The reasons for my interviewing Phylecia Sutherland are detailed in my interview post and below are the answers I got back from Phylecia over email.
Phylecia Sutherland. 2015. Phylecia Sutherland Reflects on Her Work. Interviewed by...Beth Taylor. [Electronic Correspondence] Location N/A, 19th November 2015.
1. Would you define what you do as craft? Why?
Yes, letterpress is a craft because it takes it takes skill. Not anyone can jump on a press and expect things to be beautifully printed. Letterpress is craft that is learned over time and takes a lot of practice, and the older the press the more skill it may take.
2. What made you choose to create things yourself for a living?
Mostly I ventured out not due to my creativity, but my need to work for myself. I don’t do well with being ‘boxed’ in my ideas and creativity limited or stifled by the agenda of others. Maybe that is because I am creative?
3. Would you say a crafted object such as what you produce has increased in value in this digital age?
Absolutely. Letterpress itself has had waves of popularity, but those who choose letterpress know it’s value are willing to pay for it. It is a hand-crafted, slow process and as all things that are hand-crafted and tailored to its customer, you get what you pay for.
4.Why do you think this is?
In terms of stationery, I think many people long to be able to hold things in their hand, a hand-written card in the mail is always more valuable and more cherished than an email. Then moving on from just something solid, people want to see something special. They want to be wowed, see that something has been created by a human. Letterpress gives that extra bit of specialness that digital printing does not have.
5. Have you found an increase in demand for your work as digital advances continue?
Not necessarily. Most of clients know they want letterpress and then search for someone who does it, there are few that come across the process on accident and think, “I have to have that”. I don’t think more and more people are out there thinking, I’m tired of being online, I want letterpress. They may want paper and pen, but letterpress is still kind of for those in the know.
6.Did you learn your craft from other people, or were you self taught, or a combination of the two?
I am mostly self taught, and any outside influence is from devouring forums online for troubleshooting. What’s more difficult is that my press is an old and very rare press, so even when troubleshooting I would have to filter, discern or tailor any advice to what would actually work on my press.
7. To what extent do the traditional skills and processes of your craft play a role in how your practice/create?
The letterpress process influences how I design. For example, taking into account I have to print one colour at time, registration of each colour needing to match perfectly. In practice, I test the waters in seeing how different ink colours appear on different paper stocks.
8. Do you feel the enjoyment of creating contributes to the value of the final product?
Absolutely. There is nothing more frustration when things just aren’t coming off the press the way I want. I have a very high standard for my work which is hard when working with such old imperfect machinery. But when my final product is perfectly printed, with the deep impression that I aim for, it is a thing of beauty! I absolutely love it.
9. Do you find a sense of freedom in being able to make a living with your own hands and skills?
Yes, definitely. I love the freedom of owning my own business and working from home. I love that I have creative freedom and love the fact that what I do is so highly valued and respected. I’ve never really thought of myself as a craftswoman, but I am. I create beautiful stationery on a rare vintage press and my skills have taken be years to attain and I only continue to improve.
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