Kiara Amaris Sánchez, Illustrator + Designer
Kiara is an illustrator and designer by day, night and, well, really any time that allows. For Kiara, art and creating isn’t just a hustle—it’s a passion deeply ingrained her in life. On weekdays, you can find her working as an art director and graphic designer for Bold Brands, a women-owned marketing agency striving to solve problems, create meaningful media and execute events that elevate its community. When she’s not designing for Bold Brands, she’s designing for her clients as a freelance illustrator and owner of Kiartist. She brings a whole lot of talent and latinx flare to her work, and always strives to be intentional and thoughtful in her art and beyond.
The Basics:
Hometown: Born in Italy, raised in Jacksonville, FL, but Puerto Rico will always feel most like home
Current city: Jacksonville, FL! (Duuuuval)
Alma mater: Flagler College
Degree: B.A., Graphic Design, Minor in Fine Art
Very first job: Tour Guide at Flagler, Retail at the gift shop
Hustle: Art Director, Bold Brands; Illustrator & Owner, Kiartist
The Interests:
Babe you admire and why?
Two women always come to mind. First: my mother, the most selfless human I know who spent almost 40 years as an occupational therapist for children with autism, cerebral palsy and down syndrome. She taught me about serving and helping others. She ALWAYS takes care of everyone else; she cares about other people so much. The second is my artistic idol, Frida Kahlo. She taught me about having a passion for life and that your art can tell your story and express your emotions even when life is hard and not what you expected. Passion for life and helping others are very important to me.
What’s your favorite way to start (or end) your weekend?
I always spend every Saturday morning with a big breakfast, cafecito and I clean, ha. I literally do the stereotypical latin thing and blast old salsa records and clean everything.
What’s something most don’t know about you?
I was born in Naples, Italy. I was trilingual at one time, but now I can only understand a little Italian.
Go-to coffee order and/or adult beverage?
Café con leche, any gin cocktial, or a mojito made my Cuban mother-in-law, Luisa Diaz. <3
What’s your favorite book, blog, and/or podcast?
Harry Potter (Hufflepuff pride!) Also My Favorite Murder, Lore, And That’s Why we Drink.
What’s a must-have item on your desk?
Coffee, snacks, my planner, my iPad and iPencil, my watercolor set and paper ready for any moment.
Favorite brand and/or designer at the moment?
There’s so many, but off the top of my head, I love Katie Rodgers, Martha of Miami, Yas Mija, Latinas Poderosas and the.modern.jibara.
The Hustle:
Tell us about your hustle.
At my 9-5 at Bold Brands, I work as an art director and graphic designer on things like branding, product packaging, ads and other print designs. Most of my other time is spent doodling for my illustration business, Kiartist. I work on custom drawings for people whether it’s family, wedding or pet portraits—and I love seeing their reactions when they see my drawings! Making people happy with my art is my favorite. I also create and sell prints and stickers that celebrate latin culture. I love seeing art that celebrates my culture, so I wanted to use my platform to do the same. In terms of fine art, I try to make time to paint and illustrate whatever comes to mind for fun. My goal is to make a collection of paintings to put in a gallery one day. I also illustrated a children's book titled “Happy Too” by Victoria Hamaty, and just wrapped up another called “Carlito the Bat” by Michelle Flores. I hope to one day become a full-time illustrator with Kiartist—that’s my goal!
Where do you think your passion and creativity stem from?
I used to draw on napkins at restaurants when I was little—I still do it sometimes. My family has a few artists in it, but my parents were very supportive of my love for the arts and I am very grateful for that. They always bought me art supplies, took me to museums and showed me the movie, “Frida” (maybe a little too early, but oh well!)
What types of projects do you take on, both personally and with Bold Brands? What have some of your most memorable (or favorite) projects and collaborations looked like so far?
I have taken on such an array of projects throughout my career, but especially at Bold Brands. Since we’re a smaller branding agency, I work on every creative project that comes through. I’m especially grateful for getting to work on packaging for a fish dip company called, “Mrs. Peters,” and seeing it in stores is so cool. I also love creating magazine illustrations for Edible Magazine! I get to try different techniques and just have fun with it. They give a lot of freedom with it.
What kind of questions do you ask before beginning a design project, and what’s most important during your creative process?
I try my best to stay organized. The most important thing I’ve learned is to have everything in writing or have a contract—even if it’s simple. It’s also very important for me and the client to have a good understanding of what the project is, along with good communication to make sure we know each other's expectations for the final outcome. With custom doodles, it’s a bit easier—because I’m usually creating a drawing from a reference photo.
How have your past professional and academic experiences and lessons prepared you for the work you do today? How have they not prepared you?
