A Lost and Founded Story

Growing up there were very few things that got me giddy with excitement the way art did. When the new school year approached my joy could never be contained, and it didn’t have to do with my love of academics (a bit of nerd here). School was starting, which meant it was time to go shopping for new notebooks, pencils, and my favorite splurge, gel pens. 

My heart would race as my mom pulled into the target parking lot. I’d make a b-line to the temporary “back to school” section to find the perfect purple-blue metallic gel to hand letter my spiral notebook headings. It was my expression of creativity on an otherwise gray and white page of notes. My teachers did not seem to mind and classmates became fans, so I kept lettering.

Despite a BA in graphic design, art quickly took a back seat in my life. My focus turned to project management in an attempt to be practical and be successful, which I loosely defined as “making bank”. I didn’t believe art could do that for me then.

It wasn’t until the birth of my daughter in 2020, pandemic anxiety at its peak, that I was moved to pick up a gel pen, and lettered “Maryam, March 21, 2020” on a piece of printer paper. 

And it felt so good.

A year later I took a leap, left a wonderful career, and opened my studio! Writing these words I can’t overlook the amount of personal development and growth that came with my journey, and I’m grateful for all of it. I’m especially grateful for you, for being here and being a part of this unconventional path.