The people behind Bella Figura
Welcome to Bella Figura, a real artisan letterpress shop filled with people who love weddings, letterpress invitations, good design, and very heavy antique presses. We also love our jobs: working with clients who value, like we do, fine papers, great design, environmental practices, eco-friendly printing, and this cool historic letterpress craft.
Debbie Urbanski
Co-owner
Describe your job. Coming up with cool ideas and then taking their pictures. Describe your life. raising two kids. thinking about writing. missing mountains. work. no sleep. Prized possession? Custom made red shoes from a Vermont shoemaker—a birthday gift from Harold. Shoe shopping makes me cry (wide feet with bunions) so these changed my life. Life goal: To convince my husband to hike the Annapurna circuit in Nepal (300K through 17,000 foot high mountain passes). Why work for a letterpress shop? The letterpress community of printers is one of the nicest, generous, passionate, hard core communities out there—I love being a part of it.
Harold Kyle
Co-owner
Describe your job. It’s different everyday but one things stays the same: it’s never boring! It’s a mixure of presses, databases, and making things run well. Prized posession Apart from my business and my family, I’d say a paper thickness guage used by my grandfather (and my namesake) from his days running a corrugated box plant. Why work for a letterpress shop? No one else would hire me at this point! Seriously: the craft tradition, tools, presses, and heritage make it one of the most rewarding ways to make a statement. Life goal: To retire with the knowledge that letterpress has been preserved for future generations to enjoy.
Tiffany Button
Client coordinator
Describe your life in 10 words or less. I need only one word—blessed. Hometown. I was born and raised in Chittenango, New York, a small little town with a main street and a few traffic lights and an annual parade celebrating the life and works of L. Frank Baum who was born just outside of town. It’s quirky and quiet and it is the only place on earth I have ever called home. Prized possession? A letter my grandfather wrote to my grandmother when he was in Europe during WWII. What do you always carry with you? A good book (or two), my journal and a week’s supply of tea.
Jessica Tierney
Graphic Designer
Describe your job. Creative, inspirational, beautiful design, typography, fun! Favorite thing about working at the Delavan? The great mix of local artists, and the beautiful handmade purses at Lilypad Creations right down the hall! Prized possession? A photo of me and my dad from when I was a baby. Life goal. To always incorporate beautiful design into my life and the life of others, and if I could also have a small farm full of miniature ponies and highland cows while making beautiful design, then my life would be perfect!
Cyd Converse
Marketing Guru
Describe your job. Working to inspire others with what we so lovingly create. Describe your life. Daydreaming, photographing, flip flop wearing, adventuring, blog writing, dog loving. Prized possession? A wood carving of a hummingbird that hangs in our house. It belonged to my late grandmother, the source of my eternal inspiration to love life. Favorite letterpress. I’m an Original Heidelberg windmill kind of girl. Why work for a letterpress shop? I’ve hoarded stacks of paper and pretty notebooks since I was a child. I’m obsessed with good design, typography, historic craft and anything handmade. Luckily for me, I have the incredible blessing of enjoying all of those things every day.
Brian Pribis
IT
Describe your job. Programmer, network, IT, unofficial curator of the Jasper modern art collection. Describe your life. A Christian, programmer, husband, father of six, busy. Prized possession? I love books. I own hundreds of them (perhaps thousands, I don’t know, I lost count). Favorite thing about Central New York? The woods. I’ve lived in several different states from here to Washington, and New York’s woods are simply, indescribably, lovely. I especially love running the trails around Central New York. Favorite letterpress? The big metal kind.
Carrie Valenzuela
Printer
Describe your job. Pop clutch, listen & coax, make beautiful things, occasional platemaking. Describe your life. Moving at lightning speed doing what I love. Favorite letterpress. Original Heidelberg windmill. Why work for a letterpress shop? To continue the “black arts,” to make things that are finely crafted, striking and tactile.
Jake Eichten
Printer
Hometown. Born in Syracuse, New York. Spent early childhood in the infamous mill city of Lowell, adolescence in the more bucolic town of Westford, and returned salmon-like to Syracuse for university and to start my own family. Describe your job. Plate base chase platen check ink more impression MAKE STUFF. Prized possession? I might list the mp3 player that holds the audiobooks I listen to all day long, but my quality of life would be much more fundamentally affected without my trusty and endlessly useful Mason jars. Favorite letterpress. Though I haven’t run it yet, I recently acquired myself a tabletop 3x5 Kelsey Excelsior and a gaggle of book type.
Bill Vogan
Printer
Describe your job. Fulfilling. Favorite thing about working at the Delavan. The different people and studios in the building. Favorite thing about Central New York. It’s a short drive to the Adirondacks. Life goal. Live a good life.
Bob Gugula
Printer
Describe your job. Great. Life goal. Go to heaven. Favorite thing about Central New York? The people. Favorite letterpress. Vandercook.
Dave LaPage
Printer
Describe your job. Rewarding. Describe your life: see previous question. Favorite thing about working at the Delavan. The friendly people. Favorite letterpress. Windmill.
Nancy Jones
Finisher
Hometown. Syracuse, New York. Favorite thing about Central New York. Summer! Prized possession. My family and friends. Why work for a letterpress shop? I love it.
Phil Movsovich
Finisher
Favorite thing about Central New York. It has a little something of everything. (Very little.) Favorite letterpress. The Vandercook. Life goal. With my wife, to sustain a standard of living which comfortably fits our dreams. Why work for a letterpress shop? There is a creativity that is lacking in other professions.
Sue Fanticone
Finisher
Hometown. Indiatlantic, Florida. Favorite thing about Central New York? The Central New York Disc Golf Association (Link TO : http://www.cnydga.org/). Favorite design. I think they are all cool!
Pat Jordan
Finisher
Describe your job. Making the printers’ work slightly smaller and more dressed up. What do you like about working in the Delavan building? The creative vibe oozing out of the architecture. What’s your favorite thing about Central New York? Glacier-carved terrain, foliage, and snowfall bragging rights. Favorite letterpress: 13x10 Heidelberg Windmill. Classy. Why work for a letterpress shop? For the intriguing blend of artistry + industry.
