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

Kristina, 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 a creative through and through. A graphic designer, visual storyteller, and hands-on maker who finds purpose in using art to connect with people. My creative journey started young, but it really took shape through programs like Bridges and Art with a Heart in Baltimore, where I realized that creativity wasn’t just a hobby. It could be a career and a calling. Those early experiences planted seeds that are now blossoming into a full creative life.

Today, I wear a few different hats, but they all come back to one mission: using creativity to make people feel seen, celebrated, and supported. Through my work with HeARTwares, a social enterprise store, I help develop and curate handmade products that uplift local youth and artists while building real-world job skills. As part of Art with a Heart’s larger mission, we use the vehicle of art to teach professional development, build confidence, and create community.

Each summer, young artists in our five-week workforce development program not only gain technical and creative skills but also learn what it means to be working artists. Many of them get to experience the joy of selling their very first art pieces. The program wraps up with a shopping celebration where the students become their own spokespersons, presenting and selling their work directly to customers. It’s a commission-based setup, so they also receive a percentage of each sale — making the experience both empowering and rewarding. This year we will be hosting that event on August 15th,2025 from 5:00-7:30 pm at HeARTwares our social enterprise store at 1104 W. 36th St on The Avenue.

I also continue to take on creative projects outside of that work, which gives me even more space to express myself and grow as a designer.

What sets me apart is that I care about the why behind every project. Whether I’m designing a product, creating a display, or supporting a young artist, I’m thinking about how it makes people feel. My style is vibrant, thoughtful, and intentional. I like to say it’s where bold design meets emotional storytelling.

One of the things I’m most proud of is how I’ve blended my creative passions with community impact. I’ve gone from being the young person in the room soaking it all in, to now being someone who helps guide, mentor, and uplift others through creativity, just like others did for me! That full-circle moment means everything to me.

If there’s one thing I want people to know about my work, it’s that it comes from the heart. Every design, every product, every collaboration is rooted in meaning. Whether you’re shopping at HeARTwares, working alongside me on a project, or simply following along, you’re engaging with something made with care, intention, and a whole lot of love.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

Yes, there is a clear mission behind the work we do. As a social enterprise connected to a larger nonprofit, one of our goals is to grow in a way that allows our workforce development programming to expand both on-site and off-site. We want to create more opportunities for youth to gain creative skills not only within our store but also out in the community — in schools, partner organizations, and beyond.

The long-term vision is to build a pipeline that connects our creative workforce programs directly to job placement in the arts and creative sector. Whether it’s in design, arts education, or creative business, we want young people to see that their creativity has value and real-world potential. I would love to see us continue to grow in that direction, creating more access, more impact, and more opportunities for youth to thrive creatively and professionally.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding part of being an artist or creative is the process of planning and mapping out an idea, imagining the possibilities, and carefully shaping the vision. There’s something truly special about watching that initial concept come to life, piece by piece, until it becomes a finished work I can share with others.

But beyond the plan, I also find beauty in the trial and error. We often love the idea of everything working perfectly, exactly as it’s supposed to. But that doesn’t always happen, and I think that’s where the real magic lies. The unexpected changes, the mistakes, the adjustments along the way often lead to something even more meaningful and unique. That process of discovery and growth is truly beautiful.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.artwithaheart.net/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artwithaheart_/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AWAHBaltimore/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AWAHbaltimore