November 14 2022
We collaborated with Rae at Woosah Outfitters on our holiday gift boxes! The artwork featured on the notebooks and hats feature Woosah prints, created and inspired by the outdoors. We caught up with Rae to share a little more behind the Woosah Outfitters journey and the inspiration behind the artwork...
Hey!! Can you share more about you and where you are based?
Hey! My name is Rae, I currently live in Grand Rapids, Michigan and work above our shop, Woosah, in uptown GR. My wife and I have a 1 year old, a dog named Waffle and two cats named Shrimp and Nugget. In the Summer time I split my time between GR and Saugatuck where our second location is! It’s only a 45 min drive away and it’s right near Lake Michigan, so it makes for a great trip.
What is Woosah Outfitters all about? Are you an artist/graphic designer full time...?
Woosah is all about finding moments of calm and clarity in the present moment. For me, nature has always been the conduit to get back to that space, but finding your Woosah can come in many forms. Making art is another way that I stay grounded and feel calm, which is why I started signing my work Woosah! I’m a woodblock printmaker, and studied Printmaking at Kendall College of Art and Design. While in school I started making art for myself and signing it Woosah as my own little passion project back in 2012 and upon graduating in 2014 I’ve only pursued this. It’s truly my passion, and my daily practice. I carve all the art and design all the products for Woosah in addition to freelance work with likeminded brands and folks, like yourself! I also co-own with my wife a coffee shop connected to both our stores called Outside Coffee co. We stay busy! haha
Do you have a favorite outdoor activity?
It’s hard to choose, the thing I do most often is hike. I love just spending time in nature, and hiking is so easy to squeeze in daily. I also love mountain biking and paddle boarding but I don’t get to do those quite as often as I’d like.
Where is your favorite place to spend time outside??
On or near Lake Michigan, hands down. If you’ve never been to see the Great Lakes, you have to add it to your bucket list. They really are like fresh water oceans. There’s no place like it.
Is there anywhere you are hoping to travel to or explore in the upcoming year?
Honestly, taking a trip with my wife without our toddler ANYWHERE would be huge for next year, haha. We haven’t traveled without him since he was born a year ago but we’ve been itching to explore Maine and checking out Acadia National Park. We’ve never been!
Can you tell us any background about the Tread Lightly or Waves print?
Tread lightly was a drawing I loosely sketched in a playful style to evoke that sense of childhood wonder when your outdoors. Everything feels so big, colorful and whimsical, I wanted to capture that vibe while also bringing attention to the importance of preserving nature.
The Waves graphic is a woodblock carving inspired by the Great Lakes. We get massive waves out here especially in the winter time. A lot of folks fresh water surf out here too! That graphic was meant to capture the magnitude of the lake, how powerful and beautiful it can be.
Where can fans buy more of your artwork?
You can find my art online at Woosahoutfitters.com or you can stop by in person at our Grand Rapids shop located at 738 Wealthy St SE, or our Douglas Shop located at 450 W Center in the summer and fall!
Thanks so much for having me, it’s been really fun to get to know a fellow business lady who’s stoked about the environment!
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