Kristen Yates
Owner and operator of Jilly Jack Designs, Jill Broadhacker, is bringing her old fashion presses to Carmel’s Arts and Design district.
“I moved my business to Carmel to be closer to my customers and be part of the growing arts community,” Broadhacker said.
Broadhacker began her design career more than 25 years ago. She started by designing for big companies and working to establish herself as a designer. She then developed her own stationery business eight years ago and will be bringing her stationery and design talent to her new location here in Carmel.
Pressing ink unto paper is an ancient form of copying, and is one that is still used in special circumstances. The process is long and delicate and requires precision and a good eye for detail. Broadhacker said process starts by developing the design on the computer.
“Some pieces are designed traditionally, without using a computer. In those cases we use vintage illustration cuts and moveable metal or wood type to create the design,” Broadhacker said.
Once it is perfect Broadhacker has a polymer plate made. There is one plate per color. Therefore, if one design has five colors, then five polymer plates must be made for that one design. The plates are then mounted to a base and locked into place. The presses are then inked with desired color and each piece of paper is hand fed into the press. Each color must go through this same process.
Jilly Jack Designs Letterpress Lab and Art is at 254 1st Avenue S.W. Suite F. The shop’s grand opening is from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 27.
Customers will be able to watch live demonstrations of Broadhacker’s presses and shop through her paper products. She will also be offering classes to anyone who would like to learn the art of pressing. Classes are $120, and participants must be 16 years old and older.