I think I have personally learned the most in professional work settings. Flagler prepared me how to work in different programs, and how to present my work. My professors there were really amazing and supportive, but nothing teaches you like on-the-job experience. I thought portfolio was tough in college, but when you’re in the “real world,” other people are depending on you to do the work well, format things correctly, and stay organized. That translates over to my work with Kiartist, too. I have to be organized and communicate well with others that are entrusting me with illustration projects.
How has being a woman impacted your professional experiences? What can we collectively do to support and empower women in your industry today?
I would say the biggest thing that stands out is the pay gap. I worked for a corporate company in the past, and I’ll never forget the super awkward conversation I had with a male designer about our paychecks. He didn’t even have a B.A. in design and worked less hours than me, and the difference in his pay just shocked me. Also, Latina women are even lower on the pay gap—so there’s that.
Specifically, how has being a WOC impacted your professional experience? What can we do to create more supportive and inclusive work environments inside and outside of your industry?
I’ve shown my Latino/Puerto Rican-themed portfolio at every job interview I’ve had. I do NOT shy away from it—I am so proud of my culture, and it shows through my work most of the time. People know from the first time they meet me that I’m Puerto Rican *insert me waving a giant Puerto Rican flag here.* At every job I’ve had, there has only been one other person of color there, so I guess in that sense, I’m pretty much always the resident Latina in the office. What has been positive is that people usually want to take in how I feel about certain things and get my perspectives—especially when Latin or Spanish-speaking clients are involved. There have definitely been other work environments (that were short-lived, thank goodness) that were not very POC-friendly and made me uncomfortable. So I guess it’s weird that I either feel awesome that I’m different and able to help with my own cultural perspective/language, or I’m the subject of some not very nice “jokes”.
What’s one of the best or most worthwhile investments you’ve made in your career?
My iPad and iPencil were total game changers for digital drawing. Learning not to be afraid to charge what I’m worth and learning about contracts and better ways to make my side business into a full-time business have also been huge. I bought a book on how to make contracts, which has helped too!
What’s one thing you’re proud to have accomplished in your career thus far?
Creating my skyline prints for Saint Augustine, Jacksonville and Puerto Rico. What started as a doodle of a place so close to my heart (that was being ravaged by a storm at the time) ended up becoming a print that was able to raise money to help people. I want my art to be able to have that kind of meaning and that kind of positive effect on my community. Art is meant to do so much more than just look nice on a wall. Art has the power to impact people.
How often do you experience creative burnouts? How do you remedy them?
I feel like I have mini burnouts when I just overdo it and put too much on my plate. I try to avoid doing that now and be careful with my time—but every once in a while it will sneak up on me. Milk and cookies and Golden Girls helps. That and rewatching my favorite movies with my husband are super comforting when I’m frustrated with my art.
Translating passion into a career is tough. What advice do you have when it comes to this?
I do love design and I’ve loved learning about it, but I am going to be honest: I am way more passionate about illustration. There are SO MANY creative fields a person can go into, but go into the one you are actually passionate about. I don't regret going into design, but I just wish that other creative options weren’t looked at as a “yikes” by so many that, if that makes sense.
Similarly, how do you balance your day job with your passion projects?
To be honest, I'm still working on it—it’s been hard working from home lately. I LOVE being at home, but I’d usually prefer have a change in scenery from office to home studio. Being in the same space for most of the time has been a little tricky. I’m very hard on myself when it comes to taking breaks if I feel I “don’t deserve one.” Turns out, you really need to let yourself step back to rest to avoid the burnout stage. I always want to say yes to all the projects, but I’ve gotten better at trying to space projects out so I don’t overdo it. Our needs and making time for ourselves is just as important.
Who are some women in your field that you look to for inspiration?
Oh my gosh, so many. Karen Kurycki, Jamie Galley, D’ana of COVL, Jenna Alexander, Krystal Quiles, Joy Hwaung Ruiz, Melissa Koby, Danielle Coke, and Lucy Knisley. I know I’m forgetting some!
How do you rest, recharge and find inspiration?
Movie soundtracks, cleaning, driving down A1A to St. Augustine while playing my favorite song, Gypsy by Fleetwood Mac.
Career and/or life advice for other babes (both inside and outside of your industry?)
Don’t compare yourself to others. I know it’s hard. I spent so much of my time in college comparing my style or work to others, worried about whether it matched up. But your story and your work is going to be different than others, and that’s the beauty of it. If you feel like someone else is doing really well and you’re not at your best—that’s OK, just keep working and keep living. Focus on your path. It's not going to be the same as someone else's, it's supposed to be different.
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