Sarah Parrott and Jen of Swallowfield make some beatiful invations
Growing up in Portland, Maine, I have always had an affinity for the ocean, mountains, birds, gardening, & the simple life. I have loved art all of my life – drawing, painting, making books, sewing, & art history. I loved what I could discover through the creative process, & I wanted to be an art teacher. While pursuing a college degree, I became very interested in Marketing and Communications, but continued to study Art History.
Upon graduating, I had a few interviews & decided the advertising world was not for me. My professional career began with various non-profits. I have worked at an art museum, a domestic violence agency, and an animal foundation. Currently, my day job consists of event planning for an agency dedicated to aiding immigrants & refugees. I started «things are better with a parrott» at the kitchen table of my first apartment in June 2006. I began with a pile of paper, a pretty image of a peony, & my gocco. I have never looked back. I started attending the Rhode Island School of Design in Fall 2007 for Print Design.
I took my first letterpress class at AS220 that same Fall. After one day with the Vandercook I knew I found my passion for art again. My new studio is located in my home in Providence, Rhode Island & I could not be luckier to have a space to call my own. My letterpress (a Golding Jobber No. 6) found me on a whim after some late-night perusing of briarpress.org. I believe it is no coincidence that my press is from Portland, Maine, where I grew up & lived most of my life. We were meant to find each other! I am so happy to have found two beautiful, simple ways to create well-made, hand-crafted goods to share with you.