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Meet Valentina Lairet of Triangular Studio

Today we’d like to introduce you to Valentina Lairet.

Valentina, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I grew up in Puerto La Cruz in Venezuela, and spent some of my teenage years in Caracas, but had to leave my country almost 11 years ago. My dad worked at one of the companies that the government decided to take over, so we had no choice but to flee the country (with a week’s notice). During my time in Venezuela, I explored several passions: tennis, community work, art, among others.

We initially moved to Orlando, where I finished high school and attended college. I think I consider this first move the first challenge I had to face. A new country, the whole ‘immigrating drama,’ a different language, and all during my teen years, forced me to grow up and deal with things that probably wouldn’t have happened if I had stayed in Venezuela. Moving to Orlando taught me the true meaning of hard work. While attending college, I worked as a waitress for a catering company and a hostess at a breakfast cafe. Both of these jobs taught me exceptional values about teamwork, service, community, and kindness. Later on, I also started working at a print shop, which triggered my passion for print and paper (paper nerd over here!).

After living in Orlando for a few years, my entire family and I got our application rejected for the second or third time, which forced us to leave this country. After careful thought, we decided to move to Panama, where there seemed to be promising job opportunities for all of us.

Moving to Panama was most definitely not an easy thing to do. After finally developing relationships, routines and adapting to this new environment, adapting to another entirely different one was not an easy thing to do. Thankfully, I was able to find a job at a production company where I designed the graphics and branding for TV shows, while I looked for something that was more down my alley. Shortly after, I started designing the entire “Sports & Health” Magazine, the most significant local health magazine in Panama.

Soon after, I met Gabriel Cruz (an incredible person and super talented art dealer & gallerist), grandson of Carlos Cruz-Diez, one of the most prominent Kinetic Artists globally known. He offered me a job initially at his gallery in Panama, Marión Gallery, where I began as a graphic designer in charge of all of the gallery’s graphic and visual needs. Nonetheless, I shortly started designing the branding of exhibitions, digital marketing, packaging design, business strategy, graphics, fact sheets for the gallery (pretty much anything), and its partnering companies, an artist atelier Articruz and their design store, Kromya Design Store. I worked for the entire Cruz-Diez Family for a little bit more than four years, during which I represented the gallery in many events, both locally and internationally, including two Art Toronto art fairs (in Toronto, Canada). I also dealt with clients, helped optimize a lot of processes, even made several artwork sales.

Additionally, I took many art courses in prominent art institutions such as the Sotheby’s Institute of Art. Working so involved in the art world just reawakened my love and admiration for all things art-related. I can honestly say working with them has been my favorite job; it combined my two biggest passions-art and design. I was so excited about everything I did, that work never felt like an actual job. Such good energy pushed me to finally opening my studio. In 2014, I officially launched Triangular Studio. I had already been doing freelance work on the side, and it seemed like the perfect opportunity. Panama really opened up to my studio and me; after this, it was never the same. I started getting many requests while building strong relationships with many people and businesses. Opening the studio was the right choice at the right time, and the fact that I still work with partners I made in Panama, even though we are far from each other, only proves it. Later on, I focused more on illustrating and designing patterns, which quickly became my next goal: opening a shop. Currently, you can find some of my designs on the studio’s website and other custom patterns shops online (a dream that I’m still pursuing).

After living in Panama for approximately five years, my grandmother, which had previously been diagnosed with cancer and was doing well, had a recurrence. The doctors told us she only had a few months left. Considering she was one of the most influential and meaningful persons in my life, I moved back to the US without hesitation. Sadly, she passed soon after, making my move more permanent, finding a home in Miami.

Returning to the States’ was a ‘smooth’ move, but filled with many emotions. I was dealing with my grandma’s passing while adjusting to a new life… again, after having to leave behind friends, the life I had built with such effort, and a job that I loved. I can honestly say those were the most challenging months I’ve ever been through in my life. Thankfully, I was surrounded by familiar faces in Miami that supported me during these crazy times. Throughout these challenging times, I learned the value of true friendship, family, and a quote that I’ll never forget: the harder you work, the ‘luckier’ you get.

Soon after moving to Miami, I started working at a well-known branding and advertising agency. At this agency, I worked as a creative director and designer with clients such as Fontainebleau Hotel, Longines, Wynwood Walls, Goldman Global Arts, Goldman Properties, Bal Harbour Shops, Sustainable Supperclub, El San Juan Hotel (PR), Club Med Mitches Playa Esmeralda, Childhood Glaucoma Research Center, Mi’talia Kitchen & Bar, Grove Bay Hospitality Group, among others. Currently, my studio is still running full time with wonderful clients in Panama, Miami, Tampa, and Orlando, that make my every-day life awesome.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It hasn’t always been a smooth road; it has required a lot of effort and sacrifices (from both my family and me). I pretty much had to start over several times in different places with different cultures and markets. All of this, while dealing with immigration issues, family drama, losses in the family, having to pack your life several times in a few bags and boxes… it hasn’t been easy at all.

Please tell us about Triangular Studio.
We are a creative studio. We specialize and are known for branding and illustration, mostly for patterns; among our other services: digital marketing, graphic design, website design, brand consulting + strategy, and social media management.

I think what I am most proud of is just how far I’ve come. I always envisioned having my studio, although I never thought how much hard work it would take. Nonetheless, I am glad and happy about it; it has definitely shaped who I am and how I treat my clients. I think what sets me, and my studio apart is our dedication and passion. Everything we do is to create the ultimate and best experience possible for our clients. We work tirelessly to achieve our client’s goals while pushing ourselves to develop out-of-the-box creative solutions.

If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Honestly, I don’t think I would change anything. Just like in life, every decision we make in our lives shapes us a little bit more each day. In other words, I would not be myself, nor my company would be the same if I had done things differently.

I just always try to remind myself that hard work always pays off. If you put enough effort into everything you do, and you do it with passion and love, everything finds a way to work out in the end.

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