Today we’d like to introduce you to Christine Webster, Designer & Beekeeper.
Christine, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Beekeeping became a way to heal myself after a weary decade in Chicago’s advertising industry. For ten years, I spent 50 to sometimes over 80 hours a week sitting at a desk, squinting into a monitor, under a beam of fluorescent light, stories high above miles of pavement, sleep-deprived, and seeing too much of myself in my wilting desk plants. Being an agency Art Director should have been more obviously incompatible for someone like me—curious, high energy, passionate, gritty—but I thought it was the only way to be regarded, respected, and financially sound. And I was good at my job; I did well enough… until I’d had enough.
In 2016, my husband and I agreed we were ready for just a little more space, a little more quiet, a little more outback, so we packed up and moved 1,000 miles west to Denver. That’s right—we’re one of those people. Denver’s warm design community welcomed me, and the eclectic job market provided just enough work for us to start our design & illustration business, Canū Creative. I would continue this type of work, but with new rules:
1. Work wherever I want—in our office, a coffee shop, a park, in our car while in transit—as long as the work gets done.
2. Don’t work more than 40 hours a week, unless I want to.
3. Take breaks outside as much as I need, so that I can identify with more than the pixels I push.
How millennial. How French. How… healthy.
This new career format gave me something I’d always felt short of: time. So I spent my breaks between work running, gardening, and shadowing a beekeeper who graciously accepted me as his protégé. I was hooked—on the bees, the labor of beekeeping, and the natural world I’d missed for so long.
After two years of reading, observing, and assisting my mentor and anyone else who would let me in their apiary, I committed to bees of my own. Neighbors, friends, and family all expressed their curiosity about bees and what they might be able to do to reverse their demise—and there it was, my opportunity to serve more than myself through beekeeping. So much is known about honey bees and other pollinators by scientists and beekeepers, yet so little is understood by the general public.
So I established The Peoples Bees as a voice for the bees and the people. Community events like our bi-annual Beequinox happy hour make basic bee knowledge fun and engaging for adults, while our Show & Tell presentations at Denver Public Libraries bring the magic of bees to children. Aside from education and advocacy, The Peoples Bees also offer hive sponsorship to local businesses and is available to capture swarms and remove live bee habitats from properties.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Change is never easy. Transitioning from full-time agency status in one city to self-employment in another induced a bit of an existential crisis. We left our dear family and friends behind in Chicago to create a healthier life for ourselves here in Denver, and our hearts still ache over three years later. We love and miss them greatly, but the opportunities and sunshine here keep us positive.
Another struggle is pivoting away from the industry I know so well to grow in another. The knowledge, mindset, and responsibilities of a visual designer differ greatly from those of an agriculturist. At 31 years old, I’m a student again—which I find thrilling, humbling, and incredibly nourishing—but sometimes it’s at the expense of more experienced beekeepers peacocking around me. What keeps me going is the good intentions of Canū Creative and The Peoples Bees, and the support of others—especially my husband.
Canū Creative and The Peoples Bees – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Canū Creative is a design & illustration practice operated by my husband and me. Combined, we have over 20 years of multidisciplinary design and advertising experience, which we leverage to brand local businesses—a community we’re passionate about. We specialize in brand identity and all that entails—web and print design, hand lettering, illustration, and more. We’re different in that we’re intentionally small, ethically-driven, and process-oriented. It’s where my right brain thrives.
The Peoples Bees is a grassroots initiative to help people deepen their relationship with nature through the magic of bees. This is done through beekeeping, community events, youth education, and advocacy, because not everyone knows about, cares about, or has access to bees and other pollinators. It’s where my left brain grows.
I’m most proud of the relationships we’ve earned through both these businesses and the opportunities we’ve taken to combine them. Canū Creative helps to brand and market The Peoples Bees, while The Peoples Bees is a healthy outlet for Canū Creative. On a good day, the two efforts are harmonious.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success to me is truth. I believe we discover truth not when we seek it, but when we allow ourselves to unlearn, love, and grow—which can be a caustic process, but one that softens with embrace. And you’ll know it when it finds you because it feels like a remarkable achievement.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thepeoplesbees.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/thepeoplesbees
- Other: www.canucreative.com
Image Credit:
Beekeeping photos by Kylie Fitts and Cassie Constanzo.
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