Hatch Show Print

I love when things happen that remind you of how small the world really is. a few weeks ago I was hanging out in centennial park, in the hopes of joining some pick-up ultimate frisbee game. After sitting long enough to build up courage, I walked over to a game going on. After a few games, I left and walked back over to where my roommates were hanging out in the park, and a guy that I had been playing with came over and introduced himself. I told him all my plans of why I was in Nashville and studying abroad, and him, my roommate, Britta, and I talked a long time about traveling and such. Very San Francisco, according to B. When he was telling me about all the places I needed to visit while I'm in Nashville, he mentioned Hatch Show Print and I went a little crazy to say the least.

Hatch Show Print was pretty much the only place I had on my list of things I would cry about if I didn't see it. We had talked a bit about Hatch Show in my letterpress class at KU, and even seen some large scale examples that we have in our rare books and prints library. I had even looked at doing my internship there, but the dates wouldn't work—assuming I got accepted.

Anyway, he said that his uncle was actually the manager of Hatch Show for the past 25 years, and offered to give him a call and see if he would want to give me a little tour of the shop. I couldn't even believe it. I was speechless in the sense that I couldn't really think of anything else to say but, "thank you thank you thank you." and how awesome it would be if this actually followed through.

Which it did.

I got the amazing privilege of a behind the scenes look at one of the nation's oldest letterpress print shops..unbelievable. It's been around for over 100 years, and still uses the same fonts and woodblocks, and bold, simple design as when it started. They've made posters for some of the biggest names in jazz and country history like BB King, Johnny Cash, Dylan, etc etc etc. They're an American Institution, a Nashville landmark, and helped define the look of country music. Jim Sherraden was the uncle/manager that I got the honor to meet. He had grown up in Kansas, and even knew my letterpress teacher, and was familiar with the KU workshop! I couldn't believe it. He was so nice, and so proud of his shop- I couldn't help but think of one of my favorite quotes,

"Sometimes you have to watch somebody love something to love it yourself."-Donald Miller

I tried to absorb everything he said and ask as many questions as I could think of. We talked about importance of paper knowledge—one of my favorite nerdy topics!!! We talked about working with clients, met the interns on their first day (that could have been me!), the history of Hatch Show, and lots of technical talk. He then allowed me to wander and talk to the interns and take pictures at my will. I could have stayed there all day..

Thanksgiving

I came to Nashville on a whim, and my broad dream to see as much of the world as I can, so when I was given a few months of free time before going to study abroad I decided to not spend it in Lawrence where all my friends would be going to class and I would probably have continued working at the coffee shop until I left. I figured the best way to keep my hands busy, and to stay up with my peers would be to do an internship during these few months rather than the summer months which were now unavailable. United Way of Nashville was the first place I was directed when I began asking around how to go about getting a non-profit internship, and it turned out they were in need of my help.

I haven't expected anything, except experience in the field I may one day find myself and more "practice, practice, practice" before embarking to study in one of the most highly regarded countries for design—no big deal. But since I began working, people have not held back their gratitude and amazement that I'd be willing to do so much worth without getting paid or credited in some way. I've been treated to an amazing lunch and some subway sandwiches, and today, a fellow employee (not even in the marketing department) handed me $15 for everything that I've been doing for United Way. I still can't believe how giving these people are, considering how little workers in non-profits are paid, and how they're so used to people volunteering for things. I came not expecting anything, and I'm amazed at how much I've already gotten out of this experience. And I'm only halfway!

Spoon-feeding America

This one is by a classmate of mine, Matt Chase. Remember that name, because he's going to be stinkin famous one of these days>>

Today, I showed a pretty simple straight-forward logo design to a woman on the UW marketing team. The design consists of a sketchy quality table with the numbers 156 over it- intended as a logo for a society called "Table 156". I asked her if she thought it would be O.K. if I kept out the word "table" and kept the design more abstract, but still easily recognizable as a table and the number 156. It quickly escalated into what i would loosely consider a "lecture" about how one needs to spoon-feed people information these days, because the average American is not so bright. [thus write "table" too] Another marketing guy was in the room too, and before working at UW he was at a non-profit that teaches adults how to read. He stated the fact that the average American is at the 6th grade reading level, which I trust that he knows, and had no idea was the case. Though they both were trying not to be cynical, and have worked many years in the nonprofit business, I couldn't bring myself to believe that the average American can't look deeper, recognize patterns, and call on experiences we have embedded in the back of our brains.

You don't have to have a collegiate reading level to see green on a to-go coffee cup and automatically think "Starbucks," or see a round check mark or red target sign and know the name that's associated. In class, I feel like we've learned how to simplify something to its most basic parts–like a computer icon or bathroom symbol–so at one glance one can know exactly what to expect, but in a way that is still abstract and aesthetically interesting. When we continually give people everything they need to know whenever they want it, then they never have expectations put on them to use any effort.

Coincidentally, the same type of thing has actually started happening at the house. One of my roommates is very, for lack of better words, "domestic". She is very interested in interior design, and has a strong need for neat and tidy. Almost everything in the house belongs to her, or at least everything that's not hidden (as in some misfit dishes that don't match the others, or any plastic cups) and all the rooms are decorated to her liking. It's hard not to feel like you're a guest in her home. She spends a good amount of time at home, more than me and B, which gives her ample time to work on these interests. She is an amazingly nice girl, but (like the UW marketing team) yesterday she finally confronted me and B about not pulling out weight around the house. I can see where she's coming from.

We don't exactly neglect everything, but she has taken scrubbing the bathroom on herself, and has taken the trash out and done the dishes a few more times than us. Just like my employers, though, I feel kind of like I had been babied this whole time, so much that I hadn't really even noticed. Like i was living with my mom again, where things just happen and I do chores when I'm asked and not just out of a feeling of responsibility. I think it's unnecessary to let those feelings build up without giving a chance for the feelings of responsibility to "build up," or at least to give a reminder. Just like my coworkers, I think it's unfair to have such a strong and cynical view on the average American, after "spoon-feeding" every bit of information to a viewer, when as designers we are given a chance to push people to look further than just the surface level.