Natalie Walsh
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About

I was always a crafty kid.  My first business was at age seven selling knitted cat toys on consignment.  By ten I had moved on to bigger and better things, and was selling handmade jewelry in the park. I’ve continued to learn new creative skills for as long as I’ve been alive.

As an adult, I’m a designer and maker.  I’ve had a diverse design career spanning a variety of disciplines and industries, from art direction in New York to UI design in San Francisco.  After earning a degree in Apparel Design from Cornell University, I transitioned to the design side of the fashion and beauty industry.  I spent four years in New York City working at SelectNY as an art director for beauty and luxury clients such as Calvin Klein, Swarovski, and Sebastian Professional.  I enjoyed the work, but ultimately left the industry to focus on mission based work that would have a positive impact on the world.

I spent a couple years traveling and volunteering abroad, did some design work along the way, and ultimately landed back in my hometown of San Francisco.

Shortly after, I landed what turned into a dream job as the first designer at Instructables, a project sharing do-it-yourself website, which was acquired by Autodesk in 2010.  I worked there for 9 years, and had the opportunity to design graphics, swag, apps, and all of the UI/UX for the brand.  I grew not only as a designer, but as a maker through the creative community and workshop at Autodesk.  You can check out my instructables here.  My DIY projects have been featured in Make and Wired magazines, as well as Buzzfeed, Laughing Squid, Jezebel, and many other blogs and social media channels.

I left Instructables at the beginning of 2020, not knowing the roller coaster of a year ahead.  I am taking time to pursue personal projects and freelance.  I believe in the power of design for good, and enjoy projects in the areas of social and environmental impact, the sharing economy, and art/fabrication. 

© Natalie Walsh 2020