Meet the Maker: Emily Johnson
Like many of the Catskills’ newer residents Emily Johnson’s creative journey started in Brooklyn.
When her hand-illustrated stationery business, Hartland Brooklyn, outgrew the two-bedroom apartment she shared with her husband in Cobble Hill, she briefly considered a studio space in Greenpoint. But even that would have been too small to accommodate her vision — not to mention all her inventory. “It’s not like I just needed a desk to draw,” she says.
Hailing from Western New York State, Emily recalled how much she used to enjoy taking the train back to Buffalo from New York City as it wound its way through the luscious greenery of the Catskills. “The area was so beautiful, and so I thought, what’s the difference? I could just move my whole studio upstate.”
The perfect creative roost was awaiting them in the town of Leeds, New York. The charming circa-1851 building had lived previous lives as a post office and general store, and the footprint allowed exactly the space they needed: Emily’s studio out back, their living quarters upstairs, and a retail nook out front.
“It was perfect — it just made so much sense,” she says. “I didn’t necessarily think of having a shop before, but because we had a general store, it felt like we had to. And my husband is into coffee, so we kind of just thought that that would be a good place to bring the community together.”
And so three years ago, Hartland’s flagship store was born, along with its in-house espresso bar, Hartland on Hudson. In the retail space, Emily features her own illustrated stationary alongside all manner of “beautiful things” including: organic teas, homewares, and other stationery works from around the world.
Now a gathering space for locals with a taste for excellent espresso, Hartland also delights visitors who happen to stumble upon it when passing through town. Two resident dogs, Rufus and Josie (the latter of whom belongs to an employee), only add to the ever present welcoming vibe.
Emily traces her affinity for concept design and color palettes to her initial career in the fashion world, designing underwear and accessories. When she thought about how to channel her love for graphic design, one solution stood out. “Greeting cards feel like a little piece of art that is for everyone,” she says. “Everybody can afford it, and everybody can send a little, beautiful thing and make somebody’s day.”
Hand-drawing each illustration, she then uploads them to her computer so she can digitally color them with neon to make the designs pop. The simple, cheery graphics range from rainbows to pizza — all intended to bring a smile to the recipient’s face. Recently, she collaborated with local watercolor artist Helen Dealtry and plans to join forces with other creatives in the region as the business grows. She also hopes to evolve her works into wallpaper.
Along with her husband, daughter, and pup, Emily spends her free time hiking nearby trails like Kaaterskill mountain, and swimming and kayaking at Green Lake. Then, of course, there are her favorite local food haunts including Gracie’s Luncheonette in Leeds (try the donuts) and the beloved grocer-café Circle W in Palenville. Basically, she says, she gets to live her New York City existence with a few extra benefits.
“I feel like I’m doing the same thing as I did in the city, but with much more space. It’s just much calmer.”
By Mikki Brammer
Photography By Tara Donne
Volume 5
