This is me

Hi. Hey. Hello!

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I'm Ciara Pickering-Foote — designer, storyteller, occasional costume sorceress, quite possibly the missing piece to your creative puzzle — and the creative superhero behind Smug Pug Ink.

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Sure, my resume hits the highlights: a BFA in Graphic Design, an MFA in Media Design (with a love affair for branding + marketing), and a solid track record of turning big ideas into even bigger results. I’ve worn a lot of hats — think creative campaigns for national businesses at DataSphere, to curating experiences and visuals for artists from Seattle to Asheville as a freelance designer. Basically, if it involves visual storytelling, brand strategy, or wrangling chaos into clarity — I’m in my element.

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But here’s what the resume won’t tell you: I’m deeply rooted in the arts. I grew up sewing and crafting costumes before I could spell "aesthetic," spent years in the theater wings, and dove headfirst into fine art, art history, new media, film studies, and writing and drawing comics. I’ve edited indie films, designed surreal visuals, and even dabbled in makeup and VFX — all while dancing, performing, and creating with my local arts community. My latest endeavor is developing my life-long love of illustration into learning to tattoo.

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I’m on the lookout for a role that blends creativity, heart, and hustle — somewhere I can bring my whole, art-obsessed, detail-loving self to the table. If you’re after someone who thinks big, works hard, and vibes well with just about anyone — we should definitely talk.

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Let’s make some magic.

— Ciara