Marieke van der Perk

How long have you been printing?

2015

Describe your first encounter with letterpress

My first encounter with letterpress was in 2002. I was studying graphic design at KABK in The Hague and we had to design and print a business card using lead type.
My second encounter was in 2015 when I was participating in an art project (a booklet with poems and illustrations). That's when I got really enthusiastic. Setting type (poems), making proof prints, correcting, printing, etc. I was only supposed to deliver an illustration, but ended up assisting the (retired) printer during the whole process.
That's where the love for printing, a new friendship and several project plans started.

Where did you learn?

In Vlissingen (grafisch atelier), Gent (Miat) and Amsterdam (Letterpress Amsterdam).

Who was your most influential teacher?

My teachers are Rob Verhage and Thomas Gravemaker.

What super power would you like to have?

Creating more time.

Do you prefer to work alone or with others?

A bit of both. I like working alone, but I love the occasional projects where I’m working together with other creatives (graphic designers, printers, photographers, musicians, etc.).

What do you most value in your friends?

Sincerity and loyalty

When do your best ideas occur to you?

When I’m walking in the park, on the beach, doing yoga, grocery shopping, etc.

If you were to die and come back as a typeface, which would it be?

Lexicon or Trinité? Such beautiful classy typefaces! Although I'm more a sans serif kind of person so probably Helvetica.

What tool do you use more often than any other?

Indesign

What books are currently on your nightstand?

Het beste wat we hebben (Griet op de Beeck) and The Kaba ornament (Bram de Does).

If you could study with any printer throughout history, who would it be?

Hmm... don't know. Willem Sandberg probably. And in the present time with Hansje van Halem.

If you have your own shop, what equipment do you own?

Looking for a proof press at the moment. And metal and wood type, cutter, etc... And a studio space...
We have an etching press (that needs some attention), an empty (small) cabinet and equipment for making polymer plates.
And just got our hands on lots of small stuff (spacing material, etc.) and 6 cases of Futura light.

If you could change one thing about your shop, what would it be?

All the equipment in a studio space (instead of in storage).

When and where are you the happiest?

When the work turns out better than I had hoped for.

What is your greatest fear/worry?

Not finding a proof press.

What do you think is useful about what you make?

It gives me joy.

What’s your day job?

I’m a graphic designer.

Do you use any other techniques or media besides letterpress?

Lasercut and polymer.
I like to combine different techniques. Letterpress, watercolor, monoprint, digital or offset printwork. And for letterpress I use wood type, lead type, polymer, but also forms cut out of rubber or linoleum or plywood or whatever (manually or with a laser cutter).