Meet Masha Dyans

Today we’d like to introduce you to Masha Dyans.

Masha, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’m a child of an artist and a rocket scientist, who are both, oddly, major fashionistas. We moved a lot and in different configurations (I’m talking neighborhoods first and continents later). Staying in touch with friends and family in those pre-social media days was everything. One of my favorite things to do was to send drawings of things I observed or ideas I had along with my letters. This led me to make unconventional cards and that’s what I still do!

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has not. My fine art education provided me with a negative amount of business skills, but it did teach me how to problem-solve and to be restless & resourceful. Once I graduated from the Cooper Union in New York City, improvising my way up the fine arts ladder was, sadly, not a luxury I could afford. I got a practical art director job at a design firm but quickly realized that an office environment was not for me. I spotted a chance to piggyback some of my personal illustrated cards onto a client’s print job, and after sending those samples out, I got an order from Whole Foods and never looked back. Of course, then I had to figure out all the logistics on the go: it turns out, there’s a lot of 24/7 minutia in running a company that doesn’t occur to you when you dream up striking out on your own. Since I retro-engineered my greeting cards company with the invaluable help of mistakes, mentors and the Internet, I’ve been lucky enough to branch out to many mediums.

What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
My one-person-company (+ many helpers) specializes in mailable pieces of art and lush illustration. The cards are mostly about visual ideas, which is more of a universal language. If they resonate with you or someone you know, just add your message and voilà, you make someone’s day! We’re all so busy, but there’s nothing like receiving a little piece of touchable art in the mail or in-person, even if it takes a few minutes to personalize. If anything, the impact is more powerful than ever. Playing a role in reconnecting people in our distracted times is the most gratifying part. I have also focused on children’s books lately. That fourth element of time in storytelling makes visuals come alive in a way that has appealed to me since before I could talk. I’m getting more and more confident in that field and it makes me happy and proud that what I do now is a direct progression of what I did as a child – playing! And if my work touches a young heart – WOW! Thanks to my family, I’m also a life-long fashion addict, so it’s a special thrill seeing my art move on fabric and garments.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Luck, good and bad, has been huge. For instance, I happened to form my company at a time when there weren’t too many cool illustrated cards around so it had a chance despite all the setbacks. I also like to think that because of my refugee background (obstacles were the norm), I’ve developed the courage to politely set fire to comfort and to live a creative life that I love. Pure luck!

Pricing:

• Single blank Greeting Card $4.50
• Set of 8 Cards $17.00
• Best-selling 12 Months Card Set $24.00
• Flower Talk: How Plants Use Color to Communicate – Hardcover Picture Book $19.99
• Color Me Enchanted: A Coloring Book of Fairy Tales from Around the World – $14.99
• Polka Dot Parade: A Book About Bill Cunningham – Hardcover Picture Book $17.99
• Parrots Pugs and Pixie Dust: A Book About Fashion Designer Judith Leiber – Hardcover Picture Book $17.99
• A Garden In Your Belly: Meet Your Microbiome – Hardcover Picture Book – coming soon!

Contact Info:

• Website: masha.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mashadyans/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/masha.dyans/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/mashadyans?lang=en
• Other: https://www.amazon.com/Masha-Dyans/e/B005T41JTS%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share

 

Image Credit:
Masha D’yans, Ian Hughes, Estelle Bohl

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