We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Carmel Gatchalian. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Carmel below.

Carmel, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

This might not be a big professional project, but creating artwork for the people I love has always been the most meaningful and fulfilling to me. It’s how I reclaim my soul from client work, and honestly one of my love languages. Over the years, I’ve surprised close friends and family with hand-drawn calendars, cards, games, short stories, and paintings.

What I love about giving art as a gift is that it’s more than just a thoughtful gesture. It’s a way to show someone you care enough to spend time making something just for them. Plus, it’s a great opportunity for me to try new ideas and keep improving my own work along the way.

Carmel, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hi, I’m Carmel Gatchalian—a designer, illustrator, and art director from Louisiana, now soaking up the sunshine in San Diego. These days, I’m an art director at Buck Design, where I get to team up with some amazing people to create illustrations, animations, campaigns, and systems for clients like Spotify, Airbnb, AT&T, Apple, Facebook, Google, and more.

When it comes to my personal work, I love finding beauty in the weird and embracing imperfection in things that are perfect in their own little way. I pull inspiration from things in everyday life, using bold colors, graphic shapes with an emphasis on capturing the spirit of an object or place.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

It’s the closest thing to complete freedom and free will. It’s a gift!

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

Early in my career, I fell into the trap of caring too much. I obsessed over how I measured up to my peers, the value my work brought to society, how much money it made, and worst of all, I tied it all to my self-worth. It’s an easy hole to fall into, especially for creative people. That gnawing feeling that making art just for ourselves is somehow a waste of time if it’s not a viral sensation, monetized to death, or worst of all, part of our “personal brand.” Barf!

It took me a long time to realize that not everything I make has to be important or purposeful. Not every piece needs to be a grand statement or evoke deep emotions. Sometimes, it’s enough to just make something. To play. To explore a thought or an idea with no pressure, no expectations, and no goal beyond seeing where it leads.

These days, I’ve let go of overthinking it. Art, for me, isn’t some sacred act or divine calling—it’s a practice. And sometimes, making art just for the sake of it is more than enough. Maybe someone will see it and feel something, or maybe they won’t. Maybe no one will ever see it, and that’s fine too.
What I’ve learned is that everything I create, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, contributes in some way to my growth as an artist. Each piece informs the next, often in ways I don’t even realize at the time.
I don’t try to plan out where any personal project will take me anymore. I just make, even if the end result is crappy. And honestly, the freedom in that has taken me to places I never imagined.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://carmelgatchalian.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_carmeljoy/?hl=en
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmel-gatchalian-741901a3/

Image Credits

All images by Carmel Gatchalian