K8ilyEverAfter

This store is years in the making. It starts with a family with a passion for art. It follows a mom and a daughter as they bring their skills together to bring you the designs you see in our shop. The two main creators in this shop are Laurita (My Mom) and Kate (Me). Laurita taught art twice a week at a small Christian school in Pennsylvania when we were growing up. She did this despite the fact that she was chronically ill with Lupus and Degenerative Disk Disease. She brought such joy and light to her classrooms, the students learned art, but they also learned math, science, English, and history. And they were free to discuss their faith in an open environment. When I was applying to college I followed my mom's footsteps and became a classically trained artist with a degree from Carnegie Mellon University. I went on to get a masters in Art Education and started teaching soon after. However, within a year I was also diagnosed with Lupus. It never affects two people in exactly the same way, so while my mom could teach in a school without having to worry too much about the typical childhood illnesses, my immune system wasn't up to the task. So I was retired from my chosen profession before I turned 30. When God closes a door, he opens a window though, and that redirection has led us down the path to this shop. I had started working on freelance graphic design, web design and commissioned pieces. It started as a hobby while I was in undergrad, and continued as a side project while I was in grad school. Eventually, the business grew into K8ilyEverAfter. Things didn't really fall into place until I started working with my Mom. Laurita is a gifted painter, while I tend towards digital art and sculpture. We balance each other well. Her art style is more freeform, mine is more precision based. Mom'll work on any surface you give her, I love to work as large as I can. And proceeds from the shop go toward helping us care for a severely disabled family member.