Today we’d like to introduce you to Christina Muscato.
Hi Christina, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Sure, yes – thank you for having me!
My artistic story began at my grandparent’s house where drawing, sewing, building things from wood, and planting flowers in the garden were weekly occurrences. So I was encouraged to tap into my senses from a young age.
As a natural empath keenly aware of others’ emotions, I was interested in helping people feel good inside. And somewhere along the way, the shy child-like part of me recognized the impact of using my creative skills to lift others’ moods and create connection. I channeled my passion for this into hand-making individual greeting cards and crafting uniquely personal gifts for many family members, friends or others who were special to me. And in my work today, I still strive to do the same. Whether it’s illustrating colorful wallpaper to brighten someone’s home life or making someone’s brand connect with an audience in a special way.
A major in Digital Media in college taught me print and digital design software skills. A minor in Studio Art taught me how to explore color and shape on a page. Life after school helped cultivate my eye for quality design and style.
Today, I’m grateful to have created an art licensing business filled with illustrations available to product-based companies for use on their goods… Luxury wallpaper and cards, but also things like bedding, dishware, clothing, chocolate wrappers, gift wrap, and so much more. I’m also proud to have been an art director managing brand marketing for Fortune 500 companies, New York Times’ bestselling authors, festivals, notable restaurants, non-profits, and many others over the years. My illustrations are available for licensing at ChristinaMuscato.com, and my brand projects can be seen at MuscatoDesign.com.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It hasn’t been a smooth road (sometimes rocky), but the challenges have offered the most internal growth. The main hurdle was having the self-determination to share my illustration work with others. It’s been an exercise in vulnerability because creating art for your own self-expression feels viscerally different than designing branding elements for someone’s business. Every artist is unique and wants to somehow make an impact or have their personal work be well-received by others — and this road has pushed me to move past old limiting beliefs with my drawing skills and refrain from self-judgment.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Art licensing has been a labor of love. It started with a slow process of learning surface pattern illustration in my free time, then an actual curated collection of work, and ultimately a feeling of creative self-fulfillment. But it was also made with the intent to have others feel something inside… Excitement, joy, inspiration — or maybe a subtle calm depending on the design or one’s mood as they experience my work.
And for my brand marketing endeavors, I’ve taken a user-centered approach. Using empathy to create designs brings depth to the process, which can help set my clients apart from others. I like to envision marketing through the eyes of the customer — utilizing techniques that help predict how they’ll interact with something, while also focusing largely on visual consistency. I’ve helped many companies expand quality brand awareness across all mediums from web, to print, and social.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
YES! I love mentors and highly recommend using them. I found one of mine through word of mouth by asking family/friends, and another through Instagram. It never hurts to reach out to people you admire to see if they’re open to chatting or grabbing coffee. One piece of advice would be to look for someone who demonstrates a genuine interest or belief in you, and sees that the benefits of being connected are mutual. A mentee often also has much to offer the mentor back, simply with their innate open energy and eagerness to learn. I’ve found this encourages the most individual growth, and makes for balanced long-term working relationships that easily flourish. Anyone can reach out directly to me for any other advice they may need!
Contact Info:
- Email: christina.muscato@gmail.com
- Website: http://ChristinaMuscato.com or http://Muscatodesign.com
- Instagram: @christinamuscato
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