Part of being a DUST Team Admin for me involves approving new members, which is always exciting. It is always a pleasure to meet new artists and to browse through their wonderful shops. This week it is my great pleasure to introduce "fresh dust" and a fellow sandgroper - meet Davina from Fluid Ink Letter Press.
I have very much enjoyed reading about the inspirations and processes that go into the creation of letter press goodies - here are some beautiful things that I spotted in the Fluid Ink Letter Press shop on Etsy.
Ok readers, time now to get the virtual conversation started ! I will now hand the blog reigns over to Davina to tell you all about Fluid Ink Letter Press ! See you all next week for Wednesday Wishes xo have a fab weekend everyone !
Ok readers, time now to get the virtual conversation started ! I will now hand the blog reigns over to Davina to tell you all about Fluid Ink Letter Press ! See you all next week for Wednesday Wishes xo have a fab weekend everyone !
Once upon a time, Davina was taking a break form her regular graphic design job, browsing Etsy (again) when she happened upon some letterpress items. It was love a first sight. From there, research, more research, reading, you-tubing, browsing Etsy and seeking out anything letterpress became an obsession. A chance search on Briar Press.com, unearthed a Golding Pearl #3 built in Boston USA in 1892, available for sale in Sydney. And she made it hers!
“Fluid Ink was born out of my urge to 'unplug' from my regular desk job in front of the computer. Working with letterpress forces me to be slow, accurate, work only with what equipment and tools I have and there is no 'undo' button! It’s a dinosaur’s approach, to be sure, born out of nostalgia and a desire to unplug from our overly digitized existence. The appeal is being hands on, messy and sometimes quite physical.”
For the past 5 years, Davina has conceived and built and grown a web based baby photo card online business ‘Mini Ink’ and intends to user her learned business knowledge to help Fluid Ink thrive.
“It’s important to me that my work is seen and liked. I like to create pieces that are contemporary, current and fashionable. Its not art for arts sake, my letterpress items are meant to be used as purposeful stationery and paper goods.”
Fluid Ink prints letterpress coasters, greeting cards, gift tags and invitations onto 100% cotton paper and recycled card stock using photopolymer plates, vintage illustrated blocks and moveable wood and metal type.
“My favorite items are the conversational coasters, I designed a Christmas quiz set and they were so popular, cocktail conversational coaster set ( pictured above ) and will be working on a second Christmas set for 2012.”
Letterpress is the graphic design equivalent of slow food - incredibly labour intensive and demanding of skill and patience. When you discover a letterpress piece, there’s something different about it. It was touched by human hands, it is tactile, you can see and feel the indentation the letters and ink leave in the paper and you will fall in love with its quality.
Dear Maddabling readers, if you are like me, you will want to explore what other lovely things Davina has for sale and learn more about her craft. Here's where you can connect with Fluid Ink :
Buy gorgeous goodies from the shops on :
Etsy : http://www.etsy.com/shop/fluidinkletterpress
MadeIt : http://www.madeit.com.au/Fluid_Ink
blue caravan : http://www.bluecaravan.net/fluidink/
Or in person at : Annie P Paperie - 243 Stirling Highway, Claremont, Western Australia
Become a Facebook follower here : http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fluid-Ink/290607610981496?sk=wall
or follow the Fluid Ink Blog here : http://fluidinkletterpress.blogspot.com/
You can also check out the Fluid Ink website here : http://www.fluidink.com.au/
Oooh! nice find ;-) I love the 'old but new' feel to this work.
ReplyDeleteSuch a gorgeous shop, love your coasters! V envious of your Chandler & price press purchase, must be so lovely to have and create with.
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