At the time, Alison—who graduated with a BFA in graphic design from Auburn in 2010—was still living in North Carolina with her husband, Luke, and working as a design director for a Charlotte-based nonprofit. The Fargasons moved to Birmingham in 2017, and that’s when Mattye saw that fateful Instagram post.
Fast-forward a few years, and the friends now parent six children between them: Mattye has Fox (7), Mae (5), and Hampton (1); Alison is mom to Shiloh (7), Samuel (3), Shepherd (20 months), and a 15-year-old golden retriever “who still thinks she’s the baby of the family,” says Alison. Along with raising their families, the two continued pursuing various creative avenues. “I am a freelance copywriter, illustrator, and co-founder of Namesake Celebrations, a line of high-end, quality keepsakes for baby, child, family, and home,” says Mattye, who has been drawing and writing since childhood. “For as far back as I can remember, I’ve used words and drawings to tell stories and make sense of the world.”
On top of their family and freelance responsibilities, Alison and Mattye manage to brainstorm Wells Lee design ideas and often find their visions are already closely aligned. “We’ve always shared similar taste in art and design, so we tend to gravitate toward similar things,” says Mattye. “We have an iPhoto album where we share inspiration, otherwise we just (mostly audio) text ideas. I usually start with the watercolor illustration, and Alison brings it all together with typography and beautiful composition.” Alison draws inspo from all over, including gardening, kids’ art, children’s literature, old books, music, antiques, and interiors, to deliver the final product.
Though both women have (very!) full plates, there are no plans to slow down. “We have lots of fun plans to create meaningful paper goods that you and your family can use for all major holidays,” says Alison. “We’re your go-to gals for celebrations throughout the year.”
