Madeleine Eiche x Molly Moon's

We recently collaborated with the super talented artist Madeleine Eiche! She specializes in design and illustration, and when we saw her work we thought it was so fun! She’s based in Seattle and has worked on some majorly cool projects, you can check them out here! 

Twice a year we work with a local artist to design our scoop cup and sometimes a few other things in our shops. We love connecting with artists in our communities and are always honored when we find one to collaborate so well with! Madeleine not only designed an awesome cup with a fun playful design, but also designed our current gift cards and the coolest kids tee! It’s limited edition, so make sure to get it while you can! We loved working with you Madeleine, thank you! We sat down and asked Madeleine some questions to get to know her a little bit better. 

Where are you from? 

I am from a wee town in rural Pennsylvania, sort of where farm country meets coal country. It has no traffic lights, just a single blinking light. It's out there, but luckily, is just a 2-hour drive to Manhattan or Philadelphia. My parents were adventurous, so frequently we were in a city skipping school & visiting museums or driving cross-country in the summertime, which exposed me to literally everything.

How long have you lived in Seattle? 

Since 2003! I moved here for my first job after design school and have been here ever since, minus a quickie (& incredible) year in London. I moved to Seattle without really knowing what it was all about. My job each summer of college had been working on a boat in Alaska, so I'd only flown through SeaTac and stayed at a sketchy airport motel a few times. I'd seen Mt. Rainier from the airplane, and my sister liked Seattle, so I took the job and drove out with my grandfather in a friend's band van we called "The Fun Bus". And that was that. I've lived within the same 5 blocks of Capitol Hill / Central District this whole time.

What is your background as an artist?

My childhood friend Carolyn explained how to sketch shadows during our half-day kindergarten class—that is sort of my first memory of art. And I bought a book in 2nd grade on how to draw type and make posters. (I still have that book.) A lot of credit goes to my elementary school art teacher, and all the extra weekend art classes & museum visits my folks exposed me to. It seems I've always been on this path! I eventually went on to receive a BFA in Graphic Design / Letterform from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, and luckily it was a fine arts-based program, so I've continuously experimented in painting, screenprinting, textiles, ceramics—oftentimes incorporating them to my design work, sometimes not.

What was your inspiration for the art on the cups, gift cards, tees/tote? 

I am really drawn to patterns and unexpected color combinations, in addition to utilizing simple, hand-drawn work. I wanted to create something playful & energetic for all ice cream lovers, big and small. Molly Moon’s has such a great brand that allows for a variety of aesthetics, so it was an honor to be able to contribute to that through my eyes. 

What was your favorite thing about working on this project for Molly Moon's? 

Creating tangible pieces that are out in the world always makes me a little giddy. Designing, sourcing, producing—by the time it's all ready, I couldn't be more excited (and sometimes nervous). Especially for a local, woman-owned ice cream shop—WOW! I feel lucky.

What is your dream project? 

A children's campaign for literacy. In general, I just want people to read more books! But bigger picture, my dream project would be to do something that truly makes a difference in the world, something other than just pretty design. I've been gutted since the November election results, and it's really made me think about my work and way of living in a much different light. So I am still trying to figure that part out, and hopefully it'll present itself sooner rather than later.