Words by Freedom Martinez
Artwork from the brushstrokes of Anna Bond is hard to miss these days. Her name might not ring a bell, but the bold, colorful, whimsical designs that have become her trademark are unforgettable.
You might think you are walking into a mini Anthropologie when entering the little shop of Rifle Paper Co. And you’d almost be right. Timeless creations from this Winter Park, Florida design studio stock the shelves of Anthropologie stores around the country. Their cards and calendars, notepads and invitations can be found in over 2,000 locations worldwide–from boho boutiques to Land Of Nod catalogues.
Rifle Paper Co. officially started just three short years ago. With a portfolio bulging with concert posters for her husband’s band, Anna designed a winsome wedding invitation for a good friend and, as they say, the rest is history. One wedding invite led to another, which led to another, and just like that, Anna’s art became a business. Her love of stationery combined with her background in design and illustration was just the outlet she had been looking for.
In a brand new, made-to-look-old loft style building in historic Winter Park, Florida, there are no signs of “starving artist.” But, indeed, Anna says there were those days in the beginning. “I definitely see purpose in those early times though,” she shares. Those rice and bean days were, for her, an opportunity to build a solid foundation of what would eventually become Rifle Paper Co., to discover who she truly was as an artist and to develop Rifle’s signature style.
Inspired by music poster artists, she looked to the business savvy of such heavy hitters in the art/design world as Kate and Andy Spade, Andy Warhol, and Martha Stewart in taking her art beyond the traditional. “They’re people who were artists and entrepreneurs and visionaries. That is what I was aspiring to.”
Although the ride has been like a roller coaster paired with a good dose of elbow grease, Anna says, without a doubt, launching Rifle Paper Co. has been the best years of her young life. She credits the huge success to a healthy collaboration with her business partner, husband Nathan. “So much of this process has been figuring it out as I go and working with Nathan to solve problems and brainstorm ideas. He started working with me when we launched Rifle and he’s been the one who has made sure we’re making the right business decisions, making sure we are running things within our means, and so on. We’ve made a great team throughout this process.”
Navigating the waters of the hugely competitive market for art/stationery sales was not easy, and at times they were flying blind. While some artists hire agents to get their work noticed, Anna relied heavily upon the people in her life that influenced her. “Whether it was a press feature or someone saying something kind on a blog, that’s what gave me motivation to keep going.” And that perseverance has certainly been awarded, with her stationery being featured in such noted magazines as Martha Stewart Living, Southern Living, InStyle, People, Lucky and Real Simple Weddings.
Rifle’s popularity isn’t mystifying. In fact, it’s easy to love the bright ‘50’s kickback styles that this design house pumps out. Anna’s goal is that her creations will resonate with people. “I try to create designs and products that I would personally love and use. But I also have to think about what other people want, and try to make sure I am creating designs that will connect and sell. It is a business, but it all starts from something very personal to me.”
Of inspiration, she says it is an organic process, unplanned and free-flowing. “The best ideas often come when I least expect them.” And since Anna and Nathan love to travel, inspiration is plentiful and has contributed to many of Rifle’s current products, including their popular 2013 CITIES wall calendar depicting cityscapes from Sydney to Paris.
Since Nathan handles most aspects of the business, Anna is free to focus on the creative direction of the company, which often spills over into the workplace. Nurturing a fun work environment is a top priority for Anna, who knows that happy employees make for better production and better products. Their recent Holiday Party looked like something out of a Pinterest folder labeled “dream party.” Decorated in beautiful Rifle style, the outdoor courtyard of a local museum became the perfect venue. The festivities included an arm-wrestling competition, while a mariachi band added a touch of spice to an already fun, quirky evening.
When asked what advice she would give someone trying to make it in this business, she says, “Being original…is key. I also think it takes a lot of work and determination. There were many times I thought about giving up….Making that decision to push through difficulties is not always easy, but definitely vital to becoming successful.”
Favorite cake: simple chocolate, with vanilla buttercream icing.
Favorite way to drink whiskey: in simple but lovely cocktail~ Domain de Canton (ginger liqueur), and lemon juice. A little sweet and tangy with a powerful punch.
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