Happy Friday! Per my public display of admiration for letterpress printing on this blog last night, I'd like to dedicate July to all things letterpress. We'll kick that off with a little chat with Jake & Rachael of Pistachio Press. I first talked about them in my Memorial Day weekend post -
Red White & Blue, in the blue section. Torn between which cards of theirs to post about I realized - I want to know more about these amazing people. They deserve a whole post. So! Here it is!
KB: Hi lady & gentleman! Please introduce yourself to the audience.
Hi! My name is Jake Massey. I’m the evil half of Pistachio Press. My wife, Rachael Hetzel, started the press in the summer of 2007 and has been going strong ever since. I’ve been working with her for a little over a year now and it’s been the most fulfilling and challenging work I’ve ever done. She’s standing nearby at our Vandercook No. 4 as I type this, so she’ll be speaking through my typing fingers as well. I used to be a reluctant engineer and I still work on-and-off part time in the aerospace industry. I also write horror and dark fantasy fiction and I’m attempting to publish my first novel. Rachael teaches printmaking, bookmaking, and drawing at the University of Rochester in the studio art department. We have three studio dogs: Cassie the sweetest yellow lab, Pancake Sue the 27 lb. uber-mutt, and Dolly the very bad pit bull. Rachael survives on Mountain Dew and Cheetos. I primarily eat peanut butter.Tell us something NOT in your Etsy profile.
(Jake) Well, I’m not mentioned in the Etsy profile at all. Maybe we should update that.
My conspicuous absence aside, Rachael and I are the epitome of “opposites attract.” She likes the heat, I like the cold. She is very serious and hardworking, I don’t know the meaning of stress. I eat fruit, she eats salt and processed cheese. There’s a lot more, but suffice it to say that we manage to find balance in our difference. We level each other out and are both better for it. Plus, we both love dogs and what more do you really need in a marriage?
How/when did you start your handmade craft?
Rachael says, “I started incorporating letterpress into my work in grad school and, when I got out, I wanted to continue to pursue something related to printmaking, but still functional. I started making invitations for friends and a few greeting cards, then it developed into a line of over 100 cards, plus prints, dozens of weddings per year, and everything else we have today.”
Tell us what you like to do offline.
Jake: I write fiction. I’m writing my third novel while I work on getting my first published. I’m into biking. Ever seen the Portlandia bike messenger? I don’t look like that, but let’s just say his personality hits close to home. I also play Euro board games, race my Miata, consume a lot of zombie culture, and love dogs.
Rachael: I love to cook, spend time with friends and dogs, work in the garden, and travel when I can pry myself away for more than a few hours at a time.
Who do you heart on Etsy?
Rachael: Leah Duncan, EXTRASEED, Cynthia Vardhan, Amanda Blank and Anenome Letterpress
Jake: Vaya Bags, International Robot, and I just checked the shops of my three favorite sellers and found they have nothing up right now, so no plugs for them! …Okay, fine. Brad Woods from Maginating, Jim Delucia and Peter Lazarski.
{Chevron letterpress cross stitch card set - part of a new collection of cross stitch-esque cards and calendars}
Plans for 2011 and beyond?
Rachael: I want to go to Paris. And Iceland. One or the other. Okay, both.
Jake: I want Rachael to go to Paris. And Iceland. Maybe I’ll tag along.
Oh, you mean with Pistachio Press? We’ve recently begun to hit our stride attending trade shows, releasing new products, working with a ton of great wedding clients, and networking with other letterpress people. I guess our plans are more of the same. Lots more.
A few more tid bits to share from them later. In the meantime, if you haven't been to
their shop, go! Or their
website. Also, Rachael's blog,
Which Ones Are Weeds, where she shows off their work, pics of their pooches & her dreamy vacation ideas. {Great blog name, by the way.}
Rachael & Jake! You guys make a great team & I am THRILLED to feature you guys and your work here in my tiny (but growing!) blog. It's beautiful. Thanks a ton!
Happy 4th of July everyone!
{Clockwise from top left: Thank you dear - Letterpressed 4Bar card and envelope, Hats off to you, Sir - Letterpressed 4Bar card and envelope, Thanks for Holding Me Together - Letterpressed 4Bar card and envelope, I'll drink to that - Letterpressed 4Bar card and envelope}
