Kimberly Engwicht | K-Rae Designs
Kimberly is the creative director behind K-Rae Designs, a digital lettering/art and stationery business in Brisbane. Kimberly is a proud South Sea Islander and Aboriginal woman from Bundjalung country, New South Wales.
Kimberly's love for bold lettering and brightly coloured illustrations are always evident in her work. She loves to empower others with her art and always tries to use her artwork for the greater good; helping and encouraging others where she can.
Q&A
1. Tell me about yourself: who are you, what do you love etc?
My name is Kimberly and I am the Creative Director of K-Rae Designs. I am a proud Aboriginal and South Sea Islander woman that resides in Brisbane. I grew up in Darwin, NT and although I love it up there, I knew I was destined for bigger and better things, so a move to Brisbane was the next best thing.
I am a mother to two small children and I know that it might sound cliche', but everything I do, I do it for them.
Things that make my heart flutter - my family, the hustle and bustle of city life - but also the quiet time spent sitting by the beach, weekend escapes, hotel life, well made coffee and massages...always massages.
2. What do you do?
I am a digital artist. I create and sell my digital art in forms of greeting cards, prints and custom portraits. I sell wholesale to a number of stockists around Australia and I do a fair bit of commission work. I've done work from podcast covers to wedding name tags, birthday invites to yearly diaries for a local college.
In my business I do pretty much do everything...hand letter, designing, packaging, marketing, delivering. You name it, I do it...one woman girl boss right here.
3. What's your 'why’?
I've got 2 why's.
1st and foremost - I do this for my kids. I started this as a creative outlet to have while being a stay at home mum in the very early stages... now having this as a "full" time business, I get to have the security of being able to stay home with my kids up until they start school... which has always been a goal of mine.
My 2nd why, is to bring happiness and love into the world. Might sound sappy but I'm all for inspiring others, making sure others know that they are loved, that they're enough and that they know their worth. If I can make someone's day with a comment, a DM or an artwork of mine... I know I've made it.
4. What was the biggest turning point in your life?
Biggest turning point in my life would be having kids most definitely. Having kids really changes one's life and makes you have a completely new outlook on life.
If I could mention a turning point in my business, it would be recently when I had my work projected up onto the William Jolly Bridge in Brisbane City. It was mind-blowing and I really couldn't believe it. Still can't.
Since then, I've had some new projects open up with some amazing opportunities. Stay tuned!
5. How did you get to the point you're at now?
A lot of hard work, late nights, stressful times but also accompanied with lots of support from friends/family and insta friends, amazing opportunities and a crap tonne of help from my husband who is like my 2IC. He's my BIGGEST support... he's an accountant by trade and he helps me with all the number side of my biz. Really don't think I'd be this far into my business if I didn't have him.
6. Is there any advice you can share or something you wish you knew?
My biggest advice is JUST START. Don't worry about getting all your ducks in a row. Start small, grow with your business and make connections. I think why I have been successful in my business is being open and transparent with others and having the willingness to contact and chat to other businesses. Having true connections opens doors. ️
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Photo Credits
The Latest, LXO Creative Studios & Sandison Photography