A local artist and mother puts the future in her daughter's hands

It seems that we hear fewer stories these days of children choosing to follow in their parents' footsteps and taking over the family business. But Johanna Kriesel has done just that, taking the reins from her mother, Seattle artist Linnea Riley, who for 23 years has designed the popular Linnea Design Poster Calendar.

"Working in a second-generation business is rewarding," Kriesel says. "My parents laid out all the groundwork, and taught me a lot. My mother is a rare and unique talent, and I could only hope to carry on the tradition."

Riley designs note cards, holiday cards and magnets, and illustrates children's books, but it is her 11-by-14 poster calendars for which she is best-known. She uses colored pencils, painted paper and pastels to create delightful designs that have become a cherished tradition.

"Families will buy each other the calendar year after year, knowing that wherever they are in the world on the first day of the month, they'll think of each other," says Riley's husband Michael, who oversees the business end of things.

Kriesel has been working with her parents since 1998, "dragging them into the world of the Internet and building the business in a new way," says Michael, who along with Linnea still prefers to do things the old way, corresponding with longtime customers via handwritten letters.

An accomplished artist, Kriesel has designed her own calendar, luggage tags and posters. Her bold, graphic style is reminiscent of those cool travel posters from the 1920s and '30s, and fits well in almost any décor, from Craftsman bungalow to modern loft.

Kriesel's 2010 Linnea Design Poster Calendar ($28) will be available at the end of May at the Seattle Art Museum Shop, Madison Park Hardware and University Bookstore and online at linneadesign.com.

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