Kate Purcell

In Her Own Words

• What do you do (in 5 words or fewer)?

  Transform ideas into designs.

• What's the worst part of your job?

  The two-dimensionality of the computer. I'm waiting for the day when I can craft a website by hand!

• What's your dream project?

  First thing that pops into my head is pink. A client in love with fuchsia and sparkly things.

• What is your biggest fear?

  Honestly, I'm still scared of the dark.

• What's the one thing in your life that's really important to you but you never quite get to?

  Gardening. The idea of being able to grow my own food is something that I really value. However, come mid-summer I never have it in me to go and face the swarms of mosquitoes in my yard.

• What’s your favorite way to spend a rainy afternoon?

  Tackling some sort of advanced baking operation, with lots of steps and time (i.e. a souffle or a seven-tiered cake). Then I have to make sure there's someone around to help me eat it besides Bear, my dog.

• If you could have one magic item what would it be?

  A flying carpet. When I am tired and far from home it would come and whisk me away to my bed. Ideally it would be a heated carpet, too, so I don't get cold up there in the sky.

• What's the best flavor combination you can think of?

  Chocolate and salt.

• Free Ranger Bio

  Equally comfortable as an artist in the tangible and virtual worlds, Kate draws, paints and screenprints in addition to her full suite of design capabilities in print, web and interactive design.  Her ambition to use art and design to promote positive change was sparked by a college project on Toni Morrison’s Beloved, translating the presentation of disturbing material in a powerful, poetic voice into a multi-media experience. After graduating from Marlboro College with majors in Visual Arts and Literature, Kate traveled to far-flung places, from Vietnam to the Caribbean, to work on environmental issues and international development. To help organizations reach their audiences, Kate applies the lesson learned from her college work, using strong, creative graphics supported by engaging to drive people to engage. Kate found Free Range’s mission, talent, and collaborative environment exciting, and ideal for combining her artistic skills and her commitment to making a positive difference. A few of the highlights from Kate’s Free Range portfolio include No Impact Man, the American Jewish World Service, and the NoVo Foundation’s Move to End Violence. Kate lives in Baltimore with one dog, one cat, one husband, and gazillions of worms that work hard converting her house’s waste into garden compost.