19 Nov RISO Artist of the Month Split Arrow
Meet RISO’s October Artist of the Month
What is your name and the name of your organization/location?
We are Kat & Tom Vaughan-Johnson and we are the founders and owners of Split Arrow Print House. We are located in Atlanta, Georgia.
How long have you been in the art industry?
We opened Split Arrow Print House in September of 2015. Prior to opening our own space, we both attended art school after practicing art throughout childhood. We also had our own collaboration project called Split Arrow where we sold pieces that we worked on together. Primarily the background image would be Kat’s pinhole photography and Tom would illustrate and print a lino-cut relief print on top. That collaboration project was from 2013-2015.
How long have you been using RISO duplicators and the method of RISOGRAPHY?
We got our first RC6300 Risograph duplicator in 2016, purchased from one of Tom’s former college professors. Our RC6300 was built in 1993 so we learned a lot about repair and maintenance of the machines. Our RC6300 was not in the best condition for our goals so we rebuilt and modified our RC6300 in order to print for other artists. All while also learning how to print with it & achieve a desired vintage Risograph result. We purchased our two color, MH9450u in 2024 as an upgrade but still love to use our RC6300 for niche and single color projects.
What are some of your favorite colors to use with a duplicator?
Kat really enjoys the Fluorescent Pink and Orange.
Tom loves to print with Teal & Red inks.
Why RISOGRAPHY?
We love the variability that comes with Risograph printing. No two prints are identical, and learning to work the quirks in your favor makes the projects much more fun to create. Printing with Riso in our space allows us to let loose a bit and have fun creating more experimental work compared to our other print methods like Giclée, Stickers.
What would you tell people who are just finding out about RISO Duplicators and the artform of RISOGRAPHY?
Just breathe and let the ‘mistakes’ happen! Risography can be so fun to do if you can let go of some control. There’s something magical about the almost vintage-look that only Risography can give. Layering colors can also provide an unexpected result that digital printing can’t achieve.
Website Links:
Website: splitarrowprints.com
Instagram: @splitarrowprints