Re-introducing Forty Wink

It’s been 4 years since the last journal entry, so this is well overdue! I wanted to take a moment to reintruduce myself (Alex) and Forty Wink since it’s not only been SO long since I’ve made an entry, but also so much has changed.

For those who don’t know me personally, hello! I’m Alex DesCôtes, a visual designer from Amiskwacîwâskahikan, Edmonton, located on Treaty 6 territory. My formal education is in Visual Communication Design, and I’ve worked in in-house, advertising, and software design. I’m a mother to two adventurous kids aged 6 and 3, whom my partner Jackson and I try our darndest to keep up to energy wise. During the week, I’m either working on design and illustration projects (personal and client), throwing clay at Studio 72 or exploring the neighbourhood with the kids. Weekends are reserved for home projects and more family exploration.

Me and my kids in front of the Ottewell Community Mural, completed in 2025

Why did I start Forty Wink

In January 2020, I became a new mom, and 3 months later, we had our first pandemic lockdown. Every parent group was cancelled, and most resources for new parents were put on hold. There were few, or no run-ins at grocery stores or playgrounds. So many of my friends were also becoming parents for the first time, yet we were all going through our firsts in solitude. Forty Wink was my way of staying in touch with these friends, and other new parents in my periphery through shared stories, laughs and tips. It also became a fun way for me to work illustration and design back into my life postpartum.

It was an exciting time for me, despite what was going on globally. I partnered with Lianne from The Branded Good on The Parenthood Collection, which acted as a fundraiser for the Canadian Women’s Foundation. We conducted interviews with parents, which we published in the Forty Wink journal. I reached out to parents to publish Resource Round-ups and Book Nook book lists where folks shared their favourites, and I worked on illustrations and design goods that felt tongue-in-cheek for the stage of parenthood that I was in.

Illustrations from a series created in 2020 called Mom Moments

None of this was random, and I’m so proud to have found a way to normalize our version of parenthood in the midst of a global pandemic, and I’ll forever cherish the conversations and people with whom I worked and conversed during this time.

The introduction of client work

After the birth of my second child, my plans to go back to work full-time changed. My partner and I decided that we wanted to prioritize flexibility and home life during our kids’ early years. Instead of going back to work full-time, I opted for contract/freelance work and part-time childcare for the kids. This work was conducted under the Forty Wink name, and I evolved the brand to include client work alongside personal projects. While parenthood was no longer the main focal point for Forty Wink, themes surrounding family and community persisted in how I approached my work and the way I spoke about the brand.

Samples pulled from Featured Work

2026–The Year of my “Creative Sabatical”

Sometimes it’s hard to make room for change, but this year (2026) I’m going to try my best! While I’ll always try to find time for the right client work, I’ve also realized that self-directed projects have been a delightful way to connect with the people and ideas that I value most. This year, I’ll be committing the majority of my time and energy to chasing the creative projects that light me up. I want to make space to treat them the same way I do client projects, prioritizing research and development, mapping and scheduling them out for the year, and finding ways of sustaining the work through new ways of income, which may include grant applications, pottery subscriptions, wholesale and stockist opportunities and more in-person markets.

I’m keen as hell to see how things unfold and what opportunities (and challenges) present themselves in the coming year. While it feels like a lot is changing, the foundation of what made this endeavour feel so special back in 2020 is still humming in the background.

I appreciate you taking the time to catch up with me and the brand. Reach out at any time with any questions, comments or casual convo, and I hope to run into you either digitally or at future markets ✌️

Samples pulled from Made by Me