This year, we are over the moon to have collaborated once again with the incredibly talented Meghann Rader, an illustrator and licensing artist from Vancouver Island, Canada, on our 2024 Christmas Collection—our second Christmas collaboration together!

When we first discovered Meghann’s enchanting illustrations, full of whimsy and beauty, we knew we could create something truly magical together. Her intricate designs and storytelling through pictures felt like the perfect match for our signature Bespoke Letterpress aesthetic.

The result? A stunning collection that brings Meghann’s artwork, originally hand-painted in gouache, to life across our range of gift wrap, cards, gift tags, gift bags, stickers, puzzles, tea towels and stockings and Santa sacks.

We sat down with Meghann to discuss her artistic journey, inspiration, and the joy of creating beautiful moments through her work. We hope you enjoy this special collaboration as much as we do!

Hi Meghann! It’s been such a pleasure collaborating with you for a second time on our Christmas collection. To kick things off, could you tell us a bit about yourself and where you’re based?

Thank you! It’s been my pleasure as well. I’m an illustrator from Vancouver Island, on the west coast of Canada, where I live with my husband and two children (aged 9 and 6). 

We’d love to know more about your artistic journey. How did you get started, and where do you usually find your inspiration?

Growing up I was always happy to do anything creative (I still am!). I have a degree in Visual Art from Emily Carr University in Vancouver where I focused on drawing and printmaking. While I’d always been curious about Illustration, it wasn’t something that I learned much about in art school. It wasn’t until several years later, after taking a few classes online, that I started creating and building a portfolio of work and then eventually my agent, Jehane, reached out to me about representation. We’ve now been working together for almost seven years!

I usually find inspiration in my daily life. I keep a lot of notes on my phone and if something pops into my head during the day, or if I see something interesting I’ll make a note of it and start thinking about how I can interpret that idea through my own lens.

Can you share a bit about how your personal style as an illustrator has evolved over the years and what influences have shaped your current aesthetic?

When I first started Illustrating I was hand painting everything which can be very time consuming. Over time I started incorporating more digital techniques into my work which has not only made things faster but also helped me feel more free to experiment and hone in on what I guess would be my personal style. It was interesting going back to hand painted work again for this project because I was able to approach it with a different perspective and more confidence in my style than I probably would have before. 

I get a lot of inspiration from vintage art. I’ve always been drawn to figurative work in particular. Antique fashion plates and anything art deco are some of my current favourites. 

This is our second collaboration together – how has your experience been working with Bespoke Letterpress, and what does this partnership mean to you? 

My first collaboration with Bespoke Letterpress was one of my first commissions as an illustrator. When I received my samples for that collection in the mail I was in awe of how beautiful everything was. Every last detail from overall design down to the paper quality was/is impeccable. I am very grateful to have the opportunity to work with people who put such care, time and love into what they are making. It’s a unique quality in this world in which things are so quickly discarded. These are not cards that get tossed out. They are keepsakes to be kept and remembered. 

From our Christmas collection, do you have a favourite design or piece that stands out to you?

That is a tough one, as there are several pieces that I really enjoyed working on. I think a stand out for me would be Santa on his sleigh. Surprisingly, this was one of the first Santa’s I’ve ever drawn and I was really happy with how the whole design turned out with the sleigh, reindeer and all of the gifts.

When people interact with your illustrations, whether in the home or on stationery products, what do you hope they feel or experience?

I just want them to feel the same way that I do when I’m working on each piece or when I see a design in a shop that I really love. I hope that my work brings a bit of joy and happiness to their day!

How do you approach creating artwork for a specific collection, like our Christmas range? 

When I’m commissioned for a specific project I usually start with some kind of brief about the project. I like to write out everything I know about the project in a sketchbook and then start brainstorming a list of ideas related to the theme that can inform my design. The more time I spend brainstorming the more interesting ideas start coming out. Then I’ll start rough sketching ideas and refining those until I have some more polished sketches to show the client. The ideation and sketching phase is usually what takes the most amount of creative energy. Once the sketch is approved then I usually plan out colours and then create the final art. In the case of this project I hand painted everything in gouache paint before scanning and editing it in Photoshop. A big part of the digital editing process is separating out all of the special details that will get embossed on the letterpress later. It can be time consuming but worth it!

Pictured: Enchanted Ballet 1000pc Christmas Puzzle, Christmas Cracker Kit -0 Jolly Santa & 6 Pack Christmas Card Boxset - An Enchanted Christmas

What has been the most rewarding aspect of seeing your designs come to life in products like gift wrap, puzzles and Christmas ornaments?

I love that I can earn a living being creative. There is something so exciting about seeing my art come to life on a product and knowing that other people will get enjoyment out of something that I’ve helped to create.

As someone who has collaborated with various brands, how do you balance staying true to your artistic vision while aligning with a brand’s identity?

Most of the time I am approached by brands that are a good fit and align well with my art from the start. This makes it a lot easier to create work that I feel good about. If a brand wanted me to change too much then it probably wasn't a good fit to begin with. It also helps to be open minded and not too attached to your work. It can be hard to have someone ask for a change to your art when you’ve spent a lot of time and energy on it, but that is the nature of collaboration. It’s often those requests that push me to try something new and to think about my art in a different way. 

Finally, what’s on the horizon for you? Are there any exciting projects or collaborations you’re currently working on that you can share with us? 

I have quite a few exciting book related projects that I’ve been working on recently but I can’t reveal any at the moment. Soon hopefully!!