Active since 1879, Hatch Show Print is American’s oldest working poster print shop is not the guardian of a very special corner of Americana. Visited by thousands of people each year, the shop that produces hundreds of colorful posters annually has long been a downtown Nashville landmark. Each Hatch Show Print is a unique creation, individually handcrafted and inked onto paper in a technique that dates back several centuries. The process, known as letterpress, involves selecting (or, if necessary, carving) woodblocks, setting up wood and/or metal type, then inking and pressing these elements onto paper to form an image.

Founded by the Hatch brothers, C.R. And H.H., the firm blossomed in the 1920’s under the steady hand of C.R.’s son Will T. Hatch, who applied his own bold style in handcarving the woodblocks. For much of this century, the firm’s virant, coloful posters served as a leading advertising medium for Southern entertainment.

Artist website: www.hatchshowprint.com