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OK, so he's not exactly a newbie. Clayton joined the team as our mighty illustrator (with added DJ responsibilities) this past fall. Admittedly, we feared he would regret leaving California’s sun and surf. But nine months later, after the worst winter ever, three flats (on his bike), and our calendar/holiday/spring release, Clayton has earned his east coast stripes! So what is it about his new home city that has enchanted him so? We asked Clayton to let us in on his Boston favorites to find inspiration, refuel, get around, and just enjoy. Read on!

Can't Get Enough Of ...

THE SEASONS: Where I live in California, it never snows. However, winter here proved to be a grand adventure. Others may disagree. The spring? Worth the wait. Autumn? Breathtaking! Summer? I may have a different story. I don’t do well with humidity.

ARCHITECTURE: You name it, I probably like it—if and only if it was built any time before 1910. Whether colonial or victorian, Bostonians takes humble pride in the restoration of buildings. The buildings never seem overly extravagant, but rather purposeful and beautifully crafted.

SIGNAGE: A giant old scaffolded letter or word juxtaposed against a crisp blue or dark black sky really makes me want to stop in awe—that or be tempted to climb it.

First, Let's Talk Caffeine Fix ... 

DIESEL CAFE: By far, my favorite place to work. Eclectic industrial vibe with a bike rack out front. Also no internet which works well for me—forces me to not get distracted.

PEET'S (Harvard Square): Best Chai Latte around. Also, just over the Charles from my apartment.

TRIANGLE COFFEE: Always carries Harney & Sons Hot Cinnamon Sunset Black Tea ... and happens to be located where I rock climb.

Eating On The Go, and Possible Celeb Sightings ... 

NEWTOWNE GRILLE: Friends/How I Met Your Mother/Seinfeld spot. Seriously, my friends and I sit in the same booth almost every time. Great pizza affordably priced, homemade root beer, beer, and jukebox. Need I say more? ... Oh ya, thanks Jen for this divvy introduction!

BARTLEY'S: Beyonce Burger? With jalapeños and pepper jack? Yes, please! Oh and yes, it is true. B.J. Novak has eaten there. Cash only.

FALAFEL CORNER: Praise the Lord for something in Cambridge/Somerville open past 12:00am! I work late on occasion. Can you say late night Lamb Schwarma?

I Love Me A Good Cocktail ...

BEAT HOTEL: Three words: Hippie Jazz Chic. Very eclectic. Live music. Good mixed drinks. A very bright and social bar. I met a group of Spaniards last time I was there. The group included Helena Bonham Carter and Nate Ruess Spanish doppelgangers.

RUSSELL HOUSE TAVERN: Love me a dark classy tavern of a bar. The kicker? Free matches! Not just any matches. The most beautiful box of matches you’ve ever seen: balsa wood, black sulfur, and a beautiful black and white image of the old house on the front.

SILVERTONE: Provides the second most beautiful box of free matches. Also, STEAK TIPS! The closest thing, my friend Jen says, us West Coasters will ever get to Tri-Tip while here on the East Coast.

See The Sights or Get Outta Town ...

BUNKER HILL MONUMENT: Historical. Large grassy nulls. Ample dog watching. Pure bliss.

ISABELLA STEWART GARDNER MUSEUM: Four story courtyard open garden. Mismatched and funkily curated artwork. Home of stolen Rembrandt paintings. Who done it? My vote: Pierce Brosnon. It happened in the 90’s (Thomas Crown Affair anyone?). Only joking of course.

VERMONT: Eat your heart out Kate Winslet’s character in The Holiday. Quaint. Cozy. And bohemian without being toooo bohemian. Vermont + Cottage + Emma + Jen + Clayton = ample supply of shenanigans and good food.

Getting From Point A to Point B ...

HARRY CONNICK JR. (MY BIKE): My main mode of transportation. Sunny days, pot holes, collisions, snow, black ice, and near misses. We’ve been through a lot my friend. We’ve been through a lot.

THE T: Best way to get around when good ole Harry is temporarily out of commission. May be cleanest subway ever. And thanks for the Charlie card, Alex! Super handy.

 

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Teaming up with E.B. Goodale was a natural collaboration. Not only is Emily our press manager and printer extraordinaire here at Smudge Ink but she is also a truly gifted illustrator. You've likely seen her hand-drawn artwork as part of our holiday collection, and next month we'll be launching a new everyday line of note cards and notepads featuring more of her thoughtful drawings. We asked Emily to give us a glimpse of her studio life outside of the press room. Read more about her creative space and process ... 

When did you know you would be an illustrator?

I started illustrating books and making greeting cards when I was 7 years old. I think my young self would be pleasantly surprised that I'm still at it.

