Printed Matter

An Interview with Lindsay Buchman from Seaton Street Press

At the New England Art Book Fair in September, I met so many incredible artists, printmakers, and bookmakers from all over the NorthEast. One of the artists who I enjoyed connecting with the most was Lindsay, the publisher of Seaton Street Press in Philadelphia, PA. Seaton Street’s work, vivid photography collections printed on gorgeous, delicate papers, explore personal histories, intimate geographies, and marginalized experiences.

Between traveling to book fairs and expos all over the world, Lindsay took the time to answer a few questions about her print practice, collaboration style, and how to stay safe in the studio.

Studio Assistant, Lily Kops, photographed by Samantha Palazzi at New York Art Book Fair, 2022.

When did you get interested in printed things and books? Did you start out as a kid who was always making a neighborhood newspaper? 

I think my interest in printed matter and books was piqued in high school, studying relief printmaking. My interest in graphic arts and design began with traditional printmaking, followed by book arts, and later morphed into artists' books through print and lens-based media. While my work is often categorized as photography, I am particularly interested in the relationship between photo, print, and digital media; this interest has led to various material explorations with the book as an object. As much as I would love to say there is a longer lineage between publications and my practice, I've only been involved in publishing for the past seven years, and the press wasn't founded until 2018. So, it's still in its nascent stage!

What part of your imagination does printing engage? 

Likely, all parts of my imagination. Printing is a physically and conceptually rigorous process that tasks formal skills in color mixing with material choices to convey meaning. While the technical side of things might be more pragmatic in cognition, it also requires a significant amount of improvisation, material exploration/experimentation, and a willingness to fail numerous times before finalizing proofs to run an edition. The imaginative qualities of printing rely on a continuous commitment to rethinking the order of a project (e.g., how a specific paper will respond to one particular ink, the order of layers when building up process colors, coated v. uncoated materials, etc.). The act of printing is like an unreliable alchemy that requires steadfast patience, curiosity, and a love for problem-solving in situations that are otherwise enigmas. 

A printed thing is a marriage of form and content - are there topics that you think gain a lot from the marriage of printed paper and photography? 

For me, nearly all topics benefit from the relationship between print/paper and photography. Part of the wonder of taking a project to print is witnessing the image transform through materiality—how content and form inform each other. 

You print work by a lot of other artists - How do your collaborations start? Do you connect people with a project that is "ready to roll," or do you and a friend connect and go, "lets make a book!" 

Our collaborations are unique to each project. In some cases, book concepts are more fleshed out, but in others, the entire book is designed in-house in collaboration with the artist. It just depends on the needs of the book! Most of the publications that come out of the press are from invitations to artists in our community; however, occasionally, we publish projects that were submitted to us already complete and ready for print. And we function as a distributor for a few books, so those projects show up fully bound and prepared to travel to book fairs. 

What's tricky about making work with other people? 

People doing people things! Sometimes, collaboration can be challenging if there are miscommunications about the project needs or mismatched expectations for the role of the press. I like to do studio visits with artists before embarking on a project to ensure that all parties feel good about working together. Seaton St. operates on an artist-run model, and we are sensitive to upholding ethical practices in publishing. I strive to maintain good relations with everyone I work with by providing transparent communication around publishing contracts upfront, ensuring that the artist has a say in the representation of their work while retaining the rights to their project. 

What's a question that you're asking right now with printing work? 

The number 1 question in the studio is how to hire out for more assistance during project deadlines. We are a small press, and it's challenging to keep everything functioning as projects grow. With the actual books, though, we are interested in continuing to ask questions about archival histories, social identities, and geographies.

#1 piece of advice for paper cuts? 

Ah, don't move too fast around the paper! The worst paper cuts I've had have happened while rushing around freshly cut stacks.

Are there any projects through Seaton St. that you'd like to highlight? 

We just wrapped up William Camargo's We Been Here, and while the publication is already sold out, we still have copies of the Special Edition on our site. Camargo's project has been one of the highlights of Seaton St's projects, so please check it out at https: //seatonstreetpress.com/We-Been-Here-Special-Edition