April ‘26 Giveaway and Interview: Salty’s Studio
Category: Thank you
I liked this “Hi” poster from Salty’s Studio so much that I’ve made it the inaugural Decmatic subscriber giveaway.
On Friday 1st May, one subscriber will be randomly selected to receive this crisp A3 print, complete with a smart, appropriately modern frame. To qualify for the draw, just sign up as a free subscriber by midnight on Thursday 30th April. As an added bonus, the first hundred free subscribers will be grandfathered in to all future paid subscriber benefits. So don’t hang a round and spread the word.
To mark the occasion, I had a brief conversation with Jim, the eponymous Salty, about his influences and obsessions.
PS: Tell us a bit about Salty’s. How did the Studio come about? Are you called Salty because you’re grumpy and rude?
JS: Salty’s Studio (Surname Salter) was created at the kitchen table. Unable to buy Christmas cards we liked where we lived, we bought a book on screen printing and proceeded to do our own. Haven’t stopped.
PS: You tend to use environmentally-conscious materials and packaging. What’s your take on sustainability?
JS: I just try to do my bit really. The card and paper stock I use is either recycled or from sustainable forestries. Inks are all water-based. Off cuts are repurposed.
PS: Devon and the Southwest feature heavily in your work. Explain.
JS: I would say the majority of customers in the shop are either from Devon visiting for the day or are holiday makers. So I guess it’s aimed at them. The river prints are very popular, with so many different rivers in the region, people are get very attached to the one nearest them. The same goes for Dartmoor.
PS: Is there a grand plan for Salty’s? If so, what can we look forward to?
JS: I just want to carry on doing the stuff I enjoy and hope people want to buy it.
PS: As this is the Decmatic interview, it makes sense to ask you about The Four Diktats of Decmatic, the whole reason the site exists. So…
Invest in quality that lasts - What home decor piece have or would you invest in?
JS: I’m a big fan of Eames. I have a few chairs and some other mid-century bits of furniture.
Buy second hand - What do you gravitate towards at the flea market? What’s in your eBay saved searches?
JS: Mid-century furniture.
Make it yourself - For anyone wanting to brighten up their home with some DIY printmaking, what would you recommend?
The book [that got me started] was called Print Liberation: The Screen Printing Primer by Nick Paparone and Jamie Dillon. It’s out of print now, but for beginners, if you can find a copy I highly recommend it.
Support independents- Tell us about some other independent makers and creators you think deserve support.
JS: themetalstore.co.uk . Scaffold tubes cut to size, all the different clamps to join it together and pretty much next day delivery. I can’t tell you how many times I have reccommended to people. I‘ve used it to make benches, shelving, tables and display stands. It is everywhere, the studio, shop [see below], shed and garden!
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