Meet The Makers: Lemonlark Paperie

Being a maker is in my bones. A part of me. Over the seasons of my life what I make has changed, but the making and creating is consistent. 

As a child, I consistently gathered together friends to do crafts and art projects. I’d gather my friends together to make friendship bracelets and stamp out our own stationery — and then the following week I would encourage us to set up a table in the neighborhood to sell our work. An interesting amalgam of my creative and entrepreneurial spirit being weaved together from a young age. It makes me giggle when I think back on it. 

In college was when I really began to dabble with the idea that I could create for a living. Majoring in both graphic design and fine art, I’ve always enjoyed a mix of analytical thinking, planning and deadlines alongside creating for the sake of creating. I enjoy many different mediums, but watercolors are one of my go-tos. They give me a sense of freedom when creating. Watercolors force you to let go and give in to the process. There’s a beautiful balance of control and letting go with watercolors that as a perfectionist I find I need. 

I feel like being a maker is a part of what it means to be human. We make different things, but making is important. As I read The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown this past year I thought a lot about her guideposts for wholehearted living, particularly the one that is Cultivating Creativity: Letting Go of Comparison. Making helps me tap into new ideas and my imagination. It leads me to transcend the have-tos and should’s. Making helps me live a more wholehearted life.