Poppy Press is an independent publishing and print studio dedicated to artist-led editions, printed matter, and small-run publications.
Rooted in a love for tactile processes and collaborative production, the press focuses on screen prints, zines, books, and objects that prioritize materiality, experimentation, and accessibility.
Founded as a platform to support emerging and established artists alike, Poppy Press operates with an emphasis on care for the work, for the people who make it, and for the communities that engage with it. Each project is approached as a dialogue between artist and printer, allowing the process to shape the final form. Rather than mass production, the press favors intentional editions and publications that reflect the hands-on nature of their making.
Poppy Press was founded by Joshua Freitas, an artist and printer whose practice centers on printmaking as both a technical and relational process. Originally oriented in the Bay Area, the press has since relocated to Southern California, while maintaining strong ties to the Bay Area and an ongoing intention to eventually establish a permanent home for the press there. This geographic shift continues to inform the press’s approach to collaboration, mobility, and community-building.
Poppy Press continues to evolve as a space for experimentation and collaboration.
Select Exhibitions 2022, Radio Rodeo, Agency, Oakland, California 2022, SD Zine Fest, Bread and Salt Factory, San Diego, California 2023, LA Zine Fest, Expo Arts Center, Long Beach, California 2023, UCSF Intrinsic Value of Arts Zine Fair, UCSF, San Francisco, California 2023, SF Art Book Fair, Minnesota Street Project, San Francisco, California 2023, Compressed Zine Fair, Department, San Diego, California 2023, East Bay Print Sale, Maxes Garage Press, Berkeley, California2024, Print Pomona Art Book Fair, Benton Museum of Art at Pomona College, Claremont, California2024, San Diego Museum of Contemporary Art Design Expo, San Diego, California2024, SF Art Book Fair, Minnesota Street Project, San Francisco, California2024, Compressed Zine & Music Fair, San Diego Public Library, San Diego, California 2024, Tokyo Art Book Fair, Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan2025, LA Art Book Fair, Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, California 2025, MCA Design EXPO, Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, La Jolla, California 2025, Hardcore Art Book Fair, Lago Algo, Mexico City, Mexico 2025, SF Art Book Fair, Minnesota Street Project, San Francisco, California2025, Off Register, Santa Barbara, California Workshops / Teaching2019, Summit Public Schools, Summit K2, El Cerrito, California2025, Make at Mingei, Mingei International Museum, San Diego, California