A Fine Press. Pt II
As a follow up to my last post, I decided to interview my brother, Matthew Wengerd. He is the founder and owner of A Fine Press {custom event stationers}
Let’s see what he has to say…
1. Tell me about yourself.
I’m Matthew. I’m your brother and the owner of a fine press {custom event stationers}. I make luxury invitations and other event-related stationery.
2. What did you go to school for.
My undergraduate degree is a BS in Music Education. I absolutely hated teaching, so went back for an MM in Jazz Studies - a Master’s Degree in Jazz Bass. I do still play, though not as often as I like or had hoped. The scene’s tough enough in major metropolitan areas and almost non-existent in Central Florida.
3. When can you remember first being interested in design, typography, packaging or stationery?
I don’t recall a time when I wasn’t enamored with architecture and objects. Sometimes I think Industrial Design might actually be my calling, but I’m having too much fun doing the work I’m doing now. Packaging design really came when I discovered the dieline and that got me on this kick of user experience. That’s really what I’m ultimately interested in when it comes to correspondence. I think a lot of stationers focus on good design and forget that the pieces they create will actually end up in someone’s mailbox. I like to imagine the difference between how a left- and right-handed person open the same piece and try to create little surprises for the careful observer.
4. Who and or what are your biggest design inspirations?
The internet, as the great democratizer, means I don’t really have the influence of the “great designers” that I would have had I gone to design school. Pinterest allows friends and other acquaintances curate great collections that offer a ton of inspiration. I’m also a big fan of following what’s going on in the ad industry and fine art. From Anthropologie’s in-house design teams to Makoto Fujimura, there’s so much to draw from. That doesn’t mean there are no *big* names on the list. As a huge fan of mid-century modern, Ray and Charles Eames are huge inspirations. I also love architects like FL Wright, Frank Gehry, and Santiago Calatrava. Then there’s Philipe Starck; if you don’t know him, you’re missing out.
Did I mention the Dyson team? Seriously.
5. Where do you see your business heading in the future?
We’ll be going big or going home. I’ve got a list of pie-in-the-sky ideas like the inclusion of taxidermy, personalknock on the door invitations, private-label coffee, and so much more. There are a ton of people doing great work in paper and acrylic, but not much beyond that. What about wood and fabric and canvas and fine art and data storage and, and, and….? Those are the places I’d like to head. The goal is to be the guy who does what no one else is willing to do.
6. Tell me about how much you love your sister. I’ve heard good things.
Yeah, I’ve heard good things, too.
Seriously, where did all this come from? I can’t imagine mom and dad ever thought they’d have a couple of kids like us. You’re pretty phenomenal.
