CREATIVITY: Southern Nostalgia with Hatch Show Print

Oct 3 2012

by Kate Spears

With all the fancy schmancy graphic design software available these days, it’s rare to see posters or ads that don’t have that slick, computer generated look. That’s why I love Hatch Show Print. One of the oldest working letterpress shops in America, Hatch is located in Nashville. When the print shop began, in 1879, its main gigs were creating posters to promote vaudeville, circus and other traveling shows across the country.

Hatch is now owned and operated by the Country Music Hall of Fame. Over the years, Hatch Show Print has created posters featuring all the country music legends, including Hank Williams, Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton. Hatch prints have a certain look about them and I think it is pure art. The colors are bold, the graphics sometimes cheeky, but these often one-of-a-kind creations are national treasures.

In fact, the Smithsonian Institution collaborated with the Country Music Hall of Fame® to produce a nationwide traveling exhibition of Hatch prints. Called “American Letterpress: The Art of Hatch Show Print,” the exhibit included more than 100 contemporary and archival posters created over the years.

Hatch Show Print has its own unique style, and I love the way the prints combine graphic design, pop culture and history to provide a little slice of American life. It truly celebrates the south and is a Nashville landmark treasured by many. You can visit Hatch Show Print at 316 Broadway six days a week. If you’re planning to be in Nashville, it’s a stop you won’t want to miss.

2 COMMENTS

Kate Spears View More Blog Posts from this Author

Kate Spears is a self-proclaimed Southern belle who grew up in a tiny town near Nashville, but now calls Knoxville home. She graduated from the University of Tennessee (Big Orange Country!) with an undergraduate degree in art history and a master’s in public relations & advertising. In 2009, she started her blog, Southern Belle Simple, with the simple hope of giving herself a creative outlet. She continues to be amazed each time it leads to a new opportunity and cherishes the relationships that are formed along the way.

Kate is passionate about family history, time-honored traditions, and her Southern heritage. Her people hail from across the South, from the Lone Star State of Texas to the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. She grew up spending summers on her great-grandparents’ Tennessee farm where she developed a deep appreciation and admiration for people who could coax beautiful and delicious things out of a mound of dirt. She comes from faithful men, devoted women, hard workers and wickedly good cooks.

Leave a Comment

2 responses on “CREATIVITY: Southern Nostalgia with Hatch Show Print

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Posts