Print me a nest

Print Nest is a small creative studio nestled at 20 Parchevich Street. It was founded in 2012 by four artists who share a weakness for graphics, and four years later its member count rose to five, same as it is today – Zoran Mishe, Goran Trichkovski, Vasil Angelov, Pavel Tselkoski and Ivan Mateev, united in friendship and creative vision not just in terms of technique, but also in the topics that interest them. Over the last ten years, their tiny space has produced work ranging from miniatures to monumental prints, and they have organized and participated in numerous exhibitions, workshops and all kinds of projects. The five friends are close enough to freely joke about the Bulgarian-Macedonian relations that they themselves embody. We spoke to them about what has and hasn't changed over the ten years in which they have shared not just this space, but also their lives and ideas.

Why did you open Print Nest ten years ago?

We had a wonderful work and social environment at the National Academy of Arts, and it found its natural continuation in the Print Nest studio. The energy, the friendship, and our shared love of graphics were the springboard that took us to a space suitable for our needs. The thing that brought us together has not changed. And that is graphics.

How have you changed as artists over this period?

Time has changed us both creatively and professionally. Our team includes a designer, teachers, tattoo artists, and that gives us a broad perspective on the world. Change is a constant, and we strive to move with graphic arts in the global context.

How do you resemble each other, and what does each member contribute to the team?

Each member of the atelier complements our Nest with his particular character. We have our own ideas, which we develop and explore. At a certain point, our individual work coalesces around a central motif for our next shared project, but everyone also has the opportunity to realize their own ideas in an independent exhibition.

What friends and like-minded people have you met over the last ten years?

The studio gives us the chance to meet professionals from different fields. Some of them have become close friends and associates of Print Nest over the course of projects we have done together. It is important to us that they all have different backgrounds and rich experience in their respective fields, that they're of different ages, and they're all very energetic, which reflects positively on us.

What challenges or concerns are now behind you, and what new ones lie ahead?

One of our initial concerns was our material base. It went away after we rented this place – 20 Petar Parchevich Street. A year ago, Goran Trichkovski created our visual identity and a new logo for the atelier. Our next goal is to find a new, larger space and create a website and catalog.

Are there any nests beyond the graphic arts where you feel at home?

Zoran Mishe, Vasil Angelov and Ivan Mateev teach at schools and universities in the capital. Goran Trichkovski works as a Senior Designer in a multinational company. Pavel Tselkoski works at Sofia Tattoo Ink. We spend most of our time in those nests. Other places where we unwind or share our knowledge with friends, and where we feel at home include Bare Hands Society, White Rabbit Tattoo Sofia, NoPoint Atelie, KEVA, Altar Tattoo Sofia.

What gives you the hope that art will save the world?

As long as there are people who are thirsty for art, are interested in it, share in our emotions, enrich them – this gives us the hope we need to continue our creative work.

How do you see Print Nest in another ten years? How would you like it to grow?

Life is dynamic and change is inevitable. We hope that the idea behind Print Nest studio stays alive, and that in ten years we are still able to find inspiration and creative motivation.

Print Nest is at P. Parchevich 20 and on @PRINTNEST