Hello there and welcome to our first blog post! Thanks for visiting our new website and we are excited to let you all know a little (or a lot) more about the two who started it all!

Now please, allow us to introduce ourselves... 

Brianne Diermeier
Designer & Co-Owner

The run down: Born and raised in a tiny farm town in the middle of the cheese and beer-loving state of Wisconsin. Grew up surrounded by family, friends and cows. Graduated in 2014 from University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point with my BFA in Graphic Design. Go Pointers! As much as I loved my home state, I needed a change. So, I packed up my little Honda and moved to the East Coast where I have been working as a graphic designer for a print and marketing solutions company in NH. Now, let's get personal...

10 Get to Know Me Qs:

1. What's your middle name? Elnora.
This a actually a really great question. I used to despise this name when I was a bratty little child, because it was DIFFERENT. Today, I absolutely love it BECAUSE it's different. It was my great grand mother's name and has been in my family for generations. I plan to hopefully pass it on to my daughter someday.

2. What's your favorite drink? Non-alcoholic: Starbucks DoubleShot with Cream, light ice. Alcoholic: Anything with rum. :)

3. What's your favorite food? Chicken Quesadillas, hands down.

me eating a glorious chicken quesadilla.

4. What was the last thing you bought? Allbirds Wool Runners in Mint
I ordered these miracle shoes on a Wednesday and received them on Friday. I never knew running shoes could be so comfortable and CUTE. They are now my favorite pair of shoes and I will be recommending them to anyone who will listen. Seriously, life changing.

5. Favorite color? Love light blue. HATE ORANGE.

6. Have you ever been out of the country, if so how many times? Yes, I have!
In 2007, I went on a cruise and we visited Key West, Cozumel, the Cayman Islands and Jamaica. Another amazing trip I went on in 2013 for my 21st Birthday, Danielle and I went to an all-inclusive resort in Cabo San Lucas. Ahhh-mazing. We're going back.

We swam with dolphins and it was life-changing!

7. Do you have any siblings? I have three. 

Danielle is my older sister by three years. She's the most wonderful person in my life and I would be absolutely nothing without her. She's my best friend, role model, travel partner and now business partner!
Ian is my younger brother by four years. We definitely get on each others nerves A LOT when I am home, but we still love each other. :)
Carley is my baby sister with a 13 year age difference! This little girl is seriously the apple of my eye and I would do anything for her. She's cute, a little sassy, and can make anyone laugh. Love her!

8. Are you married? Ha, no.
I'm just... uhhh... trying to... umm... figure out my life at the moment. I have big plans for myself and my future. I want to see the world. I'm only 24 so I have time to figure that all out. :)

9. Do you have any pets? Marley, the demon cat.
I have a love/hate relationship with my cat, Marley. I got him three years ago so I wouldn't be lonely in my apartment and he has been terrorizing/cuddling with me ever since.

10. Favorite Freshwater piece? The "Love Fern" Wall Art
I'm a huge fan of Rom-Coms, with How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days being at the top of the list. This was one of our very first designs that was inspired by the hilarious love fern scene. Pleeeease tell me you get my reference?!

...

Danielle Harmadi
Artist & Co-Owner

The run down: Born and raised in same farm town, where shoes were never ever worn, adventures were had on the daily, and hard-work was the way to get to hard-play. I love that town but I knew at a young age I would leave it and now many places have pieces of my heart left in them. I graduated UW-Stevens Point in 2011 with a BS in Wildlife Ecology and Captive Wildlife. What?! But, I am the artist? Yes, our dad always told me to go for art and I just didn't listen.  The truth is I have many passions. I love travel and I love animals and I love art.   Maybe that is why we have quite a few pieces that feature animals. I still work to help keep animals healthy and happy as a veterinary technician. I have done some crazy things, I was a zookeeper for tigers and lions, a zoo educator with North American mammals, a horse wrangler, and a rescue worker. I love the way my life always does something new but I always come home to art. I started wood burning 6 years ago when I was wrangling mustangs and dude horses in Utah and I haven't been able to stop since.

10 Get to Know Me Qs:

1. What's your middle name? Dawn.
The first born girl in our family is traditionally given this name, so I share it with our mother, which is so special to me and I look forward to hopefully passing it on one day. Our mother and a lot of women in our family are such creative and artistic people and we owe a lot to them!

2. What's your favorite drink? Depends on the time of day!
Mornings I love a chai tea latte, an afternoon sweet tea is always nice, and when I'm feeling relaxed in the evenings a secret family recipe Old-Fashioned is my favorite

3. What's your favorite food? French desserts.
They know what they are doing.

4. What was the last thing you bought? Fresh bouquet of flowers for a photo shoot.

5. Favorite color? Seafoam, not in the trendy way but in the secret ocean cove where my mind can get lost for hours kind of way.  I also have this crazy love affair with copper, the real kind.

6. Have you ever been out of the country, if so how many times? It's one of my favorite things to do! I believe the answer is 7 and growing quickly!

7. Do you have any siblings? Yes!
They are crazy, but wonderful and I couldn't do life without them. And we couldn't do Freshwater without each other!

8. Are you married? Yes.
We got married last September on the lake in Wisconsin.  It was the most incredible day and I am so incredibly blessed.

9. Do you have any pets? If you count our dog Forrest, but you really shouldn't because he believes he is human and we think he might be right.

10. Favorite Freshwater piece? That's a hard one! A lot of love, patience, and hand cramps go into each piece but I just love the Longhorn piece. He is just so darn cute and truly shows how we have taken a traditional form of art and made it modern and stylish.

And there you have it! Now you know a little (or a lot...) more about us, the gals behind Freshwater. If you have any questions at all, please feel free to reach out! We'd love to hear from you.

All our love,
Dani & Bri