Notes From the Studio

3/14/2025

Ah, March in the UP. Last week we had a blizzard, this week we had 60s. Spring is my favorite season, especially those first sunny days where it gets into the 60s and everyone can't help but be in a festive mood. I've been loving the signs of spring returning, like how a section of Presque Isle closes daily because of the blue spotted salamander migration. Picking up my oldest from the farm where they work, I was given a fresh cup of sweetwater (maple sap, before it's boiled into syrup). The other night in the sauna we heard some Canada geese fly over. What I haven't heard yet, even though I listen every morning, is a robin singing. That's when you know you're fully locked-in on spring.

Ink on Paper

I was asked to print postcards for some local political action. Saturday the 15th from 10-2 you can fill one of these pink patriots out at the Women's Federated Club House (corner of Front and Ridge).

I honestly care less about where people fall on the political spectrum than I do about whether or not people have a voice. We're all here together, we've gotta figure out how to make it work, and we can't do that if only a select rich few get to call the shots. Here's hoping these turn up on the news.

This was definitely my biggest project to date. 800 postcards, printed twice! Letterpress is very much an embodied art form. The cardstock I was given was only 65lb, so the embossing shows up on the other side, along with a little bleeding from the ink.

I also did a quick run of business cards for my friend Josh, aka JJ Brinski, the Mad Space Poet. They turned out really sharp! I love how the lowercase "j" in this font (20th Century) is straight. There is one minor easter egg, though (see if you can spot it):

I was cleaning up and putting type away when I noticed that I had a capital "I" in my hand. I knew immediately that it shouldn't be there, and said some choice words while I looked closely to find where it snuck in. See it yet? It's in the email address. We both missed it when reviewing the proof, and probably would never have noticed if I was paying less attention during clean-up.

He was a good sport and is still going to give them out, and I joked that it's proof that it wasn't made with A.I. It actually reminded me of a short story snippet, set in the near future, where people would wear cubist-styled makeup to fool facial recognition cameras. This idea of intentionally doing things "wrong" to subvert technological systems. Amos Paul Kennedy talks about the "school of bad printing," where the smudges, beat-up typefaces, and other "imperfections" are to be celebrated, as they reveal the very human printer.

Upcoming Events

Nothing yet, but I did sketch out some ideas for building out a booth space. I should have a much better picture in a month!

Other Rambles

Another sure sign of spring is the season of Lent, and while I'm not a Christian, I do take an annual journey through the de-centering practice of Atheism for Lent, curated by Irish philosopher Peter Rollins. I've been doing it for about a decade or so. The idea is that after 40 days, you come to realize that what truly unites us is a common lack, a fundamental loss. It's a powerful idea, one that I think can speak to our current state of dividedness across many fronts.

Anyway, that's all for now. See you out there,

PB