Small Moments, Marked in Time. Jemma Chapman on memory, place, and documenting life in stamps

cgoucher
Jun 22
4 min read

Jemma’s work starts with a moment.

A place, a feeling, something small that holds more meaning than it first appears. She turns those moments into illustrated stamps, each one capturing a piece of her experience of Canada.

In this conversation, she shares how the project began, how it grew into something bigger, and what it means to build a creative practice while still figuring it out.

What changed in how you were seeing things when you started making these?
I guess the biggest change is I’m considering how to talk about my designs a little more now. To start with, it was just for me, whereas more recently I also consider the storytelling aspect of what I’m creating. This doesn't really limit what I choose to illustrate in any way, but it more informs how and when I include pieces in the collection. I’m trying to do more groupings of designs now, so I can release them a few at a time. This is helpful for content creation, but also for me, it helps me know what to prioritize.
Some of the moments you turn into stamps feel really specific. What makes you stop and think, okay…this one?
It’s often something or somewhere that feels significant to my time here and my experience of Canada. Something I can attach a memory or emotion to. That's really why the series started: to document memories in bite-sized moments. That’s partly why they’re all framed as a stamp; stamps are little nodes of place and time.
A lot of what you’re doing feels very “figure it out as you go.” What has that actually looked like behind the scenes?
ADHD chaos mixed with moments of hyper focus brilliance. A lot of thinking, mapping, and problem-solving. I come from the school of ‘fuck around and find out’ which I do in a considered and intentional way (a less chaotic break things and move on, I like to think). I spend a lot of time thinking through things on my own; that's the ADHD in me. I make lots of movements in my head before deciding on what to actually do in the real world. I’m aware I have something really special, and I’ve created a unique community that I want to look after and nurture. This is why I’m transparent about the fact that I’m ‘figuring it out as I go’, I care deeply about the work I put into the world and how people can be involved in it. Transparency is the only way people can understand you and support what you do fully. But a lot of it is just me thinking, listing, mapping and sketching.
At some point this stopped being just for you and started taking on a life of its own. What did that moment feel like?
Natural in the most surreal way possible. I think I’m still catching up on ‘the life of its own’ the project has taken on, it's happened very suddenly, and it still feels like I’m going to wake up one day, and it’ll all be a dream, but I am realizing how special and unique this thing I’ve created is. I think because it is a sharing of my lived experience it naturally encourages people to share their own lived experience. It’s amazing how many people resonate with the pieces and places I’ve picked up on. It’s such a joy to share and connect with people in this way.
There’s something really approachable about your work. Was that intentional, or did it just happen that way?
I think as a designer and creative I have always wanted my work to be inclusive and approachable. To engage people of all ages and encompass all the best bits of human life and connection. It was a priority within my architecture work, and it's also been a priority in the art projects I've chosen to develop throughout my life. Connection is so important to me, and making sure everyone has equal opportunity is important in my work.
You’re building something while still figuring out what it is. How are you thinking about what you want to keep versus what you want to explore next?
I think this project has a very clear narrative for documenting, celebrating, and sharing knowledge. I think as long as the work I produce aligns with that, then it's pretty open for me to develop in whatever way it takes me. I would love for this project to be a vessel to help me explore more of Canada. To highlight more of the special things about the country and maybe connect with people who’d like to show me their piece of Canada. This project is so much about connecting with people and highlighting things that should be shared and known. I'd love to offer the platform I’m growing with others. To allow people to share and champion their town or neighbourhood by sharing it with me. If my illustrations can bring exposure to more amazing things and people, then how cool!

Jemma Chapman’s work is a reminder that creativity doesn’t always begin with a grand concept. Sometimes it starts with noticing. A place, a feeling, a moment that lingers. By giving those moments a form, she creates something others can step into. Something familiar, even if it isn’t their own memory.

To learn more about Jemma, check out her Instagram: @tooniestamps

To buy these beautiful little stamps, visit her website: https://toonie-stamps.myshopify.com/collections/toonie-stamps

This series grows through word of mouth and the creative people who nudge me toward the next conversation. If someone comes to mind whose creativity inspires you, send them my way.

Until next week, Christine