Jim hanging the first color for one of Hatch’s historic poster restrikes.

It was interesting to see how Hatch works on a daily basis. The two phones (separate lines) are constantly ringing, designers chiding each other, customers milling through the for sale posters, clients coming in, Jim on the phone, Huey the cat gives you a little friendly warning that he needs attention. It is chaotic but laid back at the same time. I would guess that might be a good reflection on Nashville itself. It is definitely a community of people working to keep this place going. Volunteers come, some turn into employees, employees move on, interns come and go, Dan comes and runs the giant Miehle in the back for the larger runs (as he has done for years). Of the full time designers there, Brad and Agnes have the most experience (1.5 years). The other two full time designers, Julie and Laura, had worked part time or as interns before they became full time. Delaney runs the daily operations of the shop, handing out jobs, working with billing and the register among many other things. Tia works part time manning the register and working with customers. Laurie volunteers on occasion and puts away type like a mad person … and I’m sure the list goes on of people I didn’t even meet or that I forgot. Even the Kinkos girl worked at Hatch at some point. My week there, shows that it would truly be an amazing job to have. From my viewpoint, the saddest thing about working there would be knowing that you would have to move on and that there is nothing quite like Hatch Show Print.

Dan running the Miehle.

After printing my assigned reprint, I started to put type away again. I asked if they had another job for me, and I was assigned a real job. While I didn’t get free reign it was my one chance to work with the vast type collection at Hatch. The client of this poster really liked a previously printed poster and wanted something very similar. While it wasn’t the most glamorous job, it was more than I could ask for (or should have asked for). The sun burst, “star bars” and colors were all preselected but I reveled in the decisions I did get to make. A few stars here, a circus font there, a couple arrows and I was on my way. Jim even said I had a, “good eye for this”. I’m sure he was just being nice. On Thursday morning I printed a proof (on tracing paper and with some drying help with corn starch) and they had me call the client to come pick it up, which shocked me more than anything. And then the long wait to see if I would actually get to print my own poster.

A few recent and semi-recent posters at Hatch.

Like any client approval, the ones you want to come quick, take forever. So I put type away, help others out, rummage through old and new posters and then do some more waiting. On Friday at about 2:00, just a few hours from hitting the pavement, I hear the weirdest thing, “Bennett, the phone’s for you.” Talk about surreal. I was getting phone calls at Hatch. I picked up the phone and the client said the magic words. “Looks good. Go ahead and print it.” I think everyone could see how much this meant to me, and I sprung into action. I had to at least print one of the colors. I get the first color done right after 4:00 and I’m thinking that there is no way to print the second color. Jim steps in and encourages me to go ahead and print it. I’m glad I did. Around 6:00 everyone had left except for Suzanne, Jim and I. I was still printing away. Jim had to get somewhere, so I started gathering our stuff, including a small collection of Hatch posters, and Jim finished printing my poster. It was cool to see Jim print my poster and to see how quick he is on the Vandercook. Suzanne finished her linocut; I was able to finish my poster and we capped off an amazing week.

A few people have given me strange looks when I told them that I was spending my week vacation to go work in a print shop in Nashville. For this designer, I can’t imagine a better place to spend a vacation.