TheAhlgrenCollage

Hello! My name is Melissa Ahlgren. I’m the artist, designer, and maker behind the Ahlgren Collage of Arts and Science. I design and create housewares with the goal of bringing color and cheer to your life.

Much of my inspiration comes from color and nature. A shock of bright fuchsia bougainvillea. The turquoise ombre of the ocean. A riot of coral and pink petals in a flower bed. Seeing bright, beautiful colors always thrills me whether I’m in a sacred space in nature or running errands in my neighborhood.

I highly value the environment and its inhabitants, which is why I strive to offer goods that are not only beautiful, but ethically made and eco-conscious as well. It troubles me that the earth and so many people in poverty are exploited in order to give us the cheapest products possible. I love that Etsy offers people an alternative. If you have any questions about my process, please feel free to contact me!

: : ABOUT ME : :
I am a graphic designer by trade but have always been an artist at heart. I originally started The Ahlgren Collage because my inner artist needed a creative outlet from my 8-to-5 design job. When we moved from Seattle to LA for my husband’s job in 2013, I left the corporate design world and happily began to focus my creative energy on this shop. We now live in Massachusetts where I spend my days wrangling my kids while squeezing in as much work as possible during naps and evenings.

: : ABOUT THE NAME : :
My husband, Nathan, and I originally started this shop together. I am an artist; he’s a scientist (who happens to be pretty artistic) and works at a university. We are both inspired by nature and science. Our creative styles, however, are pretty different—my style is more graphic, while his is more literal—so combining them into one shop was like making a collage . . . which then became a play on the word college . . . and thus the name, The Ahlgren Collage of Arts and Science.