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

Hi Natalie, is there a quote or affirmation that’s meaningful to you?
As someone who can be very resistant to change, owning my own business has been extra challenging and a real learning process. I often have to remind myself of the adage “change is the only constant” because WOW, is it ever. When I first started Avo Ink back in 2016, I was working a regular ol’ day job and would squeeze in calligraphy work at night and on weekends. After a couple of years I made the move to working on Avo Ink full time and that was a HUGE adjustment for me. I tried setting a strict schedule for myself and structuring my time to essentially replace my 9-5, but quickly realized that wasn’t going to work for my personality type and lifestyle. My business that originally started with mostly calligraphy for wedding clients, evolved over time and has morphed into painting under an eponymous studio name: Natalie K Carrasco. I’m now back to working an unrelated job (that I absolutely love) Monday through Friday and once again creating for Avo Ink & Natalie K Carrasco with the precious extra hours during evenings and weekends. Change is the only constant, indeed!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Avo Ink started solely as an offering of calligraphy services for weddings and events, but has become so much more in the past six years of business. I’ve taught classes and workshops, had work featured in magazines, released collections of artwork, and experimented with various mediums and styles. My current projects are mostly explorations of landscapes in watercolor and oils. I often say I paint “odes to the earth” and while calligraphy will always be my first artistic love, I’ve been enjoying not feeling pigeonholed into one creative endeavor or another. I really love diving deep into something that interests me and not worrying about whether or not it fits into a specific niche. My email newsletter is a great way to stay in touch with me and keep up with my myriad musings. When I’m not busy with the day-to-day of life and business admin you can often find me admiring and trying to capture wild storm clouds or a particularly promising sunset.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
An ideal day in Fort Collins for me would always start with either a tasty pastry and cozy beverage from Little Bird Bakeshop or a heartier breakfast at the Rainbow Restaurant, followed by a stroll in Old Town. Places to stop in and shop would include: Makerfolk, Old Firehouse Books, Happy Lucky’s Teahouse, Sunday Supply Co., and Topo Designs, Lunch at Tasty Harmony never disappoints and I’d follow it up with a walk along the Poudre river, a wander through the Oval on CSU’s campus or the Annual Flower Trial Garden, or head up to Horsetooth Reservoir for panoramic views of the city. Find delicious dinner options at Union, Taj Mahal, Little on Mountain, or The Regional, then head to The Lyric Cinema to watch a film, or grab a night cap at Social.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My sister is a photographer and my husband is a film maker and they both have worked in the wedding world for over a decade. I owe a lot of my industry knowledge to their connections and have been fortunate to work with them on weddings, styled shoots, and other events. I’m grateful for the tight-knit community of wedding professionals and creatives in Colorado. There are so many talented people that I’m honored to know in the Fort Collins and Northern Colorado area and my business wouldn’t be what it is today without the support and encouragement from them cheering me on.

Website: nataliekcarrasco.com

Instagram: @avoink

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliekcarrasco/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hello.avoink

Other: email newsletter: https://www.nataliekcarrasco.com/join-the-list

Image Credits
Sonja K Photography Matt + Jess

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