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clayton’s thank you cards

by | Jan 31, 2011 | Letterpress | 7 comments


Last October, had you asked me who my favorite wedding photographers were, you would have gotten some of the answers many people I know give: Amelia Lyon (and that cool West Coast vibe), Jasmine Star (probably the best business woman in wedding photography), and a few others.  But there was a recent addition to the list that most of my friends hadn’t had the pleasure of seeing yet.

Clayton Austin.

I can’t remember where I first saw it.  It was likely some sort of letterpress blog, as the reception was adorned with some beautiful old wood type, but it wasn’t those blocks of wood that spoke to me.  It was this evocative sense of honest, human love in every photo.  Certainly, the photographer was helped by such a(n honestly) stylish couple; from the handmade clothes to the Vogue shoot in your livingroom arrangement of the bridal party.  But there was such a story there, being told by some savant with a camera.

When I saw that name in my email – Clayton Austin – I could barely contain myself.  I was in some meeting I couldn’t stand to be in and it took every bit of patience for me to wait until we dispersed to read the body.  We might just be on the same page and could we discuss the possibility of me working on some thank you cards?

Over the course of this journey, I learned just how intentional it was that those first images were honest views of a couple – one who would experience the throes of passion and the loneliness of selfish fights.  No marriage is all roses and no spouse perfect (facts I seem to prove more often than I care to admit), but true love works through the messiness and grows old in an honest love and awe for your partner.

And here is the result.  A hand-made paper letterpress printed – one pass at a time – in three colors (well, two colors and one blind pass), an accent stripe of hand-dyed muslin, stamped by hand and sewn together – one at a time on the Singer I borrowed from my wife.  A wax seal, hand applied (as you can clearly see – practice will make perfect) finishes of the package.  Sensing a pattern here?  Sometimes the process is more important than the product.  Sometimes they’re both equally important.

all photos by Clayton Austin

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7 Comments

  1. Jodi

    Matthew, I love this! I went into Clayton’s site and saw his work, incredibly talented, and your work truly compliments his!!! Love!!!

    • matthew

      Thanks! It’s was a pleasure to work with such an artist.

  2. dustin prickett

    Totally insane dude! You will now be a nationally recognized name

    • matthew

      That’s totally the plan. Hoping it’ll be before I die, though.

  3. Jenika's Lens

    I am in love with your work. I saw it on C.A.’s blog and I have been entranced by what you do. I love paper, the feel of it, the scent, the way it sounds when you fold it. I love stitching, something that someone took time and care in making. Someone who paused and said I’m going to slow down and do it myself, not send thousands through a machine. Your work makes my heart smile.

    I do love working with paper, but I’ve never seen anything like those bird cut-outs on the front of the card here. They look like the edges were singed, some sort of burning tool? I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it. Wonderful. Thank you for sharing what you do.

    • matthew

      Thanks! Your recent pictures make me long for the North!

      As for the birds, we laser cut them from the paper. In some materials, it’s a clean cut. In others, like this paper, it leaves enough of a burn to be nice 🙂

      Please do let me know if I can help you at all.

      Oh, and I can tell you they smell amazing – the wax seals even have a scent to them!

  4. Jenika's Lens

    That’s cool that the laser cutter leaves a burn edge in some materials, I had no idea. Thanks for letting me in on the secret!

    I’d been thinking of buying a custom wax seal and I think you’ve inspired me to take the leap once I get my logo redesigned.

    I’m also in love with your plantable wedding invitations, by the way. I’ve seen plantable cards but I never thought of using them for a wedding invitation. Why didn’t I know about you when I got married?! I told my husband that we needed to do a 10-year anniversary party solely so I could hire you to make us some plantable party invitations, haha, so you’ll be hearing from me about that in 8 years. 😉

    I’m at the beginning of my business, and so at first I’m probably going to have to live with whatever my (less skilled) hands can produce, but your work really speaks to me. I’m sure I will be contacting you at some point about a project. In the meantime I’ll follow your blog with interest. I wish you all the very best.

7 Comments

  1. Jodi

    Matthew, I love this! I went into Clayton’s site and saw his work, incredibly talented, and your work truly compliments his!!! Love!!!

    • matthew

      Thanks! It’s was a pleasure to work with such an artist.

  2. dustin prickett

    Totally insane dude! You will now be a nationally recognized name

    • matthew

      That’s totally the plan. Hoping it’ll be before I die, though.

  3. Jenika's Lens

    I am in love with your work. I saw it on C.A.’s blog and I have been entranced by what you do. I love paper, the feel of it, the scent, the way it sounds when you fold it. I love stitching, something that someone took time and care in making. Someone who paused and said I’m going to slow down and do it myself, not send thousands through a machine. Your work makes my heart smile.

    I do love working with paper, but I’ve never seen anything like those bird cut-outs on the front of the card here. They look like the edges were singed, some sort of burning tool? I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it. Wonderful. Thank you for sharing what you do.

    • matthew

      Thanks! Your recent pictures make me long for the North!

      As for the birds, we laser cut them from the paper. In some materials, it’s a clean cut. In others, like this paper, it leaves enough of a burn to be nice 🙂

      Please do let me know if I can help you at all.

      Oh, and I can tell you they smell amazing – the wax seals even have a scent to them!

  4. Jenika's Lens

    That’s cool that the laser cutter leaves a burn edge in some materials, I had no idea. Thanks for letting me in on the secret!

    I’d been thinking of buying a custom wax seal and I think you’ve inspired me to take the leap once I get my logo redesigned.

    I’m also in love with your plantable wedding invitations, by the way. I’ve seen plantable cards but I never thought of using them for a wedding invitation. Why didn’t I know about you when I got married?! I told my husband that we needed to do a 10-year anniversary party solely so I could hire you to make us some plantable party invitations, haha, so you’ll be hearing from me about that in 8 years. 😉

    I’m at the beginning of my business, and so at first I’m probably going to have to live with whatever my (less skilled) hands can produce, but your work really speaks to me. I’m sure I will be contacting you at some point about a project. In the meantime I’ll follow your blog with interest. I wish you all the very best.

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