Big Bad Bettie Press is an artist run experimental publishing company dedicated to the image and the object. Rocking the boat since 2015.
March to the beat of our own drum.
Big Bad Bettie, circa 1970 something
OUR STORY
Big Bad Bettie Press is inspired by Katie Harwood's grandmother, whom they called Big Bad Bettie. She was a force of nature. Bold, brassy, and creative. She was a bit crazy at times and a bit of a drunk at times. (It was the 60’s.) But Big Bad Bettie was a leader and marched to the beat of her own drum. BBB is the daughter of the famous Ludwig Drum maker and enlisted as a WAVE during WWII. During that time she became the first woman to enroll in a flight class at the University of Notre Dame. We told you, bold. Some of her favorite activities included spending time in the Northwoods of Wisconsin with family and friends playing cards, fishing, and dressing up in kooky costumes for dinner. It wasn't all fun and games of course, but BBB seemed to be able to laugh through it all. Katie remembers her fondly and aims to uphold and infuse her vibrant spirit into this company. One of BBB favorite saying was "Let's run it up the flag pole and see who salutes!" In other words, let's give it a try and see what happens.
In 2015, Katie Harwood, our Founder & Navigator, graduated with her MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute. She was faced with big questions like "Now what?" and "How do I keep a dialogue going with my community?" and "How do I continue my work and research while keeping a roof over my head?" Never one to go gently into that good night, she decided to start her own business - make her own path. And what better inspiration than a woman who stood for courage, risk taking, and creativity. Katie was introduced to the art world mostly through books and photograph and decided the best place to start was a publishing company. Thriving on collaboration, Katie reached out to talented colleagues and fellow artists: Stacy Bebie-Laiderman, Stephanie A Lindsey, Liz Smith, Cait Molloy, and Charli Ornett. Transforming fear into courage and marching to our own drum, Big Bad Bettie Press was born!
BETTIE'S
KATIE HARWOOD, FOUNDER & NAVIGATOR
Katie founded Big Bad Bettie Press in 2015. She is also a photography based contemporary artist. In 2015, she won the award for Innovations in Imaging from the Society for Photographic Education, and her work has been exhibited nationally. She holds a MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute and a BA in Filmmaking from Columbia College Chicago. Inspired by (and perhaps as crazy as) her grandmother Big Bad Bettie, she believes that artists and innovators need to be apart of the batter, not just the icing. Fueled by creativity, collaboration, and damn good beer, she operates BBB Press and her fine art practice out of Boulder, CO. If you want to stop by and see her, be sure to bring along a fresh idea and a fresh beer. Katie's website
STACY BEBIÉ-LAIDERMAN, PRODUCER EXTRAORDINAIRE
Stacy is an innovative and passionate communicator living and working in Zurich, Switzerland. For over a decade she has been managing digital campaigns and creating riveting and award-winning videos for See3 Communications that inspires audiences to take meaningful actions for organizations. She had a stint in the major motion picture industry and brings years of experience in the documentary film world, having worked on the award-winning Standing Silent Nation and The Calling. Stacy's LinkedIn profile
STEPHANIE A LINDSEY, CREATIVE QUEEN B (CQB)
Stephanie is a photographer, filmmaker and mixed media artist whose work focuses on the collective identity of African-Americans. She is co-curator of Rabbit Rabbit 01 Transition. She's been featured as an emerging artist in Exposure magazine. Stephanie received a BA in film from Howard University, a BFA in photography from the University of Colorado at Denver, and a MFA from San Francisco Art Institute. She has participated in several shows both affiliated and un-affiliated with schools, showing her work at the Museum of the African Diaspora and the Southeast Museum of Photography. She is an avid collector of random obscure moments, lover of all things salted caramel and most recently has been certified as a unicorn. Stephanie's website
CHARLI ORNETT, GRAPHICS GURU
Charli is a publication art director who has worked on magazines diverse as Elle, Health and Sunset, and photo books about historical movements and yoga. She is also an exhibiting encaustic painter. She loves wild patterns, colors, summer, and cats. Charli's website
CAIT MOLLOY, CREATIVE ADVISOR
Cait is a visual artist using photography to explore different perceptions of reality. Combining constructed studio sets with photographs created in the landscape, her work questions the natural versus artificial. Cait grew up in a suburb of New York City and received her MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute in 2015. She currently lives and works in San Francisco. Cait's website
LIZ SMITH, ADVISOR of WORDS
Liz lives and works in Milwaukee, WI. She is a maker of pop-culture inspired arts and goods. She is currently writing a short film based on one of her greatest loves, the 1990 Macaulay Culkin holiday classic Home Alone. Smith received her BA in Art and Political Science from Luther College in Decorah, IA. She graduated with an MA in Urban Studies from the San Francisco Art Institute in 2015. Liz's LinkedIn Profile