My professional design experience includes 13 years as an industrial designer working with corporations and design studios, and later as an independent design consultant providing design development services for the global artisan sector to better access the U.S market. Stakeholders ranged from rural artisan communities, exporters, corporate retailers and small maker businesses to collaborating with international government agencies & organizations on development initiatives.
APPROACH
Concept & Creative direction, Design & Product Development, Art direction and Communication Design
International development trips include Nicaragua, Guatemala, Peru, Nepal, Haiti, China, India, Morocco, Vietnam and Philippines.
DESIGN SERVICES
DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT FOR THE ARTISAN SECTOR
CLIENT
West Elm
YEAR
2016
OVERVIEW
Chulucanas in Northern Peru has a long tradition in pottery making dating back to pre-inca times. Historically, the pottery made in this region uses the traditional method of hand burnishing and smoke firing. While working as a designer at West Elm, I explored this technique while also expanding on the design to help diversify the local market and also appeal to a larger global audience. This collection was designed and developed for West Elm’s Handcrafted Artisan Initiative.
COUNTRY
Peru
CLIENT
Flint & Kent
YEAR
2016
OVERVIEW
Working with the Creative Director of Flint & Kent, a design and business strategy consultancy agency, we were commissioned by Artisan Business Network, a social enterprise empowering Haitians businesses with entrepreneurial tools and market access, to design a cohesive home accessories & lighting collection. Working with several Haitian artisan communities of woodworkers, stone carvers and paper mache makers, we created a collection that was aesthetically modern & functional in order to highlight the high end quality craftsmanship coming from Haiti’s artisan community today.
COUNTRY
Haiti
CLIENT
Guatemala Zero Hunger | Ministry of Economy in Guatemala
YEAR
2015
OVERVIEW
Zero Hunger Guatemala (Pacto Hambre Cero) is a project initiated by the Guatemalan Ministry of Economy that seeks to stimulate economies in regions with the highest childhood malnutrition rates by providing work opportunities for women responsible for households that are at risk. I worked directly with local social enterprises and a senior advisor of the Ministry of Economy of Guatemala to curate and develop a new brand, Matiox, which is committed to preserving Mayan cultural heritage and developing sustainable trade opportunities for its network of artisans. I was commissioned to curate 3 textile collections representing over 50 artisan textile communities. In 2015 the Zero Hunger program worked to represent 27 municipalities, in 11 districts. Each has its own regional-specific weaving technique. The launch of the brand benefited 1518 families that debuted in 3 international trade shows, two of which were awarded best visual display that year.
COUNTRY
Guatemala
CLIENT
YEAR
2016
OVERVIEW
The objective was to create a cohesive collection offering an assortment of home decor products in several product categories focusing on traditional Moroccan techniques with a contemporary voice. Partnering with a U.S importer business, Moroccan artisan communities, and business development consultants, I created their brand strategy and established an overall creative vision for the brand. While in the country, I developed products while partnering with a network of artisans and identified new potential partners. I was able to leverage the communities collective talents, designing a collection spanning from Marrakech to Fez. These regions represent various specialities; hand embroidery, handloom weavers, leather craftsman and dye experts.
COUNTRY
Morocco
CLIENT
YEAR
2017
OVERVIEW
MADE51 is a UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) initiative to connect refugee artisans to global markets. The program began as an extension of the work at the Women Centers in host countries where handicraft was initially being used as a form of therapy, allowing women to come out of isolation, bond with others and be exposed to new cultures. Made51 was to launch a curated offering of marketable artisan products representing 13 host countries at trade shows targeting the European and U.S market. Working directly with the appointed Design director, I designed and curated a capsule collection for two host countries that incorporated and highlighted the unique techniques and individual talents and skill sets of refugee artisans of that specific region. A total of 100 artisan refugee women in Egypt and Pakistan were employed through the pilot program.
COUNTRY
Egypt & Pakistan
YEAR
2019
OVERVIEW
I was commissioned by Apen, an association of producers and exporters of Nicaragua, to conceptualize and develop several new product collections offering an assortment of home decor products incorporating the region's craft techniques and visual language.
COUNTRY
Nicragua
COUNTRY
Guatemala & Honduras
CLIENT
YEAR
2018
OVERVIEW
Bloomist is an online home and garden retailer focused on handmade artisan products and a commitment to social impact and ethical supply chain. As lead designer, I managed the design, development and sourcing of handmade artisan products from global artisan partners and U.S makers.
PROJECTS