Karlie Winchell is a part-time graphic designer for Addison Whitney, a local branding firm, as well as a part-time chronic project starter. Karlie also serves as the Event Coordinator and Designer at Queen City Conscious Market. On the days she’s not working at AW, she can be found freelancing, planning markets, designing stationery, and trying to maybe make a living out of it.

1. What is your proudest accomplishment?

As an entrepreneur at heart, I can’t help but invest all of my spare time in side projects. Last year, after spending our whole summer participating in art markets, a good friend of mine and I got this crazy idea to start our own. The difference with this show would be that we’d only allow vendors who create gifts that give back to the community. So, we started Queen City Conscious Market. Being just a regular person, somewhat new to town, I figured nobody would come. Somehow we landed an awesome venue, band, and earned the trust of 12 talented and giving vendors. The process of designing all of the materials and trying to think of every bit of event branding I could create (from vendor badges to signage and web graphics) was a blast because I had total creative freedom. The best and proudest moment was when the door opened, and the guests started to pile in and nobody could move. Our crazy idea became a real thing, and a cool one at that.

2. What would people be surprised to know about you?

At 5’2″, I’m a champion bull trainer and showman… showwoman?… showmiss?

3. If there is karaoke at the next office party, what song will you be singing?

Bohemian Rhapsody for an emotional and vocal roller coaster.

4. What’s one goal you have for the future?

To open a boutique which curates goods that give back (essentially a brick and mortar version of Queen City Conscious Market) and to design and sell inspiring wholesale stationery and prints.

5. What’s your favorite movie?

Freedom Writers. I love the way they use historical events of the past to inspire the future. I’ll cry every time. “But even an ordinary secretary or a housewife or a teenager can, within their own small ways, turn on a small light in a dark room.”

Each month, AIGA Charlotte strives to highlight one of its members. If you have any ideas for our next spotlight, please contact Mark Iafrate at miafrate@charlotte.aiga.org.