ORK Goes Global!

I wrote about Ork Posters in a previous post and was excited to see they’ll be making a trip across the pond in October to attend the first Renegade Craft Fair in London! It’s fun following the progress of this small company that stays away from selling out to larger companies and sustains itself on just a few excellent designs.


The craft fair will take place at the Old Truman Brewery, a place in East London I visited a few times during my semester there. The indoor showcase will feature the best indie-craft and DIY artisans from around the world. Shoppers can anticipate an array of independently designed jewelry, clothing, paper goods, home and garden goods, posters, artwork, plush objects, and bath and body products.

Oh, how I miss London…

The Old Truman Brewery, taken on a visit to Brick Lane

The Renegade Craft Fair differs from traditional arts and craft fairs by focusing on DIY and indie-craft culture. Each individual fair is juried from hundreds of applications to feature a range of emergent designers producing original and handmade goods in a wide variety of media. Fairs take place each year in Austin, Brooklyn, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Chicago.

You can check out their blog here.

Ork Posters: paper + ink + neighborhoods

Ork Posters

“People associate themselves with their neighborhoods, it’s a big part of how locals communicate with each other.”

–Jennifer Beorkrem, founder.

I’m in love with Ork Posters! Really simple, clean but clever design, which is generally the type of design I’m attracted to. Definitely will invest in 2 or 3 for my apartment next year.

Lauched in 2007, Ork works with local printing presses, and each poster is checked individually for misprints. The company has even turned down giants like Urban Outfitters and Macy’s to focus on building a loyal client base. The posters are pretty inexpensive ($18-$35) because Ork spends $0 on advertising.

I like the idea of dividing a city into its neighborhoods. Because cities never have a single comprehensive identity: so often, neighborhoods are a city of their own, harboring unique customs and fashions.

These posters made me think of the dorm life at the Notre Dame campus, actually. Just like being from Williamsburg, Brooklyn will immediately put you into context to a stranger, the fact that you’re a Zahm guy or a BP girl says something. I don’t know if that’s a good or bad thing, but I kind of like the idea of an ND-inspired poster divided by dorms…

Ork Posters can stand alone, but go best with a contrasting black or white frame.

Ork Posters