And now for something completely different.
I met artist Zac Gross of the Venetian Card Company at the Philadelphia Pen Show this past January. I had seen his plaster pen rests cross my Instagram feed in the months prior, but I wasn’t prepared for what else he had on display at the show.
As it turns out, plaster as a medium works for making bespoke correspondence, too.
That’s what took me back standing in front of Zac’s table. Here, I was presented with a wide range of art in a range of colors and styles, but this art wasn’t only meant to be looked at. It was meant to be used.
Each Venetian Card Zac produces is a unique piece of art. He has released nine series so far in the Artist Series, along with a range of standard colors in the Open Edition. The front of the card features what Zac refers to as “traditional old world plaster techniques” to essentially “paint” the card, for lack of a better term. There is color, texture, layering, and character - everything you would expect from a unique piece of art.
Flip the card over, and you are presented with a writing surface, similar to a postcard. Yes, you are supposed to use these cards. Can you imagine opening your mailbox and finding something like this inside? My mind was blown standing in front of Zac’s table, and staring at this card on my desk while typing this review. I bet the feeling is similar on the receiving end as well.
Absorbent paper, but reasonably fountain pen friendly. This is a broad Sailor KOP stub nib, inked with Sailor Manyo Akebi.
Not having any idea a product like this exists, I had no idea what to expect on the pricing. At $86 each for the Artist Series (this particular one is Series 7-A1,) this piece of correspondence is a gift in itself. It’s expensive, no doubt, and I admit I did a double take when Zac told me the price. But I couldn’t leave the table. As a fan of art and of makers, I was captivated, and knew I was leaving with one. Especially when I got the show special price of $69.
The Open Editions are more reasonably priced at $32, and while that is still a luxury purchase, I could see myself using a few of these spread out over the year to send notes to friends and family.
Each card comes with a custom box to protect the card when mailing, and I’m going to address it and send it off across the country to see how it fares.
After I write a note, of course.
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