Interview by Mercedes Arnold

Maine Vibes Magazine: Thank you both for joining me! Can you introduce yourselves and tell me about Saint Beasley? 

Michelle Schoellkopf: Michelle Schoellkopf, she/her/hers. 

Siobhan Beasley: Siobhan Beasley, also she/her/hers. 

MVM: How did Saint Beasley get started? 

SB: Saint Beasley got started over the pandemic. Michelle and I are high school best friends and reconnected and started chatting a lot more. I am a commercial and fine art photographer and Saint Beasley started to develop organically. Michelle is such a natural business person and I’m 100% an artist. It was a natural fit for us to start working together to sell art prints. She would be the person I would turn to when I was having trouble organizing something in my own business. I’d ask her a question when we were out and she’d be scribbling on the back of a napkin at the bar, she’s such a genius. 

MS: I love it, you called me a genius. 

SB: It feels that way to me! When you lack a skill set that someone else has, you’re like, how did you do that? I get very excited. 

MS: Vice Versa. I feel similarly. The way you take that creativity and flow with it, I can get stalled on that end of things. 

SB: That’s the beauty of our partnership. We complement each other; where I have flaws, she shines, and vice versa. We knew that we wanted to work together. At first, it started off with the idea of selling fine art that brought more joy and color into the world. Then, we realized very quickly that we had the potential to create more than art prints. We could create apparel, reusable bottles, and so many different items where we could add something joyful and colorful. So that’s how Saint Beasley was born. 

As we were going through that birthing process, we were trying to be mindful of bringing something new into the world. We wanted to make sure that we had established, well-thought-out principles that we were basing our company on. There are three that we came up with; more color, more fun, more responsible. We wanted to make sure anything we were creating was going to be more joyful and colorful, but also make sure that it was responsibly created. 

As a kid, I was so attracted to Lisa Frank and all of the colors, those neon pinks and greens. When you try and make some of those things you realize oh, we can’t create that. It’s so much plastic and throw-away stuff. So we want to create joyful, colorful products  in a way that’s responsible and ethical, and in a way where we can give back to the community, so that as we grow, that part would grow, too.

MVM: When you look at your products and go through your website there is so much energy and color, it’s definitely fun. Would you consider Saint Beasley a lifestyle brand? 

MS: I would venture to say yes. It’s our intent to have a lifestyle sort of brand. We want to continue on the path of bringing more awareness to how it is that we all can make more responsible purchasing decisions. Obviously, Saint Beasley is not the first retailer to go this route, but our goal is to join the movement and figure out ways we, as a company, can contribute in a better way.

MVM: Why was it important to you both to create sustainable products?

SB: The short answer is, when you know better, do better [Maya Angelou]. Both of us, and I think most people at this point, are pretty aware of the damage that humans are doing to our planet. It seems that as we are creating something new, it's our responsibility to do it in a way that minimizes harm everywhere, whether it's to people that are producing the garments or the frames, the artwork, or the way a t-shirt will end its lifecycle. We know about so much of the damage that we are doing, so we have to do better. It is possible to be better and to do better. 

MVM: Last time we met we were talking about all the research that you do prior to creating a product. Can you talk about that process? 

MS: Because of the approach that we wanted to take, we spent a year researching before we went to market with any of our non-art prints. It was a deep dive and really, a process of elimination. We started from the top and asked ourselves; what is sustainability? What is eco-conscious? What is socially responsible? It was not an easy project. You have to get down to the nitty-gritty and start to really make some choices. 

MVM: Absolutely, and to Siobhan’s point, we are in 2022, and it is possible to make more eco-friendly purchases. To be building a brand that stands for sustainability and doing that amount of research to stay current on the latest regulations and put the time and effort into that is admirable. It sounds like a continuous journey, too. 

MS: I don’t think the journey is ever done. We are always learning new things, not just me and Siobhan, but all of us as humans. 

MVM: Right, so on top of practicing being a sustainable brand, you also give back to your community. Can you talk about this? 

MS: Yeah, the two organizations that we donate to are The Trevor Project and the National Network of Abortion Funds. 

SB: We started with different collections, for example, one collection we had done was with the floral artist, Electric Flora. Then around spring, we did a collection that was devoted to LGBTQ+ rights and wanted to give back to an organization that supports them. We did our research and felt that The Trevor Project was a good fit. We made a collection of designs that both Michelle and I worked on that felt really fun and vibrant and celebrated diversity. We will offer that collection year-round and donate a portion of our proceeds to The Trevor Project. 

Then, when the awful news came down from the Supreme Court about the right to choose, we immediately felt like we had to do something. We had a serious conversation about our brand, and do we come out as one that’s in support of what our individual views are? We did think through that a bit, but it is something that we both agreed we wanted to be public about because it was important to talk about it. We created a collection called We Will Fight and a portion of the proceeds go to the National Network of Abortion Funds. 

MS: It can be tricky to be a brand that takes a stand on a potentially polarizing topic; however, we look forward to continuing to use Saint Beasley’s platform to openly and publicly speak out about current day human rights issues. 

