Today we’d like to introduce you to KaJay Rooke.
KaJay, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
A long time ago in a galaxy far far away..haha just kidding. I’m from a small New Hampshire town where I found a rather unexpected passion for design and art a little over halfway through high school.
For my entire young life, I had my heart and mind set on being a vet. I wanted to rid the world of sickly animals of all shapes and sizes (and I definitely still want that) buuut in my first high school graphic design class Junior year, I experienced my very first epiphany and it hit me like a very firm pillow. My drive to bring art/design into my life as a career blossomed like all those annoying weeds that grow in the cracks of the sidewalks. I will be very honest with this one, even though this epiphany was a glorious and exciting moment in my life, it was also still extremely unclear and a bit frightening. I had a lot of indecision because it seemed like there was an enormous margin of failure…but alas I didn’t give up on any of it.
I have grown up being super active, playing many team sports in school to exploring my way through hikes around the East, beaches, mountains in the winter to ski and snowboard, snowshoeing, kayaking or just plain walking around outside to catch as much fresh air as I could. Flash forward to my college years spent in the North East Kingdom of Vermont, I had enormous influences from members of our Mountain Recreation department. Once I told enough bad dad-jokes and proved I was just as nutty as they were, they started bringing me on some of their rad trips and adventures (they must have wanted to hear more corny comedy – who knew!). Climbing trips to West Virginia’s New River gorge and Franconia Notch, Mountain bike trips across local Kingdom Trails, rounds of disk golf, or even ripping dirt bikes all around the hidden single tracks and rocky areas of Vermont, we had it all at our fingertips. This place (Lyndon, VT) captivated my heart, and would you believe I had my second, SECOND, epiphany about my life and career path?! Why don’t I design for companies that promote this amazing lifestyle of getting outside and exploring all these different activities and incredible places? Or companies that encourage any personal growth for that matter toward achieving dreams? Better yet, why wait? Why not start by promoting myself, my own design, to help people on a local level get outside or start a business they’ve always wanted?
I designed my own brand in my branding class (haha go figure right?) and that’s when KaJay Designs really became a solid “thing”. My mantra was simple, and though it’s constantly shifting and adapting as I grow as a person, explorer and designer, it’s remained fairly consistent; Inspire those around me to be more adventurous and confident in who they are and their abilities, embrace it! KaJay designs has gone through a few versions of logo, never loosing the small hand-drawn two peaks that are nestled close to my name. I took those peaks and started a campaigns dubbed “My Mountain Project”. Purpose: to challenge and encourage my audience to take those small stickers and carry them on all their adventures, snap photos of them and/or their stickers in all of the places they love to go. I only ask that the photos are sent to me so I can display them on my website and social media pages (giving them credit of course) to share with an even larger crowds. When other audiences are reached, perhaps it will spark something in even one person to say “wow that place looks amazing, I want to do that” or “go there” or “eat that delicious food.”
Now I get to happily assist my clients with their projects while taking my spare time and investing in my own travels and adventures. After-all, it’s important that I follow by example what my brand represents, getting outside/exploring as often as I can! 🙂
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
This hasn’t been a polished road, that’s for certain, but it also hasn’t the most bumpy either. I’ve held full time positions while freelancing for quite a while now so I haven’t always been searching for as much freelancing to sustain me full time. Fortunately, I’ve had the opportunity to take my freelance career slow and steady. I pick up large and small projects as they come in and I do, on occasion, have to turn projects away so I can keep some “me” time. How else will I be able to keep up my line-up of bad dad-jokes fresh?
Please tell us about KaJay Designs.
KaJay Designs is a Graphic Design brand run by a solo designer, me! 🙂 Any design project that comes my way is handled carefully and thoughtfully: web, layout, resume templates, print items etc. I definitely would say I specialize in layout design (business cards, magazine, flyers, just about anything print related). Yes, the projects I take on vary as much as New England weather and I do that intentionally. It keeps my skills as a designer consistently moving, improving and it keeps me thinking of trends and how I can continue to create work that is always current.
Apart from my designs, I may be known for my love for fried mozzarella, jokes and my Jeeps (my yellow 2000 Wrangler named Sheila to be exact). The “thing” that sets me apart from the rest of the pack is honestly meeting me and seeing for yourself that I will do whatever I can, and some, to make sure that your end result is more than you could have ever dreamed. When I look at a project, it’s not a matter of “what can this bring/do for me” (as far as revenue etc.). My view on each project I take on is “okay, how can I assist this person/client in achieving their goal and blow this project out of the water?”
My most proud moment as KaJay Designs/ a Freelance Designer is helping in the annual CHaD Storybook Ball. At this event I’m working with an incredible event staff to create a magical evening for guests and patients to be surrounded by. My table design is hosted alongside dozens of other designers and companies to raise money for CHaD (Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock). There is a silent and live auction, guest speakers and (of course) amazing food and drink. Each table that is in this event is modeled after a particular storybook that matches up with the events theme. Decked-out in sweet treats that tower high above your head at the Trolls table to a mysterious and luminous handcrafted island Where the Wild things Are. It’s truly a magical evening and it has been such a gift to be involved with such a great organization every year.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
If I could go back…hmm. I would probably remind myself that even though this is a road littered with other phenomenal artists and designers, I am good enough to keep up with the big dogs. That I can forever be a student of my craft and I don’t need to know everything right now, and I don’t have to be perfect right now. Starting out, I wish I could have better understood that even though I may bust my butt to market myself and rake in different small projects, clients will work with me as they please and others may have reasons why they will choose another. I don’t need to work with every person or company out there, I just need to focus on the work that does walk through my doors and make those projects the best they can be.
I’d also like to give a quick shoutout to all of the friends, family and clients who have helped my get to where I am today. I literally wouldn’t have been able to make it here if it wasn’t for all of you, so thank you for all that you do. You are all rock-stars in my book!!
Contact Info:
- Website: kajaydesigns.com
- Phone: 6034383987
- Email: KJ.rooke@yahoo.com
- Instagram: kajay.designs
Image Credit:
Benton Photography, Kendal J. Bush Photography, Rachel Gray and Jake Doucette (Phitted Photography)
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
