Riga Sutherland is a talented designer and illustrator with a penchant for all things feminine. Read on to learn more about Riga and what inspires her beautiful work below!
Name: Riga Sutherland
Age: 35
Current role: Designer, Hallmark Cards
Education background: BA in Art History from University of Washington. Graphic Design from Art Institute of Seattle.
What’s your Hallmark history? Since I was little, my dad gave me Hallmark cards for my birthday every year. I’ve kept all of them because they were beautiful. After graduating with a degree in Graphic Design, I was working as an in-house designer/illustrator in Seattle. I found a job posting on the Hallmark career website about 4 years ago. I applied and got the job. I then relocated from Seattle to Kansas City.
What’s your creative process like at Hallmark? I usually start with the writing. I focus on the tone of the words. That then guides me to come up with imagery, colors and processes. I like to sketch out different ideas first.
What kind of product do you work on? Tell us about a favorite product or line you’ve been a part of. I work on cards. Right now I’m on the team that works on Love, Anniversary, Valentine’s Day, and Graduation. My favorite card collection I’ve worked on is the Care & Concern collection where Hallmark is in partnership with CaringBridge. They have wonderful messages, and I am glad to be a part of that.
Where do you go or what do you do to feed your brain/soul/spirit? To feed my creative energy, I like to draw and hand-letter quotes. I also like to look at books and magazines for inspiration.
What kinds of trends are you seeing in the world that inform your work? I see a lot of hand lettering and surface design. Looks that are organic and not perfect.
Who are your artistic heroes or influences? I love the work of Helen Dardik. It’s whimsical and fun. I love the colors in her artwork. She also does a lot of patterns, which I’m really into right now.
How does your personal work reflect on your work at Hallmark and vice versa? My personal work inspires my professional work. Whatever I am interested in at the moment, I bring into my work at Hallmark.
What are your favorite things about working for Hallmark? 1) The Creative Library. I love that there are so many new books to get me inspired. 2) The community of artists here at Hallmark. They are so talented. 3) I am inspired everyday by creative workshops and beautiful products.
Shop Riga’s gorgeous wedding collection at Hallmark Gold Crown stores.