Q&A with Sophia Katres, Print Apprentice

by Agata Mociani

What are the highs and lows of the printing process?

The lows are definitely these tiny mistakes that would happen when i wasn't quite grounded, or when i was so focused on one portion of the process that i wouldn’t look at the project holistically. Small mistakes would happen, like something being overinked. This taught me a lot about grounding myself and noticing when I felt rushed.

What are your favorite parts of the process?

Seeing everything come together! Not being there for the inception of the idea, but being present for the first draft of it, and now holding this object in my hand (and hundreds of them, if that!). Deborah also mentioned to me that when the ink is just right, it will sparkle. It took me until last April to witness that; I think it was one of the orange impressions on The Message/The Fall. Getting to see that again later on, with the The glittering blue, purple, and green inks of the other publication, Glacier Melt Matters / Prize Inside, was really special.

What are some experiences you’ve taken away from the work?

I’ve learned to slow down and take a step back, breathe a little bit, drink some water or coffee, and ground myself before I move on. The little mistakes I made in that headspace felt so much bigger to me than they actually were. They weren’t huge, but they did differentiate my work from perfect printing. I learned to do things more intentionally and attentively. Another thing is devotion. In this fast-paced world where I grew up, where everything feels instantaneous, anything can be published, sent, or posted at the click of a button. Hand-setting every single letter, doing the spacing, and kerning made me develop a little bit more patience and internalize the work a bit more. I am so much more familiar with the FLS poems than the artworks that accompany them, because I had to hand type-set them. This Message Has No Content by Stephen Cain features two different typefaces, and had to be spaced out over and over. By this point, I feel like I can recite it.

What is it like to work with Deborah Barnett?

It is a very interesting endeavor. It’s given me a lot more perspective. When I began learning from Deborah at Someone Editions, I was working with a medium that I had never experienced before outside of a classroom setting. Having majored in Book and Media Studies, it’s easy to read about a process, but performing it is very different. It’s something you have to experience rather than read about. Hearing Deborah talk about her history and experiences has been very refreshing to me.

Are there any adjustments that were made from the original design or proofing plans?

There have been small design changes. I know with our envelopes, the proofing sheet we made was wrong at first, so the register was off before we changed it. When we did the prototype, we didn’t have the art title on there at all– later on, we decided to create a plate for The Skin Remembers and The Fall.