After graduating from college in June of 2020, I had very low expectations of what entering the workforce during a global pandemic would look like. With two art degrees (digital design and art history) I was prepared, at worst, to be a work-from-home telemarketer or, at best, a barista for the rest of my life. After scouring online job listings for weeks, and applying to gigs related to the arts, I came across the position of junior designer at Spade and Archer. I was immediately intrigued by the hands-on and curatorial aspects of the job but I wasn’t convinced I had what it takes to be an interior designer. While my own maximalist, knick-knack heavy, and eccentric house might not be everyone’s cup of tea (even though I’ve got plenty of vintage teacups!), I figured I could tone it down enough to make it through an interview. Lo and behold, three interviews later I was in training to be a junior designer!
I owe all of my artistic prowess to my mother, an artist herself, who from a young age took me to every museum and gallery in my home town of San Diego. She enrolled me in countless art classes and summer camps and encouraged creativity and curiosity in all aspects of my life. So I’ve always known I was destined to work in a creative field, but I could never answer the question of which job I would be best suited for. In 2016, I decided to move to Seattle and study digital design at Seattle University. It seemed like a healthy balance between creativity and job stability. And after taking a few prerequisite art history and theory classes, I decided to get the most out of my tuition, and tack on an art history major. I found that in my graphic design practice, having the background knowledge of both historical and contemporary art movements created a helpful foundation of resources and inspiration. Here at Spade and Archer, I get to use the same skill set when putting together vintage, mid-century modern, and contemporary furniture and accessories in a cohesive way.
What I’ve enjoyed most about my time at Spade and Archer so far is that every day is unique: a new house, a new neighborhood, a new floor plan, a new color scheme. I love starting the day with a fresh empty house, and leaving it a perfectly curated home. What I feared most about studying graphic design was sitting in front of a computer screen for 40 hours a week- but here that never happens!
In my free time I’m an avid sewer, quilter, weaver, embroidered anything to do with textiles-er. Ever since my grandmother taught me how to sew at age 12, I’ve loved spending hours at the sewing machine making clothes, tapestries, and even just mending a pair of jeans. Otherwise, you can usually find me cooking, playing video games, or reading, and always with an iced coffee in hand.