Creativity& Handiwork—with Kelsie Gerstl
Kelsie Gerstl is a printmaker, letterpress-magician, and all-around creative based in the Twin Cities. For her, letterpress isn’t just the means to an end, it’s a nod to the rich history and complex intricacy of the craft. She spoke with us about her creative process and why handiwork is such a pivotal part of it.
Tell us about your journey to becoming the creative you are today, and how the journey has influenced your work.
I didn’t have a formal art class until I was 21 years old in my first semester as a design major (during which, I finally felt I was doing what I was meant to be doing.) I think since I “joined the game” behind many of my peers, I became competitive with myself to create really great work, despite my setback. The mentality of “fake it until you make it” became my mantra. I still feel like I’m figuring it out, but I am enjoying the process.
Tell us about the letterpress process.
I currently work out of my makeshift home studio in the Twin Cities, and I have a manual press, which makes my process unique. It is definitely human-paced and hands-on from start to finish — it forces you to slow down and spend time with each step of the process. Cutting paper, mixing ink, perfecting registration, working with the mechanics of the press —it’s all part of the process to ensure the correct end result. I end up interacting with each component in a way we are unfamiliar with in our digital world.
For me, the letterpress process is a beautiful meld of both intricacy and experimentation. Knowing that it has been around for over 500 years brings a history to the craft, and I love knowing I get to be a part of that.
In Steal Like An Artist, Austin Kleon talks about the importance of creating with your hands, no matter if you’re a writer or a graphic designer, because “going through the motions” is what kick-starts our brain into thinking. Talk about the pairing of creativity & handiwork — what effect does making with your hands have on your creative process?
In my university days, I studied graphic design. And there was always a divide between the graphic designers and the studio art majors. I wanted to be both. I don’t ever want to make sweeping statements, but this is how I think of it: Graphic designers lend themselves to the cleanliness of grid structures, fast-paced efficiency, and follow a set of rules, ensuring a useful and clear display of information — I see them as more of the corporate communicators. Art majors, on the other hand, explore their processes and define their own rules — I see them as communicators in a more personal way.
When I was introduced to printmaking, I was able to combine these things in a way that fulfilled my curiosity. I began hand carving linoleum blocks and various types of wood, and I would ink up found objects to create compositions. I fell in love with the entire process. It eventually led me to screen printing and letterpress.
By the time I was preparing for my senior showcase, I decided to focus on the idea of the analog and digital, something I so often found myself jumping between as an artist and designer. I created a series of screen prints, blurring the line between what was done digitally and what was done by hand. I think this process of creating something by deconstruction and reconstruction really helped me to understand all of the elements that go into design. I was reconstructing elements by eye and by hand that, as a designer, I was used to the computer doing for me.
What is it about letterpress that keeps you coming back?
I think it is the tactile gratification of creating something by hand. You can hold it, touch it, see its imperfections — and that makes it “human” and satisfying.
Last question: Aside from not having a tangible product, what might your creative process look like without handiwork?
The process itself, like making anything, is fulfilling, and having the tactile end result is kind of a bonus. But in a way, my experience creating by hand has sort of ruined me—I am not one to hop on the computer and just start something. Regardless of if I’m the one creating the end product, I still start my creative process by writing, sketching, painting, taking photos, or collaging. I need to have a tactile feel for the ideas in my head.
Creativity& is an Open Book Communications project. It is a space to showcase artists/entrepreneurs/creative-people as real humans. We hope to show that it doesn’t just take creativity to make you a great creative; it takes a whole host of other things. And there are things that often go along with creativity that are rarely seen or talked about. We hope to draw that out from creatives — to inspire, generate conversations, and get their fans (and themselves) thinking about their creative process.
