Ame Beanland is already an award-winning graphicbrartist and a New York Times Bestselling co-author. Her incredible work has been featured in suchbrpublications as Glamour, Self, USA Today and Family Circleto name just a few. Now the Southlake artist, entrepreneur, wife and mother ofbrtwo is set to showcase her newest lines of Dragon Inspired stationary and home goods at abrspecial Mix and Mingle event at the HMK store in Southlake Town Square.
Ame Beanland is an award
Ame Beanland is an award
winning graphic artist and
NY Times Bestselling
co-author.
We had a chance to sit down with Ame before herbrbig event:
SS: You're an author and a designer—how dobryou generate your creative energy?
Ame Beanland: brI often joke that I just don't know any better! Nobody ever told me Ibrcouldn't write a book or I shouldn't become a graphic artist—so I just startedbrwriting a little bit, designing a little bit, and it grew from there. I'mbrcurious and creativity has always been a means for me to figure things out orbrsolve a problem.
SS: What are your favorite outlets for yourbrcreativity?
AB: The computer is definitely my creative outlet ofbrchoice. I love to dabble and use technologies, processes, and methods ofbrproduction in unexpected ways.
SS: How do the Dragons inspire you?
AB: My circle of friends and family inspirebrme—this community fires me up. When we moved to Southlake 10 years ago Ibrthought, “What's up with this weird Dragon-in-the-sky-lightningbrbolt-Texas thing I’m seeing everywhere?” Over the years I’ve fallenbrin love with the quirky dragon as emblematic of so many good things—solidarity,brcommunity, a unique spirit—just the sheer “belongingness" it canbrrepresent. It’s special to be a dragon.
My dragon designs began as stationery to give asbrgifts for my children's teachers. People began asking if they could buy thembrand before I knew it I was a dragon logo licensee, then an approved vendor forbrthe school district. I started designing t-shirts but really wanted to branchbrinto more home and lifestyle items. It took two years to crack the textilebrprinting method for my blanket designs which opened a whole new world ofbroptions. I'm always looking for that thing that, in the words of the late andbrgreat publisher Peter Workman, “surprises and delights.”
SS: Tell us about your event next week?br What can we expect?
AB: On October 15th, I've been given a section ofbrthe HMK store in Town Square to create my own Ame B Design “pop up boutique.”brYou can expect an overwhelming variety of goodies—heavy on the southernbraccents. I'll be featuring my new line of melamine tableware (perfect for tailgatingbrand parties), mugs, lots of snuggly soft blankets and pillowcases, tossbrpillows, a few apparel items, stationery, canvases… and of course, there willbrbe DRAGONS! I pay a royalty to the school district on all Dragon sales sobryou'll be supporting CISD, and you'll save $10 on every $50 you spend storewidebrso it's a great chance to do some holiday shopping.