The images that adorn Studio Daedre’s work—the cards, mugs, bags, and more—are hand-drawn by Daedre herself, and the love shows in every line. Even the sparkle is added by hand, making each piece unique.

Daedre says her passion for creation was ignited in seventh grade when she made her first lino print for an art class. She first channeled her talent into two degrees in architecture and found herself in Los Angeles, dealing with fallout from the Northridge earthquake.“Building codes were changing every few weeks with no grandfather rights,”she says. “The building department was rife with corruption, and the practice of architecture had become a bit confining.” 

She was also a new mother and wanted to spend time with her baby. “I had made my own Christmas cards for years and started making a few Southwestern-inspired designs. I was on a family trip to Arizona, my daughter was in a stroller, and my cards were in a see-through Ziploc bag,” she says. “I went into a gift shop, and the shop ordered from me on the spot. Studio Daedre was born.”

Naturally, the company has changed with the times from when it was first conceived 25 years ago. At first, she was doing architectural style pen-and- ink renderings; she moved on to lino block prints, and then the hand-drawn illustrations that you can see in her current work in museums, arts centers, and gift shops throughout the country. “I have found that innovation is the key to longevity in the business world,” she says. “I have branched out from an exclusively stationery business to taking my illustrations and adapting them to other products from decorative pins, mugs, and coasters to canvas art and pillows.” She has also learned that customization is key. She has done a Christmas card featuring the U.S. Capitol’s rotunda with the national Christmas tree and designed custom images for museums including the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum (vintage kitchen appliances and tools as seen in Georgia’s kitchen). She has worked with professional party planners on custom artwork for celebrities including Adam Sandler, Shaquille O’Neal, and Trista, the first Bachelorette.

“I find inspiration everywhere,” Daedre says. “A Magritte exhibition inspired me to create and explore surreal-style drawings. A trip to the botanic garden yields a new line of camellia illustrations. A yard sale yields groups of illustrations of mid-century coffee pots and appliances. A conversation with a colleague about an upcoming exhibition sometimes sets my mind going, and an entire grouping of products is the result.” For example, Daedre created some workThe bottom line is that Daedre loves to draw. “I love to be able to experiment with how something looks and how it will be used. I love having an excuse to travel and visit a museum...part of what I like so much about the MSA. I love being with a group of like- minded people who appreciate art, design, and a quality product. I love not having to do the same thing every day, and that I can work when it suits my mood and inspiration.”