Inspiring Conversations with Kathryn Young of Taro Snow

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kathryn Young.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I received my BFA in Drawing and Painting from the University of North Texas and my MFA from the San Francisco Art institute in 2015. After graduating from SFAI, I moved to Seattle, started a family, then found my way back to Texas. A plus side to this past year would be the extra time my husband and I had together. We’ve always wanted to collaborate and start a business. So we went for it! Our mutual love of art, interior and product design led us to start our company, Taro Snow.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I’d say the biggest struggle for me would be balancing motherhood and an art practice. And accepting the fact that sometimes there won’t be a balance. I have an almost 4-year old and an 8-month-old and not much art has been made over the last four years. Being a parent has forced me to adjust my art-making. It’s actually been so rewarding and exactly what I needed to shake things up and try something new. I decided to use an iPad and work digitally for the first time, instead of making large drawings on paper. This shift in scale and medium just clicked for me. And working small and digitally just made sense for my life right now.

We’ve been impressed with Taro Snow, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I started Taro Snow with my partner, Ryan Amarit. We design home furnishings such as woven throw blankets and pillows. The designs are based on my art, which plays with space, scale, and pattern. Attention to detail and an immense vocabulary of mark making is something that is unique to my work and translates nicely to textiles. I’ve always been interested in finding a medium to make my artwork more accessible to people. It’s exciting to see my work on a product, our woven throw blankets is one of the things that we are most proud of.

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
As far as I can remember, I was always drawing, painting, and making art. My medium of choice as a kid was either a white or yellow legal pad and a pencil. If my parents offered to buy me a toy at the store, I’d run to the office supply aisle and pick out a pack of gel pens. And honestly not much has changed in twenty years. Other interests came and went as I grew up, but art has been my constant.

Pricing:

• $125 – Throw Blankets

Contact Info:

• Email: hello@tarosnow.com
• Website: https://www.tarosnow.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tarosnow.shop/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tarosnow.shop