I’ve been an art director, designer, illustrator and colorist for close to 40 years. I received a BFA in Design / Illustration from the California College of Arts & Crafts (CCAC). Soon after, I moved to New York City, where I worked in a myriad of publishing industries including fashion, film, music and crafts. I spent two years as an artist-in-residence, exploring surface design at the Penland School of Crafts in North Carolina. Once back in the Bay Area, I continued my editorial art direction, then became an art director for Papyrus where I blended my love of surface design with art direction. Now, I spend most of my time designing custom, handmade-to-order carpets and enjoy sharing my years of experience teaching workshops on color and design.

My true loves have always been color and texture. I come from a long line of accomplished artists and my emergence into rug design is thanks to my family. My Armenian-born grandfather was a renowned Oriental rug authority, my uncles continued in his footsteps and were major collectors of international textiles, and Mark Keshishian & Sons, which my grandfather founded decades ago, is managed to this day by my cousin in the Washington, D.C. area. Carpets, art, and color have been part of my life as long as I can remember: the smell of the wool, the touch of the fibers, and the variety of patterns are in my DNA.