Daily Inspiration: Meet Victoria and Julian Silva

Today we’d like to introduce you to Victoria and Julian Silva.

Hi Victoria and Julian, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story? 
Julian and I met at a maker space where we both worked. Having access to different tools and processes allowed us to grow as artists and eventually start our own business. We started in 2017 with Etsy, a few trade shows, and in 2021 we pushed what we were doing with SaturnHex to the forefront. Aside from the art and branding we built with SaturnHex, we also wanted to focus on resource sharing and making tools and processes accessible and available for other artists. We started doing workshops and eventually, we connected with Charissa and Wasted Ink Zine Distro. Last year, we founded Paper Jam + Print with Charissa with Wasted Ink Publishing and Angie Dell with Shuteye Press, a collaborative do-it-together print studio in Downtown Phoenix that makes indie, small press publishing, and art prints available to the public. Now that we have a studio, we’re focusing on more workshops and Risograph printing services. 

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Our journey has definitely not been without its struggles. Early on, we lost access to our workspace when the place we were working at closed down unexpectedly. We did our best to acquire as much equipment as we needed on our own. We’re also people of color, and that also came with its own struggles as we navigated running a business on our own. For a while, we were also working out of our home until we started Paper Jam + Print last year. But we keep moving forward and looking back, we’ve made a lot of strides! This year, SaturnHex is Best Art Studio in Phoenix Magazine’s Best of the Valley. 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Julian and I are both artists. Julian specializes in 3D, fabrication design, and experiential design and I am a 2D/3D artist specializing in illustration, Risograph printmaking, and product development. Together we have 14 years of experience in public and higher education creative spaces, including makerspaces, libraries, prototyping labs, and schools. 

I think what sets us apart is our drive to make resources and processes accessible and available to others. It’s a lot of work, but it’s also our passion. 

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Yeah! Every First Friday, we open up our studio to the public for some fun crafts, activities, and a chance to try out some of the printing processes we have available. (And to meet us, of course, and talk about your ideas!) 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.saturnhex.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saturnhex
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/saturnhex/
• Other: https://paperjamnprint.carrd.co