I T I N E R A R Y | S H O R T H O P S
Though Devan has carved stamps directly into wood blocks , she often uses a rubber block , a thick piece of rubber 1 / 4-inch thick , that she then attaches to a piece of wood . Carving in this way is easier on her hands and takes considerably less time , allowing Devan to experiment more freely with her work .
hobbies and business tools that seem to blend into one another . Ski boots sit facing dog chairs . Floor to ceiling shelves are lined with camping gear . Two industrial clothing lines span the ceiling , partially weighed down by freshly stamped tanks and sweatshirts .
Devan ’ s platform workbench is covered in duct tape and on the shelf above it rests the magic — Devan ’ s currently active collection of hand-carved woodblock stamps . A skill most learn in middle school , Devan has turned stamp carving into a thriving business . The blocks , in their varying sizes , are labeled with names like Tree Flake , Sugarloaf , and PNW Thing .
Her oldest block stamp is called Mountains & Water . She carved it in 2015 , at the birth of Contour Creative . “ I always thought making graphic tees would be neat , but you had to make them in such huge quantities that it just never seemed feasible ,” Devan explained .
The unfeasible became a glimmer when Devan ’ s friend Bailey Arnone showed her the block print murals she was creating . “ I immediately wondered if I could stamp onto shirts . After months of research , I showed my husband my ideas . He simply asked , ‘ When are you going to order the supplies ?’ And so I did ,” shared Devan .
Back then , Devan and Dan lived in a tiny home . With space at a premium , Devan launched and ran Contour Creative from a plastic tote . It slipped into
the cubby intended to one day house their single drawer dishwasher .
Today , the tiny house would struggle to keep up with the demand . The fabric ink Devan uses takes a solid week to dry . And depending on the piece , it needs to dry hanging or laid flat .
But Devan is committed to the process . Stamping by hand ( or foot in many cases ) with ink that practically bonds and dyes the fabric produces a highly durable finished product . Being married to the boss lady , Devan ’ s husband has
one of the first t-shirts she printed .
“ He wears and washes it at least once a week . And it ’ s still in great shape . To me , making clothes that are going to last and keep getting used is one of the best things I can do for the environment ,” Devan explained .
The stamps she creates are inspired by the region . Icons like trees , mountains , and moons dominate her apparel line . But recently a butterfly has made an appearance . “ Butterflies aren ’ t the norm for me . But I just keep hoping that we all emerge from 2020 like beautiful butterflies ,” Devan said of the maroon hoodie she was wearing .
The process of stamping isn ’ t simply nature and whimsy . Stamping each of her larger pieces takes between three and five deep squats — an endeavor that makes printing days quite the workout .
Occasionally , Devan can be found at local farmers ’ markets . But primarily , you can see her apparel line on her website — contourcreative . us — while supplies last ! MIKAELA JUDD kenmoreair . com
25