What do you do?

I am a multi-disciplinary creative from Mexico City, living and working in NY. 

Currently I work full time as a Creative Director at JKR, a creative agency where I lead a talented team of designers doing work for a wide range of clients.

Outside my full-time job, I enjoy teaching and lecturing as a way to give back to the design community. This also helps my own creative practice, where my main objective is exploration and working on projects I’m personally passionate about.

Following these personal passions has given me very interesting opportunities. I have gotten to do exciting collaborations with companies, organizations, and people whose vision I admire. From designing jewelry pieces in partnership with indigenous artisan Guadalupe Zeferino in Mexico for the MAP (Popular Arts Museum), to creating textile artwork for fashion companies I love, such as WHIT, and now Frances Valentine.

What is your process when working on a textile print?

Creating artwork for textile prints is one of my favorite types of projects to work on.

I will usually start by meeting with the designer or client I am doing the print for to get an idea of the collection the print will be part of, have an informal chat and look at any mood-boards, inspiration, color palettes, and shapes they might be considering.

Once I have a clear idea, I might do visual research. In the case of botanicals, I go to the flower market and get loads of flowers. I love painting from life, the gestures translate in a much more genuine way, that is harder to capture when painting from a picture or photograph.

I like working fast and with a very loose style. I am very particular about my workspace, the music, light, tools, and materials that I work with, but strive not to be particular about the work that I am doing. I love raw brushstrokes and you can’t be fussy about them!

For every print I design, I will likely create at least thirty art pieces. The most beautiful pieces tend to be the less precious, the less contrived.