I am a curly-haired girl who loves roller coasters. But I am also a designer and artist.
How do roller coasters factor into my life?
I have lived fairly close to an amusement park my entire life. It was my playground as a kid and I enjoyed it with my sister, my cousins, and my family. Screaming at the top of my lungs and throwing my hands up when ascending the big hills, the turns, and the upside-downs was such a thrill and it still is! I even started my first job there as a 14-year-old kid. Roller coasters were a huge part of my life. There are more fun and exciting stories that go along with the roller coasters. You can ask me more about them sometime!
Why art and design?
I love the way that art and design can make impacts on so many levels. They impact on a personal level and then they start to spread outward one community at a time. Being able to take my creativity and produce results for the ideas that people dream up for their businesses is such a reward. It's another reward to just help in any way I can whether it's a simple postcard to let people know more about a business, a simple calendar for people to hang on their fridges to know when band practice is, or posting on social to try and recruit more band members. Great design makes such an impact in a community.
Art allows me to express more of my thoughts, ideas, and style. It's an outlet to have fun and experiment. My art and design go hand in hand. There are endless possibilities when Adobe has given incredible programs to work with.
What do I love to do in my free time?
I love to spend time with my close friends and family. They are a big part of my life. My love for plant-based food and cooking has increased over the last couple of years. I take great pride in making healthy and delicious meals especially breakfast meals recently. It starts the day off on a positive note and is already prepared or prepped to be put together in a timely fashion before starting the work day. Being out on the water is such a calm place for me. I love boats and finally decided this summer (2023) was the year to get my kayak. Either it's just myself on an adventure for the day or sometimes there is a group of us heading out somewhere together. It's always a fun and relaxing time out on the water. Although with a lot of activity comes relaxation and recharge and I greatly love those moments to myself. Other free time activities include walking, hiking, yoga, finding new restaurants to try, and concerts. Yes, concerts! I grew up going to lots of them and love all types of music.
You may be wondering why my curly hair matters.
Well, up until I went to college I disliked my curly hair. I didn't know how to style it and straightened it a lot to sort of fit in. I went to college and started to figure it out. I love my curly hair and it is who I am, a naturally curly-haired person whose hair will never look the same day after day!
Lastly, how did I get the nickname CJ?
The first day I walked into the office of my first design job my boss introduced me to one of my co-workers and her name was also Kaitlin. Immediately my boss told me she would need a different name to call me. The wheels started to turn. My dad sometimes called me CJ as a kid, but never outside the house. Everyone always knew me as Caitlin. From that moment at my first design job, I continue to use CJ as my nickname.