Our next designer on Behind the Stationery is a new-to-me stationer that I discovered at NSS 2017. Megan’s delicate and minimalistic work at Tiny Bones Press caught my eye amongst the other booths with brighter hues and bold art. With a background in post and print production for fashion designers and photographers, Megan shares about her journey into the letterpress and stationery world as a solopreneur. —Megan Soh

From Megan: I’ve always worked within the printing world in NYC and slowly started exploring practices on my own. I learned to letterpress about five years ago and really fell in love with the process. I love writing letters and notes and started to make stationery that I wanted to use myself.

My husband and I bought a house on the north shore of Long Island. We were in Brooklyn for a decade and loved it but needed a bit more space and I really wanted to be by the water! We truly lucked out and now I have a lovely little studio that really has provided me the creative haven I was dreaming of.

In house, I offer design services and letterpress and foil stamp printing. I frequently collaborate with trusted digital printers to add that process to my designs as well. People who are drawn to my work are people who love minimal design and also who love truly love paper and print. Having a minimal aesthetic — the feel of the paper, the tones, the delicate foiling and letterpress all add up to make the pieces special and unique. All Tiny Bones Press stationery is printed in my studio, by me, one by one, on vintage presses.

Right now, I am a one woman team! I typically start the day with a coffee and make my daily list. Usually I get to work on emails (I try to do this outside if I can) and then spend the afternoon in the studio printing. I’m trying to get better at balancing all aspects of the business – it can be hard to juggle everything solo.

My design process is all about exploring – I’m very interested in the world around me and try to find inspiration by exposing myself to a number of different images throughout industries: from architecture to art to books and science, etc. I always make lists and keep a notebook handy and do feel that it’s important to explore things that you as a person are naturally drawn to – for me that is geometric linework and symbols. My sketches then turn into digital drawings, which then turn into plates, and then finished printed pieces – the evolution of a piece is really the most fun aspect (next to sending them off for others to enjoy).

All photos by Tiny Bones Press.

Want to be featured in the Behind the Stationery column? Reach out to Megan at megan [at] ohsobeautifulpaper [dot] com for more details.