Hi, I’m Carice, 30 years old, a lifelong Chicagoan, and a graphic designer obsessed with lines and colors!
To be honest, my friends always say I’m as enthusiastic as a freshly baked cinnamon roll, but only I know that sometimes this enthusiasm is to cover up a little anxiety inside. Have you ever felt that way? Wanting to do a great job but fearing that your ideas aren’t good enough?
I started drawing in elementary school, and with my mom being a museum guide, I spent most of my childhood in art galleries—Monet’s water lilies taught me how to breathe through color, while my dad’s mechanical models made me realize that even the most beautiful designs need a solid structure to support them. Quite a fascinating combination, right?
I studied design at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Once, I created posters for a depression charity, and at first, I filled the page with smiley faces, only to be harshly critiqued by my instructor. Later, I spent a night by the lake, watching the sky gradually brighten, and I finally understood that design isn’t about sugarcoating; it’s about daring to touch real emotions. That set of posters ended up winning an award, which solidified my direction—creating designs with warmth.
Now I have my own little studio, and I occasionally teach students at a design studio. Every morning, I do yoga for an hour, not to lose weight, but to clear my mind. Sometimes, when I’m in downward dog, inspiration suddenly strikes! In the evenings, I enjoy playing board games; Settlers of Catan is my favorite. Have you played it? I find that board games and design are quite alike, both require a balance of strategy and intuition, plus a bit of psychological understanding.
I do have my flaws, like being overly idealistic; I’ve offended clients in my quest to uphold my design principles, haha! But I still believe that good design should be like yoga breathing, embodying both external beauty and an internal flow of emotions. By the way, have you seen anything recently that made you think, "Wow, this design really understands me"? Or do you enjoy playing board games? Next time you come over for game night, I’ll make my famous cookies—they taste great, but their shapes might be a bit… too artistic!