(machinery whirring) (mellow rock music) - [Mary] Okay, so let's see.

In a nutshell, Bruno Press started with my dad.

The Brunos were from Pennsylvania and we moved here when my dad got a teaching job at St. Ben's, College of St. Ben's.

So he taught in the art department there for like eight years.

And I was just like a wee little lass.

(mellow rock music continues) I was always an art kid, you know, I always, I just loved everything that he did.

So I was really into it and I'd spend time out here with him kind of not really thinking that long term, you know, it was just cool and fun to mess around in the shop with my dad, but basically that was when it all started.

(mellow rock music continues) It all changed when he passed away in 2003, it was real sudden he was young, 63, healthy.

And so I think that was the first time that I, first time in my life that I felt like a calling, you know, like I think I gotta go home.

(tender music) I moved back here to sort of start getting things going.

I mean, it sucked being in here because everything was kind of left how he left it, you know?

And it was really weird being in here.

So I would drag my 14-year-old niece in here at the time, you know, just to like take the edge off and we would like just drink tons of coffee and print swears on cards, you know, 'cause there's like no adults around.

The cards sort of got the ball rolling.

I was printing sweary cards before it was cool, OG.

(upbeat rock music) And you know, I was like doing art fairs and doing stuff like that and I was nervous for a while because I didn't know if people like sweary cards, but turns out they really like sweary cards.

So, you know, I was selling cards, making a bunch of money.

I mean, old ladies liked it.

Like everybody, it was crazy.

I had my cards in a store in St. Joe.

It doesn't exist anymore.

But she had like, you know, because she didn't feel like she could put some of them out, she would have a special room or a special drawer, you know, so they were kind of like, tipper gourd, and people were like, we wanna see the bad cards, you know, so it was awesome.

(upbeat rock music continues) The cards were what really got Bruno Press started and then I kind of realized that I didn't wanna just do cards and I didn't wanna just be beholden to stores that always want new, new, new.

And like, I can't keep queuing the funny, you know, if it's not, if it doesn't organically happen.

I was starting to print like some junk, you know.

So I was like, I'm just gonna chill on that.

And I started doing more posters, art prints, teaching classes here and workshops here.

(mellow music) This would be, I'm gonna start a new linoleum block print and I'm actually, I got my buddy Sinead on here.

I just thought about, you know, doing a little homage to this little trailblazer.

So basically what I do is I start with kind of designing it.

I have an image and then whatever text I'm gonna carve, I have to flip it, you know, it has to be backwards.

Then I have my carbon paper underneath.

You guys remember carbon paper?

Get that down, tape it down and then use a pen to transfer it onto the block.

You know?

So that's the first step.

And once you've got the whole image transferred, like so, then I'm gonna take my barrage of tools, which like, the files are my favorite.

Then I've got some little Japanese guys and some giant dudes, got all kinds of sharpening accoutrements.

And then I just sit here with my insane googles and carve until my eyes bleed and then I print it.

(mellow hip hop music) I would say that Bruno Press is 100% an homage to my dad, you know, like I think that, you know, he was an amazing designer.

He was an incredible printer and silkscreen artist and coming back into this space and being like surrounded by all of everything my dad had, it is just, it's what motivates me.

And it's always been about that.

Like even my logo is designed, you know, with his logo and then I built my logo around here.

It's kind of all about that.

I mean it's grown into for sure my own thing, you know, and I took it in a direction that I don't think he ever would've.

But all the things I do when I travel and get to visit printers all over the world, like I'm always kind of thinking about that.

But yeah, it's for sure all starts with Don.

(mellow hip hop music continues) I think the things that I'm most proud of are a little bit all over the place.

I am really proud of my saucy card line for sure.

And I think it's really recognizable.

But like the posters, a lot of the posters that I do, I think I've kind of grown into realizing what my real mission is.

And I think what I've kind of determined that I'm all about is community.

(mellow hip hop music continues) In the last five, six years, I've sort of been the voice of trying to promote everybody because St. Joe is is really cool.

And I think, you know, I've always felt like, (mimicking glass squeaking) like the little guy in the metro is like so cool and like rural is like meh, lame.

Like they're so backwards and weird.

And while there is some of that, like there's a ton of cool stuff happening in rural Minnesota and I think I've always felt that and I've always been screaming about that.

But it's really nice to have like a whole community of people that are all doing amazing things.

(gentle groovy music) Every visit to our charming, locally owned businesses isn't just a transaction, it's an opportunity to connect with the folks who pour their hearts and souls into their shops.

They know your name and they make you feel like family.

And that's what makes Joetown special.

When you shop locally, you're investing in dreams, supporting families and making our town thrive.

(machinery clacking) And this also like, kshht, will save you from like putting your head in there and getting fa-kow.

(gentle uplifting music) Like, I think, everyone, you know, every printer has injured themselves on every press, but I think this one like (beeping) scalps you.

Not good, but if you like mind the safety stuff, you ain't gonna get hurt.

Every once in a while, like the little guys have like, I've tried to do this and they've like, tshh.

It's not good, but how cool is this press?

(gentle uplifting music continues) I think that my dad would be pretty stoked about what I'm doing, I think he'd be really proud.

I think that, you know, I have taken this print shop to some pretty far, distant lands and created something that feels really good and it, I mean it's super motivated by the legacy he left and it just, I think he'd be blown away.

(gentle uplifting music continues) Beyond the like the digital obsession that we have, I think we're also really obsessed with like instant gratification.

You know, I want it now, I want it three seconds ago.

You know, like that there's nothing about letterpress that is fast.

You can't get it fast.

You know, there's something really beautiful about that.

And I think even myself when I print, I can get really compulsive, like I wanna finish this right now.

And usually when I get like that is when I screw up and I end up having to start over.

Like it's just really good training to like, slow down dude.

You know, this stuff will get done when it gets done.

And I think that's just important to remember.

(gentle uplifting music continues) - [Narrator] "Postcards" is made possible by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of Minnesota.

Additional support provided by Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies.

Mark and Margaret Yackel-Juleen on behalf of Shalom Hill Farms, a retreat and conference center in a prairie setting near Wyndham, Minnesota, on the web at shalomhillfarm.org.

Alexandria, Minnesota, a year-round destination with hundreds of lakes, trails, and attractions for memorable vacations and events.

More information at explorealex.com.

The Lake Region Arts Council's arts calendar, an arts and cultural heritage funded digital calendar showcasing upcoming art events and opportunities for artists in West Central Minnesota, on the web at lrac4calendar.org.

Playing today's new music plus your favorite hits, 96.7 KRAM, online at 967kram.com.

(bright soft rhythmic music)