleum cuts, woodcuts and wood engravings), and painting landscapes in oils and watercolours Esslemont established his own private press in his home town of Newcastle upon Tyne in the north of England. Here he published the first of several books with wood engravings by the eighteenth century wood engraver Thomas Bewick and his apprentices: Thomas Bewick: A Commemoration, John Bewick a Selection of Wood Engravings Luke Clennell: Bewick Apprentice, and Thomas Bewick: Birds These books were printed by hand on dampened paper on a Columbian press and published in limited editions. 

Design
As a designer Esslemont has worked on a variety projects from a book stamp for the Bodleian library to a whole new visual identity for the University of Wales Swansea, including design guidelines and the application to signage and marketing. Many smaller commissions such as bookplates have been undertaken for private individuals and the design of stationery and logos for associations and small businesses. Digital typesetting and design projects have included books for the British Library, Previous Parrot Press, the first two issues of Parenthesis for the Fine Press Book Association.

Bookbinding
From the outset Esslemont has also bound his books himself and most were issued in leather bindings: full leather, quarter leather and designed fine bindings, often with gold tooling. Today, David Esslemont is pleased to offer his services as a bookbinder for small editions of fine print books. For example All in Good Time and Angels for the Celtic Cross Press. He also welcomes commissions for one off bindings such as the binding on Wood Engravings by Agnes Miller Parker. Occasionally he finds a book that inspires and will create a binding specially for that volume. 

Commissions 
David Esslemont welcomes commissions for book and graphic design, hand printing, especially the editioning of woodcuts, linoleum cuts and wood engravings, bookbinding, paste papers and ideas for publication. Please email enquiries to esslemont2@gmail.com