Today we’d like to introduce you to Tom & Kat Vaughan-Johnson.
Hi Tom & Kat, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
We started Split Arrow in 2013 as a collaborative art project with Tom’s illustrations and Kat’s pinhole photography. After a few years of festivals and events, we opened Split Arrow Print House because we were constantly being asked “where do you get your prints made?”. We were printing ourselves and we figured, why not use our skills to help other artists? We both had experience in the digital and commercial printing world, so it seemed like the most logical step forward. There was a noticeable gap in the art world vs the printing world as far as quality and information, as most artists wanted their prints to come out matching their work but didn’t have an idea on how to make that happen. Over the last ten years we have taken pride in creating a print shop that is friendly to all levels of artists and creators, taking the tedious part of art making (creating physical, sellable products) off of their plate and onto ours.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Running any business is never a smooth road, anyone can tell you that. We had some pretty scary months here and there, where we weren’t sure if we were going to be able to keep our heads above water. Printing is not always at the top of everyone’s budget, and in the digital age it is increasingly harder to get people to want to take the extra step and sell a physical print vs a digital download. In addition, being a two person business can have its own internal struggles, where if we need to leave town or tend to a family matter, we have to figure out how to continue business and make sure our customers are receiving the same level of care and respect that they would any other time of the year.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Kat runs primarily front facing, she deals with everyone from the second they start their printing process to the second their order is in shipment or in their hands. She has been in the food and beverage industry for over 15 years, so she is best at addressing customer issues and insuring they have their best possible experience. She strides herself in making sure that everyone gets fair and equal treatment from the start, but can also handle the unpleasantries with professionalism and fact. Kat is most proud of the relationship the shop has built with ongoing clients, and creating long term friendships with the people we print for. Kat loves to watch the people we work with grow their artistic careers, sometimes with our help, and seeing their art evolve into the spaces they create.
Tom is our printmaster. He takes the lead on each and every print project that comes in. He has been a working artist for almost 20 years and prides himself on knowing art making inside and out providing insights on the best way to approach printing, file set up, & any technical question that comes our way. Tom is our expert problem solver and provides solutions that make our jobs (and our clients lives) much easier. Tom also takes care of all the “robot” maintenance, tending to each machine and making sure everyone is running to their best potential. Tom is our lead creative director and provides new and refreshing ideas to help the shop grow, while providing awesome branding that aligns with how we operate. Tom came up with our “summer camp” vibe branding, to showcase how we are here to help our “campers” (clients) navigate the trail of creating their work and printing in order to maximize artists’ sales.
With our print house we are most proud of creating a space that feels familiar and exciting when you work with us to print. Our main goal was to always remain true to our roots as artists and to consistently place ourselves back in the shoes of new and young artists to help tune our process for the ease of printing. We want any type of creative to feel empowered by their work and confident in their art products so they can turn their art into a serious business. Everybody should be able to make their living by sharing and selling the things they create.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
“Tickle Monster” was a big hit at Kat’s house growing up. Even after her mom had a long day at work, some nights we would turn all the lights off in the house and run and hide from the “tickle monster” (her dad). She and her sister would run and hide and then the monster would try to come find them. One time, the monster had found her sister and she took off running from the living room to the kitchen laughing and screaming. All of a sudden, a loud thud followed by a softer thud. Kat’s dad turned on the dining room light to find her sister laughing hysterically on the floor. She had run full speed into the wall near the back door. The game came to an end after checking for any brain damage (thankful her Mom is a doctor), and soon after we moved a spare dining room chair there. Mostly to protect the wall from anymore head on collisions.
Pricing:
- Giclee Printing Starts at $36
- Sticker Printing Starts at $25
- Risograph Printing Starts at $35
- Poster printing starts at $25
Contact Info:
- Website: https://splitarrowprints.com/
- Instagram: @splitarrowprints
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@splitarrowprints
- Other: TikTok: @splitarrowprints
Image Credits
Tom & Kat Vaughan-Johnson
