Welcome to Heartfish Press
Hello, and thank you for being here.
Heartfish Press is a Brooklyn-based creative studio led by artist and designer Hijiri K. Shepherd. What began as a letterpress practice has naturally evolved into a more expansive, hands-on studio focused on floral design using dried botanicals, custom commissions, and intimate creative workshops.
Today, Heartfish Press specializes in thoughtfully designed dried flower arrangements—wreaths, bouquets, and seasonal installations—along with custom floral work created for homes, restaurants, retail spaces, and special projects. Each piece is made by hand, guided by a quiet, refined aesthetic and a deep appreciation for materials and process.
In addition to custom work, the studio hosts small-group workshops that invite participants to slow down, create with intention, and explore their own creativity through dried flowers and natural forms. Workshops are held in both intimate studio settings and select partner spaces.
All work is created with care, curiosity, and attention to detail—meant to be lived with, shared, and enjoyed over time.
The work at Heartfish Press continues to evolve. Alongside floral arrangements, the studio explores mixed-media pieces that bring together paper, text, and dried botanical elements. These one-of-a-kind works reflect an ongoing dialogue between past and present practices, transforming printed materials and natural forms into quiet, sculptural art objects.
Meet the designer
Hijiri was born and raised in Japan. After graduating from a graphic design school in Tokyo, she came to the United States to explore her creativity. She attended the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, majoring in Art Direction in Advertising Design and minoring in Web Design. During her student life she won several advertising awards including International ANDY awards and CLIO awards.
After university, Hijiri worked for an ad agency in San Francisco where she worked on national ad campaigns for Yahoo, Condé Nast (a home of Vogue and The New Yorker), and many more. After a decade in San Francisco, Hijiri moved to New York City in 2008. There, she started working as a freelance designer which allowed her some space to experiment with other forms of art. This is how Hijiri discovered her love of letterpress.
During this phase of discovery Hijiri blogged her initial printings. In that process she documented the creation of the first “Live What You Love” print. Her readers responded strongly to that design and inquired about purchasing. That was the beginning of Heartfish Press. (Being a proud Pisces, she came up with the name “heartfish” as a creative being that always swims around her heart) She has now sold more than 6000 prints and her work is featured in many design books and blogs. This success led her to discover a similar love of dried flower arrangement, and she continues to expand her creative practice with floral design and mixed-media art, drawing inspiration from both online and in-person learning experiences.
For recent work, works in progress, and daily inspiration, please follow Instagram @heartfishpress