How do you come up with ideas for your illustrations? From where do you draw inspiration?
I draw on my own memories of childhood. I also love looking at old family photos of my parents, grandparents, etc as children and seeing how essentially, nothing really changes, except fashion. I'm also very inspired by nature. I love taking walks and looking for wildlife. 

(image: My Neighborhood by E.B. Goodale)

What is your favorite illustration in your portfolio and why?
It might be one I call "My Neighborhood" that I finished last year. I think it really captures the personality of the little girl in the image. Also, the loose drawings of the triple decker houses in the background feel very homey to me, being from the Boston area.

What are your favorite mediums for illustrating? What about them particularly appeals to you?
My favorite mediums are printmaking (letterpress, etching) and watercolor. Watercolor allows for so much movement and messiness ... it is unpredictable and free. I often will combine it with a print so that I have the best of both worlds: the control of an already printed image, and the looseness of the paint. Letterpress allows me to create imagery in a very calculated way, and then have fun with color separation, and color mixing via overlays. It is like figuring out a puzzle.

What do you do when you’ve hit a wall on a particular piece? How do you get “unstuck?”
UGH! It can be really hard to get unstuck. I think the best way is to start over again and again, try drawing from a new perspective or a with a different medium. Sometimes it helps to switch it up entirely and move from a desk down onto the floor. Whatever works!

(images left to right: great-grandmother’s embroidery, favorite pencil cup, menagerie of animal figurines )

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A few months ago, I said my bittersweet goodbyes to the Smudge Ink crew and left Boston to start a new job in Tokyo (narrowly escaping the Snowpocalypse!). While I miss gluten-free Treat Days, DJ Clayton’s sweet playlists, and the sound of the presses cranking away, it is pretty great to be back in the city where I grew up.

I’ve been a stationery aficionado my whole life and Itoya is my go-to store for beautiful stationery. Itoya has branches throughout Tokyo and sells art, office and school supplies from all over the world. There is always something adorable, colorful and unique to covet and I never walk out empty-handed. Over the weekend, I visited Itoya’s five-story flagship store in Ginza, one of Tokyo’s most popular shopping districts. Not surprisingly, the store was jam-packed with people looking for spring-themed greeting cards, stickers, and notebooks. Here are my Top Five Favorite Finds:

Animal-shaped paper clips. Every time I see these, I’m tempted to start an entire zoo of paper clips. Who wouldn’t want to jazz up their essays or reports with a whimsical crocodile or elephant paper clip?

Erasers shaped like macarons. They look delicious and they’re tiny, which makes them even more delightful.

Washi tape. So many colors, patterns and sizes. I use my collection of washi tape for decorating plain notebooks and pens, creating borders and adding accents to collages, and marking my umbrellas so I know which clear, plastic, and otherwise nondescript umbrella is mine.

Mini envelopes. These little guys are about the length of my thumb and just big enough to write a succinct salutation.

Stationery sets made to look like tea bags. As a dedicated tea drinker and letter writer, I was thrilled to find these letter sets that combine two of my favorite hobbies. I immediately bought a couple sets and wrote messages to my fellow tea-loving friends.

I’m excited to explore more cool stationery shops and write about stationery culture and history in Japan for the blog. Stay tuned!

 

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We like to joke that Smudge Ink has a satellite in Mexico City. We were (and still are) in major denial when Sanya moved there for the adventure of a lifetime. Even more than three years later, we meet and talk about Sanya as if she’s cranking the presses right alongside Emily and Margaret. 

So you can imagine our excitement when Sanya emailed saying she had found and moved her first Heidelberg press into her studio space. It was official —Heidi here at Smudge Ink had a sister! The photos of the move are pretty incredible (and so is that graffiti). Here’s what Sanya had to say about it:

I found the Heidelberg in good condition through old-school printing connections here in my neighborhood. It’s been great meeting these old guys, who although they are seeing their craft dying, are really passionate about sharing knowledge and keeping it alive. I'm on the look-out for a Vandy look-a-like as well. Vandercooks are few and far between down here, but there are other "rol de pruebas" that do the same thing, so hopefully one comes my way. (Another crane? I hope not!)

Sending warm sun-rays y abrazos grandes,
Sanya

We'll keep you posted as Sanya sets up Santa Rosa Letterpress (website and more to come!). For now, welcome to the family, Haidee!

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So what does Smudge Ink do as Boston is being covered with over 2 feet of snow? Here are everyone’s snapshots of how they spent winter storm Juno. 

Clayton brought out his trusty painting supplies.
Kate strapped on some snowshoes.
Emily dreamed of the time when trees still had leaves (and also painted).
Sarah was the official human snowfall chart (looks like we’re up to 0.33 sarahs!).
Margaret went sledding with her niece.
Sabrina squeezed in some letter writing before succumbing to a cold.
Deb dug her children out of the snow.
And Rheana warmed up to some homemade chicken soup.

Current forecast: another 4 to 8 inches of snow across the city!

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