After 20+ years of designing for brands, it was time for something a bit more personal for Sister Mary’s founder, Leigh Chandler.  To capture the spirit of both Sister Mary the person, and Sister Mary the design agency by doing what we do best - harnessing the power of art and the beauty of ideas.

THE WORLD IS A WORK OF ART

Just as Sister Mary Corita Kent elevated the mundane to the magical - creating desire for everyday objects like bread packaging and fruit crates by turning them into vibrant pieces of art - our idea was born from a trip to our local Brooklyn bodega.  Noticing the dusty prayer candles on the bottom shelf, we saw a blank canvas that sparked a creative vision.

THE POWER OF ART, THE BEAUTY OF IDEAS

As a self-initiated project, we had the opportunity to pursue things we were passionate about for no other reason than that. But we didn’t just want to design something beautiful - it had to communicate a powerful idea. Just as Sister Mary Corita Kent was a force of progress during her activism in the 60’s, we are striving to create change in the ratio of women owned creative agencies. We wanted our candle to signify our unique and disruptive approach to building brands - honoring the traditions that shaped us while breaking the rules in how we brought it to life.

WHEN IN DOUBT, TURN OFF THE LIGHTS

We filled our hearts and minds with everything that inspired us around the idea of Beacon of Change, building in details to bring our story to life.  As an avid opponent of ‘blanding,’ Leigh brought her own expressive, maximalist style to weave together the pieces. From Sister Mary Corita Kent’s artwork, her religious roots and the rebellious era she helped usher in, to Leigh’s personal and professional journey of starting an agency, every detail is infused with symbolic meaning and craft.