design + letterpress printing in Los Angeles, California
Am I too late? I have been shrugging my shoulders about resoltuions when asked these weeks.
I have it. I found it. This one is for a lifetime.
In dwelling, live close to the ground.
In thinking, keep to the simple.
In conflict, be fair and generous.
In governing, don't try to control.
In work, do what you enjoy.
In family life, be completely present.
When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete,
everybody will respect you.
-Teo te ching
Chelsey Dyer's calendar printed by PresshausLA. Find them here.
It's the first day back in the studio.
The winter break has given be some time off to reflect and to just enjoy my time with beloved friends and family, eat my favorite things and watch lots of movies. I hope you did the same too.
These recent days, I've thinking about Presshaus LA and it's direction because with each passing year brings to new projects, new people and challenges. The challenges have been not only with how to print and execute a certain print job, but there are other hurdles like time management, delegating, being a good boss, knowing when to not overload my plate; you get it.
This year I want to start a line of my own paper goods - design and production all Presshaus LA- but that means slowing down a few things on the bespoke end. I'll be taking on less commissioned projects to allow focus on a few projects that have been brewing. Especially in 2014, I've found myself delving head first into collaborative prints with fellow creatives who were just as passionate about their craft as I am with mine and together the end resulted in an amazing print with huge fulfillment. I'd like to continue this same essence and create beautiful paper goods with all this amassed printing know-how.
It'll be tough breaking habits and heading toward this unknown since client work is mostly what I do, but I'm willing to take a risk. Bring on the new challenges of creating designs (client-less ones), producing them and we'll see from there.
Thanks for following along although these posts are all too sparse. This will change in the future. I hope you'll tag along to see what comes in the new year.
To all good things,
~K
I'm hanging up the apron for this and there are no inky finger tips on this post. Letterpress and paper aside, I'm so flattered and honored to be a part of this special collaboration. Jessica Comingore is launching the start of her new shop called The Essentials with this lovely blouse made in collaboration with LA fashion designer Jill Yee. I've seen tidbits of the creative process that went into creating this blouse and have even tried on an early prototypes; I can say it's tough creating a beautiful garment. The cut, the flow and feel of the fabric, the finish of the seams and ends have all been refined by Jill and Jessica together to create this essential blouse.
Big thanks for transforming me into a sophisticated and chic woman for an afternoon. xo
Here's a video of their collaboration by John Liwag.
photo by Jessica Comingore
It's been a long time coming....
We're featured in the current Fall issue of Anthology magazine focusing on design! I'm so excited to share this since it feels like a huge exclamation mark to our journey to building our home. This is the long awaited light at the end of the tunnel is here.
I couldn't have wished for a better dream team to make it look so good! Jessica Comingore shot these amazing photographs while Dabito styled our home beyond our dreams. I couldn't believe that's what our place looked like in their eyes. Carren Jao helped tell our story.
The evolution of our home has been a sustained figure in my life as well as my husband, Richard. We began the process as almost strangers (just dating), became engaged during the first phase of constructing the lower level which now where my studio is, married during framing of the main house, adopted our dog Bagel during the finished and now we live in it happily ever after. It's a dream come true now and building our home made us grow strong and fast. We learned so much about each other - the amazing, good, bad and the really ugly.
Bagel living the good life / photo by Jessica Comingore
photo by Jessica Comingore
upper mezzanine / by Jessica Comingore
photo by Jessica Comingore
Along with photos of our home completed, I wanted to share some process photos of our 5-year journey. It was really 4 years which is still a really long time, but the 5 years include the year we took a break to live in Germany. In Munich, Richard worked on the BMW electric cars and I learned the craft of letterpress printing at Fliegenkopf.
The rest is history. For now.
To see more photos and outtakes, hop on over to Jessica Comingore's blog.
Head over to newstands to grab this issue. It's a pretty good one with write ups on Barbara Bestor, Jessica Hische, Silvia Song and more.
In time for the holidays, House of Harvey hosted their very first Pup-Up, a pop-up photoshoot with four-legged friends, right here in Los Angeles. How could Bagel and I resist being a part of this? After all, Bagel + Harvey did share a photo shoot together (click here to see them "play haus"). Check Stephanie's shots!
Cheers!!
Happy Holidays from us!
