Creative Chain: Connecting creatives one link at a time, week four

[Emily Potts] Last week we were inspired by three amazing artists: Henning Wagenbreth, Sophie Dutertre and Placid. In keeping with the French artist theme, I’m starting off this week’s Creative Chain with an illustrator I deeply admire and respect.

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05.16.12

Mohawk Show 12: Submit to Your Love Affair With Paper

[Kim Rogala] As the Mohawk Show 12 entry deadline approaches (May 31st, so hurry and enter!) we wanted to direct your attention to the Show’s materials that were created by the team at Tether. We asked Stanley Hainsworth, founder and chief creative officer of Tether, to tell us a little about his thoughts behind the designs.

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05.15.12

Sitting pretty with PLANEfurniture

[Alyson Kuhn] Michael Boyd, designer of the PLANEfurniture line, collects modernist furniture, art, architecture and design books, and ephemera. Last year, he decided to create a line of modernist-inspired furniture that “makes you think, holds your body, eases your mind, and sits well within your budget.” That’s a quote from the jacket flap of PLANEfurniture: types + prototypes, designed by Mick Hodgson of Ph.D, A Design Office. I recently sat in some of the furniture and can confirm that it is quite user-friendly.

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05.14.12

In support of local craftspersons

[Nancy Sharon Collins] Time was, every small town had a little print shop, always with some California Job Cases of type, a letterpress, perhaps a molten pot of lead going on the Ludlow or Linotype machine, and a friendly press person who knew the machines and made them sing. Often this included a small engraving bench and die stamping machine, upon which would be engraved all sorts of beautiful calling cards, stationery, announcements and invitations.

Because so many small towns have been eaten up by suburban sprawl and big box stores that have out-muscled neighborhood businesses, those days may be gone. However, many small shops remain … they are just increasingly harder to locate (which can make the search for them even more exciting!).

Find them, seek them out, for they know their paper and their type and, with a little cajoling, will impart all the wisdom of years — a plethora of print history —for the price of running your engraved or letterpress job.

We work with Nancy and Brian Hart in Milwaukee, owners and proprietors of Hart Engraving. Brian’s family built the business. He does a lot of press work for us and man, he really makes that old press sing!

This Valentine’s Day, have a heart: Look in your phone book for a local engraver (even if you have to drive a hundred miles to find it) and support this venerable craft.

You can also look for engravers at IEGA, the International Engraved Graphics Association.

Nancy Sharon Collins is known for her exemplary bespoke hand-engraved social stationery. She is a stationer; graphic designer; typographer; print history scholar; partner in Collins, LLC; director of special projects for AIGA New Orleans; and an educator for Louisiana State University and UCLA. She is working on a book about American commercial engraving. See her Felt & Wire Shop products here.

Photo: Collins, LLC

02.14.11
  1. Posted by diana on 02.14.11 at 6:25 pm

    nancy sharon collins is a most talented stationer, designer,scholar, teacher and writer. She is also a wonderful friend.

  2. Posted by judith young-mallin on 02.16.11 at 6:19 pm

    In an age of email that vanishes in the ether of time nancy sharon collins makes us want to return to an age of writing pens and memory boxes and hand-written notes, calling cards and bespoke suits . . we polish our shoes how about our memories.

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