Meet Krista Knudtsen: Graphic Designer and Illustrator

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

Hi Krista, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
Work life balance can be quite tricky in the arts because creatives are often in roles that have less specific time structures like 9-5 positions, or they are focusing productivity in the times they feel inspired. Because of this, doing your best to protect your work-life balance can be very needed. For many of us, I think this often means providing boundaries with clients and projects as much as possible and remembering to prioritize health and rest. However, I think an even more important part of this balance is making sure to refuel your creativity with things that bring you joy and inspiration, as well as learning when to let go of something–maybe even a work position–when it is not serving you anymore.

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.
Currently I am a designer and illustrator. My road to where I am today has been challenging because I have a strong desire to do work that I find interesting and fulfilling but haven’t always known what the application for that should be. I’ve always envied stories of people who knew from childhood what they wanted to be when they grew up. I find a lot of avenues fascinating so this made it more difficult to pick a direction in college. In my early professional positions I realized that I needed to pursue developing work and creative outlets that were for me–not just for a client or company–to continue to stay interested and motivated . This pushed me to want to pursue graduate studies in illustration which has been a love of mine since my earliest picture books. The work I am most recently proud of is the series of children’s book covers I completed for my final thesis which I wrapped up just a few months ago. I completed much of the work while also working full-time which was a real challenge in endurance. It was a very tiring period, particularly because it was in the midst of the pandemic, but a great reminder to myself of how capable I could be and how much I could accomplish (and how much caffeine I could consume). This kind of stretching is so helpful to build confidence in yourself as you grow and a great reminder when you face the next seemingly impossible project or situation. This thesis series, along with my other work, focuses on natural and botanic forms, figures, and stories. I hope that what sets any of my creative work apart, no matter the medium, is a focus on engaging storytelling, a fresh perspective or experience, and a personal connection to or with people. I would also love for my work to be set apart by my attitude towards it, something I appreciate about the creative people I respect most. I hope I continue to see my creativity as a place of excited invention and joy for a viewer but also for me. I would also like to cultivate a focus on thinking less of what I feel others think I should be doing and more on what is feeling magnetic and sparking my interest at the time.

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.
I love to bring people to some of the well-known spots in the city like Krog Street Market (love a salty caramel ice cream at Jeni’s and a Margherita pizza at Varuni Napoli) or a walk through Ponce City Market to stop in Posman books or grab a bite. Before moving to Atlanta, I’d never visited a city that seemed to love popsicles so much, so a stop at Steel City Pops or King of Pops in the summer is great. As someone with a strong desire to turn my apartment into a small jungle, I love Atlanta’s Botanical Garden and love to take advantage of the local nature preserves and hiking spots around the city. The Painted Pin is a fun spot for a night of bowling and games, and for a few more snacks and drinks I’d recommend Dr. Bombay’s Underwater Tea Party, S.O.S. Tikki Bar, and Cafe Intermezzo.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The person who comes instantly to mind when I think of an indispensable support in my life and story would have to be my sister. We count ourselves incredibly lucky to be siblings and be as close as we are. We grew up as creative kids with very little artistic community so having each other was invaluable to feeling understood, encouraged, and inspired. She listens to all my late night rambles, helps me weigh job offers, absorbs my complaints, truly understands the cost of creative effort, and is a wonderful plus-one for any interesting creative event. She’s been keeping me sane, loved, and hopeful about new possibilities for years.

Website: kknudtsen.com

Instagram: @kristaknudtsen

Image Credits
All image credits are my own.