 Creativity and artistry has always been an important part of Clare Mitchell's life. Growing up she was surrounded by talented and creative women in her family. From her grandmothers who were amazing painters, to her mother who is a talented seamstress and creative, Clare grew up surrounded by their passion, skills, and a love for the arts. From a young age she embraced her creativity, practicing cursive lettering and creating drawings that served not only as an artistic outlet, but also as a way to calm her anxiety. Now what started as a personal creative outlet during her teenage years has proudly grown into Clare Mitchell Designs, a small business rooted in connection, creativity, and mental wellness. In addition to her small business, Clare is a familiar face to many in St. Thomas and the surrounding areas. She is a barista at Streamliners Espresso Bar, a local specialty coffee shop, and a co-founder and organizer of The Little Market Collective, a monthly artisan market based out of the gorgeous Sparta Lavender Farm which aims to be a space for local makers to come together, make connections with their community, and inspire others to shop small and support local. Their first market is this Saturday, May 9 from 10am-3pm, and we can't recommended it enough. From the beautiful gardens to the handmade designs and products, it's a must-see and a perfect way to kick off the spring season. The first 18 years of Clare's life were spent in the GTA, before packing up after high school and going to England for 9 months. When she returned home to Ontario, she moved in with her sister in Oakville, where the seed for her small business was eventually planted. She started working for a little stationary store in Downtown Oakville called Write Impressions. "I made my boss a card for her birthday that said 'woo hoo!' and she loved it," Clare said with a proud smile. "Her positive response gave me the courage to ask if she would be interested in letting me sell a few of my cards in the store. At that time the card was made on a piece of card stock and poorly folded, but she saw the potential in me and my art." Clare created a few designs and soon her cards were on the shelf right next to designers she looked up to, and before she knew it, her cards began to sell. "That was such a special and pivotal moment in my life," Clare said with a smile. "I was in my early 20's and never really thought about what I wanted to do with my life. I think I'm still trying to figure that out, but the opportunity she gave me really has taken me on a special adventure." Clare Mitchell Designs officially opened as a business in 2022, and to this day that original birthday card for Clare's boss (which has since been redesigned) is still her best seller. Encouraged by her boss, co-workers, friends and family after years of drawing letters and doodles, Clare found herself re-embracing the cathartic nature of art once again - not just as a hobby, but also as a business. "Whether what I create is good or bad, usable or note, it has always been a great way to calm my mind, give my brain a second to quiet all the noise and just create," Clare explained. All of Clare's designs are drawn by hand, including all of her beautiful fonts. Each design starts with a blank canvas, and once finished, Clare finds Canadian print businesses to upload her designs to and place orders with. Like many small business owners, it is very important to her to use Canadian businesses, and something she invests time, energy, and care into. Her products can currently be found in Streamliners Espresso Bar in downtown St. Thomas and at Lakehouse Books in nearby Port Stanley. Free pickup off her website can be arranged at Streamliners as well, and you'll often find her working behind the barista bar making delicious (and beautiful) drinks. Clare's products have had a large reach, being shipped off to Alberta, British Columbia, Florida, Portland, California and all over Ontario. Her designs resonate where ever they go, bringing happiness, belonging, and positivity. Clare is also always happy to hear about custom order ideas or wholesale orders. She has made greeting cards, small wedding signs, chalkboard wedding signs, stickers for businesses, Christmas cards and more. If you have an idea, just shoot her an email to connect! For fellow creatives looking to make and order their own stickers, Clare has a link for 15% off your first order for die cut and matte stickers in her Instagram bio. Art is often a reflection of ourselves, whether it's our lived experiences, emotions, dreams or aspirations, it is deeply tied to our individuality. Clare's artwork is no exception, and she wants her pieces to speak to all of us who have ever struggled with anxiety or mental health. "I've had anxiety for as long as I can remember, and it's always been this cloud over my head," she explained. "I used to think I was the only one who had all these mental and physical symptoms that come with having anxiety, until one day I saw a TikTok video of a girl