2010 Court of Honor Cachet
Sep 11 2010, 10:28 AM
Cachet Series Now Three Decades Strong
The thirtieth cachet in the AFDCS Court of Honor series features an original design by Susan D. Jorritsma, the principal artist for Washington Press, producer of ArtCraft cachets.
Susan studied art at Worcester Art Museum and Northeastern University. Her second art job was at Woodbury & Co., Inc. in Worcester, Massachusetts, the company that produced ArtCraft cachets for Washington Press since 1939. She was hired to work in the finished art department where she learned to do hand lettering, trademarks, and pictorial illustrations of the designers’ customer-approved art for stationery.
She graduated to working on cachet lettering and later to working on airbrushed pictures. The first cachet she designed herself was for the “Letters Preserve Memories” stamp issued in 1980. She used her parents wedding picture (1945) being slipped out of an envelope and another photo of her smiling mom holding out big ice cream cones.
Her opportunity to design cachets full time came unexpectedly in 1989 when the lead ArtCraft artist, Hal Bailey, retired for medical reasons and she was given his job. She worked directly with Leo August, founder of ArtCraft.
When Woodbury moved the art department from airbrush, ink and paper to programs on the computer, the transition was very difficult at first. When Woodbury went out of the stationery business in 2002 Susan was able to continue working with Washington Press on her own and now works with Tim Devaney.
She reports that artwork is done on the computer in PhotoShop and sent to Washington Press by email. When the artwork is approved, the picture is lithographed and the lettering is engraved.
Susan says she loves her job of designing ArtCraft cachets for Washington Press, and that the privilege of being invited to join the Court of Honor is timely, as she is celebrating her 20th year as the primary artist for ArtCraft.
The basic design of the Court of Honor cachet for 2010 will be lithographed in three colors: blue/green, red/orange and process yellow. The lettering will be engraved and printed in a slightly darker shade of blue/green than the litho. The finished art has been sent to Washington Press for printing.
Unserviced envelopes for those who wish to service their own covers may now be purchased online, and serviced covers may be pre-ordered. Click here to go to the order page.
The thirtieth cachet in the AFDCS Court of Honor series features an original design by Susan D. Jorritsma, the principal artist for Washington Press, producer of ArtCraft cachets.
She graduated to working on cachet lettering and later to working on airbrushed pictures. The first cachet she designed herself was for the “Letters Preserve Memories” stamp issued in 1980. She used her parents wedding picture (1945) being slipped out of an envelope and another photo of her smiling mom holding out big ice cream cones.
Her opportunity to design cachets full time came unexpectedly in 1989 when the lead ArtCraft artist, Hal Bailey, retired for medical reasons and she was given his job. She worked directly with Leo August, founder of ArtCraft.
When Woodbury moved the art department from airbrush, ink and paper to programs on the computer, the transition was very difficult at first. When Woodbury went out of the stationery business in 2002 Susan was able to continue working with Washington Press on her own and now works with Tim Devaney.
She reports that artwork is done on the computer in PhotoShop and sent to Washington Press by email. When the artwork is approved, the picture is lithographed and the lettering is engraved.
Susan says she loves her job of designing ArtCraft cachets for Washington Press, and that the privilege of being invited to join the Court of Honor is timely, as she is celebrating her 20th year as the primary artist for ArtCraft.
The basic design of the Court of Honor cachet for 2010 will be lithographed in three colors: blue/green, red/orange and process yellow. The lettering will be engraved and printed in a slightly darker shade of blue/green than the litho. The finished art has been sent to Washington Press for printing.
Unserviced envelopes for those who wish to service their own covers may now be purchased online, and serviced covers may be pre-ordered. Click here to go to the order page.