We were lucky to catch up with Kerri Sandve recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Kerri , thanks for joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

Growing up, I was always a creative kid. I would sit for hours and draw, write stories, and cut/paste images from magazines into notebooks–I had volumes! I would get in trouble for drawing during reading time and trying to force other kids to “act” in my plays at recess. I first knew I wanted to be an artist professionally right out of high school when I fell in love with painting but like a lot of creative folks, the starving artist myth was reinforced by those around me and I was pushed to find a “real” career path.
Ultimately, I was never happy with what I was doing. I wasted a lot of time and money finding that out. I tried nursing school, beauty school, graduated with a certificate in massage, and worked in special education. All that time, I was still pursuing creative projects on the side and longing for a something different.

Finally, my partner and I decided to make a big move from Minneapolis to Denver in 2014. With this huge change, I thought “Why not do the one thing that I’ve always wanted to do!” and I enrolled in an Illustration program. I completed the first two years of my BFA in Denver and we moved back to MN in 2016. I switched my major to Print. Paper, Book Arts & Art History at the Minneapolis College of Art & Design where the process-heavy ways of creating really resonated and I fell in love.

Kerri , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a printmaker and writer working under the imprint Carbon Copy Co. Press. My work often takes the form of artist books, zines prints, sculptural paper works, and collage. The work centers on memory and personal archive–exploring aspects of connection to the land and to each other, loss, and the non-linearity of time. Largely influenced by the topography and history of the areas in which I live and travel–I translate text, drawing, and found/archival images through the highly tactile medium of printmaking to reflect on the complexities of inheritance, the experience of the everyday, and the intimate relationships humans have with their environment.
In addition to my studio practice, I’m also a teaching artist and love sharing skills and knowledge related to making artist books and anything to do with printmaking. I teach workshops out of my studio and at MN Center for Book Arts in Minneapolis.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Understand that creativity and creative work are foundational to society! Pay artists what their skills and work are worth! Buy art from your favorite artists! Support them any way you can!

I think a lot of people look at creative work and don’t see all the labor/love/education/expertise/etc. that goes into it and are upset or scoff at the price tag. Artwork IS WORK and creatives deserve to be paid just like any other profession. No more harmful starving artist myths, please!

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Like a lot of folks, my life changed drastically during Covid. I found myself laid off and trying to figure out how to pay my rent. I also had some space to really ask myself what I wanted my life to look and feel like. I decided to dedicate my time/energy to my art practice and start/build my own creative business.

I started by getting a shared studio space in a building that really supports the local arts community. I picked a name for my business (Carbon Copy Co. Press) and started my LLC. I got creative with different things to make and sell and started my online shop. Even though we’ve all been isolated, I’ve met and collaborated with a lot of folks online and via mail on different creative projects and have had a few big print commissions this last year.

With things opening up again, I’m teaching more and offering small workshops. I still work PT to make ends meet but things have been slowly growing since 2020. It’s no easy feat wearing all the hats of a small business owner but it gives me a lot of satisfaction to run my own creative business. I’m creating the life I want to live, doing what I love, and meeting bigger goals as I go– it’s so much fun to consistently see so much growth in myself. I’ve learned a ton. In the next few years, my goal is to have my own little print shop/gallery space. It’s all a big experiment and I’m excited to see where it takes me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://carboncopycopress.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carbon_copy_co/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarbonCopyCoPress/
• Other: https://www.patreon.com/CarbonCopyCo