About Us

The Bear+Chickadee was founded in 2024 by Danielle Wolf, a Maine-based illustrator, crafter, print & pattern designer, volunteer, aspiring gardener, and mother of two. Danielle finds inspiration everywhere, from a mid-winter flurry and backyard birds in the spring to the stunning expanses of the Atlantic coastline in the summer and fall.

We are inspired by ordinary moments and things that somehow become extraordinary. Maybe it's their shape, texture, color, or surroundings. Whatever it is, the Bear+Chickadee exists to capture those moments and things as keepsakes.

Living in "Vacationland" has brought more inspiration than Danielle could have hoped for. The Bear+Chickadee began with a simple idea - to make illustrations inspired by life's treasures - but is the culmination of years' worth of travels, notes, watercolors, paintings, and countless sketches. The Bear is Danielle's son, Jonah, and the Chickadee is her daughter Violet.

Meet the Maker

Behind every print is a process that starts with a walk, a window, or a moment I don't want to forget. I'm Danielle — and I make everything in my studio here in Maine, surrounded by dried botanicals, too many cups of tea, and the occasional visit from The Bear and The Chickadee themselves.

My illustration process is intentionally unhurried. I sketch loosely first, chasing a feeling rather than a perfect image. Then I build up layers of color and texture until the piece feels like it belongs somewhere — like it was always meant to be on your wall, in your light.

I'm drawn to the imperfect and the organic. The slightly-worn-in. The real. I want my work to feel like a keepsake of the life you're actually living, not a version of it.

Want to see behind the scenes? Follow along on Instagram for studio snapshots, works in progress, Maine moments, and the story behind each new collection.