A Creative Day with RedStar Ink

I met Marcie, graphic designer and owner of REDSTAR Ink, for the first time last year.  It was at a networking event and we chatted it up a bit.  But I really (like for real, really) met her when we decided to take an 11 hour road trip to Salt Lake City, Utah for Alt Summit. (11 hours to & 11 hours from, mind you!)  We piled into a Prius, thanks to Ana, of We Love Citrus, and hightailed it to SLC.  (We might have stopped in Vegas for a dinner treat and I might have made them play blackjack and lose $60 each in 5 minutes, but we won't talk about that.)

What we will talk about is how when we got dressed for the Alt dinners once we arrived in SLC, that we both came out wearing the exact. same. top.  and how we creepily said the exact same phrase at the exact same time.  She is a listener and I am a talker.  She has tattoos, I have none.  But we are eerily similar in so many ways.  And I immediately liked her. A lot.  She's one cool chick and she has her own graphic design business & online shop based out of San Diego, called REDSTAR Ink.

I want you to get to know her like I do on today's Featured Friday.  Here is a little more about the lovely & talented Marcie, from REDSTAR Ink.

AF: How would you describe your lovely self?

RSI: I am a graphic designer with an obsession for personal organization and a taste for simple design. When I’m not in the studio, I am busy being a mom to my six-year-old son and enjoying my life in San Diego.

AF: How did your business get started?  How long have you been in business?

RSI: I have always loved and collected cards and paper ephemera and as a graphic designer, I would often design my own. After my son was born, Etsy was emerging as a market for handmade artists so I decided to create a line of paper goods and open a shop. I opened my online store to the public in October of 2009. Today, REDSTAR ink specializes in personal planners and calendars, and our collection of paper products includes notebooks, cards, tags and more.

AF: What gives you inspiration?  How does living in San Diego contribute to that?

RSI: I am inspired by simplicity, modern elegance, and functionality. I appreciate understated design with thoughtful use of materials and/or packaging. I suppose that choosing a city like San Diego to call home can be equated to my inclination for simple modernity and laid back style.

AF:  Three adjectives that describe your style?

RSI: simple . bold . modern

AF: Who…. is your average client?  

RSI: The REDSTAR ink client is someone very similar to myself. They have a busy life and are constantly working to maintain organization in their home. Whether they are attracted to the Bills Calendar to manage their finances or one of my list books to jot down items needed at the market, they are looking for order amongst the chaos of everyday life. They choose to send an invitation in the mail over an Evite and they are delighted by the gesture of a hand-written thank you note.

 AF:  If you could only wear one type of accessory every day, it would be….

RSI:  I have a big crush on Frye boots and flats. I spend a lot of time on my feet so it is important to me to invest in quality shoes.

AF: You love San Diego because of.......... 

RSI: The weather. The beaches. The lifesyle.

AF: San Diego has great……

RSI: Tourist attractions, parks and beaches. I am so happy to live in such a beautiful city and I am a big supporter of the Surfrider Foundation. I think protecting and conserving the ocean and beaches that attracts so many visitors to our city is so important.

AF: Marcie, thank you so much for sharing your business with Art in the Find today!  So happy to have you for a visit.

To get your hands on some of the REDSTAR Ink goodness, head over to her shop and for more about local San Diego artists, Etsy shop Owners and such check out my post about We Love Citrus.