Our Founder

Lara Cornell, MA candidate in Sustainable Design

I know artisan

My grandfather was a woodworker.

My grandmother was a dried floral artist.

My great aunt was an accomplished quilter.

My aunt was a painter and floral designer.

My grandparents farmed the land and were experts at canning and slow food.

My father was a draftsman and dabbled in stained glass & architectural design.

My mother was skilled in crochet and macrame.

One of my first jobs was at the local Arts Guild and Gallery.

Our favorite family past-time for over 4 decades now has been visiting the artisans at the Renaissance Festival and buying directly from them (glass blowing, stained glass, metalsmithing, woodworking, sculpture, apothecary, leather working, ceramics, millinery, textiles, and more). Most still use traditional methods dating back centuries.

Artisan Made has always been a part of my life.

It all comes down to family & legacy

While living in Belgium, I come across a small group of elderly women sitting outside a boutique who were all creating lace with, what seemed like, a million little bobbins! They were moving so quickly and confidently, while piece by piece this gorgeous lace emerged which is a traditional craft in Belgium.

The key, I discovered that day, to a life filled with beauty & authenticity is passion, purpose and legacy. Having lived abroad for several years and then working as an executive in the travel industry for decades, I have had the opportunity to travel and live with families all over the world.

I’ve seen how family and community take precedent over work.

I’ve seen how having a skilled artisan in your community make something is valued far over purchasing mass-made.

I’ve seen how purchasing eggs from the farmer next door is more important than running to the grocery store.

I’ve seen people show off a favorite painting, dress, or even door knobs that had been passed down through generations or even salvaged from castles!

It all comes down to FAMILY and LEGACY. They want their community to thrive and flourish and have the best quality wine, cheese, flowers, etc… so they can all be proud of where they came from. They want the time they spend with their family to be the MOST important which often leads to lingering meals and evenings together with friends and family.

They want the generations after them to have something that has tested time, ages with beauty, speaks to who they are and what they love, and will be pride of place for years to come.

And this is what drives me in both my life and my business.

A Passion for Strategy & Learning

My zone of genius lies in creating handmade artisan businesses focused on the Three Pillars of Sustainability: Planet, People & Prosperity. I LOVE helping artisan business owners build a legacy business that is 100% aligned with who they are and what they love.

I have worked for decades in sales & retail for impact-driven brands such as Aveda and Laura Ashley, and as an executive in international travel before starting my own successful art business and even showing my art at the Louvre in Paris! 

Building an award winning social impact venue allowed me to work more one-on-one with local artisans to create their legacy businesses while also supporting the local community through prioritizing hand-made, farm-to-table, local, sustainable events, and supporting local charitable and non-profit organizations.

2021 saw the launch of my international best selling book Maker's Mark, and the beginning of supporting & educating artisans on a more global level with the creation of Artisan & Company (a Triple Bottom Line brand & lifestyle agency). 

With sustainability and social impact in the forefront while supporting artisans, the Sustainable Artisan Guild initiative was created. The Guild is a global movement helping artisans build a more sustainable business in their studio and through their products for artisans all over the world. 

I have had opportunity to study with some incredible programs to build my skills and expertise such as studying Fine Art with Milan Art Institute, Modern and Contemporary Art and Design with MoMa, Business of Art with Sotheby’s Institute of Art, and an MA in Sustainable Design & Biomimicry with MCAD. 

I also continue to study Branding Strategy, and Sustainable & Impact Driven Business Strategies with University of London and University of Copenhagen. 

Of course this is in addition to expanding my creative skillset with studies in Gilding and the Perfumery Arts to name just a couple.

I am an over-achiever who learns by doing ALL the things which has led to successful ventures and a large skillset! I am just as happy painting and creating as I am reading the Stanford Business Review, coaching, & and discussing biomimicry and sustainability in business. 

I can be found usually covered in paint, with gold leaf in my hair and a minimum of 3 books in my handmade bag while juggling a decaf organic latte from a local coffee shop, my three kids, & a handful of slow flowers. I’m a sucker for a great antique chandelier, a vintage dresser with impeccable dovetail joints, a good farmers market, a well-created sustainable brand, a handmade paper journal, a handcrafted pencil, and any opportunity to learn something new.