describing every feeling I have had and it was such a relief! Before that, I was creating designs that I hoped would help others feel seen, while also serving as a reminder to myself that I was not alone." That essence is channeled into all of her designs; whether it's bright stickers which say quotes like 'I am allowed to make a big deal out of things that feel really big to me' and 'your anxiety is lying to you', or her bubbly prints, greeting cards and suncatcher decals, each hand drawn design is approachable, relatable, and makes you smile, while also reminding you that you aren't alone. In addition to her illustrations, Clare spent the winter leaning into hobbies and fun activities to help get her away from her phone and to inspire new design creations. "I've been really leaning into grandma hobbies - learning to crochet, card games, doodling with pen and paper, thrifting, sewing, doing my own nails, practicing my latte art and a lot of scrabble," she said with a laugh. "While doing these fun activities, I realized I don't have to feel stuck with my designs when all these hobbies are helping with my anxiety!" She has since started creating new designs and brainstorming ideas that help keep her creativity alive and manage her anxiety while still promoting mental health awareness. Through also working as a barista at Streamliners Espresso Bar since 2022, Clare has found continued support and inspiration in her boss and fellow small business owner Maria Fiallos. "Having a boss that is such a powerhouse as a female business owner, creative coworkers, a support system, and a place where I can showcase and sell my art, be creative with my latte art, make fun drinks for customers and get to be my chatty self - I truly have my dream job," she said with a smile. "I don't think at the time I had any idea how much this job would change me as a person and as a creative." That feeling of support, belonging, and being seen is one we can all relate to, one we all know is life changing, and is a big reason why Clare's products stand out. The community support for her designs, as well as her markets, has been wonderful, and it makes all the work feel impactful and worth it. "Whether it's a therapist telling me they use my prints and stickers in their office as support, a teacher using prints in their classroom as encouragement, a girl giving all her friends Galentine's Day cards, or simply someone stocking up on greeting cards so they always have a cute design on hand to give a loved one, it means so much," Clare said with a proud smile. "It's knowing my designs make someone smile or feel seen in their struggles. That makes me feel like I'm doing something right!" As for The Little Market Collective, Clare's connection with Schae was made through chatting together over Instagram. "We had our first market in 2021 on a front lawn in Union," Clare said with a smile. "We made a Facebook event to promote the day and we always joked that we had a fun little market with a few local businesses. That day turned out to be one of the best markets we both did, so after the success of that market we got together and decided we wanted to make a space for small businesses in the St. Thomas area to get together and showcase their art surrounded by support." After some trial and error, the two landed on the name The Little Market Collective, and decided to reach out to Karen of the Sparta Lavender Farm to inquire about hosting a market at her farm. "After our first phone call, we felt so welcomed and encouraged and knew we needed our markets to be held there," explained Clare. "Karen and Burt have transformed the space and made it showcase their personality, and their love really shines through the farm. We are so lucky to have a relationship with them." Both Clare and Schae have worked hard to boost their market awareness and dates through networking, promotion, and spending hours working towards making every market day the best it can be. Their market summer dates are May 9th, June 13th, July 11th, August 8th, and September 11th, and each one runs from 10am-3pm with free entry. "I feel really lucky to have the support from not only my peers but also the community of St. Thomas," Clare said. "When it comes to showing up to markets in the summer, getting excited when I drop a new design or product, showing up to Streamliners excited to see what new items I have brought in and so much more. I can't be more excited to continue to grow my business in this community." In a world where time moves fast, life never slows down, and information and world events can so easily weigh us down, it is so important for us all to take little moments to enjoy the small things in life and to connect with each other. Clare Mitchell Designs works to bring some happiness, connection, and reassurance into our lives, and the lives of those we gift her products to, as a small but ever important reminder that we can do this- and we are in this together. If you go
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