[ZINE] Aviatrix Press

Risograph dreams and letterpress bookmaking

Art by Aviatrix Press

Great art is a great story. This week we’re highlighting the work of Madeline Helland, who publishes under the name Aviatrix Press. A masterful control of color makes her designs teeter from nostalgic to psychedelic, resulting in distinctly crafted pop art. Click on the images to visit the Aviatrix Press Instagram account, and click here to view Madeline’s portfolio.

What type of artist are you?

I usually describe myself as a book artist because it encompasses all the things I do. I create zines, books, and prints which usually incorporate my digital illustrations and photographs. Some of my work is reproduced digitally but I like to utilize Risograph and letterpress printing in the process whenever I can.

Art by Aviatrix Press

What are your goals as an artist?

Since finishing college, my goal as an artist has been to be as unpretentious as I can possibly be. I studied art history and conservation, then went on to work in a modern art gallery, and I found a lot of aspects of the art world to be incredibly academic and inaccessible. Usually, my favorite art is something I have a gut reaction to– good or bad. My art toes the line between creepy and cute, so I always hope it will garner that immediate reaction and lead to a good conversation.

Zine by Aviatrix Press

Tell us about your process. What happens after you've settled on an idea?

My work is usually based on collections I see myself forming. I’ll notice myself creating a lot of similar drawings, saving information on a specific topic, or gathering photographs of related objects. These things happen organically and then I begin gathering them together in a book or zine, under a cohesive theme.

For example, I took a photo of every Free Little Library I saw for three years, and then I compiled them into a flip book that progresses chronologically through every neighborhood I lived in during that period. Once I’ve finished digitally designing the book, I print and bind it. The method of printing and binding varies from project to project. I decide from the content what format will best serve it and then I’ll create a small edition of the book.

Zine by Aviatrix Press

How do you distribute your art, and does that inform the process of making it?

I love going to zine fests to distribute my art. I’ll occasionally go to other art markets but zine fest and book fairs feel the most in sync with what I like to create. At these events, people will recognize things like Risograph and letterpress printing or that I hand-sewed my books, and they’re usually excited to talk to me about it. There’s also a bunch of people who share the same quirky interests as me and are willing to engage with those topics in my work. In terms of my process, I usually create about 15-20 copies of anything I make. This means I’ll have enough to distribute at these events but I don’t get completely overwhelmed with production. ⬤

Portions of this transcript have been edited for clarity.

Find more from Aviatrix Press by visiting Madeline’s Instagram account, or viewing her portfolio at www.aviatrixpress.com.

If you’d like The Daily Egg to showcase your work in a newsletter, reach out to us! You can fill out the Artist Highlight form here, or email/DM us for more information.

Image via Aviatrix Press

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