Who Is Art: Ruby Red Design Studio

The creative force behind Ruby Red Design Studio, Linda Misiura, has pulled together a collection of historical images and ephemera to craft an inspired line of handmade note cards and calendars.  Vintage pictures from pre-1920’s books combine with modern font and style in a truly delightful way. Read on to learn more about Linda and Ruby Red Design Studio.

What inspired you to create a line of stationery, including note cards and calendars?

I love all things paper! Paper in notebook form, paper in wrapping form, paper in doily form... It's a bit of a difficult obsession to balance with my other obsession: being green. But because I see correspondence (actual handwritten notes!) as integral to any relationship, be it between friends or lovers or family, I wanted to create notecards that people could send any time, just because, even just to say hello. Finding mail in your postbox is just so much more exciting than opening an email. I wanted to encourage everyone to start sending the important people in their lives little hellos. The calendars I made as a gift one year and then they turned up in my shop! They make such excellent gifts for teachers and friends... And anyone! I've also customized them with logos so that small companies can hand them out as beautiful promotions.

Note and letter writing has seemingly all but died out, although I believe it may be ready to make a comeback. Do you hope to inspire others to continue this “lost art?”

Ha! Yes. I guess that I should have read your second question first! For me, it isn't really about bringing a lost art back to life, though I do believe that letter writing can be classified as such. I think its really, really integral that we keep the concrete. While Google has made it possible to keep every email you are sent, how many people go back and read them? Letters, notes, something you can hold in your hand... You're much more likely to pick that up and smile. I want my notecards to survive as mini pieces of art and as tangible testimonials to relationships. Other than paper and being green, i'm also a big fan of all things tangible, including wind and gossamer and prickly cucumbers from the garden...

All of your maritime images, from ships to knots to deep sea divers, were what initially really made me fall in love with your collection. Are you especially attracted to the sea and the idea of travel over the oceans?

Wholly and completely. Traveling lends itself to stories, and I believe that stories make the world go round. I've been fortunate enough to have traveled to the UK several times now and perhaps maybe the next time it would be lovely to make the trans-Atlantic crossing via ship! (Here I have to interject a new question for Linda: May I please come????)

There is a very scientific feel to many of the images you work with and almost a sense of discovery or investing the world, which you then turn into art. Do you view the natural sciences as art? 

Everywhere I look, I see something beautiful or at least something I find visually interesting, especially in nature. I'm definitely a cloud watcher, and I tend to carry things home with me after walking my dog Lucy, like interesting ferns or twigs. Some of the things you see when you're just looking are simply incredible. We all need to slow down a bit, I think, and marvel at our surroundings. 

I love that you walk a line between vintage and modern. What is it that makes you want to share these vintage images and bring them back to line in such a fresh, modern way?

First of all, I'm thrilled that you think the images are both vintage and modern! It's definitely my personal style and something I wanted to bring to my stationery line. It goes back to wanting to share little bits of discovery and also to my recycling habit: these pieces were created a long time ago, but they are still so fabulous! Why should they sit, forgotten and unloved? I want to share the intricacies and the history.

Do you have a success you would like to share with other handmade artists who may be struggling to continue with their work?

Oh, this is going to sound corny... but do what you want to do, what you really love. The first collection I did focused more on what I thought others wanted, and it didn't sell all that well. This one had more of me and my personal style in it and because of that, I think, it's finding a life of it's own. And! Don't be afraid to pursue many ideas at once... That may be a dangerous suggestion, but it's what's allowed me to support myself for the last two years.

Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself, your life or your work?

Until I got to this point, I never imagined doing this for a living. But now that I am here, I realize I was always going to be here. Like one of those corny posters on Pinterest that I love so much. If you have no idea what Pinterest is, google it! Truly, truly fabulous place to find beautiful things. (Wow, again I am taking over, but seriously - Pinterest is my FAVORITE right now!)

How can we continue to get in touch with you and your work?


Let's see: I'm starting a wedding & invitation studio, but the site is not live yet. You can visit my design site at www.rubyreddesignstudio.com and find me on facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Ruby-Red-Design-Studio/136992259657755. Anyone who likes me today will get a coupon for free shipping on their order!

For the complete Who Is Art series, click here or if your work has a story to tell, feel free to get in touch with us here.




Much (Petal) Love,


Brianne
PetalPetal and VintageChild:Modern
www.PetalPetal.com
www.VintageChildModern.com