When did you discover that you enjoy graphic design?

It feels as if I have always been into visual arts. As a young kid I would spend my days drawing and painting murals on the walls in my room. When I got bored of the fact surfaces traditional art was limited to, I shifted towards alternative mediums. I pivoted into streetwear and began customizing shoes throughout high school. As my passion for sneakers faded away, it was replaced with needles and inks. Tattoos for me were like owning a collection of artwork. With the subject matter varying widely, tattoos were something I enjoyed because I was able to work in many styles. Always in search of the next medium in which I can entertain my skills and express myself, my life journey has always been design inclusive.

Who are some illustrators and visual artists that inspire you?

Beyond some of my favorite well-known contemporary artists such as Virgil Abloh, Takashi Murakami, KAWS, Piet Parra, etc., I really enjoy seeing work from newly emerging artists. My current favorite would be an artist based out of New York City named Daniel Arsham. He is known for bridging the gap between past, present, and future, and creating a world in which they coexist. By taking mundane contemporary objects and eroding space into them, he is paying homage to the powers of nature, their destructive properties, and humanity’s possible future. Because he is 80 percent color blind, Arsham works with neutral shades of marble, sand, and selenite, serving as a result of his visual impairment, but doubling as a tribute to the past.

You recently made the move from Des Moines to Minneapolis. Are you enjoying the attributes of a bigger city?

Moving to a city almost twice the size of DSM has been a little nerve racking but I’d say I’m adjusting well. The team has done a great job showing my around the North Loop and I recently visited a friend in the Uptown area. I have always felt like I belong in a bigger city so I’m excited to see what Minneapolis has to offer.

You studied abroad in Barcelona. What became your favorite Spanish food?

My favorite local food from Barcelona would be this tapas dish called Pa Amb Tomaquet, which translates to “bread with tomatoes.” While it was one of the more simpler dishes I tried abroad, the flavors were incredible. It’s pretty much just roasted tomatoes on toasted bread topped with olive oil, but definitely a staple in Catalan cuisine.

You share a name with a famous soccer star. Do you play?

I did actually play soccer back in high school. While I would have considered myself average at best, I enjoyed the sport and hung up my cleats with a grand total of three career goals. I know … pathetic. I would however like to start an indoor rec league with members from the office. Just not sure if they would be ready for my skills quite yet.

What’s your favorite thing to do on a Sunday afternoon?

I like to start my Sunday mornings listening to music. It puts me in a good mood to accomplish things I need to get done throughout the day. After some laundry and cleaning, you can usually find me at the gym getting a workout in. In the afternoons I enjoy shopping around for things I don’t at all need. My Sundays usually end with me binge-watching TV shows. Some of my favorites include Peaky Blinders and Money Heist.