Q&A with Purple Skirt Press

Hey everyone! I hope you enjoy our FIRST interview of 2011 with Purple Skirt Press! She'll be at the Opening Day celebration on April 9th! Come say Hi!

1). Your bookbinding appears so intricate and unique. What lead you to bookbinding in the first place?

During my junior year of college, I was struggling with very competitive and non-rewarding critiques. My illustrations continually ended up on the bottom shelf, so I never felt like my work was good enough. The University of Delaware offered a Winter Session course in bookbinding and letterpress. I fell in love with the simple act of taking paper and making it into something complete and beautiful. Now, I enjoy taking different papers from my collection and making complete books for other people to fill however they choose.

2). Apart from creating books, what else do you create?

I'm constantly doing something, and it usually has a creative edge to it. Purple Skirt Press also features a line of cards that utilize the left over papers from my book binding process (only for sale at shows). When the spirit moves me, I paint or draw based on real life situations (trees mostly). Around the holidays, I turn into a Christmas elf and I make stockings out of found fabrics. Creating a complete objects that brings joy to other people really makes me happy.

3). Here’s a thinker: What would be the title of your memoir? Why?

fold.

stitch.

complete.

The act of completing something is what really motivates me in all aspects of my life. The sequence of making a book has a distinct beginning, middle and an end.

4). What three words would you use to describe your craft?

fold.

stitch.

complete.

5). Where can we find your craft outside the Ballston Arts & Crafts Market?

www.PurpleSkirt.etsy.com and www.flickr.com/photos/purpleskirt

With any luck, you'll find me with my pal Jess at the 2011 Artscape in Baltimore. (We wont find out if we got in until April 14th). We'll be showing as Jess & Press. Jess recycles tiles and hand paints them, she also sells screen-printed T-shirts, notebooks and cards. It will be a fun collaboration. On November 5th,  I hope to be part of the Hammond Foundation's Joyful Noise Bazaar.

Random Bonus Question: What’s your favorite mythological creature? Any reason?

A unicorn. I was a total My Little Pony junkie growing up.