Born and raised in Sarasota, FL, I’ve tried to incorporate local history into my creative process. I’m a graduate of Ringling College of Art + Design and a registered Interior Designer. I worked in Commercial Design for 10 years, but I’m actively repurposing my art degree through knitwear design and hand-dyed yarns. There are parallels between my former career and my current one. Just like with ID, I enjoy sketching designs and then bringing them to life. My inspiration for designs comes from various sources, sometimes a specific yarn. I enjoy swatching and letting the yarn tell me what it wants to be and what it wants to do.
All of my yarn bases are named after keys, bays and beaches in SW Florida and The Florida Keys. My patterns are named after pioneering and founding families in Sarasota and Manatee Counties, as well as (more recent) individuals who have made a significant impact to those areas.
The “Bea” in the name of my brand, KittyBea Knitting, is for my daughter, Beatrice.