Jennifer Graves

Jennifer is a book artist and letterpress printer printing primarily on a Vandercook printing press using traditional techniques with vintage wood and metal type. She chooses to work with the boundaries of wood and metal type, occasionally adding in pressure printing, linoleum and wood cuts. This allows her to explore pathways that create a clear message, harmonious relationship between old and new, type and image, and appropriate color. Understanding that color is vital to the way a message is perceived, Jennifer strives to achieve color balance through experimentation. These components are often layered blending into cohesive, vibrant, perspicuous art prints that invite audiences to ponder and reflect.

Her inspiration comes from the stories, the beauty and imperfections of vintage wood and metal type. She tells a new story through the following steps – laying out each individual letter by hand, deciding on hand-mixing ink for custom colors, distributing ink onto the printing press rollers, and printing each item one by one by hand.

Jennifer believes whatever is being printed must serve a purpose. Her pieces can evoke a determination or feelings of encouragement, hope, inspiration, togetherness, and connection to our community. Jennifer’s latest works involve transforming her prints into artist books. Although the message remains the same, the books allow viewers to experience art in an engaging interactive way.

Jennifer is the owner of SCRAPScollective, a letterpress and book arts studio.