Art & Design

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Karen Mitchell | Owner & Photographer

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About:  When Karen is not taking photos, she is likely welcoming people to her home to share food, and stories, while weaving lives together in the sweetest of ways. Through her lifestyle blog, Fortitude + Finn she hosts community dinner parties throughout the year to create the same soul-filling experience– bringing strangers and friends alike together, building community, breaking bread, and drinking wine.

Traveling for clients or dinners is top of her list of favorite activities. Celebrating the new accomplishments of clients or documenting what they have built, she’s prepared to listen, brainstorm and create with her camera in order to tell the story that needs to be shared with a new and existing pool of consumers.

Specialties: With 15 years of experience in classic documentarian style photography, Karen Mitchell of The Elan Studio has perfected the ability to intimately understand the needs of each of her commercial clients. Her background in marketing combined with her extensive knowledge of storytelling photography has brought her to work with over 85 different companies, in just the last year. From large print format to the little squares of social media, Karen can create an attractive story for her client’s future clientele and existing customers to feast their eyes upon through their marketing programs.

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Connect: Contact Karen at km@theelanstudio.com or at (719) 217-8722, or visit her website below!

MEMBER SINCE APRIL 2022

Lauren Ripko | Event Planner

About: Lauren Ripko uses her 20+ years in the hospitality industry to create experiences that build community through art and gathering. In a post-pandemic world, gathering is more important than ever and Lauren focuses on producing events that provide an inspired platform for the public to meet on common ground. With a focus on Creative Placemaking, her goal is to bridge art, culture, and economic development within cities to spur community-led change. Lauren enjoys traveling and experiencing new cultures firsthand through food and drink with locals. Each trip to a new city or country is an opportunity to bring something back to the community in which she lives with her husband and two sons.

Specialties: With a background in event production ranging from Ironman Triathlons to celebrity weddings, Diner en Blanc to a dinner party for 10, Lauren brings a unique perspective to the important details with a passion for creating the opportunity for each guest or visitor to leave with new memories and new friends.

Quote: "All the flowers of all the tomorrows are the seeds of today.”

Connect: Contact Lauren at lauren@studioqevents.com or at (303) 929-2434, or visit her website below!

MEMBER SINCE JANUARY 2022

Michelle Zak | Designer, Owner

About: Michelle Zak is an e-commerce web designer who has an eye for design, a mind for details, and a heart for women-owned businesses. As a former Army officer with corporate marketing experience, she uses her background to help clients establish streamlined back-end systems and showcase cohesive brands. Michelle loves working with creative women and strives to be the calm and organized partner they need in executing their visions.

Specialties: Michelle Zak is a Shopify Partner who builds and manages e-commerce websites on the Shopify platform for women-owned brands and retailers. She provides front-end web design, back-end customization, and training and resources to support her clients in managing online stores.

Quote: "Form follows function." - Louis Sullivan, Architect

Connect: Contact Michelle at michelle@fourtabsdesign.com or at (913) 660-3420, or visit her website below!

MEMBER SINCE AUGUST 2022