Illustrator and writer
Chances are that if you’re into great greeting cards, you’ve heard of Emily. For many years, she has delighted people with her cheeky and heartfelt sentiments that confront
After five years of being the CEO and illustrator of her business, Emily was on the cusp of reaching a massive burnout. Looking to simplify her business—particularly in the wholesale market—she helped form the Who’s There Group in January 2018. Together with
Knock Knock is experienced in licensing and wholesale, and their infrastructure means that Emily McDowell & Friends can collaborate with talented creatives—something that Emily has always wanted to do—and provide a platform for creating products. “The hardest part is getting stuff made,” she tells me.
March 19 is the launch of Emily McDowell & Friends first collection!
As Lisa tells me, their meeting was serendipity. The two met at a pop-up shop at
In her new role at Emily McDowell & Friends, Emily is “basically a creative director,” although she thinks of herself as a curator more than anything else. Her level of involvement depends on the illustrator. For those with less experience, she’s happy to have a heavier hand in the process. But for Lisa, who has an extensive portfolio and background in licensing her work, Emily fits into more of the curatorial role.
The collaboration experience was a breeze for Lisa and Emily. “It was great,” Lisa recalls. “Most of the time when you collaborate it’s for a client and you don’t know them.” The two combed through Lisa’s portfolio of personal work—particularly pieces that pair images and text—for this collection. Some items, such as the greeting cards, were created new for Emily McDowell & Friends.
Lisa is known for
“A lot of my work is centered around hopefulness,” Lisa explains. “People can feel hopelessness about their lives.” She wants folks to use these pieces and soak in the phrases and ultimately, to feel optimistic about their future. This includes Lisa, too. After all, many of these illustrations were intended as only personal work before they were in the collection. “Most of the messages are things I need to hear myself.”
Pictured here is just some of the collection’s offerings. Shop all of Lisa’s work through the
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