Today we’d like to introduce you to Caris Fawcett.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Caris. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’ve always been interested in the arts and my pursuit for aesthetics has been a reoccuring theme in my life. When I opted to study Fine Arts at Savannah College of Art and Design, in the areas of painting and printmaking, I was certainly met with some criticism along the lines of “You’ll never find a job in the arts” and so on. After leaving college and returning back to Dallas, to be honest, I had little idea of how I wanted to necessarily apply those skills. This led to the continuation of work within the service industry for a while, the same way I had made ends meet while in school. Quickly realizing that many restaurants in Dallas were utilizing chalkboards, I started using my connections within the industry to create a regular list of clients that I would do their signage for.
My love for typography flourished, although there would be times when I’d be 10 feet up on a ladder with a bar full of customers watching. It’s definitely a bit more stressful when your both the artist and the performer, but of course, this allowed for conversations and connections to facilitate. I’m a huge believer in serendipity, that being in the right place at the right time is quintessential, but this must also be met with the confidence and ability to engage with people, to ask the right questions, and most importantly to sell yourself and your worth. Through my stint of doing chalkboard art, I was able to come in contact with a prominent restauranteur in Dallas, Shannon Wynne who owns The Meddlesome Moth, Rodeo Goat, and the Flying Saucer, among others. We started a great professional relationship that allowed for murals at the Rodeo Goat in Dallas and Houston, work at Lark on the Park, and outdoor installation at the Mud Hen.
After being in being in Dallas for a while, I made the tough decision to relocate to San Francisco in an effort to pursue the arts a bit more. The first few months were a combination of time spent in my studio, branding for clients, providing more chalk art around the city, but most importantly, many late nights spent attempting to increase my skill set. I oftentimes attribute my creative thinking to the fact that I’m so curious- constantly attempting new mediums, new art forms and pushing boundaries. While I oftentimes enjoyed the art of painting, I had studied so traditionally- focusing intensely on minute details. This allowed for me to copy a photograph easily, but I oftentimes felt like I was missing out on greater potential, as I struggled in defining exactly what my style was.
In order to effortlessly place stroke across a blank canvas, I had to be in the completely right mindset – a balance of energy levels, ideas, but most importantly, the environment around me. If the studio wasn’t decorated or arranged white right, if the lighting wasn’t perfect, the work just wouldn’t come. After a period of deep personal insight, the question of what truly sparked my interests came to fruition – the worlds around us. My personal spaces have always been so deeply important to me, and when it comes to spending money, the first place I spend is on my home. (although mostly second hand, thrifting and craigslist hunting is in my blood!) Knowing that we are a byproduct of our environments, I realized that I wanted to make this transition into home decor, to design the products that people would look at, that could spark joy, conversation, and connection.
My knowledge of printmaking and sewing certainly came in handy and I dove headfirst into learning the ins and outs of design within this field, as I began making patterns late into the evening. The role that serendipity places within this career switch is key as I happened to searching for a bout of inspiration one sunny morning on a hilltop in San Francisco and struck up a conversation with a stranger. Connecting instantaneously, we swapped numbers and within a week, I was freelancing for her as a textile artist. As my skillset and experience began to grow with this opportunity, I soon found myself working for Pottery Barn Kids in the textile department, where I designed sheeting, towels, curtains, rugs and more. There were certainly days when I would be drawing out rainbow unicorns and patterns for West Elm collaborations and I would just smile, knowing that I got paid to work on such whimsical designs.
