Judging from her bold, bright, upbeat aesthetic, you might assume Dee D’Amico was born and bred in some sunny spot like Miami’s South Beach. You certainly wouldn’t guess upstate New York — above the family-owned funeral home.

Dee’s parents “made sure humor and fun were very much alive in the home,” she recalls. It’s that sense of humor that still informs her work. “If I chuckle while I’m sketching an image, I know I got it,” she says. We liked her style right away, but when she mentioned that Dr. Seuss was one of her biggest influences, that’s when we knew we had to have her. (Although, truth be told, her “Wine Girls” line of prost!cards is probably more Erte than Seuss.)

A serious pet lover, Dee founded a company called Get Off the Furniture! featuring her pet-inspired designs on T-shirts, pillows and other products. We plan to introduce her soon to our Miniature Schnauzer, Sydney, who deserves a card line of her very own.