Elsa Murray-Lafrenz

Owner & Principle Designer

My journey as a professional artist began after graduating from Rhode Island School of Design when I embarked on a career as a mural artist in the San Francisco Bay Area. Along the way, I explored children’s book illustration and eventually found my calling as an art teacher.

In 2015, I stepped away from teaching to focus on raising my daughter, Ivy. However, the pull of creative work was strong. Encouraged by my best friend, Jasmine Rae—a renowned wedding cake artist—I joined her team as a project manager. This experience immersed me in the wedding industry and in 2018, I launched a custom design stationery business: Elsa Madeline Design. As my designs became more intricate and personalized, the time and cost associated with each project grew. It was disheartening to turn away clients due to budget constraints. To bridge this gap, I envisioned a sister company that maintained the artistic integrity of my custom design projects while offering a less time intensive approach. Thus, in 2022, Valley and Coast Paper Co. was born.