Since 2022, Megan Ellis Bicklein of Mae Bicklein Designs has been creating hand-drawn silhouettes. Bicklein aims for her business to provide more than just works of art; her hope is that these pieces become timeless treasures for families that depict their loved one at a specific age or moment.
“I personally hand-draw each and every detail—the button nose and tiny hairs of a newborn baby, the curls and sweet lashes of a toddler, the braids and bows of a darling preteen, and even the characteristic tufts of fur of a customer’s beloved pet,” says Bicklein. “I truly believe that this is where the magic happens — when a customer sees their silhouette proof and thinks, ‘That’s my baby!’”
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As beautiful as the reactions from her customers often are, the business itself was born out of a season of struggle for Bicklein.
“Prior to starting my business I was a luxury marriage proposal planner for seven years,” Bicklein says. “While it sounds like a dream job to plan the happiest moment of other people’s lives, it was the downfall of my mental health. Trying to balance the job that was sucking the life out of me while also being a stay-at-home mom to a baby. I felt that I was failing in all areas of my life.”
Reflecting on these challenges during a particularly stressful time led Bicklein to create a resolution, one that changed her life. “On New Year’s day in 2022, I made a resolution to myself to find a hobby that filled my cup,” she recalls. “The walls of my home were empty, so I set out to create silhouettes of my baby and two dogs. I shared a progress photo of the silhouettes on my personal Instagram story and, within 24 hours, I received more than a dozen messages from friends and family asking how they could purchase a silhouette.”
Within a week Bicklein opened her Etsy shop, and the rest is history. “Within three months, I quit my job as a marriage proposal planner to take my silhouette business full time,” Bicklein says.
Today, Bicklein makes each product with the knowledge that her work is likely to be a precious heirloom piece for someone. “When I created my silhouettes, the two things I knew would set me apart from other silhouettes were my attention to detail—ensuring each little last, hair, nose shape, etc., reflected my subject,” Bicklein notes. “And my style — a classic feel with a whimsical and airy twist that blends well with a perfectly curated interior.”
Silhouettes are hand-drawn from customers’ photos of their children and pets, then carved into a single sheet of paper with a floral overlay inside the bust. “The customer has a choice of using my generic flowers inside the bust or they can take the customization a step further by incorporating their loved one’s birth month flowers or other meaningful flowers such as a wedding bouquet or remembrance flowers,” Bicklein explains.
For individuals who may be in a rush to receive their silhouette, Mae Bicklein Designs offers pre-drawn items including several children and more than 25 breeds of dogs, cats, and horses that ship within one week of purchase.
Mae Bicklein Designs also offers a line of wallpaper mats that can be used to frame silhouettes.
“We believe that elevating any piece to match a well-designed interior is extremely important,” Bicklein says. “Therefore, we choose the best patterns from designers like Schumacher, Lee Jofa, Serena and Lily, and Colefax and Fowler to offer a print for every home style.”
Mats are released every two to three months in small batches, whereas custom silhouettes typically take four to six weeks to turnaround.
“I am so proud to have grown the business to where we are today,” Bicklein says. “We have hit huge milestones in the last three years of our business, from having celebrity clients to being featured in Nellie Howard Ossi’s room at the Kips Bay Showhouse. To this day, I’ve created 3,000 unique silhouettes and memories for families across the globe and have two amazing ladies helping me run the business.”
