1. How did aside project studio begin?
I started doing freelance work in my junior year in the UT Graphic Design program – mostly small websites and album artwork for musician friends – and have kept it up for over 10 years, still focusing on websites and identities for small businesses and packaging and marketing materials for musicians.The name is a sly reference to the fact that I’ve always done specialized freelance work in addition to holding a full-time design job “side projects.” Since I do a variety of types of “projects” – design work, as well as photography and music – the name’s purposefully not too specific.

2. What inspires your design aesthetic?
Ultimately, my goal is for any aesthetic in my work to reflect what the client wants or needs to communicate. If that happens, then the design works.

In general, I respond to forms (physical and artistic) and objects that are simple, functional and utilitarian—from a single-speed bicycle, to an iPhone, to an old guitar. All of these things inform my design decisions, because they reflect a certain way by which I try to live. Visually, it’s no different: I am most inspired by the blur of an  accidental photograph, minimalist paintings and especially Reid Miles’ clean, modern utility of the classic Blue Note album covers from the mid-20th century. If anything, I’ve taken most undeniable and significant design cues from that work— big, bold typography that speaks loudly without shouting over the music.

I also create other types of art and use them to feed one another. My home office doubles as a recording studio of sorts, and is filled with guitars, keyboards and drums. When I find myself blocked while searching for a design solution, I’ll often take a break and shift my brain into music-making, or go for a walk with a camera and take a few photos. Sometimes that’s just the thing to open up the dam and let the design ideas flow. Sometimes it just results in a new song or a nice photograph.

3. What are your favorite kinds of projects to work on?
I most enjoy designing cd packaging (as long as it’s a type of music i enjoy listening to!), as it allows me to draw direct inspiration from the source. It’s easiest if I’m already familiar with the artist or band, but usually I’ll play an album a couple dozen times during the course of the project – to the point that I’m able tofind the right typeface or imagery toallow the music to speak visually. Sometimes I’m able to collaborate directly with the musician to meld our respective concepts into something even greater.

I’m also a junkie for new knowledge or skills, so I appreciate any type of project where I can learn something new, be it a technical skill, a way to make my working process more efficient, or just to learn about a new client’s business or industry. Learning something new means evolving and adapting, which should be important for any designer.

4. What are some trends that you’re loving/hating right now?
In spite of my previous professions of love for simple and minimal things, I also love designs that have a high degree of complexity. There seems to be a surging interest among designers in informational graphics lately, which is great – they usually involve a pattern or visual system which is not only nice to look at on a surface level, but also invites the viewer to decode something deeper.

I’m also happy to see continued interest in letterpress printing, and the development of new aesthetics based on it. Anyone who works with type should have a basic understanding of this fundamental of design, and anyone who keeps this lost art alive is a hero to me.

5. If I weren’t a graphic designer, I would be…
A teacher. I can’t imagine myself doing anything professionally other than something design-related, but I still mull over the idea of going back to school to be able to teach, and share knowledge with upcoming young artists and designers.

For the past 7 years we has been able to work with some of the best designers & printers around. Susan McCanless of J Press Designs is one of them. Susan holds a special place in our hearts here at The Happy Envelope; she and my wife Sarah (owner of The Happy Envelope) go way back together to the University of Tennessee where they both earned earned their bachelor of fine art degrees from the graphic design program at UTK. After a stint in New York City, Susan was called back to her southern roots and moved home to Memphis, TN, where she started J Press Designs. Fast forward to 2009 and check out all the cool stuff Susan is doing in the stationery and design industry now!

J Press Designs utilizes one of the early methods of printing, known as screen printing. Screen printing involves the passing of ink or any other printing medium through a mesh or ’screen’ that has been stretched on a frame, and to which a stencil has been applied. The stencil openings determine the image that will thus be imprinted. Susan selected this method of printing for her stationery designs because it is a somewhat uncommon form of printing (for stationery) and it creates an soft, unique texture. Sarah had the chance to grab a moment with Susan recently and ask her a few questions:

1. How did you come up with the name J Press Designs?
My grandmother was (and still is) a huge inspiration to me. Her name was Jesse, but everyone called her Jep. I wanted to use her name as a part of my company name, but I also wanted to incorporate the word “press” since I was (and still am) managing the printing myself. “Jep Press” was a little too much of a mouthful for me, so I shortened it to J Press – done!!!

2. What inspires your work?
Everything I see! Wallpaper and textile patterns. Folk art, changing seasons, garage sales & flea markets, cupcakes, old glass bottles, oriental rugs, wrapping paper, flower gardens, bus tickets…

3. What colors do you see up and coming right now?
The 80s are back! Bright colors that typically would not go together: pink with red, purple with teal and orange…gray, black and yellow.

