By: Natalie Peña-Galvis
Despite their shared desire to create art, Cameron Griffin and Madelyn Bircher never really saw themselves as artists. Things changed when they were randomly paired together as roommates in their sorority house.
“Our creativity just bounced off of each other,” Griffin said. “We were inspired by each other to share our work.”
Griffin and Bircher, both rising seniors at UNC, are co-founders of MadGriffin Studio, a collaborative design group based in Chapel Hill. The business offers several lines of products: stickers, poster prints, thrift flips and digital graphics. Additionally, Griffin and Bircher also accept commissions, through which they’ve painted murals, denim, graphic tees, canvases and tables.
“Our favorite line of products, Thrift Flips, started it all,” Griffin said. “We love, absolutely adore, thrifting. Both of us were motivated by the rise of fast fashion to produce something that was both trendy and sustainable. We quickly found thrifting to be the perfect outlet. With a little research, we learned how to make those pieces personalized with our original designs.”
Since its inception, business has taken off, establishing itself in and around Chapel Hill as a sustainability-oriented small business.
“We are doing something genuinely significant regarding sustainability in fashion,” Griffin said.
That aspect is partly why painting clothing and designing graphics are her favorite mediums to work with. “I am creating one-of-a-kind pieces. Each piece is special to me and unique in its own way as opposed to reproducing multiple copies of one poster.”
Though less than a year old, MadGriffin Studio has amassed over 1,000 followers on Instagram and is booked at local markets around The Triangle almost every weekend this summer. Griffin says the most exciting part of it all has been the response they’ve received.
“I would’ve never thought someone would lose their mind over one of my designs, but there they are in the store telling us it’s the best thing they’ve seen,” Griffin said. “The responses to our work have been beyond gratifying and further motivating. I’m always most excited when someone finds a piece that really speaks to them or makes them feel confident in their skin.”
As full-time students, finding a balance between schoolwork and their business can be difficult for Griffin and Bircher.
“Luckily, we don’t work alone,” said Griffin. Bircher is in charge of poster printing while Griffin is responsible for clothing designs. From there, the workload is split based on personal preference.
“We pass off responsibilities throughout the year based on each other’s exam schedules. Additionally, we are very conscious of our work-life balance and put a huge importance on self care on a day-to-day basis,” Griffin said.
As for the future, Griffin and Bircher have big plans. The pair hopes to provide workshops on how to create stickers, posters and original clothing from home, creating a studio space for like-minded individuals without access to an art outlet.
“I want to see us change the way we think about art,” Griffin said. “Art should be accessible, shareable, and sustainable. I want people who don’t necessarily label themselves as artists to have a space.” Most importantly, she says, “I want our art to be avenues of graciousness and joy.”
You can find MadGriffin Studio on their Instagram and Facebook page, or check out their website to shop their pieces.
