Artist of the Week: Laura Rogers
"I am definitely inspired by nature, from the grand & dramatic Northern landscapes of both Scotland and Alaska to the tiny, gorgeous details found in rock formations, ice patterns, wildflowers, etc."
Presenting our Kindred Artist of the Week series! We are big fans of all the artists we work with and we are so excited to share their stories!
This week we are featuring Laura Rogers of Due North Stationery! Laura has a background in ceramics but her artistry translates through many different mediums. Inspired by the big picture as much as the little details, Due North Stationery transports us to a dreamy moment by the sea, adventuring inside a glacier, or enveloped in Alaskan wildflowers. Learn more about Laura and the life behind the letter sets in her interview below!
Who are you?
My name is Laura Rogers and I am the owner, artist and designer behind Due North Stationery. I am British, grew up in Scotland, and moved to Alaska in 2005 to raise my family with my husband, which includes three wonderful kids and a large, very fluffy dog called Hamish.
What do you do?
I studied ceramics at art school in Scotland but soon realised I’d have to wear a few artistic hats when I moved to the small, somewhat secluded town of Haines, Alaska. Although I now own a kiln (still unfired after too many years) I had to quickly learn a lot about graphic design when I designed the bottle labels for Port Chilkoot Distillery. Since then I have designed many logos and now concentrate on my own designs for my stationery collection. I am a one-woman show and run every element of my stationery business, as well as running two local art & gift stores with my husband, The Magpie in Haines & Due North in Skagway.
Who/what inspires you?
I am definitely inspired by nature, from the grand & dramatic Northern landscapes of both Scotland and Alaska to the tiny, gorgeous details found in rock formations, ice patterns, wildflowers, etc. I am also inspired by other artists and makers who are building their small businesses piece by piece. It isn’t easy, it’s often hard work, and it takes guts to keep putting your work out there.
What is your favorite moment in the process?
I have two favorite moments... One, when it’s just me and my work (and the tunes are loud and lined up) and I’m in my own little, happy bubble of creativity & productivity... Two, when people take the time to write handwritten notes to me to tell me how they used my stationery sets to write to friends and family.
What is a trick of your trade or a piece of advice for artists in your medium?
Stay open! It can be a real slog to try and work out certain ideas or to source particular materials, companies etc and I’ve found that it’s really beneficial to be willing to share everything you’ve learned along the way and not hoard it all to yourself.
What is next?
I will keep creating stationery with imagery that I enjoy. However, I’m dedicated to get back to clay. The lovely messiness, texture & sense of play involved with working with clay will be a wonderful way to balance the precision and cleanliness needed when working with paper and creating stationery.
View more of her work here!