jan milliman

I’ve been writing some artist profiles for Lagom in Brockport, NY. The shop is a carefully curated collection of sustainably sourced home décor, crafts, toys, and clothing. The shop owner, Brooke Albanese, is building something really special there.

It starts with Brooke’s welcoming nature, eye for new products and artful presentation. Then there are the artists and craftspeople she sources from to stock the shop. Add in the community of customers, some of whom become workshop presenters or start supplying products to the store, and you start to see the magic here.

Each time I speak with one of the makers I’m profiling for Lagom, I come away with a little piece of wisdom. I’m going to start sharing some of those thoughts here.

The first artist I profiled was Brooke’s daughter, illustrator Marella Moon.

Marella’s style is a blend of modern and retro. She uses physical supplies to make her gouache paintings, but they wind up looking like digital work. Her willingness to explore and keep combining different elements lead her to discover a style that’s totally her own yet somehow familiar.

What I learned from Marella: Follow what interests you; the magic is in the mash-up.

Read more about Marella’s inspirations and influences here.