Today we’d like to introduce you to Jake Ingram
Hi Jake, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I was born and raised in Knoxville, TN. I always dreamed of pursuing art as a kid, probably because of my family. My mom did every craft she could get her hands on (scrapbooking, crocheting, etc.) and my dad was always sketching or drawing. My grandmother was my biggest influence. She enameled in the 70’s and 80’s after taking a class at Arrowmont in Gatlinburg. She switched to decorative painting in the 90’s. She was a member of the Highland Craft Guild and participated in craft shows in Tennessee and North Carolina. She really encouraged my brother and I to explore art by letting us paint in her studio and taking us to see museum exhibitions at the Knoxville Museum of Art.
I left Knoxville in 2008, moving to Johnson City, and received my BFA in 2012 from East Tennessee State University. I took a few printmaking classes while at ETSU but I wasn’t sold on the medium other than lithography. Lithography is a planographic printing process where images are drawn on a stone or plate and is based on the idea that oil and water don’t mix. After graduating, I worked at a gas station for a year before I moved to New York City to attend the New York Academy of Art. While I was in grad school, I studied printmaking again and fully committed to the process, earning my MFA in drawing and printmaking in 2015. Upon graduation, I had no idea what I was going to do with my degrees so I spent two years working in NYC. During those two years, the Academy invited me to come back and print for artists and that’s when I realized I wanted to print for other artists rather than make my own work.
The idea of collaborative printing was something that I had not thought of as a career. In fact, I didn’t really know such a thing existed. I had heard of Tamarind Institute in my first lithography class back at ETSU but I didn’t quite understand what it was other than that they were a school and wrote a book. Tamarind was founded in 1960 by June Wayne for the preservation of lithography in America. Some of the goals of Tamarind are to create a pool of master artisan-printers in the United States by training apprentices, inviting artists of all disciplines to make prints, and create a market for lithographs. Tamarind is currently located in Albuquerque, NM and continues the practice of training new printers every year.
I left New York in 2017 to attend Tamarind’s one year Printer Trainer Program, made up of a class of 8 students from all over the world. At the end of the program there is an option to apply for another year as an apprentice. Tamarind takes 1-2 students for the apprenticeship and I was one of two who were selected from my class. The apprenticeship was a great opportunity and made me realize that this was my purpose in life. I got to print and work with artists, doing what I loved for a whole year. After I completed my apprenticeship, I returned to Knoxville in 2019 and in 2020 I set up my printshop, Jackalope Editions, and have been collaborating with artists for four years now.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
What is life without a few bumps in the road? This journey has definitely not been a smooth one but I wouldn’t change anything. Each obstacle has been a chance for me to grow and learn. My biggest challenge in starting this business was finding a space in Knoxville that could accommodate my press.
I am probably one of the few people who would say that the pandemic was one of the best things that could have happened. When I moved back to Knoxville in 2019, all the artist spaces I was looking at were full. After the pandemic started, people left the studio and I was finally able to get a space at Mighty Mud, a ceramics studio, in 2020. With the help of my brother, dad and several friends, we moved my press into Mighty Mud. It was a great space to establish my business. I made many friends and connections within that community. It taught me how to set up a fully functional print shop in a small space. I moved to Relay Ridge in 2023, home to the first community printshop in Knoxville. Being part of this studio has given me the opportunity to start teaching workshops and continue to grow my business.
I think what I realized in starting this business is that every time I come up against an obstacle, I have an amazing support system in my family and friends. I wouldn’t be able to accomplish anything without them.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Established in 2020, Jackalope Editions is a collaborative printshop and publisher located in
Knoxville, Tennessee. Our mission is to introduce fine art printmaking to local and regional
artists, encouraging them to develop their imagery through experimentation under the guidance
of a collaborative printer. We also invite artists from outside the region to our studio where they
get to experience the culture and landscape of Southern Appalachia while they work on their
Prints. We specialize in lithography but we also practice a variety of other techniques like etching and woodcut.
We are most proud of honoring the traditional techniques of printmaking, while pushing the limits
of what printmaking can do. Some of our unique collaborations include using lithography to print
on ceramics, fabric for quilting, and even its application in banjo lutherie. We strive to engage
with our community and to provide a deeper appreciation for fine art printmaking.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I am open to collaborations! Anyone can email me at jackalopeeditions@gmail.com to find out availability, pricing or just reach out with their ideas.
You can find available prints on my website jackalopeeditions.com
Pricing:
- Email Jackalope Editions (jackalopeeditions@gmail.com) for more information on pricing
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jackalopeeditions.com
- Instagram: @jackalopeedtions
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559899705425
