Kathryn Zaremba is a surface designer and illustrator living and working in the Washington DC area. Before moving to Washington Kathryn was fortunate enough to work with designer extraordinaire Jonathan Adler in NYC, an experience that shaped her creative outlook. She has also designed textiles for fashion designer Rachel Antonoff. Kathryn received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Interdisciplinary Art Studies from the Kansas City Art Institute in Missouri, studying textile design and fiber art. So we are proud to bring you the Designer Insights of Kathryn Zaremba.
Image Credit: 1) Tom Dixon 2) Wallpaper 3) Ana Kras 4) Oyyo 5) Just Scandinavian
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1) In your own words describe your unique style and creative aesthetic?
My work is playful. It often harkens back to art history or to a more childlike and simple expression. I mix up the way I create patterns. They are born from hand illustration or paper cut-out shapes.
2) When starting a new project, what is your creative process?
I don’t always rush to get new ideas down on paper and yet sometimes I’ll only draw the thing once and then there it is. I sketch out pattern ideas in my notebook and sometimes consider changing my medium.
3) Out of the creative people you have worked with, who is it that you respect and admire the most?
I haven't worked with many designers but I really admire the work of two artists who have remained inspirations to me for the last 8 years. Artist and textile designer Sonia Delaunay and architect and exhibition designer Lina Bo Bardi. Both broke the mold of what it meant to be a female artist designer in their time. They were each prolific makers in multitudes of mediums, never allowing themselves to be put into a box.
4) When looking for inspiration is there a particular thing you do to get inspired?
I find inspiration in just about everything. I grew up in the theater and this certainly had an impact on my interest in art and design. And then studying visual art changed the way I viewed the world. Learning how people have interpreted their environments throughout history is so incredibly fascinating to me.
5) What has brought you to this point in your career? And what is your advice for people looking to follow in your footsteps?
Oh gosh. I feel like I’ve only just started! I always knew I wanted to be a maker. I suppose my imagination has always been too busy to just let it sit inside my head. Everything that has lead up to now has been about taking risks and staying true to who I am and how I want to move through life. Making things for other people means everything to me.
