Etsy

We commissioned printmaking duo Valerie and Paul of Tugboat Printshop to make some designs for Etsy, which we use for promotional purposes. Tugboat Printshop delivered unique and imaginative designs. They even gave us a How-to which shows the process of making woodblock printed t-shirts. What follows here is an interview with the duo, so you can get a sense of what they're all about.

Please introduce yourself.
We are Paul Roden and Valerie Lueth.  We met in 2001 at the University of South Dakota, while studying printmaking. We moved to Nashville in 2004, and again to Pittsburgh in 2006. We run Tugboat Printshop, which is like a little art/design think tank. (more later)

Describe how you decided to express yourself with the work you did for Etsy promo materials.
Our main objective was to do something that directly related to Etsy. We thought about the paradox of using technology as an interface for a handmade marketplace, so we came up with the yarn computer (which Valerie drew) and the shopping cart full of stuff inside the computer (which Paul and Valerie sketched together, but Valerie finished up). Then we thought about the kind of earthy nature of crafting in general, and decided that dirt letters with grass on top would look really neat for the woodcut t-shirt (added bonus — we get to be the roots!). Paul drew and carved that one with Valerie's input. Then we thought about how a lot of people recycle materials for crafting purposes, and decided that a hot air balloon would look really neat as a box-top.
 
What kind of graphic arts jobs do you do? You're working full time as artists...
We make t-shirts, prints and drawings, buttons, and frames. We try to sell this stuff over the internet and locally. We organize shows in galleries for our prints and drawings. We also run a low-cost, quality frameshop in the basement — taking advantage of the reputation of framing being expensive, and also making it as eco-friendly as possible (local lumber, all-cotton mats, reusing all materials, etc.)

What advice would you give to people (especially young people or those wanting to make a big change in their lives) who want to get into this field?
Be professional, and try to deal with professional people. Don't be late, don't miss meetings, don't not email back, etc. There is nothing about DIY that makes it easy or sloppy: this is a huge misconception. We are completely DIY, and generate a quality product that we are proud of — and a big part of our business is helping other people do this as well.

Who are your mentors? Who helped you break into the field? What words of advice did you receive?
Almost all of our old professors have been very influential, helpful and encouraging in our endeavors.  Words of advice?  “Hussle.” We can only hope that when we do break into the field, we’ll be too busy to even notice.

What specific materials and tools do you use? What's your favorite thing about these?
Almost all of our materials are natural and traditional.  Paul cuts woodcuts with a set of hand tools on birch plywood.  Valerie’s etchings are drawn with needle tools on copper plates — her drawings on paper with archival pens.  We both use an etching press, oil-based inks, and archival cotton papers (or t-shirts!) in printing what we make. We like to think that everything we use is from the earth, and try to avoid newer, plastic or processed materials that might make the job easier, but take away its earthy origins. We use solvents very sparingly!

What other artists have influenced your work? Do you see yourself as operating in relation to a larger tradition or school or do you see yourself as an iconoclast?
We try to fit in with a broader tradition.  We have our old heroes from art history, mostly printmakers who influenced the time they lived in: Goya, Posada, Daumier, Warhol, etc.

How has the internet influenced or not influenced your art? The way you do your art? What are the pros and cons of this distribution?
The internet is a tremendous resource and networking device. In the short amount of time that we’ve been online (since December 2006) the response has been just fantastic.

What's the scene (if any!) like where you live?
Pittsburgh has a pretty strong local scene, we have found out pretty easily since moving here about a year ago.

Do you think about your audience when you're working? What sort of interesting feedback do you get from your audience? Etsy members?
We always consider our audience.  To us, art making comes with a real responsibility to people: to make something that is useful or influential to them.  Pretty pictures are mandatory, but they also have to be relevant to our time.  We try to raise dialogue about what’s happening in the world — discussing evolution, pollution, climate change, social equality, etc.  These are some of the themes that push our drive to make work.

Do you use reference art? Where do you get inspired?
We are constantly looking around and noticing the details of life.  We take just as much inspiration (if not more) from daily goings-on in the world as we do from what other artists are doing.  It’s almost as though artists give us clues as to how to make something, while the state of the world gives us inspiration for what we want to work on.

What do you dream about?
We are living our dream!  We were able to buy a house in Pittsburgh that perfectly fits our little (growing!) enterprise.  We’ll be done fixing it up pretty soon, and then we’ll be able to host artists in the attic guest suite as part our visiting artist program.  We’d like for all of the artists we invite to come to make prints for a week for free!