MVM: Yeah, from my perspective as a consumer, I tend to appreciate brands more when they express how they feel about human rights issues and current events. I also appreciate when companies give back to nonprofits and to their community. On a different topic though, I heard that growing up, Siobhan had a family goat! 

SB: Yeah, so my family had moved to Falmouth Foreside, I don’t know if you’re familiar.
MS: Siobhan, everyone knows about the Falmouth Foreside!

SB: I know, it’s a bit of a bougie area…So my mom found the only little property that was a little home that had a 2-door barn. 

MS: The house was so old, it had probably been there since the 1800s. 

SB: It was grandfathered into the codes I think, around all these mini mansions, we had this little cabin bungalow with a farm in the back. My mom ended up letting someone rent space for their horse in the barn or something like that. There was some agreement where it wasn’t our horse, but we felt that the horse needed a friend. We ended up getting a goat, Kanga. She was more like a dog than anything else. 

MS: I could not wait to see Kanga whenever I came over. 

MVM: Did the horse and the goat get along?

SB: They were best friends, Kanga got along with everyone. In the summertime, Kanga and I would lay out on chaise lounge chairs outside while I was tanning. I would be in one chair and Kanga would be in the other one. Eventually, the horse ended up leaving so we got a second goat to keep Kanga company and we called him Roo. He taught Kanga to be a trouble maker. 

MVM: That sounds like a great duo. Talking about Saint Beasley, what excites you about the future of your company? 

MS: We look forward to getting more eyes on our brand. Expanding our apparel and accessories lines is a major focus for us right now. 

SB: We are hopeful that as we grow we are able to have a bit more purchase power, too. We’d like to have a greater say in how our partners provide and make our products. There’s a frame that we get for our art where everything is pretty much eco-friendly with the exception of a small bag with the frame hardware taped to the back of it. We’d love to be able to ask that that be compostable. So we are looking forward to having more control over that sort of thing as we grow.

MS: That’s something great about the art framing partner that we use. Not only do they source recycled and/or sustainable materials for their frames,but all components of the shipping materials they use are fully recyclable, which is one of the major reasons why we went with them. 

MVM: That’s very cool. I wouldn’t think to replace the tiny bag on the back of the frame with the hardware, but it’s so important to think about. Small things can make a big difference. Are there any Maine collaborations you want to make happen? 

SB: Yeah, the person I geek out about is Electric Flora, Michelle Rech. We’ve been lucky enough to collaborate with her and I hope we keep continuing to, she’s got that joy and colorful work, it’s so beautiful. As far as others, anybody who aligns with our values we would be excited about. 

MVM: There are a lot of people in Maine that meet all three of your brand values. I’m curious, how is it working with a close friend? 

MS: That's an interesting question, is it a good idea to go into business with your friend? I think probably not always. We are so similar in some ways and complementary in others  which makes us a great fit.  

MVM: Is a lot of that built on trust? 

MS: I think that’s exactly right. 

SB: I've never thought about it consciously before this moment, but absolutely, I trust her implicitly. There’s no fear or doubt there. 

MS: We also like to be super goofy. We make time to be goofy and laugh at the crap that we like to laugh about. I can’t believe I used the word crap because I’ve never used that word in my life. We like to laugh at the shit that we like to laugh about. 

MVM: I love to swear, it’s fine. It’s a sign of intelligence and a de-stressor, right? It’s great. 

MS: I mean, I could pull out a big word here and there if it dawned on me, but mostly I’m probably just swearing. 

MVM: I love that. 

MS: That’s a quote unless you don’t want it to be. 

MVM: We are leaving it in. So it sounds like it’s fantastic working with your friend, as long as there’s mutual trust. 

MS: It was a risk but we vibe together well and I wouldn’t have it any other way!

MVM: Did you both grow up in Maine? 

MS: I grew up in Maine. Siobhan joined us in Maine in high school. 

MVM: Where did you grow up before you moved to Maine, Siobhan?

SB: I was in Arizona and New Mexico. 

MVM: Ok, so what’s the best thing about being in Maine? 

MS: I love the ocean and the woods, neither of them is too far away. 

SB: The ocean is so important to both of us. Also being out amongst nature. Portland is such a special place in the sense that its supportive of local businesses. I feel like whenever I’m there I’m so relaxed. It feels nice to know that all of the local shops are real human beings making something they are passionate about. 

MS: The support the community gives in terms of people starting their own businesses and patronizing them, is part of what makes Portland super special. 

MVM: Before we leave, could you share the story of how you named Saint Beasley? 

SB: My mother’s name is Sheila and her maiden name is Terranova, so her first two initials are S.T. Beasley. There would be times when telemarketers would call and ask for St. Beasley and it was always the funniest thing in the world to me, so we had to go with it. 

MVM: I love that so much. Thank you both for talking with us and sharing your stories. 

Thank you to Siobhan and Michelle for taking the time to talk with Maine Vibes Magazine!

Web: https://www.saintbeasley.com

Instagram: @saintbeasley

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