Artist Dylan John Michael, wife Vanessa open Strawberry & Co.
With a cast of characters designed to be cute, fun, and relatable, graphic designer Dylan John Michael is reaching out to a new generation of sticker lovers through designs all his own.
The Fall River designer, along with his wife, Vanessa, will be showcasing his creations at a center-aisle cart inside the Dartmouth Mall, located right in front of Claire’s. The display will feature his original sticker designs, each created to spark joy and connection through playful artwork and thoughtful expressions.
Dylan and Vanessa, the owners of Strawberry & Co., will be set up in the Dartmouth Mall for the month of July.
Dylan is excited about this step forward with Strawberry & Co., and accepting the challenge of introducing the cart this time of year.
“It’s a new business focused on bringing a little joy through cute, fun, and relatable characters. We’ll be offering products like stickers, greeting cards, notepads, bookmarks, and a journal bundle designed to be decorated and personalized,” Dylan announced on his Instagram account.
Dylan has a personal investment in the characters, making this project special.
From stickers to stationary
Dylan said the cart will include his signature stickers, stationary items, notepads, cards and canvasses along with a journal bundle designed to be decorated and personalized.
“The primary item I am going to really focus on are my stickers because of the high demand that they have and the ability for people to reflect on who they are and their personalities,” he said.
An introduction to the brand
Strawberry & Co. is a character-driven brand where people can discover fun, expressive characters that reflect who they are or someone they love.
The idea came from a mix of creative passion, family inspiration, and a strawberry character Dylan and his young twin daughters created together.
“What I’m doing with this character really falls in line with this generation right now,” he said.
From cartoons to stickers
He has a personal investment in the characters, and that is what makes it special. Overall, he’s excited about this step forward with Strawberry & Co., and accepting the challenge of introducing the cart this time of year.
“I’m definitely sticking with characters, which are my specialties, and I really focus on cartooning and enjoy that,” he said about his work. “The people who have interacted with the characters enjoy it as well.”
Welcome to the mall
Dartmouth Mall General Manager Michael Alfonso looks forward to Strawberry & Co. opening in the mall in July.
“We’re excited to welcome Strawberry & Co. to our retail mix,” he said. “As the region’s go-to shopping destination, Dartmouth Mall stays rooted in its commitment to supporting small businesses and offering the South Coast community unique retail and experiences that reflect their interests and daily needs.”
Characters on screen
Adding an interactive twist, Dylan will also set up a television at the booth where he’ll draw digitally in real-time. This live art experience gives visitors a behind-the-scenes look at his creative process, while also offering a chance to engage directly with his characters through fun mini-games like mazes and printed activity sheets.
“One of my plans is to use the TV as a way for people to interact, walk by and grab their attention, and even if they don’t end up purchasing it, they have something that they are left with and have a nice little experience,” he said.
An artist from the start
Dylan started drawing at a young age and continued through his time at Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School in Fall River, where he focused on graphic design, Photoshop, and other Adobe programs. It was there that he met Vanessa, now his wife and business partner.
Vanessa took a different path, studying criminal justice and working as a paraprofessional, but now plays a vital role in their business. She’s the business-savvy one and keeps him grounded, handling the business side of things, he said.
Appreciation for his cartoons
Before the pandemic, Dylan attended a Comic-Con convention where a moment stuck with him – a child walking by pointed him out to his father and said he looked like Coffee Dealer Joe, Dylan’s signature character. It was a small but meaningful moment that affirmed his creative mission.
“That’s one of my main goals,” he said. “Being able to connect with people.”
Standard-Times staff writer Kathryn Gallerani can be reached at [email protected]. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Standard-Times today.
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