Janina Hobday - Prints - The Purple Pomegranate

The Purple Pomegranate, a fine craft specialty store, is featuring work by artist, Janina Hobday of Birch Creek Designs during the month of June. Birch Creek Designs uses letterpress, screen printing, and digital printing to create art prints, cards, coasters and other items based on the illustrations of co-owner Janina Hobday. Her husband Brian takes care of the wood working, letterpress mechanics, and manages the business. The couple lives in Columbia Falls, Montana, on an urban farm complete with a dog, flock of chickens, and a rabbit.

 

Janina translates the stories of her life to identify the simplicity of happiness. Cuddles with a needy chicken, midnight kisses from the dog, the mountains of Montana and life in the Flathead Valley are constant reminders to be thankful and grateful for simple things. Her artistic endeavors started at a very early age, and the artwork of children’s literature – notably Tomie DePaola – has motivated her development of unique graphic styles and techniques.  She grew up in Montana and Chile, two places that provide constant inspiration and a unique perspective.  Janina has a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Forestry and an Associate’s of Applied Science in Graphic Design. 

In April 2013, Birch Creek Designs announced the addition of a 1955 Chandler and Price Letterpress (a lightweight at 2,800 pounds), one of the few in Montana.  Designs are drawn by hand and digitally edited to create printing plates.  The printing plates are put into the bed of the letterpress.  Four ink rollers roll over the plates, the press bed and the platen come together, and the image is printed onto the paper.  Each piece of paper is hand fed through the printing press multiple times, one time for each color that is added.  The process creates a beautifully embossed texture on thick paper.  Says Janina, “When you hold a letterpress printed item in your hands, you know immediately that it is special because the ink is in the paper, not just on it.”

Meet Janina during Whitefish Gallery Night, Thursday, June 6, 2013 from 6-9 PM. Janina's work will be displayed during the opening and throughout the month of June.