Maker Spotlight: Samantha Dewaele

Samantha Dewaele is the newest vendor to join the Harold + Ferne team of Makers! She is the artist behind The Paper Forest. A line of quality + thoughtful handmade cards created from hand carved stamps. They carry a whimsical, cozy feel, perfect for conveying thoughts of love, friendship, thanks, encouragement or just a simple "hello". They are like a hug in an envelope! I adore the one of a kind quality of hand made stamps + their prints. That tiny smudge of ink or paint that caught the edge of the stamp just before being pressed becomes a part of the art. With freshly frayed edges, you can feel the thoughtfulness put into each card + know full well that the intended recipient will cherish the heartfelt choice alongside your thoughtful words. And I love that, with no "Happy Birthday" or "Merry Christmas" on the front, these wonderful prints can be framed + enjoyed daily as the artwork they truly are! A card + gift all wrapped up in one? What more could you ask for?!

So come by the store to see Samantha's work for yourself + hold it in your hands to get the full effect of the love + care behind each piece. I look forward to seeing what else this creative mind puts onto paper! Read on to learn about how Samantha stumbled into card making, her other creative pursuits + her experience starting as a working artist...

1. When did you first learn about your trade?

I’ve been drawing + painting as soon as I could hold a paintbrush, and I studied Studio Art at the University of Guelph. I had been making hand printed cards for my friends + family during this time + everyone I gave one to encouraged me to try selling them. Art had always been an individual practice for me that had focused around figure drawing + painting, I hadn’t really considered the cards I was making to be in the same category. It wasn’t until a few years after I graduated + moved back to the Orillia area that I started thinking about sharing my work commercially. I was inspired by the local arts community + wanted to contribute my own set of skills in a way that was fun + allowed me to meet other artists.

2. What do you love about Orillia?

There are so many things that I appreciate about Orillia! Orillia is a growing arts + culture town + I love the sense of community that goes along with that. One of my favourite things is that everyone knows everyone else. Since moving back, I’ve been lucky enough to meet some great people that share my enthusiasm for promoting arts initiatives. There are so many organizations + events in Orillia that are doing good things + I’m excited to be a part of that. I also love that it’s so close to the water. I think that being surrounded by nature is a major part of why so many artists gravitate here.

3. Why is it important to you to buy, support + shop locally?

I want to see the amount of art in our everyday lives grow+ that means giving artists enough time to allow them to be creative.

4. When has a moment of "failure" led to an opportunity for you?

Somehow, after I graduated I ended up in marketing. For a few years, I found myself in jobs where I had to promote things that I wasn’t necessarily interested in. It was a tough decision to leave that industry (and it was tough financially too) but in the end I’m really happy that I’ve given myself a chance to be a creator.

5. What is your day job? How do you juggle everything?

By virtue of being in the arts industry, I do a lot of contract work. I’m also a painter + recently competed in Orillia’s very first Art Battle, which I loved. It takes a lot of list making to keep my projects + deadlines on track! I’d like to be able to spend more time creating, of course! It would be nice to be able to spend more time making these cards, but I’d also like to be able to keep growing my practice in other ways as well, like expanding my painting practice. I like to think about several different projects at once so I don’t lose motivation + am always interested in what I’m doing.

6. What has been your biggest challenge so far?

I think that it’s hard to self-promote without coming off as self-involved. It’s a struggle to maintain the fine line between wanting to sell work + not wanting to alienate your market by bombarding them. I’m learning more + more that it takes a lot of legwork + risk-taking to get the word out about an art practice.

7. What are 3 things on your bucket list?

1. I want to illustrate a children’s book at some point in my life. They’ve been such an inspiration to me + I would love to have the chance to illustrate some quirky story through my own unique style.

2. Travelling to Denmark, where my mom’s family is from, is something I’ve always wanted to do.

3. Learning to knit properly! I’ve always wanted to be able to knit an entire sweater.

8. Where or how would you recommend someone interested in your trade start?

The first step is finding out what you love + then figuring out if it interests you enough for you to be able to work on it consistently. Then I would say practice, practice, practice + try to meet people doing similar things. Opportunities tend to grow in a really organic way in the arts.

9. What resources did or do you find helpful?

I’m really inspired by looking at the work of other artists, so it’s been great to see so many creators in Orillia selling their work in stores + pop-up markets. It’s also important for me to keep learning + to see how my peers work. Most recently I’ve been attending a figure drawing class at OMAH to keep my drawing skills sharp!

10. What are 3 things you wish people knew about you?

1. I’m primarily a landscape painter! Card making is something I fell into kind of by accident, but it’s something that I’ve become passionate about.

2. I’m crazy about dogs. If this art thing doesn’t pan out, I’ll probably become a dog walker.

3. I always have to be busy. If I don’t have something to do or think about all the time, I get a little antsy.

11. What are 3 things you wish people knew about your product?

1. They’re meant to resemble storybook illustrations! I’m really inspired by the drawings + paintings found in children’s books.

2. I spend a while designing each image. It’s important to get a sense of symmetry + create recognizable figures while using as little lines as possible.

3. I treat them as prints first + cards second. They’re made of materials that are high enough quality to frame + put on your wall.

Thank you so much Samantha, this was such a great way to introduce you as the newest member of the H+F Family! If you would like to follow along on Samantha's card making journey check out The Paper Forest on Instagram!

#Artist #Artisan #SupportLocal #Series #StainedGlass