visualchemist » _REACTIONS

Nice to meet you, Myrtle Alley Press

visualchemist — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 06:14:04 +0000

Back in March, I attended the first official meeting for the Seattle Freelance Designer Co-Op. Being new to Seattle, it was the perfect opportunity to meet local creatives and take the temperature of the current design/freelance market in the Pacific Northwest. Several creative events had been held by the Co-Op since that first meeting, but today’s studio tour was one meet up I didn’t want to pass up. Today, I had the pleasure of meeting Becki Mullins of West Seattle’s Myrtle Alley Press. She opened up her letterpress studio to Co-Op members and we were given a tour of her space. This is where her magic happens.

Her studio walls were covered with a growing collection of letterpress prints including some original Hatch prints. It was awesome to hear her story and goals for her shop. She did a quick demo on her 8×12 C&P NS named “Jack,” and her Vandercook 219 OS “Ray,” (formerly owned by the late Chris Stern of Stern & Faye, Printers). Co-Op members were welcome to crank out a type poster to take home. With my days in Seattle coming to a close, it was great to have the opportunity to visit another local letterpress studio. Long live letterpress!

frostology: designer doughnuts

visualchemist — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 10:49:52 +0000

We didn’t want to show up at yesterday’s birthday party empty handed so we decided to bring a dozen donuts from Frost, the hand-crafted gourmet doughnut shop/boutique in Mill Creek, WA. We are temporarily living just two blocks away from this fancy place. My top 5 flavors are Red Velvet, Pink Lady, Wedding Cake, White Chocolate Truffle, and Banana Split fritter. Yum. Oh, and the birthday girl loved them so much, she kept them all to herself.

So is it donut or doughnut? However it’s spelled, these perfect little sugar-coated calorie bombs are the bomb.

SVC Seattle Steam Roller Smackdown

visualchemist — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 09:40:29 +0000

While in Seattle, I made it a point to visit as many local design and letterpress studios as I could. Last month, (08/29) the School of Visual Concepts hosted their 8th annual Letterpress Wayzgoose and Steam Roller Smackdown.

Along with the Smackdown, I also took the dollar tour of SVC. I visited their event vendor/exhibit hall and checked out their letterpress facilities. I also had the pleasure of meeting Carl Montford, wood engraver/printer at ‘The Montford Press.’ I printed up my own souvy on his tiny Sigwalt, Carl’s hand carved commemorative SVC 2009 steam engine. (BTW, that’s his hand in the photo.)

It was a quickie visit to SVC, but totally worth it!