For over 25 years, CMYKate Designs has transformed clients ideas into beautiful, unique and eye-catching graphic designs. After decades of corporate experience, Kate is now passionate about working with non-profits, small businesses, women-owned business, and healthcare companies who are making an impact on the community. Using expertise and creativity, each project is a labor of love and with a goal to be unique, functional and stay within your budget. No job is too big, too small or too strange for CMYKate Designs.
Embrace your uniqueness.
Be kind.
Practice gratitude.
Make each day count!
Data Visualization Director
After attending SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) many years ago, Kate landed in Seattle and gained experience in the design world working at an ad agency, design firm and marketing company before starting her own freelance design company in 1997. For the past 25 years, clients have ranged from large pharmaceutical companies to small startup businesses. Regardless of size, the goal is always transform your ideas into beautiful and functional designs that make an impact.
CTD (chief top dog)
Ellie joined the team July 23, 2019. She is a mix of King Charles Cavalier Spaniel and Minature Poodle. Her super powers include but are not limited to:
CMYKate Designs transforms your ideas into a beautiful, print designs from business cards & brochures to flyers & special event materials. Each print project is created and prepared professionally for print. Click to view the print portfolio of work that spans the past 25 years.
CMYKate Designs is now designing and building full WordPress websites, using the Divi and Elementor theme builders. Often websites go hand in hand with other branded materials being designed for print, and CMYKate Designs is here to help you put it all together in one package!
CMYKate Designs can help source printing for each project based on budget & timing. Some clients also need help with managing schedules and juggling teams, which CMYKate Designs is happy to help with to keep each project on track.
I strive to make working together easy and fun. First, we’ll discuss your project so I can gather a detailed sense of your needs and provide an estimate. I generally start my ideas on paper, but quickly move to the computer and create a series of concepts. Then the real fun begins! We’ll then collaborate to pick and edit a design direction and move through an editing process that varies from project to project. I’ll create final electronic art files for online use or that are print or web ready.
I use Adobe Creative Suite Software and am a trained expert in InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop. I also build beautiful website in WordPress using the Divi and Elementor Theme Builders, as well as eNewsletters in Mailchimp and Constant Contact and presentations and templates in Microsoft and Google Platforms.
I bill hourly for my work, invoicing at the end of a job, offering convenient online payment options.
I am so thrilled that CMYKate Designs is celebrating 25+ years of business this year. It sounds like a cliché, but where does the time go? It seems like yesterday that I was a young designer graduating from Savannah College of Art and Design where I earned the nickname “CMYKate”. After a few full-time jobs at an ad agency, a fancy design firm, and a marketing group, I quickly realized that I was going to be happiest working for myself and raising my family with a more flexible schedule. FULL RESUME.
I grew up in Vancouver, Canada and moved to Southern Illinois at the end of highschool. After attending art school in Savannah Georgia, I moved back to the west coast and started my life in Seattle. I live and work in Ballard, Seattle in beautiful Washington State with my husband and dog. I have two daughters in university and am a newly hatched empty nester.
When I’m not at my desk designing, I enjoy doing outdoor adventures, travelling, oil painting, doing volunteer work in the community and connecting with friends and family. VIEW KATE’S PAINTINGS.
My clients, like the places I have lived, vary from small to large, local to global, start-up to established business. I strive to provide quality design for all types of projects and for companies of all sizes. SEE CLIENT LIST
For the past few years, my focus has been on working with small businesses, non-profits and healthcare companies who make a positive impact on the community. All of my jobs are different, and require an effective balance of creative talent and technical skill. For some, it might be capturing a unique look and feel for a new company. For others, it may be finding the most creative way to express an already strong brand. I pride myself on loyalty, honesty, and having fun. Whatever the project, my goal is to complete it within your budget, on your timeline, and to put a smile on your face.
CMYKate donates design time and talent each year to many organizations. Giving back to our community is an important part of CMYKate Designs.
Attend regular events in Seattle and other cites for entrepreneurs, as well as particiate in a monthly forum of small business owners. I serve as forum moderator this year. More on EO Seattle.
Member of a business referral group of 22 members who all partner together to help grow each others businesses. More on Rain City Referrals.
Associate Member of WSAE. www.wsaenet.org
In August, I was born in Toronto, Ontario in Canada. We moved to Calgary, Alberta in 1974.
Move to Vancouver where I grow up until 1988, when we move to Marion, IL in Southern Illinois, where I graduated as a Marion Wildcat.
Move to Savannah, GA and attend Savannah College of Art & Design - majoring in Graphic Design.
Graduate May 1993.
After Graduating from SCAD, I moved to Seattle and landed first design job at the Hacker Group.
I also started CMYKate Designs and started to do small jobs on the side part time.
After a few years at the Hacker Group, I move to Hansen Design Company, a small boutique design firm for a year and then move to BBFM (Bigger, Better, Faster More) a Seattle Marketing Firm and serve as an Art Director.
I continute to grow CMYKate Designs, adding clients on the side.
Life starts to take shape...
I get married in Seattle, WA and quit full time job and officially start CMYKate Designs working for myself.
From 2001-2004 I step back from full time design work to be a mom. Best job anyone could ask for!
I come back in 2005 and find balance between my design work and motherhood.
The years roll on, and in 2017 I celebrate 20 years of CMYKate Designs and create a new brand for myself.
Kids are growing up, one off to college, another driving and so the paths continues to change course…
Design and adventure await with my new little studio pup Ellie.
Little do we know how our world is about to change!
2021 will forever be the year of zooming through COVID.
We also become "empty nesters" and start to get out and about as the Pandemic winds down.
Coming through COVID and things are getting back to a new "normal" - I started of the new year with a snowshoe hike to Franklin Falls, WA.
