Jules Sharpe Q&A

Rhode Island School of Design graduate Jules Sharpe has put a creative spin on traditional news: They use risograph and silk screen printing in their coverage of the Providence art scene for the newsletter, Lost Bag News.

“It was an idea that I had in the back of my head,” said Sharpe, who earned a degree in illustration from RISD in 2023. “Things worked out.”

Each quarterly issue features niche interviews, poems, recipes, erotica, comics and local happenings in a format infused with a colorful, uninhibited spirit.

They put together Lost Bag News and a newly launched independent newspaper, The Providence Pit, at Binch Press, a co-op studio and printing hub in the Valley Arts District in Providence. In addition to publishing, Sharpe teaches collaborative classes to area students. Their own upbringing and current community continue to inspire them to pursue an artistic path and to capture the city’s culture.

Q: Why is it called Lost Bag News?

Sharpe: It’s called Lost Bag News because it’s based out of the DIY space called Lost Bag in Providence. They host shows and workshops and gatherings. The first publishing of Lost Bag News was in February of 2024, and I used to be more involved but I’m no longer doing things with Lost Bag now.

How much does it cost and where can people get a copy?

Both the Providence Pit and Lost Bag News cost $5 per issue, available on my website store. [Lost Bag is] big, which made it harder to put it in an envelope and ship it out, especially because the artwork wouldn’t want to fold. The Providence Pit… [is] a little more simple and a little bit smaller in physical size, so that I can put it anywhere. I’ve been looking at abandoned newspaper boxes around the city that aren’t being used. You can find the first issue here on my website. I’ve gotten a lot of great responses. It’s released quarterly, so the next issue will be here late late winter. The theme will be ice fishing!

From where do you draw inspiration?

My passion is from observing things that happen around me, like the community. I would say things that happen in my life, people that are making art around me, I’m really into. Physical motion is part of my work. I draw things that are moving or going to a certain place. I’m motivated by that. I’ve never drawn erotica before, but I was curious about doing it. I was like, “How does this work with my style? What do I want to say with it?” It was a lot of work, definitely, but it was fun to explore.

How has your background guided your career?

This is probably a common thing that artists say, but I felt like an outsider where I [grew] up, as a Korean American. In the Midwest, I frequently felt different from other people. Being a kid from immigrants is a unique experience. Coming to Providence was nice, because there’s a lot of people… who are interested in alternative viewpoints. I’m grateful to have experienced that and have been in that space for many years. I graduated last year, but I [took] a gap year during COVID, and I was working in this experimental school in Pawtucket. Taking time off [was] good for me, because when you’re in school, especially RISD, you can be in a bubble, for sure.

What about risograph and silk screen printing made you want to combine it with journalism?

Risograph and silk screening have always been important in DIY culture. They’re good ways to mass produce things mostly independently. … The cost of entry is way lower, [and] you can produce so many copies of things extremely quickly. The only thing about risograph printing is that it is kind of finicky sometimes, especially if you’re dealing with multiple colors and registrations. But I’m trying to keep it simple.

I don’t think that I would have been able to make my work without Binch Press. I mean, that’s where all the machines are, that’s where all the equipment is. It’s also affordable, and affordable access to equipment has been nice. It’s been interesting being part of a co-op, because we’re a scrappy group of people that are working together. When it started, it was more experimental, a little bit looser and didn’t have as much structure. But now we have a CSA subscription service. We print, we get commissioned as a studio, and then members can do jobs for other companies. It’s always changing, but I have felt lucky to be a part of it.

How big is the circulation of the newsletter?

Each issue we’ve been printing 500 of them, and we basically are out of them by the next issue. Figuring out how to do subscription-based things [is] something I’m definitely wanting to tackle for my next paper.

How do you hope to transform your community?

I want to elevate what’s going on in Providence. I care about the artistic vibe of the city and the culture that already existed before me. I want to highlight the good parts of this community. I’m aware that I’m a former RISD student coming in from another part of the country, and that I’m not exactly from Providence. I do want to be respectful of things that existed before me, sure. I’m more interested now in activism and preserving what is going on.

You teach workshops at the Smith Hill Library and the New Urban Arts Center. What inspired you to do that?

Teaching is something that I’ve always been interested in and have found fulfilling. My practice is about observing what’s around me, so teaching is a lot of putting people in a place and asking, “What do you notice?” Getting people to be aware of things that could be art around them, or things they could make into art, or that they find beautiful. That is so inspiring. Part of it is slightly selfish, because it’s cool to see people observe things and then it motivates me. You can find my class postings on my instagram @juleskangsharpe, and feel free to reach out through there or my website!

What are some of your goals for the next 10 years?

Oh, it’s hard to think that far. I want to keep on making art, prioritizing my practice, hopefully teaching, still. I’d like to get really good at surfing. I think that’s possible. Having a stable career would be cool. Continuing to make a lot of art and support myself for my work is the main goal. Have nice friends, have a functional car, nothing crazy. I would like to travel more, explore the world and everything. I do like having Providence as a place to come back to.

This article was published in The Boston Globe on December 16 2024. https://www.bostonglobe.com/2024/12/16/metro/rhode-island-school-of-design-providence-art-newsletter/