A decade back, Anne Martin was running a gallery in Los Angeles, surrounded by the heavyweights of 20th-century art. But her attention kept drifting past the Picassos and Dalís on the walls, drawn instead to the local street art and graffiti scene.
At the time, Anne didn’t know many living artists who shared her new obsession. But curiosity, as it often does, pushed her to act. She reached out to strangers online, determined to connect with the artists behind the city’s most provocative walls.
That was the start of Sugar Press Art. Fast forward to 2026, and the eco-minded print studio is turning 10. In classic LA fashion, the anniversary party on April 10—Ink & Earth—eschews the traditional white-cube gallery for Mad Rabbit, a tattoo studio renowned for its clean, non-toxic inks.
For Mad Rabbit, “This partnership is a natural alignment of values: care, consciousness, and craft. Whether it’s what goes into your skin or what goes onto paper, both brands are pushing for a more thoughtful, elevated standard in their respective spaces.” The event, they add, is about “deepening the connection between tattoo culture, art, and everyday ritual.”
Sustainability: More Than a Buzzword
Printmakers like to joke that the real hazard in the studio isn’t the press, it’s the chemicals. Anne Martin knows this better than most. Her quest for safer, more ethical printmaking began in the ’90s as an art student in Indiana, where her passion for animal rights propelled her to seek out alternatives and innovate her own methods.
In those days, “eco-friendly” was about as common as a clear morning in LA. Anne improvised, testing orange peel oil transfers and retooling home printers to avoid the harshest chemicals. Today, that spirit persists in her studio, where a century-old combo press handles both woodcut and linocut, using water-washable, nontoxic inks.
When Sugar Press opened its doors on Earth Day 2016, new technologies made it possible to produce fine art prints on recycled paper. The idea clicked for Anne when she discovered paper made from recycled sugarcane—the very inspiration for the studio’s name. Since then, Sugar Press has printed on everything from cotton to hemp, but always on recycled or sustainably sourced paper.
What began as a handful of artists has since ballooned into a community of over a hundred—some newcomers, others established—united by their commitment to sustainability. For these artists, the medium matters as much as the message.
How LA’s Art Scene Shaped Sugar Press
LA’s art scene is infamous: chaotic, cool, and endlessly inventive. Anne is quick to credit the city’s graffiti and street art with shaking up her own ideas about what counts as “good” art. That LA pride runs deep, especially among artists like Estevan Oriol, Man One, and Augustine Kofie, all longtime collaborators and champions of the studio’s mission.
Exclusivity was never the point. Sugar Press feels more like a big, collaborative family. Anne’s first recruit, Erin Yoshi, set the tone: environmental awareness, social good, and a stubborn local solidarity that’s weathered every art world trend.
Anne’s curatorial philosophy is equally grounded: “Curating Ink & Earth was about more than just recognizable names. It was about building a conversation.” Aesthetics are only half the story here. Artists like Erin Yoshi, Shepard Fairey, and Augustine Kofie are known for tackling social and environmental justice issues head-on. If you’re part of Sugar Press, chances are you’re fighting those battles both in your art and in your life.
The full lineup includes Shepard Fairey, Faith 47, Estevan Oriol, Jim “TAZ” Evans, Isaac Pelayo, MEAR ONE, Augustine Kofie, Erin Yoshi, MAN ONE, Kelcey Fisher, Amanda Lynn, Francisco Reyes Jr., Gabe Gault, Tanner Goldbeck, Chloe Trujillo, Guerin Swing, Alfredo Gonzalez, Gloria Muriel, Antonio Pelayo, Hugh Kretschmer, Danie Cansino, VYAL, Ryan Yanoe, and Raymond Argumero.
Inside the ‘Ink & Earth’ Bash
Call it an exhibition, an anniversary, or just an excuse for LA’s creative community to let loose. Ink & Earth is as much about community as commerce, with limited edition merch—hats, tees, maybe even a surprise book or two—sold straight from the artists’ own tables.
Step outside the parlor, and Vyle, a death metal fan with a misleading moniker (”he’s lovely”), paints in real time, while Jim “Taz” Evans screen-prints tees that splice Sugar Press and Mad Rabbit logos into one-of-a-kind souvenirs. Naturally, there’s ink: Mad Rabbit’s artists and guests will be tattooing, blurring the line between art on the walls and art on your skin.
The art doesn’t end with the party. Five woodblocks and a linocut, created just for the show, get the limited edition treatment and will drop on Sugar Press’s website the Monday after opening night.
What’s Next for Sugar Press?
Anniversaries invite reflection, but nobody at Sugar Press is pretending the story’s over. If anything, 10 years just means it’s time to double down on sustainability, push printmaking in new directions, and make sure LA’s outsiders and originals always have a seat. Want in? RSVP to the Ink & Earth anniversary party on April 10. The exhibition runs through May 9, 2026, at Mad Rabbit Studio.
Follow Sugar Press Art
Website | Instagram | Ink & Earth
All images published with permission of Sugar Press Art; featured artwork: ‘No Borders Fly Free’ by Erin Yoshi.