4. If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
Tough one! But I might have to go with a well-loved puppy dog. They play all day and get nothing but attention, treats, walks and naps. What more could you ask for?!?

5. What’s a current trend that you love? How about one that you hate? Why?
I love all things feathered! Birds, owls and peacocks still interest me (I think because of all the bright colors). – Plaids are hot for fall and I love the deep purple color that you see everywhere. I’m a little bit over cherry blossom branches, chandeliers and the skull and crossbones look, as well as brown with pink and brown with blue.

6. If you could have lunch with one person, who would it be and what would you want to talk about?
I think I would choose my grandmother. She was such an insipration to me (the “J” in J Press is after her) yet I feel as if I did not know her that well (she passed when I was 15). We would probably have just a normal, boring lunch – but I would love it!

7. If you weren’t a designer, what would you be?
I love to read and discuss books, so if I wasn’t a designer I think I could be happy as an English or Literature professor at a university. Or a rodeo clown.

We feature some of Susan’s work on our website, www.thehappyenvelope.com. Purchase one of her many delightful holiday designs today  (Click here.)  And keep your eyes peeled for her new additions in our upcoming baby section!

Every year for the past 6 years, The Happy Envelope has had the opportunity to participate in The National Stationery Show in New York City. Over the course of those 6 years we have had the privilege of meeting lots of interesting stationery designers. These folks are more than just designers—they are artists, they are skilled craftsmen & women and they are printers. Michael Schwartz of Czar Press is one of these. Here at The Happy Envelope, we are always trying to educate our clients and friends on the truly unique styles of printing and design. There is a world of great design and truly beautiful forms of printing that add impact to your wedding invitation, holiday card, birth announcement or personal stationery. After all, you want your first impression to be the best. Recently we had the privilege of chatting with Michael Schwartz of Czar Press to get his take on the “old school” method of printing known as letterpress. So, without further ado, here is Michael…

1. How did Czar Letterpress begin?
Having spent about ten years working for other people…I was tired of it! My wife’s letterpress printer packed up and moved to Canada…half joking, I said, “don’t worry, I’ll learn to letterpress and become your printer.” I hit the internet and found a local letterpress guru who was kind enough to take me under her wing for a couple of weekends to teach me the basics. Weeks later I bought a press…Fast forward about 2 years and countless hours of frustrating trial and error…Czar Press was born.

2. What makes letterpress different?
Jeez…where to begin. Today’s world is filled with ways to do things faster, quicker and cheaper…quantity over quality. Letterpress printing kind of stops the clock and brings of back to a time where it took a lot of time and care to print something. Letterpress printing is done 1 color, 1 side , 1 piece of paper at a time. It literally puts an impression into the paper…which is usually thicker than your normal paper. So instead of running large sheets of paper through some giant machine…each piece of paper used in letterpress gets alot of hands on love.

3. Why do you think that letterpress is so popular all across the country, but hasn’t caught on yet in the southeast?
Hmmmm…tough one…perhaps cause traditional things still reign supreme in many parts of the country and letterpress is not the traditional way to print these days. Hopefully you’ll lead the charge to change that!

4. What are some current trends that you are loving right now? Hating?
Loving: Today more than ever…it is really important to set yourself apart from the others. People are getting REALLY creative with their business cards. Odd sizes, thick and interesting papers, die cutting wierd shapes, edge painting. I am seeing more and more people doing what it takes to make their business card stand out from everyone else…and luckily…that often involves letterpress.
Hating: People using thermography instead of letterpress or engraving…and then try and pass it off as letterpress.

5. “If I weren’t a letterpresser, I would be…”
Really bummed…dreading the sound of the alarm clock to drag myself into work. It sounds so cliche…but I really feel truly blessed and lucky to be doing something that I love.

“Czar Press believes that letterpress represents the perfect marriage of the past and the present. It is the combination of an almost forgotten 16th century craft with new age materials and graphic design that lead to the creation of Czar press. Operating in a technology filled, mass production world, letterpress serves to keep open a window to our past.” Michael Schwartz, Czar Press.

Read One, Read All… Welcome to our new blog.  The Happy Envelope has finally come of age and entered the blogging world.  Read all about what (and who!) we think is awesome.  Like:  abode in downtown Knoxville on Market Square or Magpies Cakes off Broadway in North Knoxville or Elle Boutique in West Knoxville.  We also have many wonderful  friends, designers and stationery store owners across the country that we’d love to share with you. We look forward to bringing you the “ins and outs” of daily life at our studio, too.

Become a fan of our Facebook page and view samples of our Holiday Cards, Save the Dates as well as Birth Announcements.  Also be the first to know when items are available for purchase on our website.

(New York Times article from July 09)