Zara Vasquez-Evens

Web Type West

Zara is a Visual Experience Designer with an extensive background in designing for interactive UX across the mobile ecosystem. She has worked with a breadth of major consumer brands in North America and Asia, helping them paint a vision for how beautiful and thoughtful design can connect with a target audience.

While creating larger visual systems for the digital world is her primary focus, Zara also has a soft-spot for all things type. She is probably best known for her involvement in and administration of Typophile and the Typophile Film festival from 2004-2013. She is also a proud graduate of the Communication Design program at Emily Carr University in 2005, where she began her love affair with typography and experienced multiple failed attempts at typeface design.

Zara is currently an Art Director at +Citizen in Portland, Oregon.

food

Integral to most traveling and socializing that I do, I view food as a core component of human culture. I love trying everything from exquisite fine dining to adventurous street food.

book

I recently finished The Poisonwood Bible and want to get back to the jungle immediately.

drink

A crispy, bright glass of white wine, like Grüner Veltliner, Sauvignon Blanc, or my new favorite Malvazija out of Istria.

film/tv

Admittedly, I am a TV junkie. I love the new wave of TV dramas like Breaking Bad and Homeland.

travel

Never stop traveling. My favorite spots include Mexico City, the Peruvian Amazon, Central Turkey, and Northwestern Croatia, where I recently got married. While traveling, if I am not eating something amazing, I find great joy (and equal frustration) using unfamiliar public transit systems in foreign countries. I feel very accomplished when I figure it out.

collection

Calacas, which are the tiny skeleton toys given to children during Dia de los Muertos. They are often posed in really interesting situations, like holding plates of pan de muertos or partying inside a coffin. My favorite piece is a beautiful Frida Kahlo calavera holding a monkey.

invention

The pencil is pretty much amazing.

plant

Living in Oregon makes me feel overwhelmed with landscaping possibilities because of the vast variety of flora, all of which I love. Going to a plant nursery is one of the greatest delights.

sound

Birds, trains, rain. A beautiful melody.

blog

I don’t really read blogs much anymore, however my husband does have one that I partake in from time to time. 3000 Acre Kitchen is about cooking in the outdoors — go read it: 3000acrekitchen.com

animal

My favorite animal in the world is the sloth. I dream to one day hold one like a baby, hug it, and feed it green beans.

expert

Not an expert at anything, but I rely on other experts a lot in my life.

when not at type camp

Hanging out with my hubs, making fun of the things around us and planning our next big adventure.