The next designer to be featured in Creative Quarters is Karen Thaco...
Karen was Born in Galveston Texas, but was raised in Guadalajara Mexico, and her curiosity to explore brought her back to the USA, but now in the company of her beautiful family; her kids, husband and Emma their dog.
They now live in California, but don’t know if this will be their final destination, but they are learning and discovering as much as they can.
This multicultural environment has strengthened them both personally and professionally.
In 2006, Karen began her degree 'Design for the Graphic Communication' at the Universidad de Guadalajara. She had the fortune to be at school when the old academy programme was still quite artistically oriented.
They made paper signs and handwritten typography, and also used watercolours, soft pastels and markers most of the time.
She commented that her skills were very limited at this point and she would compare herself to her classmates who she viewed as superior.
After two years she submerged into the virtual world, discovered blogs, artists, new websites, etc... and because of that, she learned to value and love what she was doing.
Since graduating in 2010, Karen’s first inspiration was Carolyn Gavin. She loves her authenticity and colourful work. Karen also discovered and loved the Lilla Rogers website.
She has always loved kids design, surface design and editorial design and enjoys simple forms, full of colour and texture.
In 2012 she took a course at Jackie Rueda’s website school and she met great bloggers that inspired her style, love of art and social networking. But without question, her love for God and family are her main incentives and inspirations.
She has always worked as a freelancer, and has recently made a collaboration with a cute Mexican company, Retazo, who make eco-friendly bags for their kid’s line.
At the moment, she is working on another collaboration with Happie Scrappie.
One of her biggest dreams is to design a full line for lovely brands like Carters, The Land of Nod, as well as doing collaborations with Suzy Ultman, Louise Richards and Jillian Phillips...
Karen’s dream and something she is working on right now is to have a well consolidated online shop with a wide line of products.
At the moment, she has an etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/karenthaco where you can buy designs.
She loves to design patterns, cards, postcards, educational material and gifts, and although she uses CAD to finish her designs, she always starts with drawing and wants to get into using watercolours and soft pastels soon.
Karen is inspired by all the normal little visual details that surround her in everyday life.
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I hope you've enjoyed reading a little about Karen,
and seeing a selection of her work.
To get in touch with her, please visit her website here for details.
and seeing a selection of her work.
To get in touch with her, please visit her website here for details.
If you missed the last Creative Quarters post featuring Abbey Costello, you can read it here.
And don't forget, if you'd like to be featured,
please send examples of your work with links to website portfolios,
and some info about you and your background, etc...
to Louise at loveprintstudio@live.com
Look forward to hearing from you!
x x x