ST. LOUIS – Turning typewriter photos into graphic artwork didn’t immediately catch on for St. Louis-born Louise Anne Marler.
“People said ‘what are you doing? I️ don’t understand this. This is so weird,’” said Marler.
The ultimate insult from California critics: typewriters aren’t sexy. Marler’s response was to ignore the criticism and purchase the web domain typewritersaresexy.com. The writing community agreed and her typewriter-inspired art gained popularity.
“Discovering that there was a large population of writers that got it and liked it and wanted it was really a beautiful kind of connection,” said Marler.
After spending much of her time at her art studios in California and New York, Marler has opened a third gallery in South St. Louis at 2308 Cherokee Street. One reason is family. Her mother still lives in the St. Louis area.
“I’m really thrilled to be back in my hometown and have this creative space on this wonderful block on Cherokee,” said Marler. “I’m not in a hurry I’m in Missouri because I can kind of downshift and go at a really cool pace around here. I kind of like the weather and the seasons and the people are so nice. I can relax and do creative work here at a pace and a budget that is so comfortable that it allows you do just do the creativity without stressing about the other things that get in the way in other places.”
Family also has a lot to do with Marler’s decision to focus on typewriter art. Marler’s grandfather taught typewriter repair and sales to her father who fixed typewriters at various locations in St. Louis over the years. Although some of Marler’s earliest childhood memories are of typewriters, she resisted joining the family business.
“It’s so weird because my father was upset that I️ did not want to go in the family business,” Marler said. “Ultimately it was like I️ was selling art about typewriters, so I️ was selling typewriters and that was my dad’s kind of true wish.”
At her Cherokee Street studio Marler displays her artwork and a number of vintage typewriters. One is autographed by one of the most famous typewriter enthusiasts, Oscar winner Tom Hanks, who reportedly owns more than 250 typewriters. Hanks donated to a writing event Marler held in 2016 in Venice, California.
“My wonderful typewriter friend reached out to Tom Hanks and said ‘Hey, we’re doing a type-in to promote reading for literacy and enjoyment at a literary center in Venice, California,’ and he sponsored the event and also gave me this typewriter by surprise. We hadn’t asked for it. It was like this delightful moment where he also took the picture. His assistant took his picture authenticating that it was really him,” said Marler. “We love it when we find our fellow geeks in typewriter world.”
Marler said there will be a holiday party at her Cherokee Street studio December 22 from 5 to 7 p.m. For more information about Louise Anne Marler, visit her website.
