Interview: Maranda Lee

Maranda Lee Designs
225 South Main St
www.marandalee.com

When did you start making art? 
  I can’t remember a time that I didn’t love to create.  I used to draw and design clothing when I was a child. I taught myself to sew on my mother’s 1950’s sewing machine when I was just 17 years old. My first creation was a hair scrunchi.  I fell in love with taking a yard of fabric and turning into something else. From there, I began sewing costumes, merging my love of history and sewing. After my second child was born, I created my first bag and have been blessed to create everyday since.

Did you always want to be an artist? What are some other jobs you have had?
I think of myself as a maker, creator and designer. The day doesn’t feel complete if I haven’t created something whether it was on a sewing machine or fresh bread baked in the oven, or a meal from scratch for my family.  I love the process of creating something new out of something raw. My path here has been varied. I’ve worked in many fields including as a waitress, a phlebotomist and also as a Real Estate agent.

How did you end up in Livingston?
My husband and I built our first home on the pass between Bozeman and Livingston in 2000 because it was close to my work in Bozeman but being in our early 20’s we couldn’t afford much.  We hand stacked our log home, laid our own tile and in general did just about all the work ourselves.  Again, creating something on a piece of bare land.  We were blessed with three kids and love to call Livingston our home. We love to be outdoors, near the water, hiking the trails.  I LOVE that I can drive from one end of town to the other in 5 minutes or less!​

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Who inspires you? 
​ Inspiration comes from many places. I love to work with vibrant fabrics, pairing them together to create unique combinations. Sometimes I end up with a color palette that reflects the colors of the current season. My journey as a mom and my kids give me inspiration too. Many of the bags and accessories I create are geared towards women, moms and kids. I love collaborating with other artists, designing original fabrics inspired by natural settings: the texture of the bark on a tree, the water moving swiftly in the Yellowstone river, or the vibrant contrast of the snow on the mountains against a bright blue sky.

What is your soundtrack while you work?
Pandora - Classic rock, Country, some of today’s pop and as we say in the studio, all soundtracks come back to Michael Jackson.

What’s your favorite thing about Livingston?
​The people.  This town is truly a community like no other. I feel like we are all stronger together. We back each other up, we volunteer to make our town and our schools better. The people here are giving, kind and considerate. I love that you can take your kids to the park and bask in the beauty of the river and mountains. And it doesn’t hurt that you can drive from one end of town in 5 minutes or less!

Any thing else? (hidden talents? Best pets? Are you a magician?)
I wish I could say I can juggle or touch my nose with my tongue, but alas, I cannot. I can however, fold a basket of laundry in under 5 minutes and am really good at pushing kids on a swing!

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