[Chandra Greer] Campbell Raw Press is a design studio run by Maggie Campbell and her husband Matt Raw out of their Brooklyn home. Maggie creates beautiful hand-bound books as well as letterpress cards and invitations. She’s the mother of a darling little girl who inspires her every day. And she inspires us with her meticulous talent, positive energy and ability to juggle a million things while always keeping her family at the top of the list.
[Ted Bertz] After recently finishing a personal project, a book commemorating posters completed from 1987 to 2008 for an agricultural fair held each year in Durham, Conn. — Fair Play: Twenty-three years of Durham Fair Posters — Ted Bertz, founder of Bertz Design Group, reflects on the evolution of the graphic design industry over the same period.
[Alyson Kuhn] Rachel Hazell is a book artist and have-punch-will-travel teacher of book arts. London-born Hazell, who currently lives in Edinburgh, has grand plans for 2012. She is scheduling a bookbinding workshop in a different part of the world each month. January’s was in Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire; March’s will be on the Summer Isles in Northwest Scotland. And February’s — aptly titled Colour of Love — begins today in the Napa Valley. I’ll be right there — writing about paper engineering, stitching and all things Valentinear.
Today we begin a series of interviews with letterpress printers who participated in the Feedback Loop Notebook project. First up is Jenni Undis, proprietress of Lunalux. Just as a notebook is greater than the sum of its pages, the Feedback Loop project is greater than the sum of its partners — all of whom we thank for participating. (All limited edition notebooks are on sale now at Felt & Wire Shop in a special storefront to benefit School: by Design, an initiative by Design Ignites Change.)
What was the inspiration for your design?
I wanted my contribution to be memorable, and at first I was over-engineering it. Ultimately what I like most is simple, elegant design. So I stripped away all the bells and whistles I was considering, and just did something clean. I’ve always been inspired by vintage paper goods. For this particular project, I spent a lot of time looking at old book and ledger covers. I wanted to capture the feeling of an old embossed leather tome.
The text on the cover — “You cannot step twice into the same river, for other waters are continually flowing by” — is a quote I’ve been itching to work with for some time. In this context, it speaks to the transformative powers of journaling and self-reflection.
What were your considerations in selecting stocks?
I’ve always been fond of felt-finish covers. For years, Strathmore Pastelle felt-finish cover has been one of our go-to stocks for greeting cards and wedding invitations. So I was excited to see the big selection of colors in Loop’s Feltmark finish. The Ginger Feltmark cover reminded me a little of weathered leather. And the vellum-finish Eco Cream 80# text from the Inkwell line seemed like a nice complement in terms of color (think aged newsprint), texture and heft.
What can you tell us about the printing of your notebook?
Everything we make is letterpress-printed using photopolymer plates. Our 10 x 15 Heidelberg Windmill press dates to circa 1950.
How did you approach binding your notebook?
I love projects where we control everything from start to finish. I enjoy the feeling of pride when I say, “We made this. We did it all.” So our notebooks are saddle-stitched, because we have a stapler that does saddle-stitching.
What motivated you to participate in the Feedback Loop?
Design Ignites Change sounds like such a powerful program. It’s so valuable for kids to learn to appreciate how creative and artistic work can have a significant impact in their lives, on their school community. When I did the math, I realized that this notebook project should raise over $10,000 for Design Ignites Change — I am humbled to do my small part to reach this larger goal.
Plus, the notebook project seemed like a fun challenge, an opportunity for us to learn how to do something new. Though I have a bit of bookbinding experience, Lunalux has never produced notebooks before. I knew we could do it, but I didn’t know how well! The notebooks were much more work than we anticipated, but I am so thrilled with how they turned out.
Jenni Undis of Lunalux knows firsthand the impact that “creative and artistic work can have.” Read a bit about her letterpress beginnings here. You can buy Lunalux’s Loop notebook here.
In this production video of Lunalux’s Feedback Loop notebook, if you fast-forward to 2:00 you’ll see a canine cameo.
Love the simplicity!