iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Mark Alan Mattes + Hot Brown Press @markalanmattes.bsky.social · 13/10/2026

the foodophonicscentmogrifier is working beautifully

Doggy with Elizabethan color cone, eating food

Mark Alan Mattes + Hot Brown Press @markalanmattes.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Indigenous language revitalization print, created with my colleague Megan Sekulich & commissioned by @filsonhistorical.bsky.social - 100% of proceeds go to the Myaamia Center at Miami University: www.etsy.com/listing/4593... #indigenouspeoplesday

Letterpress broadside combinimg metallic silver ink, fiber-embedded paper, and the geometric patterning of traditional Miami Nation (myaamia) ribbonwork diamonds to communicate the vibrancy of waawaahsinaakwahki, a myaamiaataweenki word that translates as ‘it is shimmering.’

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Mark Alan Mattes + Hot Brown Press @markalanmattes.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

I have absolutely destroyed my studio this year lolsob 😭

Messy print studio. Trash, make ready prints, inky everything, disorganized drawers of type, partially disassembled galleys of type. Pure chaos.

Messy studio. Just an absurd amount of scattered metal furniture for locking up typesetting in a dorm

Wooden reglet and furniture pile of sadness

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Mark Alan Mattes + Hot Brown Press @markalanmattes.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Anyways, here's a picture of Ramen begging for cheese

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Mark Alan Mattes + Hot Brown Press @markalanmattes.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Trying to have it both ways over here 😆😆😆

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Mark Alan Mattes + Hot Brown Press @markalanmattes.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Rad time tonight at the 9/25 Dolly Art Show at Revelry Gallery! Dolly4Eva!

Partner and I posing near the show poster I designed for Imagination Library, displayed next to lots of cool paintings and drawings at a Dolly Art Show and fundraiser

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Mark Alan Mattes + Hot Brown Press @markalanmattes.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Had to extend for 9/25! Pre-order closes at the end of the month. Then, time to reprint. In the meantime, excited to be taking part in a local Dolly art show benefitting Imagination Library-Louisville

Revelry Gallery's Dolly Parton Art Show post for tomorrow's 9/25 opening

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Mark Alan Mattes + Hot Brown Press @markalanmattes.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Well, the day just got much better! My neighbor asked if I wanted some peppers. He had a bumper crop. I picked a peck. This is only half of them!

About 75 Serano, Bell, Anaheim, and Banana peppers from neighbor's garden, sitting in a wrought iron table

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Mark Alan Mattes + Hot Brown Press @markalanmattes.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

On to something here. Need to make ready some of the sorts, but pretty happy so far!

Two layer proof of background to a new poetry broadside, composed of upside wood type. Ochre and a dull-ish pink. Very fall weather vibes.

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Mark Alan Mattes + Hot Brown Press @markalanmattes.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Here's a close-up of the first test, which I only conducted after I cleaned the back of the type *twice* - the pink was basically gray!

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Mark Alan Mattes + Hot Brown Press @markalanmattes.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Couldn't resist a little color testing this evening...

Color mixing tests of pink, grey, and ochre for background layers of upside wood type, for a new poetry broadside

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Mark Alan Mattes + Hot Brown Press @markalanmattes.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

back on my bullshit...proofs and make ready tomorrow

Galley of upside-down, mostly medium sized wood type, locked up, before make-ready stage of preparation

Galley of upside-down, larger sized wood type, locked up, before make-ready stage of preparation

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Mark Alan Mattes + Hot Brown Press @markalanmattes.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Somebody is deaccessioning their wardrobe. Nice.

Virginity rocks sweatshirt for sale on FB marketplace

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Mark Alan Mattes + Hot Brown Press @markalanmattes.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Maybe there IS a literacy crisis after all? Sheesh.

Screencap of NY Times headline, "Can Mr. Beast Get Gen Z to Read James Patterson?"

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Mark Alan Mattes + Hot Brown Press @markalanmattes.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Sometimes I ask myself, which copy should I hang up in my studio? Sometimes the studio provides the answer... #dhtries #dhmakes #letterpress

ABC poster, wrecked under drying rack wheel

ABC poster, wrecked under drying rack wheel, hanging up in the studio next to other beautiful failures

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Mark Alan Mattes + Hot Brown Press @markalanmattes.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

My buddies secured an amazing matching grant for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library-Louisville. I'm going to donate every dollar raised thus far tomorrow! The pre-order remains open thru September, but if you've been on the fence, this is the moment! www.etsy.com/listing/4528...

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Mark Alan Mattes + Hot Brown Press @markalanmattes.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Hatch Show Print in Nashville. Bucket list stuff today!

Me looking ridiculous next to a KY State fair poster from 1998

Me, selfie with interior of Hatch Show Print shop

Inked tympan that reads Hatch Show Print

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Mark Alan Mattes + Hot Brown Press @markalanmattes.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Please share something rad that happened to you recently (because this past week has otherwise been too sad!) Me: Today I received the proofs for a collection and learned that a teacher of mine from many years ago cited me in their contribution 😭😭😭

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Mark Alan Mattes + Hot Brown Press @markalanmattes.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

Don't be shy! Cheap print! The democratic multiple!

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Mark Alan Mattes + Hot Brown Press @markalanmattes.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

Motivational letterpress prints! Print Thru It - Write Thru It - Make Thru It I originally made these as small, affordable pieces for fall markets, but I'm making 50 available online "at cost." If interested, please make sure to read the item details, here: hotbrownpress.etsy.com/listing/4565...

Print Thru It, Write Thru It, and Make Thru It motivational letterpress prints. THRU is represented as a rebus symbol - an arrow passing diagonally through the letters of the word IT. The terms PRINT, WRITE, or MAKE are printed on top of the arrow's shaft, perpendicular to the orientation of the word IT.

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Mark Alan Mattes + Hot Brown Press @markalanmattes.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

2nd layer. These are just some of the color combos. I printed on 300gsm cotton & I'm worried that 1st-class postage won't cut it. USPS uses rollers to sort 1st-class flats. Probably need to go USPS ground which runs a bit more. Need to do more homework. Stay tuned! #dhmakes #letterpress

Motivational print that reads Make Thru It, with the word MAKE layered on top of an arrow passing through the word IT

Motivational print that reads Print Thru It, with the word PRINT layered on top of an arrow passing through the word IT

Motivational print that reads Write Thru It, with the word WRITE layered on top of an arrow passing through the word IT

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Mark Alan Mattes + Hot Brown Press @markalanmattes.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Working on something for my printer, writer, and #dhmakes peeps...roughly cost of postage only...second layer and details soon!

Orange-pink inked wood type locked up in press bed, reads ...THRU IT, with THRU represented as a rebus symbol, specifically an arrow passing through the word IT

Sky blue inked wood type locked up in press bed, reads ...THRU IT, with THRU represented as a rebus symbol, specifically an arrow passing through the word IT

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