Today we’d like to introduce you to Swan Meadow
Hi Mellody and Fern, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
We met in college in Wisconsin in 2018 and moved to STL together when we had been dating for 6 months (a little crazy but worth it). Fern was figuring out how to translate their studio art / environmental studies degree to life beyond school and making art while working a couple different service jobs. Mellody worked in tech for a few years in user support and product management. When Fern decided to pursue their Master’s in Graphic and Web Design, they got more comfortable sharing their art, leading to getting their work printed and signing up for local markets. Mellody was the business leader from day one, helping find markets, setting up at all of them, handling sales, and advocating for Fern sharing their work in new spaces and investing in their business. Meanwhile, Mellody was also diving further into photography, specifically film processing, coming from a background in media studies. After a few years of rejections from other local organizations, galleries, and grant opportunities, we both decided that there needed to be a space in St Louis dedicated to Queer and Trans artists; somewhere that could assist in creating, amplifying, and consuming Queer art, especially alternative and DIY forms of artmaking. We got fully consumed by zines, film, and risography, and after the passing of a dear friend who was a fierce advocate of our work and Trans art, decided that life is short and we needed to make this space happen. There was no structural or organizational support, but Queers have always had to scrape together our own spaces. In June, we obtained our LLC, applied for a space, launched a Kickstarter, and poured our savings into supplies, machines, and rent for this new space. We opened in September 2024 and welcomed an incredible community of folks who love, appreciate, and want to be a part of what we’re building here at Swan Meadow. <3
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Ha, definitely not smooth! We spent a lot of years questioning our worth as creators, artists, and community gatherers. St Louis’s art community can be so supportive and so exclusionary, depending on who you are and who you know. We found a lovely community in artists and makers at local markets, but noticed a pattern of these vendors being taken advantage of by (some) organizers, and many voices not being amplified as they should be. We’ve gotten so much support from our community of artists and people who enjoy our work, and are truly overwhelmed and overjoyed by the love!! Our biggest struggle has been a lack of support from larger organizations, but I think, like most marginalized folks, we’re both used to making do with what we have, and that’s what we’re doing.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Swan Meadow?
The heart of Swan Meadow lies at the intersection of highlighting traditional artistic techniques, exploring alternative & new methods, and sharing our knowledge, skills, and creations with other St Louisians. Fern uses Risograph machines to create prints and zines, and offers workshops and risograph printing services to other local artists. Mellody uses the space to develop film while furthering their knowledge of sustainable (non-toxic) development methods and share these skills with photographers of all experience levels. We also partner with other local artists to offer workshops and classes on their areas of expertise!
We’re proud to be a Queer-focused and COVID-conscious space, prioritizing the safety of our (trans, disabled) community and providing somewhere to explore, gather, and work with other folks who uplift all parts of you. We also offer design services! As a team consisting of a Graphic & Web Designer and a user-focused Product Manager, we thoroughly enjoy helping small businesses with their Branding from a holistic viewpoint, whether it’s something as simple as a t-shirt design or complete branding and website design.
We’re always looking for more folks interested in working together, whether that’s through Riso work, Photography, Design, Workshops & Classes, or events. Feel free to reach out to us over Instagram, our contact form, or email at [email protected].
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Follow Swan Meadow on Instagram, like and share our posts and comment if you feel inclined! We have workshops that folx can sign up for and take at our shop at 3334 Louisiana Ave, right off of Cherokee Street. Some of our ongoing classes include Zine Class and Riso 101, and we also have 4-5 free events every month, from Crafternoons to TTRPG workshops!
Additionally, we are available for freelance work (illustration, design), Riso printing services and Photography services. We’re also always open to workshop leaders, private events, and other collaborations! Feel free to reach out to chat.
We also have an online shop that folks can peruse 24/7 and we ship globally! 🙂
Pricing:
- Workshops – $50+
- Prints – $10+
- Risograph Printing Services – $0.12+ per page/# of colors
- Photography Services – $165+
- Branding Services – $250+
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.swanmeadowstl.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swan_meadow/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565747410199
