Meet Kate Pauda | Floral Designer & Horticulturist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kate Pauda and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kate, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
My favorite memories of my childhood are ones filled with nature and creative expression. I loved working in the garden with my mom as a kid; as I became a young adult, I found myself reminiscing on those times and the joy I felt working with plants. These memories, paired with my lifelong interest in visual art, led me to pursue an education in horticulture with a focus on floral design. I fell in love with the work and I’m grateful to have a career where I can use my talents to bring our clients’ visions to life!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Joining Fauna & Fig was a huge step forward in my career. When my business partner Tabatha reached out about working together a year ago, I never imagined it would lead us to where we are today! We have learned and accomplished so much over the past year, despite the challenges we’ve faced working events during a pandemic and being a small, woman-owned business in a sea of established florists. Our business is thriving for many reasons, one being our determination to rise to any challenge we face. This tenacity and our shared design ethos made it possible to reach every milestone we’ve set for ourselves so far, and I personally can’t wait to see what Fauna & Fig will accomplish in the years to come!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Atlanta has such a rich music scene, so my first move would be to see who’s playing around town (personally, I love The Earl for small shows, The Eastern for big shows, and Center Stage for anything in between). While concerts are my go-to for a night out, I love visiting the many museums around Midtown- the High, the MODA, and the Center for Puppetry Arts are some of my favorites! As for food and drinks, I love taking people to Cafe Sunflower to see the look on their face once they realize the whole menu is vegan (and delicious)! For late night fun, Mary’s in EAV is a great choice for anyone looking for an inclusive bar that keeps the party going all night! Luckily, Argosy (another favorite of mine) is a quick walk away and offers pizza specials if you need some sustenance while staying close by.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d love to shine the spotlight on our friends Kristen and Chasity at Open Air, a woman-owned plant design studio in Atlanta. I did an internship with them while still in school and they were both so lovely to work with. We’ve loved watching their business grow and have appreciated their support of our business so much!

Website: www.faunaandfig.com