When it comes to people passionate about Sharpie, we didn’t have to look far. They’re everywhere, just Google! What was hard was deciding who to invite to “represent” and become members of the Sharpie Squad. The Squad is made up of people who talk and teach and tantalize us with their amazing Sharpie ideas and creations. From creative ways to save with Sharpie (customize ordinary school supplies!) to Sharpie decorating tips, Sharpie-designed skateboards, art, illustrations and more, these are the people who breathe life into our product and make it shine.

And for their efforts, we want to show them some Sharpie love. As inaugural members, they’ll be among the first to see and try our new products. We’ll also be showcasing their Sharpie savings ideas and artistic creations on our new community site, sharpieuncapped.com.  And it wouldn’t be official without a personalized Sharpie Squad marker, arriving to members soon! Visit mysharpie.com and you can get one too, personalized your way.

Please be sure to visit their sites as they continue to show us what’s possible with Sharpie. 

THE LINEUP

Laura Rowley is a journalist specializing in personal finance and values, and author of “Money & Happiness: A Guide to Living the Good Life.” Along with her Yahoo! Finance column, she blogs at www.moneyandhappiness.com/blog.  Married with three daughters, Laura shows readers how to get the best deals, avoid debt, invest wisely, and strive for work-life balance.   Rowley has been interviewed by The Today Show, Good Morning America, CNBC, the Fox Network, NPR, and dozens of other broadcast programs and print and online media.  She is a former reporter/producer for CNN in New York and the former money columnist for Self magazine.  Rowley shares tips on how to save with Sharpie at back-to-school by transforming ordinary school gear into customized “designer” versions without the designer price tag.

Linsey Knerl is the mom behind Lille’ Punkin Reviews and is always on the lookout for the next best thing when it comes to making her life easier. As a free resource for parents and friends of parents, Knerl offers regular, unbiased opinions of a variety of family-friendly items.

 

Lauri Harrison is founder of MomToBeDepot.com and is a blogger for several media sites including Working Mother magazine and Examiner.com. She’s the mom of a tot and a teenager and informs parents about great new products. 

 

Lunchbagart.com is where Derek Benson shares the designs he creates on his kids’ lunch bags every day with intricate drawings of cartoons, super heroes and a variety of other artwork. During his own lunch breaks in San Diego, California, where he creates art for video games, Benson uses Sharpies to create his unique designs. His drawings have been featured in Parents magazine and can be seen on his blog or via his twitter account.   

Mark Rivard is known for his skateboard art covering a wide variety of genres and designs. Based out of Breckenridge, Colorado, Rivard’s work has been seen in exhibitions around the world, including shows in Belgium, Denver, Detroit, Seattle and New York City. Rivard takes his Sharpies with him while traveling to teach and inspire with art.  

Jon E. Nimetz and his website, superfineart.com, are both based out of Venice, California, where Jon is a producer, marketer and advertising producer. He is known for his loud personality and passionate style that he emphasizes in his art. He uses a combination of acrylic paint and Sharpie paint markers to create nature-inspired paintings that are both unique and self-expressive.

Jeffrey Fulvimari began his illustration career in 1993 with commissions for Barney’s New York and Interview magazine. He went on to work in all aspect of printed media, and his illustrations have been animated on Nickelodeon, MTV and VH-1, The Food Network, and in numerous television commercials in Japan. He has also produced a broad range of licensed goods in Japan, with popular product lines launched in the United States, the UK, France, Italy, Mexico, and other territories. 

Erin Moore of Things Moms Like, a popular review and giveaway blog, is the mother of two (6 and 13). She has worked as an event planner and promoter. She frequently speaks at parenting conferences all over the country and likes to travel. Erin enjoys offering fabulous contests and honest reviews to parents all over the world with her blog.  She uses Sharpie markers daily!

 

Hanna Agar just graduated with her BFA in Photography and a minor in Spanish from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. For the past few years she has been creating artwork that involves the use of recycled paper to create sets, costumes, and props that she then photographs. Often while writing on the paper she sets her camera on an interval timer to capture the process. She considers much of her work “documented performance art.” Hanna works as a photographer doing studio work, assignments for Volume One Magazine (an arts and culture magazine in Eau Claire, WI), and as a freelancer. This spring she will return to southern India where she has worked as a product designer for a women’s organization called Blue Mango. She then plans to move to NYC to pursue commercial photography.

Kristin is the mother of Kai and Brooklin, a newborn and four-year-old spunky girl. She’s a busy full-time college student living in Oregon. She chronicles the daily life of just another Ordinary Mom. Kristin and Del love to share their journey as a family. Together they spend time learning and growing as a family. Kristin is the owner of Our Ordinary Life, a blog in which she talks about her journey through life as a Mom and college student. She enjoys keeping it real and always has an opinion about something. Since her second daughter was born, Kristin has been busy with her ever-changing family.  Kristin has been featured and works alongside many wonderful companies. She’s always sharing what her family finds useful and is involved in many projects around the blogpshere. She is one of Frito Lay’s Fab 15 moms and is also one of the lucky Frigidare Test Drive Moms. You can also find her tweeting away on Twitter with her fellow moms who blog.

Linda Ellett is the founder and president of L’esperance Tile Works. She and her husband, Don Shore, are celebrating 30 years of making extraordinary handmade tile. Linda’s newest line of hand carved tiles pays tribute to those things in her everyday life that she couldn’t survive without…..and her Sharpie markers are high on the list. See her hand carved tribute in her Etsy Shop and her amazing Sharpie tile.