made by alissandra
Denver, Colorado
Tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do:
Alissandra: made by alissandra
I lovingly refer to myself as an artist / teacher / all-around good human. A teacher of art & design for 12 years, I also create playful hand-lettering full of sincerity & sass. Most of my lettering work is hand-drawn in Procreate on my iPad, and I produce all of my prints, greeting cards, and other products myself in my home studio: I design, print, trim, fold, package and ship every item myself!
Let us know more about your business name - how did you come up with it?
My name is pretty unusual, so instead of succumbing to the pressure to pick something easier to spell (and pronounce!) instead I leaned in and am trying to cultivate my single name identity - maybe one day I will be the Beyonce or the Cher of lettering!
What is your signature style / item? How did it become so?
I would describe my signature style as simultaneously salty & sincere. My entry into the lettering world actually began with a 5-year daily drawing project, "Things I Didn't Say," which culminated in a monograph in 2019. I lettered a message/phrase every day that was never actually delivered to its intended recipient: instead of saying it, I lettered it. Despite being extremely specific, they resonated widely on social media and helped me hone my unique voice: both the words and the style of my lettering.
What makes your business unique to the industry?
I love using my beautiful, polished style on funny, playful text (especially the occasional well-placed f-bomb!). This juxtaposition is fresh and unexpected, and positions me to fill a particular niche in the lettering community.
What's been your biggest roadblock when it comes to business and how have you been able to overcome?
As an introvert, I struggle with self-promotion and reaching out to clients and potential customers. In fact, holiday markets were simultaneously the most successful and exhausting opportunities for me to grow my business, so they have been a huge stepping stone to help me build my confidence and take more risks.
How has your business had to adapt amidst the Covid-19 Pandemic? What are you doing to navigate the situation?
Luckily, I am wildly introverted and spend most of my time working in my home studio anyway, so adjusting to COVID has fortunately just allowed me to dive deep and really refine my studio practice. While I have faced a similar reduction in opportunities that many artists have faced, especially early on, I feel fortunate that I have been able to channel my anxieties and fears about the state of the world into creating, by logging more hours in the studio and really honing my craft.
What is your favorite part of what you do?
I love researching vintage type - in fact, I frequently photograph type samples out in the wild (Denver is actually full of them!) and love soaking up diverse type treatments to let them inform my ever-growing repertoire of lettering styles.
What is your *must do* local activity?
Denver is such a great city because of its proximity to so much nature! A quintessential Denver day would be to go for an awesome day hike and then toast your achievement at one of our incredible local breweries (coupled with a killer food truck!). There are too many to choose, but I have a soft spot for Fiction Brewing Company (their bar is made of old books, and many of their beers are inspired by their literary influences!).
Where to find made by alissandra:
Website: heyalissandra.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/heyalissandra