Blackbird fly – Fine arts printmaker finds her moment to arise

Though her process is more than 500 years old, Kathryn Hunter’s work is anything but musty.

As the creator and owner of Blackbird Letterpress, Hunter creates textured designs on cards, notebooks, calendars, wedding invitations and other goods using three printing presses, one of which dates back to 1904.

Hunter says the appeal of the letterpress comes from the aesthetic of its products, which have a tactile, handmade quality customers can’t get from a computer. She also cites the one-on-one attention she gives to custom jobs as a big draw.

But for Hunter, the work began out of love for the art—she’s a practiced artist and member of the Baton Rouge Gallery. What started as a hobby in printmaking turned into a vocation after she studied the trade at Montana State University then earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in printmaking from LSU in 2003.

“It’s labor-intensive and technical, but the reward of getting the perfect print is probably my favorite,” she says.

Though she tries to keep the art and business aspects of printing separate, her work evolved so she now can use the inspiration from galleries, books and magazines to design a card or invitation.

She says producing many of the same items has made the artistic aspects of printmaking and the letterpress accessible for everyone. But it’s also created a saturated market, with printing as part of a current trend that has popularized the idea of handmade, whimsical items like stationery and clever gift card designs.

“You have to be true to what you’re doing, and if you’re doing good work, keep at it. The others come and go,” Hunter says.

To combat the contenders, Hunter is active in the letterpress community, communicates with well-established blogs to bring attention to her products and keeps an eye on contemporary styles.

Many of her goods feature woodland animals, trees, camping and nautical patterns with anchors and boats. Many also incorporate hand lettering, which is often the work of calligrapher Betsy Dunlap.

Hunter emphasizes the importance of creating unique, original designs, sometimes by adding function to paper. Her Bear Hug card, for example, features arms that can hold photos, money, notes and more.

Other non-traditional items include a foldable, three-dimensional station wagon and a spinning perpetual calendar.

As Blackbird Letterpress continues to grow, Hunter strives to keep her customer relationships intimate and to educate people about the process of letterpress printing.

The Baton Rouge community has been receptive to the old-fashioned style, she says.

“I think Baton Rouge loves the creative and the handmade, so there’s good support from the arts community,” Hunter says. “I’ve been blown away with how it’s grown and the support we do get in arts. Hopefully, it will continue to grow.”

Kathryn Hunter sells her Blackbird Letterpress designs online at blackbirdletterpress.com and at the Arts Market downtown on the first Saturday of each month.