Meet The Makers Mini Interview: Harmonic Arts
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Harmonic Arts Mini Interview
We’re really thrilled to have the opportunity to interview Clinical Herbalist Angela Willard, co-visionary of the much beloved local botanical dispensary, Harmonic Arts. Founded in Cumberland, BC in 2008 by Angela and husband Master Herbalist Yarrow Willard, Harmonic Arts brought a super high quality selection of expertly-blended herbs and medicinal mushrooms to the small island community. Word spread fast, and so did their fledgling business! Today Harmonic Arts’ premium tinctures, elixirs, teas and blends, many of which feature wild, locally foraged ingredients, are available throughout Canada and we feel so lucky to have them right in our beautiful forested back yard.
Share your story with us in a 150 words or less.
Inspired by the natural beauty and abundance of our homeland on Vancouver Island, my partner Yarrow and I wanted to share the vibrancy of plant medicine with the greater community. Our mantra was “bring the plants and the people will come!”, and come they did. The business took on a life of its own, as word of mouth of the plants quality took quickly! As herbalists, we sure had a lot of learning to do about business, but we were committed and keen, so with the support of a mentor, a solid and dedicated team, and a dream to contribute towards a thriving society we managed to create an incredible company that inspires health from the inside out. We are proud to offer high quality herbal blends to customers, support our local environment through responsible stewardship, and continually nourish our staff with healthy initiatives.
Getting from an idea to a small business is a lot of work! When did it first sink in for you that ‘this is really happening’?
The local community took to our offerings very quickly, and within a couple of months of opening our doors we were running to keep up! It hit us pretty swiftly that this was a go, and it truly sank in when we realized we were committed to the mission with body, heart, and soul.
Out of all your products, which is your personal favourite and why?
My very favourite product is the Stress Balance tincture. I love that I can carry it around with me and easily take it throughout the day. This blend helps me stay resilient while maintaining the responsibility of both business owner and mama to three boys!
What motivates you on a day-to-day basis?
Living a life that I love. As hard as I work and as full as my plate is, I love it with all of my heart and would not rather be doing anything else!
What’s your favourite thing about the town or city you live in?
The mix of responsible and playful community, organic farmlands, and wild lands. It is such a wonderful place to live and I have a deep reverence and relationship to this land.
Describe your ideal Sunday, including your breakfast.
Waking up naturally with the sun, sipping a warm mug of Elevate Elixir, reading a piece of soulful literature by the fire, followed by nourishing my body with a warm apple crisp :)
What are your personal top three tips for feeling awesome?
Rest deeply, move frequently, and nourish vibrantly.
Find Harmonic Arts : On Their Website | On Instagram | On Twitter | On Facebook