Story

Chemistry connects people. 

When we connect with each other, it is said that there’s chemistry between us -- literally and scientifically. Sharing a laugh with friends is the chemical serotonin, a happiness neurotransmitter. Our feelings of attachment with another person are because of vasopressin or oxytocin, chemicals with love and human bonding functions. Chemistry is everywhere! Our emotions, what we eat, what we smell, what we see, and even the things we touch.

Which then makes a chemistry card the most awesomely tangible way to connect with another person. 

The Chemist Tree is a collection of fun chemistry-inspired handmade goods including greeting cards, posters, pin-back buttons, tote bags and more. Each piece is made by hand in Milton, Ontario, Canada.

The Chemist Tree emerged out of curiosity for the everyday, combined with a passion for creative expression. It is the left-brain child of Rovena Tey, who was educated to be a scientist but born to be an artist. The Chemist Tree is her chemical interpretation of life. 

The Chemist Tree name came to be as a result of a “Eureka!” moment. At craft shows, Rovena displays her cards on a metal rack that resembles a tree. One day she looked at her display and it was so obvious – chemistry cards on a tree = a chemist tree. It couldn’t be any more perfect. 

            

The Artist

Her art is self-taught and is expressed in a simple yet striking style. She went to school during a time of chalk and chalkboards and always learned chemistry better when professors drew structures by hand. This also gave her an appreciation for art within a chemical structure, which planted the seed for the concept of The Chemist Tree long before  she even realized.

Timeline

2004 – Rovena was educated to be a scientist and fell into paper crafting by accident, trying to recycle lab manual covers by making a greeting card, while job hunting after graduating university. It wasn’t a chemistry card.

2008 – The first chemistry card was made, the coffee card, featuring the chemical structure for caffeine, inspired by her coffee-loving husband. People loved her cards but she only made them for fun because she was focused on her full-time science job.

2010 – Her passion for creative card making never stopped, so Rovena officially launched her handmade card business as Handmades by Rovena, which showcased a collection of smart and stylish cards with puns and witty captions. There were six chemistry cards at that time.

2015 – By now the chemistry card collection had exploded to over 100 different designs and more than 5 different product types, such that it only made sense to branch out into its own brand as The Chemist Tree.