EASTHAMPTON — On a sunny Tuesday afternoon, Drew Romeo was hard at work printing batches of custom shirts for his neighbors in the Eastworks building.
One of those neighbors, Noah Halpern-McManus from Easthampton Skate Club, smiled with excitement as he opened a box of bright pink T-shirts for his business. On the nearby silk screen, a logo for Eastworks’ 50 Arrow Gallery could be seen as Romeo stepped away from his work for a few precious moments.
Printed Mass, a new addition to the Eastworks community at 116 Pleasant St., is a passion project for Romeo. Located in suite 162, across from Local Burger, Romeo has carved out a cozy corner of the former mill building for what he hopes will be a community printmaking hub. In the coming weeks, he’s planning to make that hope a reality.
Since opening its doors last month, Printed Mass has been churning out small batches of prints for clients in Eastworks and beyond. Now that the business has settled into a comfortable rhythm, Romeo has quit his graphic design job and is ready to establish the shop as more than a retail spot.
Starting this Tuesday, Printed Mass will begin hosting workshops. These serve as an opportunity for community members to learn about printmaking and take home a piece of custom apparel they make themselves. For Romeo, they’re also a chance to bring the art form he loves to more people.
Romeo describes the way he found screen printing as “completely random.” When looking for work in college, he wound up making some extra cash as a print shop employee. The art form combined his passion for graphic design with the chance to create exciting products. He fell in love with it almost instantly.
“If I had known about screen printing earlier, I would have latched onto it earlier,” he said. His goal now is to expose others to screen printing and give them the space to try a new creative outlet.
“I’d like to kind of help facilitate the education and knowledge about it,” he said.
He envisions students submitting their own designs for printing workshops, and hosting community events honoring the art of printmaking. For example, the first Saturday in May is “Print Day.” Romeo plans to help the community recognize this global printmaking holiday in style.
On May 3 from 2 to 7 p.m., Romeo will merge forces with other print artists to host a print festival in the gallery space across the hall from his business.
“It will be like a celebration of printmaking,” he said.
In addition to workshops for printing on clothing, Romeo plans to offer additional classes on flat stock printing. These classes will teach students to print posters and other flat pieces.
Romeo is the head print maker for Printed Mass, but the influence of his family members touches every corner of the shop.
The cozy layout of shelves, merchandise and decor is the handiwork of Romeo’s wife, Aubrey Gomes. Romeo said that many of the print designs in the store can also be credited to Gomes’ creative mind.
“She just tells me what to make and I do it,” he said with a smile.
Every shirt in the store is the creative product of Gomes and Romeo’s work. They are printed under the brand name “Nora’s Closet,” named after their daughter who always requests her own copy of new designs.
“She probably has one of every single one of these designs in her closet,” Romeo said.
It isn’t just Romeo’s family that has touched the shop in meaningful ways. The walls of the store are adorned with local art. Proceeds from the sale of these pieces go straight to the artists, many of whom are located right inside the Eastworks building.
Community has been an important aspect of starting the business, Romeo said. From the moment he and Gomes started moving into Eastworks, other artists and small business owners made sure to stop by to offer a quick “hello.” By showcasing the work of local creatives and giving people the chance to make print art of their own, Romeo hopes to inspire creativity in anyone who steps inside the store.
Those interested in giving screen printing a try can visit printedmass.com for information about upcoming workshops.
Alexa Lewis can be reached at alewis@gazettenet.com.
