“There is no friend as loyal as a book.”
–Ernest Hemingway
Founded by Alie and flourishing through meaningful collaborations
Hamaka aims to share and preserve the voices of creators, artisans and nature explorers through collaborative print projects. We enjoy crafting books that help strengthen the bonds within our community and celebrate those who aspire to make the world a better place.
Our studio is Bullfrog-powered with renewable energy and we print locally on 100% recycled paper. We treat is project with care and recognize that sometimes the lines between life and work can blur, which is why we prioritize projects and brands built on kindness—to Mother Earth and all living beings around us.
*Know more about our brand’s origins here: Hamaka’s Rebranding
Alieska (Alie) Robles
Publisher + Photographer + Nature explorer
After living in three countries and gaining experience in five career paths that included computer science, marketing, film production, publishing and yoga, Alieska found her calling in helping brands and individuals share their stories through the narrative power of photography–you know the adage, "an image is worth a thousand words." Her work reflects a deep passion (borderline obsession) for culinary experiences, meaningful conversations, treasured antiques and time well-spent in nature.
As an avid reader, her fascination for books led her to transition from digital advertising into the editorial world, becoming a registered publisher in 2017, publishing her first cookbook in 2018 and launching a magazine in 2022. Her goal is to continue expanding her library of indie publications while celebrating local communities and preserving legacies through print projects.
Partners
Carl Matthes
Sound designer + Partnerships manager + Home barista
Immersed in music from as far as his memory goes, Carl has worked in a wide variety of creative pursuits. He played French horn in classical orchestras and got signed by European Indie record labels with his electronic music. His experience includes doing live performances in four countries, hosting a radio show for four years, helping brands engage with customers through commercial post-production, and has been designing iconic sounds for AAA Video Games for the past seven years.
He was also COO of a Water Treatment company in Venezuela, which is why we brought him into the team as a day-to-day operations manager.
Audrey McClellan
Editor extraordinaire + Writing coach + Enthusiast equestrian
As a kid, Audrey loved playing with words, so when she landed a summer job at Harbour Publishing during her university years, she knew she’d found her niche. After more than a decade working in-house for Harbour, New Star Books, and Self-Counsel Press, she moved to Victoria and began independently collaborating with publishing studios, authors and companies on a vast range of subjects.
In 2007 she received the Tom Fairley Award for Editorial Excellence from Editors Canada, and in 2018 she received the Ewart-Daveluy Award for Excellence in Indexing from the Indexing Society of Canada.
Become a Creativity Lab member!
Brain food in the form of short emails. We love email interactions and one-on-one conversations. Through our “Lab Reports,” we share short lists of things that inspired us, including topics like publishing, craftsmanship, sustainability, nature, books recommendations, music playlists and project announcements!