Emīls Salmiņš
All prints are designed and hand-carved in linoleum by Emīls. He has been a tattooer for more than 10 years and has practiced watercolor painting in the past. After the release of his book, which contains most of his watercolor paintings and his progression through that era, he slowly moved away from painting and found passion in printmaking.
Emīl's work has always been rooted in traditional values. He's inspired by vintage japanese woodblock prints, eastern and western folk art, as well as latvian paganism, local folklore, nature and animals.
In addition to designing ideas, carving the lino and printing, he also documents the printmaking process. You can check out his videos in the video section, on his YouTube channel, or his Instagram page.
Two Lovers Printmaking
We are lovers, best friends, and business partners, and we've been collaborating on different projects ever since we first met back in 2013. The printmaking journey started in 2018, when Emīls carved his first lino design and printed it by hand. Soon after that, he invested in a printing press, and Rūta joined in and learned to print as well. A couple of years later, we moved to a small town away from all the distractions and decided to start printmaking full-time. Currently, we are juggling printmaking, parenting, and house renovation.
Rūta Salmiņa
Rūta has been printmaking alongside Emīls for more than 4 years. In addition to working with paper she's been experimenting with different fabrics and creating lino-printed wall hangings. She's also in charge of the business side of things, logistics, packing orders and responding to customer inquiries. You can hit her up in the contacts page for any questions.
Outside of the printmaking business, Rūta has a background in clinical psychology, and a desire to continue her academic journey in the future. More recently, her focus has shifted towards motherhood. But even with a baby on her hip, she's always working on a new project.