This week we’re welcoming our Brisbane AW22 Indigenous Program recipient K-Rae Designs! For designer Kim, what began as a creative outlet while being a stay at home mum has transformed into a blossoming small business selling modern stationery and digital art, all locally printed in Brisbane. Be sure to visit Kim’s stall at Brisbane Finders Keepers on the 20th-22nd of May to discover her big, bold and colourful designs for yourself!
When I look back on past jobs, it really wasn’t who I was made to be…K-Rae Designs is who and what I am meant to be.
Can you share the journey of K-Rae Designs so far and why it is important to you?
K-Rae Designs started at the beginning of 2017. I was a new Mum and I knew I didn’t want to return to the 9-5 grind. I started playing around with watercolours and began hand-lettering greeting cards and prints for family and friends. I soon found that it wasn’t really working for me, so I invested in an iPad…and I haven’t looked back since. Lettering and typography were what I mainly concentrated on at the beginning until mid-2019 I delved into drawing and illustrating objects and people.
I started out selling greeting cards and prints on Etsy and then upped my game and created my own website and online store, which is now home to a wide range of art prints, notepads, t-shirts, painted skateboards and more. Over the past 5 years, I’ve had some amazing opportunities, all of which have stretched me creatively. My business is super important to me because it’s my livelihood and completely who I am. When I look back on past jobs, it really wasn’t who I was made to be…K-Rae Designs is who and what I am meant to be.
What keeps you inspired and motivated?
My kids inspire and motivate me each and every day. Being able to show them that they can become whatever their little hearts desire and enjoy doing it is pretty cool.
Following other creatives and artists keeps me inspired and wanting to keep creating and expanding in my own art journey. Having a strong community around me of female business owners is pretty rad too. Also, seeing the smiles and hearing the stories of the joy my art and products give to people also is what motivates me.
What are your hopes for the future of K-Rae Designs?
I’m hoping for more collaborations with other local businesses. It’s such an amazing opportunity to be able to collab and connect with like-minded businesses. This year, I’d also love to grow my apparel line and bring out new products. I would love to bring out hats and beanies for the winter months and possibly some new t-shirts. I’d also love to try my hands at painting on canvas, so maybe some fresh original paintings may be in the works. Another one of my hopes for the future is to go international again! Being able to open up my online store to those all around the world and possibly do some sick international collaborations.
Being your first Finders Keepers what can market-goers expect to discover at your stall? What are you most excited about?
I’m so freakin’ excited that this will be my first ever Finders Keepers, so everyone can expect to be greeted with a big friendly smile. I’ll have everything from my celebrity greeting cards to art prints, hand-painted originals to snazzy t-shirts, skateboard decks to adorn your walls to funky sticker sheets, framed digital art to our very popular Check Yo’Self journals. Everything and anything for an art/stationery lover! I’m most excited about meeting everyone! I love meeting my K-Rae Fam So if you’re a lover of my work or long time follower…don’t be shy, come say hi!
Connect with K-Rae Designs:
kraedesigns.com.au
instagram.com/k.rae.designs
The Finders Keepers Brisbane/Meanjin Markets
20-22 May 2022
Exhibition Building, Brisbane Showgrounds