About Dancing Pen & Press

My story goes way back to the 80's when I (Elecia) fell in love with calligraphy when I was about seven years old. My art teacher pulled out one of those calligraphy markers and scrolled our names on scraps of paper. I asked, "How do you DO that???" She modestly answered that it was the pen. I urged my Nana to purchase one and sadly my sloppy seven-year-old penmanship, even with my attempts at loops & swirls, just didn't cut it.... Undeterred, I made many trips to the art store, and by my early teens, I mastered the craft, creating beautifully addressed envelopes and place cards for family gatherings. Calligraphy took a backseat while I studied Textiles & Design at the University of Rhode Island, where I loved Color Theory and Print Making—skills I still use daily. In 2008, I started Dancing Pen, focusing on hand calligraphy for wedding invitations. The first time I felt a letterpress invitation, I was captivated! I made it my mission to learn letterpress printing and found a late 1800s press for just $200. It sat in my garage for almost a year until I moved to Texas, where I taught myself to print on this heavy machine. I find it empowering that letterpress was traditionally a “man’s job,” requiring years of apprenticeship. When I am frustrated I remind myself that I learned this in solitude (with the help of Google and forums). Here we are over 15 years later going stronger than ever with a new line of letterpress greeting cards for wholesale!Read their story