A woman with long red hair smiling, sitting on a pink chair, wearing a white eyelet top and a pink polka dot skirt, with colorful paper flower and animal adornments on her head, in a decorated room with pastel-colored art and bunting.

About

Nice to
meet you

Elise Maree

CREATIVE DIRECTOR & FOUNDER- HIP HOORAY STUDIOS

Elise is a Canadian-based visual artist specialising in watercolour and paper collage. She is known for her vibrant colour palettes, playful ideas and childlike expression.

Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, Elise developed a deep love for colour, pattern, texture and whimsy—all continuing themes that inspire and influence her work today.

Now based in Calgary, Alberta, Elise desires to capture beauty through her art making always hoping to express joy. Her passion for creativity extends beyond her own practice into working with children and adults, where she fosters confidence, self-expression, and a love of art.

Hip Hooray Studios brings all of these passions together-a welcoming space where creativity, colour, and expression can flourish.

AS SEEN IN

Logo for UNA Pizza + Wine restaurant, with large bold letters 'UNA' and smaller text 'Pizza + Wine' below.
Yellow circle with black text reading 'alt' in a handwritten style
Better Homes & Gardens logo in purple text.
Calgary Farmers Market logo with red background and white text.
Close-up of a fire alarm on a white wall.
A dark blue logo of the company 'Aeso' with bold lowercase letters.
Neon sign with stylized butterflies in yellow, pink, and purple, and the words 'Kelsey Klos' in red at the bottom.
Logo for Little Branch with a brown branch and leaves above the text
Logo of Avenue Magazine Calgary with black, gray, red, and white text, featuring a speech bubble around 'Calgary'

From my notebook

♥︎

From my notebook ♥︎

A red-haired woman wearing a pink headband and denim apron painting on paper at a table with art supplies.
A handwritten note reads, "10th Sep 1997. When I grow up I want to be an artist, to paint."
A young girl with red hair, wearing a blue fuzzy sweater and a white shirt with a birthday cake print, smiling and holding a pink wristband while standing outdoors on a wooden bridge.
A woman with long red hair, wearing a pink headscarf, a beige shirt, and denim overalls, smiling and touching her hair against a plain light-colored background.

Elise has always had a great passion for colourful art, creativity and working with children and Hip Hooray Studios is the place where all these loves come together!

"There's nothing like working with children- they are the most creative artists I know. They remind me to be playful, bold and daring in my dreams"

A little note

A top-down view of a children's art area with watercolor paints, a water glass with a paintbrush, flowers, and a pink velvet pillow on a star-patterned tablecloth.

OUR MISSION

To make life more bright and beautiful through art and creativity!

A young girl with blonde hair sitting at a table with art supplies. The table is covered with a pink and white checkered paper, and there are watercolor paints, brushes, and a glass of water. The background features a wall decorated with colorful artwork, including drawings of animals and flowers, and a small pink table is visible.
Children and an adult creating arts and crafts at a table with colored pencils, markers, and craft supplies in a decorated room with pink and pastel accents.
Two children standing in front of a wall decorated with pastel-colored artwork and paper garlands, with cardboard llama cutouts on the floor.

“Elise was on time, handled all the set up, led the activity like the best art teacher you’ve ever seen, and then tidied it all up. After she left it was like no craft had happened at all!”

…We LOVED having Hip Hooray Studios for my daughter’s birthday!

The kids all left with a cute craft and the parents had time to actually chat while the kids were occupied. Dream party scenario! Thank you Elise!

- MEGAN M

WORK WITH ELISE
Colorful children's drawings and small cut-out animal and mailbox figures on a table.

Illustration
& Design →

Top-down view of a small table with a colorful star-patterned tablecloth. On the table are watercolor paints, a paintbrush, a plastic cup with pinkish liquid and a straw, a bouquet of flowers including daisies, poppies, and a yellow lily, and a pink pillow on the left side. A person wearing striped pink socks and pajama pants with a floral pattern is sitting on a green chair underneath the table.

Craft Camps & Programs →

A woman with long red hair and a yellow braided headband helping children paint and create arts and crafts at a table decorated with pink, white, and yellow balloons in the background.

Private
Events →