i've been thinking a lot lately about what draws so many of us to read the blogs we read. i think it is safe to say i'm not alone in enjoying the glimpses i get into other artist's every day lives. you can get such a strong sense of an artist's inspirations + influences, and when you then have the chance to acquire that person's art and have it in your own home, you feel a much stronger, more intimate connection to it that you would to a stranger's. that's how i see it, anyway.
maria vettese of port2port press is another portland artist i admire a whole lot, and it is for exactly these reasons. she does a wonderful job of documenting her inspirations and her every day life at her blog, port2port, and on the collaborative photo blog she shares with stephanie congdon barnes at 3191: a year of evenings.
photos by maria vettese (l) and stephanie congdon barnes (r)
now in its second year, 3191 started as a collaborative photo project where maria and stephanie would each post a photo of their morning in 3191:in a year of mornings (which will soon be published as a book by princeton architectural press.)
photos by maria vettese (l) and stephanie congdon barnes (r)
maria's letterpress and photographs draw much inspiration for her daily surroundings and are simple and beautiful. she sells limited editions of letterpressed cards and photographs, and also works with other artists from time to time on collaborations, such as this lovely winter prints set called frost with brooklyn based artist lena corwin.
i asked maria to share a few of her local favorite spots (+ i will add for her the portland farmer's market, which she took some amazing pictures of last year and i got so much inspiration from!) here's what she said:
favorite portland food: 158, Fore Street, Bresca, Blue Spoon
favorite little grocer: Rosemont Market
favorite bakeries: Standard Baking, Two Fat Cats, 158
thanks so much for sharing the lovely glimpes of your life + your art with us, maria!

























































My kingdom for a tabletop letterpress! Maybe someday. At least now I got my gocco up and running.
Lovely guest blogging job by one of my favorite letterpress artists.
Posted by: Marissa | 2008.01.20 at 07:17 PM
thank you for including me in such a kind and lovely post...
Posted by: mav | 2008.01.21 at 06:33 PM