How long have you worked at LympheDIVAs?
About 7.5 years. I joined the company in October 2011 when they relocated from Philadelphia to Pittsfield. I started on the production team and over the years moved into the design department as the company grew.
What does your job entail, what’s your typical day like?
My role emcompasses all the in-house illustration and photography for Lymphedivas, so depending on what assets are needed, I may be setting up a photoshoot, or creating a new pattern using a mixture of traditional and digital techniques. Every day could be something different and throughout the year I cycle through various tasks as we work through the seasonal collections, conferences, sales, and development needs.
Favorite memory from work?
The weekend back in February 2016 when we moved the office into our second Pittsfield location and a larger workspace. I helped in the design work, so not only was it cool to see the plans turn into reality, but it was also exciting to see all the new space and opportunities the company could grow into.
What’s a common question you get from customers?
My work doesn’t bring me into customer conversations too often, but family and friends are always curious if I have a favorite design. This is definitely a hard question, as there’s not any one in particular. We really try to make each pattern the best version of itself, so even if some may not be “my style” they’re all interesting designs and I enjoy working on such a large variety of themes. I also enjoy seeing how your mood can be drawn to different patterns day to day. Birds of Paradise is definitely how I’m feeling on a great day, Fury is all about kicking butt and taking names, and the low key inky lines of Magnolia or the serene Koi capture the feeling of relaxing downtime to a “T” for me.
What do you like most about your job?
I get to draw and paint, which I love, but I also get to see my art directly improve the lives of people both physically and emotionally. It’s truly functional art with a huge impact. Illustrating for compressive garments is also a unique experience. You have to think about a 2D piece of illustration on a dynamic 3D framework that will be different for every wearer; it’s always creatively challenging.
Where are you from?
I’m a local. Originally from Pittsfield, MA, I now live just across the New York border, a stone’s throw away.
Where did you go to school?
I actually earned my B.S. in Interior Design from Endicott College in Beverly, MA, in 2008. However, I didn’t love working in this sector in in real life, so when the economy dipped, I saw the opportunity to switch my focus to illustration and freelanced a bit before joining Lymphedivas in 2011.
What do you like to do when you aren’t working?
Painting some more! Haha, but besides pursuing my own personal painting and other creative hobbies, I also enjoy gardening, day trips, taking walks in our rural neighborhood with my husband Matt, and chilling with our two cats Jax and Franklin.
You can follow along with my personal art on Instagram, Facebook, or my website.
Fun fact:
I love spending time outside, and when the weather is nice, I’m an avid plein air painter. I enjoy painting my garden and the surrounding landscape the most. Last summer I was super excited to be invited to do an afternoon of plein air demonstration at the Clark Art Museum in Williamstown!