Raising Awareness One Small Message at a Time...

Ashley Mattek has been providing mental health therapy to children and adolescents in Northeast Wisconsin for over 7 years. When she first started as a therapist, she would draw and write quotes on Post-Its and stick them on her door as a way for clients to “take what they need” after sessions. Her wish in doing this was to keep the momentum of hope going after clients left her office. Eventually, a few Post-Its on her office door evolved into what is now the Wishing Wall at Catalpa Health, a space in the lobby of each Catalpa Health clinic where families and clients can “take what they need”. Ashley created over 500 hand drawn and painted watercolor cards for others to take what spoke to them, with the option of creating their own cards to leave on the wall as well.

For quite a while, Ashley and her husband, Tyler dreamed of starting a business that could expand the magic that the Wishing Wall started. Initially, it didn’t feel attainable. Between raising their less than a

year old twin boys and working full time jobs in the middle of a pandemic, it didn’t seem possible. One Sunday afternoon, while driving home with their boys in the backseat, Tyler and Ashley listened to a podcast focused on pursuing your goals and “just going for it”. It was the sign they needed. They arrived home that night and began making plans, never to look back or doubt their dream again. Ashley and her husband, Tyler created Ink + Splash with the vision of spreading that same sense of hope, kindness and inspiration beyond the doors of Catalpa Health. They realized that now, more than ever, people needed hope and kindness in their lives. Their hope is to reach more people with the opportunity to “take what they need”, to help others feel seen even on their darkest days, and to provide a good belly laugh with an occasional pun. Ink + Splash offers a variety of hand drawn and watercolor painted greeting cards, bookmarks, calendars, art prints, journals, workbooks, and stickers.

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When dreaming up Ink + Splash, Tyler and Ashley agreed on two things: they wanted their small business to stand for something meaningful, and they wanted to be able to give back to their community. It only made sense to them that they focused their efforts on raising awareness about mental health in their community, given the rapidly increasing need for mental health resources and services in our society. With the goal of giving back to help support these services, Ink + Splash donates 3% of all sales to NAMI Brown County, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting those affected by mental health.

Tyler and Ashley believe that things can be simple yet mighty. There is simplicity in giving someone a note or a card, yet that gesture alone can make a big impact. They believe that Ink + Splash is just that…a small business with a mighty mission.

For more information on NAMI Brown County, visit namibrowncounty.org.

Follow Ink + Splash on Instagram at @inkandsplashboutique1 or visit their shop at inkandsplashboutique.etsy.com.