Several years passed, and while I enjoyed my time in San Francisco, I found my heart yearning for Texas- the warmth, the good-natured people, and most importantly, home. One morning, curious about the job industry in Dallas, I found myself perusing LinkedIn- not expecting to find much, as the hubs for home decor lie in Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco. Unexpectedly, I found it- that one posting that you look at, you re-read in disbelief a few times, as you realize that you might’ve found your dream. The particular role was for The Citizenry, a Dallas based startup that brings artisan-made goods into the modern consumers’ home. Their impeccable designs that blended traditional craft with minimal design spoke to me, and even more importantly, they’re all ethically and sustainably made. Within a few months of applying, I found myself packing all my belongings to begin the journey home, and this time with even more purpose as the newest textile designer at The Citizenry.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
No journey is ever completely on a smooth road – there are sections that are clean and easy to ride, but there are also unkept sections, filled with potholes that leave us stranded for a while. But with any journey, you have to know the downs to know the ups- it’s the struggle that keeps things interesting.
Having a background in fine arts doesn’t necessarily apply to many fields, so this meant constantly trying to make sure my skill set was updated constantly learning new techniques and programs. Some would come easily, and some would just end with me frustrated at 4 am, several glasses of wine deep. The failures are so important, though, as they are in indicator of “Do I want to give up?” of “Do I want to keep going, to push myself to my boundaries?”. While there are few things that I completely abandoned, the majority of efforts were continued.
The majority of my career thus far was spent freelancing- and for anybody who knows’s the lifestyle, it’s an arduous one to maintain. There’s not only the balance and upkeep of clients, but the marketing, the networking, and the continual outreach. And then there’s the notorious slow seasons, when large companies are revising budgets, with freelancers usually as the first expense cut. For the weeks that you might be out of a regular job, it’s spent adjusting to make sure that your portfolio and website are still current, to develop new projects, and most importantly, to stay preoccupied. With the dry seasons, also came the rainy seasons- when the work is abundant, almost too much so that you hesitate to say no. My desire to constantly produce work has generally been a positive characteristic, but there were also times when I refused to turn down a client, despite an already overflowing and exhaustive calendar. There were weeks when I’d grind myself to the bone – 30 hours for one client, 20 hours for another, and additional 15-20 hours that I’d somehow managed to squeeze in late night. One of the biggest struggles can be saying that you have no time, but over the years, I’ve certainly learned that prioritizing mental health and hobbies is paramount in succeeding as a designer. If you have no energy left for yourself, that means you didn’t even have enough energy in the first place to create at your fullest potential.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Textile Designer at The Citizenry – what should we know?
The Citizenry is a Dallas startup that was founded just over five years ago by Carly Nance and Rachel Bentley. Knowing that there was a gap in the home decor industry for hand made goods, they sought to disrupt this field by bringing in artisan goods from around the globe. The past five years have proved immense growth, as we’ve grown to become a high-end retailer of bedding, rugs, pillows, furniture and other small accent pieces.
I am the Textile Designer for them meaning that I focus predominantly on the development of soft goods, such as rugs and pillows. This position is so interesting, as it has provided the opportunity to gain insight on different areas around the globe- what techniques, colors, and designs are native to different regions. Every day is completely different in this role, some involve researching new artisan groups, some creating visual concepts and presentations, but the majority are spent working on compelling new designs.
What sets the Citizenry apart from so many other brands is the ability that we have to capture hundreds of years’ worth of techniques, to pay homage to them, but to also rethink them in such a way that they have a place in our customers home. Most importantly in my eyes, however, is our commitment to paying wages above the standard so that all of our goods are ethically made. Sustainability is not a trend- it’s here to stay.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
We’re a relatively small company just under 30 people and it’s astounding that such a tiny team can pull of what we do. Every single role within the company is so incredibly important- and I can’t imagine functioning without any of my teammates! The founders, Carly Nance and Rachel Bentley are absolutely wonderful individuals and their direction between both the design and financial side of things has allowed for the company to flourish.
In addition, the Design team that I work so closely with on a daily basis is only comprised of two others- Haley Seidel and Maral Bikales. Without these two, our beautiful assortment of products wouldn’t exist.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.the-citizenry.com
- Instagram: @the_citizenry
Image Credit:
Lindsay Mapes – Portrait
Lisa Petrole – Product Photography
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