Some Ideas Pay the Bills. Others Keep You Curious: Sacha Columbia Bell on design, play, and making space for both

cgoucher
Jul 7
4 min read

She doesn’t expect one kind of work to do everything.

Some projects are focused, efficient, and built to meet a need. Others are open, playful, and driven by curiosity. Instead of trying to blend the two, she keeps them separate.

In this conversation, she shares how that approach shapes her freelance work, her brand Yeehaw Paper Co., and the way she continues to experiment without pressure.

What pulled you into design and creative direction?
I have always been an artistic person: I was an arts and crafts kid, a teenager that made their own clothes and studied fashion design in University. My mother was an art director and production designer in film and my grandfather was a prolific architect and successful painter, they both taught me a lot about art and design. My mind has always gravitated towards the arts.
Your work moves between client projects and your own brand with Yeehaw Paper Co. How does your mindset shift between the two?
When I left my corporate design job in 2025 and went freelance, I read this fantastic book called Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. She wrote extensively about separating your creative pursuits from what pays the bills. Yeehaw Paper Co. is an outlet for me to practice my illustration skills, play with typography and colour and design just for fun—without having to burden the project with paying my mortgage. My freelance graphic design clients are typically corporate or mid-to-large size organizations that have limited budgets and specific output needs. I don't really dilly-dally and experiment for my corporate clients unless we have the time and space. I'm pretty laser-focused and can design my corporate work efficiently and with a specific polish. I don't ask that my day-job fulfill my creative needs, I have the side-project for that. It's a nice separation.
Your cards feel simple in a really intentional way. How do you know when something is finished?
The million-dollar question! You never know! I try to design very far away from the actual holiday time that's being celebrated so I don't have too much time-pressure to deliver. For example, I'm thinking through some holiday card designs now and it's spring. For my day-job, I love a work-in-progress touch base. I like getting feedback before something is polished and perfect, I feel like it's a better use of everyone's time and allows me to be more flexible.
What have you learned about making work that people actually connect with and want to hold onto?
I've learned that it's sort of unpredictable, what resonates with people. I try different styles, events and themes and they all perform differently. It can be a challenge to cut through the noise of the internet, I find that customers connect better with the products when they are in a store that carries the cards and can hold it in their hand. My cards can be found in boutiques across Waterloo Region, Paris (Ontario) and Toronto.
What has surprised you about turning your own ideas into physical products?
It took some trial and error to find the right print production strategy, paper quality and design style. I think with most things I learn best by doing, making mistakes and talking them through with my trusted friends. Jordan—who owns Legacy Greens in downtown Kitchener—is a friend and helped me figure out my early card designs and was the first to carry them in her store.
When you start second-guessing your work, what helps you find your footing again?
Oh that's so relatable. I find that I like to take a break when I start second-guessing everything. I consider myself to be a very focused person, but I like to bounce around from project to project. One day I might find energy to invest in my photography, the next day I want to design more cards after sketching while on a phone call, the following week I'll get hired to design a 90-page booklet for global startups. I'm all over the place. When I feel like one isn't working quite right, I'll walk away and dabble somewhere else until the winds of inspiration blow me back.

Bonus Question: Which idea actually makes it out into a card, and which ones stay in your sketchbook?

Lately I've been thinking a lot about my own signature style and if I could produce recognizable illustrations that viewers would be able to identify. What would that be? What subject matter do I keep returning to? What do I want to see more of in the world? Then I'll translate that only my computer and see if I can actually turn it into a reasonable-looking design. I also REALLY want to experiment with making hand-made cards, each one individually. That idea is dancing around in the back of my mind. Now I just need to find the time between two kids, a busy freelance career, being an engaged community member and staying sane in today's timeline...

Portrait photo credit goes to Ryan Antooa. The rest of the beautiful images were taken by Sacha.

Sacha’s approach feels grounded and realistic. Instead of chasing one perfect version of a creative career, she’s built something more flexible. Work that supports her life, and work that feeds her curiosity. That distinction makes room for both to exist without competing.

To see more of Sacha's work, check out her website: https://www.sachacolumbia.com/

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