Maker: Genesis of Graphic Anthology

I’m excited to introduce Genesis today.  Not only do her designs bring a smile to my face, but the excitement of her growing business and new products make me look forward to watching her business grow! Her prints remind me of whimsical summer days and our lovely California lifestyle. I love her cards, since I’m a huge fan of sending actual mail, and am personally very excited to see what she does with table lines! Meet Genesis and check out her website on your way!

~Angie~

Please introduce yourself.  

I’m Genesis Duncan, I’m a 32 year old designer & entrepreneur. I’m a California native and currently reside in Sacramento.

What do you make or do?

I’m the creative director and owner of Graphic Anthology, a stationery & home decor company. I design and manufacture joyful art prints, stationery, totes, and home textiles. Everything is infused with bright colors and bold patterns, while remaining simple and sophisticated.

Where can we find your creations?

My products are available online at graphicanthology.com. A list of brick and mortar retailers can also be found on my website.

Is creativity a luxury or a necessity for you?

Creativity feels like a necessity for me. I grew up with entrepreneurial parents, so I learned to make and do as a lifestyle. I feel a constant drive to create things, or to make existing things better. It feels like a non-stop mental process. My husband and I joke about this time we took an island vacation, thinking it would be nice to check out and relax on the beach for a few days. I think I lasted a day before I started working on my next collection!

Where do you find inspiration?

I find inspiration everywhere. Especially when I travel. I love exploring new environments, trying new foods, browsing in markets. It’s that tension of being in a new place, you see and learn so much. And you feel really connected to other people. Lately I’ve been really inspired by the color and passion of Latin culture and the simplicity of Scandinavian design.

What’s on the horizon for you and what you do?

For the past few years, Graphic Anthology has been focused on paper products: cards, prints, labels. I made the decision last year to expand into textiles, with the goal of becoming a home decor & lifestyle brand. Currently, I am launching a small collection of pillow covers designed and sewn with my fabric designs, but next year, I’m aiming to offer a variety of kitchen and table linens.

What inspiring advice would you give to other creatives be they established or just starting out?

I feel like I say this a lot, but you take action and just do it. If you have an idea, these days it’s so easy and inexpensive to get it out there. Websites are cheap, Etsy is cheap, business cards are cheap, social media is free. Don’t wait for your product/service/story to be “perfect” before you launch either. Sometimes projects and businesses never get off the ground because you are waiting for perfection, or by the time you launch, someone else has beaten you to the market. Obviously you shouldn’t put junk out into the world (please, don’t!), but get it good enough and get it out there. As my dad would always say, “If you don’t deliver, you don’t get paid.” I remind myself of that often.

Who are the makers that inspire you?

So many makers inspire me. I’m inspired by other Sacramento designers who are working their butts off to grow their businesses on their own terms. My friend Kristin DeNeeve of Semi Sweet Press is crazy talented and is true to who she is as an illustrator/designer. Plus she’s also a competitor in the marketplace, which always inspires me to take risks and up my game to keep up with her!

I’m also a huge fan of Lisa Congdon, Leah Duncan, and Joy Cho. I consistently love what they crank out and I spend a lot of time stalking their Instagram feeds!