Harlem Hill: Pretty Patterns with Pop

{From the 2023 Christmas Newsprint Magazine}
Written by Megin Potter  |  Photos provided

Printmaking has existed for thousands of years, and although it’s an art-making process that Carey London studied and loves, it proved to be too cumbersome to practice at home while raising her two children,
ages 4 and 10. 

So, she switched to a realistic medium that was more easily accessible – watercolors. 

The result is Harlem Hill — 

a sweet selection of patterned paper products with an enduring allure.

“I love color, and watercolors are so nuanced. It’s a medium that’s deep and rich and leaves a lot of room to play and make things that feel delicate, but also really pop!” said London. 

“There’s also an unpredictability with watercolors and a lot of really magical things that can happen by accident.”

Decorative Delights

Floral motifs, the complex beauty of soft colors, pastel tones, and the drama of monochromatic indigo ink prints grace Harlem Hill’s selection of stationery, signage, holiday gift cards, custom invitations, and illustrations. 

Through the juxtaposition of the traditional federal style and a more feminine aesthetic, London created something a little unexpected for Mrs. London’s Bakery and Café. Other exciting local collaborations have included creating shop tags, tissue, and other paper products for Saratoga Tea & Honey, Hamlet & Ghost, Paper Dolls of Saratoga, and Supernatural in downtown Saratoga Springs. 

“I’m always working on new things,” said London. “There’s no shortage of ideas, only a shortage of time.”

A Holiday Hello

Using a new line of holiday stationary to introduce time-honored family traditions (like the hand-written note) creates a connection that may be lacking for children today, said London. 

These little tokens become keepsakes they can treasure. 

Harlem Hill’s old-fashioned charm comes, in part, from London’s original muses, her grandmothers, who both lived in Buffalo, one on Harlem Road, and one on Cresthill Avenue. 

“Children are so immersed in technology that it’s exciting when they get a letter in the mail. It’s something tangible they can hold. It’s real,” she said. 

Fun for Little Readers

Harlem Hill’s Counting Cards (available as a digital download) familiarize children with the Northeastern birds they may encounter on a nature walk, in the barn, or even in their own backyard. 

Little readers can also learn about the diversity of plant life with downloadable botanical Alphabet Cards.  Harlem Hill Alphabet Charts are available at Lex & Cleo, 454 Broadway, Saratoga Springs.

∅For more information and children’s art project instructions, follow @HarlemHill on Instagram, and signup for their newsletter at www.harlemhill.com