Meet The Founders
Jillian Milroy
Founder of Hot Off The Press, Studio Soprano & Paper Sweet
Hey there! I’m Jillian, and my letterpress journey began in 2019 when I (quite randomly) bought an 1887 Challenge Gordon floor model platen press, aka Gordy. I had been admiring presses via the internet for quite some time, and wanted to maintain my handiwork with paper while moving away from calligraphy which at the time was my primary hobby. Having very little idea of what I was getting into, I just dove right in.
Since bringing Gordy into my home, I’ve left behind an almost 10 year career as a hospitality interior designer, and have solely focused on my life as a printer. I opened Studio Soprano in early 2020 (yikes), but managed to grow the business significantly despite the pandemic thanks to my greeting card subscription: The Better Mail Club.
Thanks to my life long love for tinkering and problem solving, being a printer is quite literally the dream job. While my creative brain thrives on designing exciting things for my clients, I’m also equally passionate about printing the work of other designers - it really allows me to hone my skills behind the flywheel.
Creating the Hot Off the Press feels like a dream come true because, as my mom would say, there’s no one better at talking! And what a great thing to talk about! If you’ve been tuning in, thank you so much!
Moriah
Founder of Hot Off The Press, Moriah Creates & Neon Paper Goods
Hi friend! I never really considered myself an artist or an especially creative person, but when I look back, I realize that I have been designing and creating since middle school yearbook class. One might say I collect hobbies (accurate) and in 2017, I fell into calligraphy. It began as an innocent activity just for fun - a way to unwind after work. Then, thanks to the power of the internet and especially social media, I found some other calligraphers, which led to wedding invitation designers, and then letterpress printers.
I became obsessed with the mechanics of letterpress, the machinery, the history, and of course the tactile feel which has become so rare in a digital world.
In 2019 I purchased a small tabletop press and then signed up for a workshop at the local book arts center. (Yes, in that order!) After one single job on my tabletop press, I decided it was time to level up to my first floor model press, an 8x12 Chandler & Price. The covid pandemic hit the week I went to look at it and my husband thought I was crazy for wanting to bring home a 100+ year old piece of equipment, the type I had never operated before.
With the support of my husband, my friends and family, I began taking on custom stationery jobs and started Moriah Creates. I poured my creative energy and free time granted by the pandemic into creating a greeting card line, which I think really helped me grow as a printer - experimentation is the best way to learn!
Now, my day-to-day is now filled with designing fabulous things for my day job, and creating products for my line Neon Paper Goods.
Hot Off The Press has allowed me to learn so much, and to create the resources and community I wish I had when I was printing, alone in my garage, during a global pandemic. I am so thrilled to be one of the many badass women who are out here learning to print, and grateful for all of the experienced printers who have offered help, a spare part, or advice (even the unwarranted kind) over the years.
Thank you for supporting our letterpress dreams!
