Evan Barbee, Katy McDonald

Hello Red Earth Enthusiasts!  It’s time that we made introductions!

My name is Evan Barbee and I am a designer with the RETCo. team. I have been working with this company for only a few months and am so excited about the direction we are moving. I first met Travis, RETCo. founder, a few years ago and have been following his progress for some time with wonder and amazement. The vision that he has inspires me daily and gives me a more expansive vision for my place in the world. I am honored to be included in this small, yet rapidly growing team! I went to school for interior design and have worked in a modern furniture company for eight years, after which I freelanced for a couple of years in Nashville, TN as a designer.

For me, design is fluid and has twisted and turned over the years, and has landed happily today on this amazing organization! The stories of the artisans that create and produce our product are truly the propelling force behind my work. You can buy a cool necklace anywhere these days, but the symbolism and gravity of holding a piece of jewelry in your palm that was made by an artist’s hands on the other side of the world leaves a significant impact. I am drawn to our product because it is beautiful, and I wear it proudly because of what  it means. It is a direct link to the good work happening in far away places. We love being able to partner with these talented, joyful, valiant men and women. They challenge us. They encourage us. We hope to be more like them.

-Ev

Hello there, my name is Katy McDonald and I am the in-house photographer and creative director for RETCo. I have been with the company since the beginning and cannot express how excited and blessed I am to be a part of this company. I studied graphic design in college, so working for RETCo. has been a dream come true. I have been given a chance to do what I love, to grow, and to help make a difference in people’s lives as they constantly make a difference in mine.

Creativity: is the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, and interpretations. (dictionary.com)

-Katy

We will be posting more regularly on our blog to include you, our followers, in the creative process. You will get to see the trial and errors, the wins and losses, and the inspiration and moments that push us forward. Consider this your backstage pass! We are happy to have you with us!

Evan & Katy

Team RETCo.