FREE SHIPPING ON ORDERS OVER $100 · USE CODE 100FREE FREE SHIPPING ON ORDERS OVER $100 · USE CODE 100FREE

Local Artist Profiles

  • Nina Kulick's Whimsical Couture Maps

    Nina Kulick's Whimsical Couture Maps

    Nina Kulick designs couture maps, illustrating clients’ favorite places with a whimsical flair and attention to detail. Each piece serves as a love letter to a particular place, which she carefully populates with vibrant wildlife, quaint landmarks and playful labels.

    Technically speaking, Kulick’s line of work is cartography, or the craft of mapmaking. But this title doesn’t sit right with Kulick, who sees her role as much less scientific than the label may suggest. Her maps often put fantastical artistry before complete accuracy, with flowing lines and exaggerated details throughout her work.

    Even with this playful approach, Kulick takes care when researching her chosen locales. Before she became a full-time artist in 2006, Kulick was a neuroscientist specializing in sleep. Needless to say, she is an experienced researcher, and she loves investigating her subjects in detail before beginning her cartography. 

    “I'll do a fully in depth analysis of the place – I'll read all about it, I'll look at websites, I'll study historical maps and all that,” Kulick said. “That way, when I draw it, it's a very authentic piece because it represents the place itself and not just what it looks like from the outside.”

    Kulick changed her career path when she and her husband decided to start a family together. Rather than spend unusual hours in a basement sleep laboratory, the neuroscientist wanted to be at home with her future children. Fortunately, after she created a map for a friend’s wedding, Kulick began receiving commissions, giving her the perfect opportunity to create her own business.

    “I did a lot of wedding invitations and save the dates, and that gradually morphed into me creating a company,” Kulick said. “After amassing almost 600 map designs from all over the world, I decided I would start making home goods and stationery.”

    Through her Los Gatos store and online shop, Kulick sells her designs on tea towels, tote bags, cards, cutting boards and more. She loves trying new things with her work, and is always ready to try crafting any unique items her clients request. She also creates designs for other stores and boutiques to sell themselves – including The Quill’s very own exclusive Pacific Grove map design.

    Kulick’s work can be found on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook at @Gooseberrydesigns, and online at https://gooseberrydesigns.com

  • Debra Ferreboeuf and the Art of Calligraphy

    Debra Ferreboeuf and the Art of Calligraphy

    Debra Ferreboeuf is The Quill’s dedicated calligrapher. She has made a career from her art, crafting pieces for exhibitions and fulfilling custom lettering for Quill clients since 2000. 

    Her forty years of training shine through whenever her calligraphy nib touches paper, and she’s always looking to improve her craft. She began her calligraphy journey in a community classroom, and she continues to attend seminars, classes, and workshops to this day. Like most calligraphers, Ferreboeuf developed mastery over a historical alphabet through her training, allowing her to efficiently create elegant – but consistent – handwritten script.

  • Beau Jackson's Tide Pool Studies

    Beau Jackson's Tide Pool Studies

    During these meditative trips, Jackson combs through rocky shores and explores hidden alcoves. He knows these beaches well, frequently returning to specific spots to visit his favorite sea anemones and abalones. He takes pictures along the way, which he later uses as references for his work.

    “I like to highlight those tide pool creatures in the cards that I make for The Quill,” Jackson said. “It’s a way to take a little piece of the tide pool home with me and share it with other people.”

  • H.J. Legan's Wonderful Watercolor Cards

    H.J. Legan's Wonderful Watercolor Cards

    H.J. Legan meticulously hand-paints watercolor cards, highlighting the sights of Monterey county in her work. The Pacific Grove resident never takes the easy way out, prioritizing quality over everything else in her artwork. 

    Click here to read more about her work!